Pontificia Universidad Católica de Puerto Rico or Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico is a private, Roman Catholic university located in Ponce, Puerto Rico. Founded in 1948 by Bishops James E. McManus of the Diocese of Ponce and James Peter Davis of the Diocese of San Juan, the school was originally established as the Catholic University of Santa Maria. This was changed in 1968 to Catholic University of Puerto Rico at the time its opened its branch campuses in Mayaguez and Arecibo. It was not until 1984 when it was finally given its current name.
In 1961, the university founded the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico School of Law which granted graduate law studies and maintained student exchange programs with other law schools in the United States and Spain. In 1976, it started the School of Medicine which initially provided a graduate medical education program which later evolved and became the now independent Ponce School of Medicine.
The university provides various courses leading to Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctorate degrees. These courses are in the field of education, business, administration, arts and human studies and science.
Cost of tuition and fees for academic year 2009-2010 is US$200 per credit hour for the Master’s program and US$165 per credit hour for the Medical Technology program. For freshman students and new transfers, admission fee of US$25 is charged to students of the Master’s and the Medical Technology programs; and US$50 for the doctorate program. Students who are interested to avail themselves of the on-campus housing facilities will be charged an additional fee for room and board.
To help students pay for their cost of tuition and fees, the college is extending financial aid in the form of loans, grants and scholarships.
For more information on admissions, college majors, degrees offered, online programs, athletics, school rankings, tuition, scholarships and financial aid options, please contact Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico.