University of Pennsylvania ("Penn") is recognized as America's first university. It is an urban university, internationally recognized as a great institution of higher learning and research. It is home to the nation's first medical school, and the center of technological invention. In 1946, the school released the first electronic, general-purpose digital computer. The school's founder, Benjamin Franklin, was noted for his many innovative inventions, including bifocal lenses and the lightning rod.
Penn ranks among the top 10 universities in the nation, and boasts a faculty of leaders in their fields. Among its acclaimed alumni, Penn boasts many innovators and pioneers, including 15 Nobel Prize winners, and the inventor of motion photography, Eadweard James Muybridge.
Penn offers an interdisciplinary approach to learning through many different programs including its on and off-campus study opportunities for cross-disciplinary or joint-major degrees at the undergraduate, graduate and professional levels. It also offers continuing education, distance learning, summer programs, international programs, study grants, and more.
History
The University of Pennsylvania was founded by Benjamin Franklin, who was known for his dedication to education and intellectual pursuits, as well as his commitment to public service. Founded in 1749, the university opened its doors in 1751 as the Charity School of Philadelphia. In 1874, the university added a teaching hospital to its growing programs and campus.
Academics
The academic calendar for the University of Pennsylvania follows the semester format, with fall, spring and summer semesters. It also offers a variety of special summer sessions and distance learning programs with flexible scheduling.
Colleges and Schools
- Annenberg School for Communication
- Graduate School of Education
- Law School
- Perelman School of Medicine
- School of Arts and Sciences
- School of Dental Medicine
- School of Design
- School of Engineering and Applied Science
- School of Nursing
- School of Social Policy and Practice
- School of Veterinary Medicine
- Wharton School (Business)
In addition to its 12 colleges and schools, the University of Pennsylvania offers a long list of research centers and institutes to choose from.
Student Life
There are hundreds of student groups and organizations available for involvement at the University of Pennsylvania. Student organizations cover every interest and focus, including academic, cultural, environmental, governmental, recreation and hobby groups. There are also honor societies, graduate and professional organizations, performing arts groups, political organizations, religious groups, service clubs, social clubs, publications and media, and many fraternities and sororities.
Many student services are available, as well as on campus housing, dining and shopping.
Traditions
The school colors for the University of Pennsylvania are red, blue and white.
Athletics
The Penn "Quakers" athletic teams participate in a wide range of intercollegiate sports, including:
Men's Sports:
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cross Country
- Fencing
- Football
- Sprint Football
- Golf
- Lacrosse
- Rowing
- Soccer
- Squash
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Track and Field
- Wrestling
Women's Sports:
- Basketball
- Cross Country
- Fencing
- Field Hockey
- Golf
- Gymnastics
- Lacrosse
- Rowing
- Soccer
- Softball
- Squash
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Track and Field
- Volleyball
Satellite Campuses
As with most ivy-league colleges, all of Penn's 12 academic schools are located on a single campus.
Community Life
Penn is known for its picturesque campus, situated in the vibrant, cultural city of Philadelphia. A full calendar of activities and entertainment are available on campus year-round, but the city also offers a vibrant nightlife, many museums and art galleries, a wide range of top restaurants, and plenty of shopping and sightseeing in historic areas.
The Civic House is Penn's hub for community service, and its Barbara and Edward Netter Center for Community Partnerships is a central office for community initiatives and service.
Admission Requirements & Details
The information regarding admissions below may provide a better idea of the candidates University of Pennsylvania accepts. The details may include application requirements and recommendations, as well as any AP credits that may be transferred.
College Credits Accepted
- AP Course Credits
Student Enrollment
University of Pennsylvania has a total student population of about 25,000, where graduate students make up roughly 10% of the student body.
Estimated Costs & Financial Aid
The items listed below are for informational purposes only and may not represent current tuition, fees, and expenses.
Tuition & Fees Information
- The estimated tuition range is around $44,000-$53,000 per year
- The estimated tuition for part time students is around $1,600 to $1,900 per unit
- May offer prepaid tuition rates, allowing tuition to be purchased at current rates for future enrollment.
Financial Aid Details
The table below breaks down the types of financial aid, the percent of students receiving aid, and average amount of aid per student per year.
| Percent of Students | Average Amount | |
|---|---|---|
| Any Financial Aid | 58% | - |
| Receiving Grants & Scholarships | 47% | $40,276 |
| Receiving Student Loans | 15% | $7,409 |
Academics & Student Services
Student Services
To help support students, University of Pennsylvania may offer services to students including:- Distance learning
- Classes offered on nights and weekends
- Career path counseling
- Employing students to lower education costs
- Helping students find work after graduation
- Day care for children
Graduation Rates
With a high graduation rate of around 96%, University of Pennsylvania is among the most successful schools in the area.
| Number of Year to Graduate | Percent of Entering Class |
|---|---|
| Students Graduating in 4 Years | 88% |
| Graduating in 5 Years | 6% |
| Graduating in 6 Years | 2% |
Specialized Programs & Accreditations
- Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) & Supervisory CPE Program
- Clinical Psychology (Ph.D.) Program
- Endodontics Program
- English Language Program
- Law Program
- Medical (M.D.) Program
- Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) Program
- Nurse Midwifery Education Program
- Bachelor's Degree in Nursing (BSN) Program
- Nursing (MSN, DSN) Program
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Program
- Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics Program
- Orthodontics & Peridontics Program
- Pediatric Dentistry Program
- Periodontics Program
- Master's in Public Health (M.P.H.) Program
- Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.) Program
Intercollegiate Athletics
University of Pennsylvania is a Member of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), with many of the sports belonging to the NCAA Division I-AA classification. The most popular sports played are listed below:
- Baseball (Ivy Group)
- Basketball (Ivy Group)
- Track and Field (Ivy Group)
- Fencing
- Field Hockey
- Football (Ivy Group)
- Golf
- Gymnastics
- Lacrosse
- Rowing
- Soccer
- Softball
- Squash
- Swimming and Diving
- Tennis
- Volleyball
- Wrestling
- Other Sports
Programs Offered
The program list below is organized by areas of study. The programs that have a link will direct you to the program's profile page where you can learn more about education requirements and career pathways.
Get more information about the programs offered by University of Pennsylvania by clicking the request information to the right.
(C) Certificate or Award | (A) Associate's | (B) Bachelor's | (M) Master's Degree | (D) Doctorate (PhD,...)
Architecture
- Architecture (B, C, D, M)
- Urban Planning (C, D, M)
- Landscape Architect (C, M)
- Architectural and Building Sciences (C, M)
- Environmental Design, Architecture
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
- Biology (B, D)
- Neuroscience (B, D)
- Molecular Biology (D, M)
- Biotechnology (M)
- Epidemiology (D, M)
- Biochemistry (B)
- Pharmacology (D)
- Immunology (D, M)
- Molecular Biology and Biochemistry (D, M)
- Biomedical Science (B)
- Bioinformatics (D, M)
- Biophysics (B)
- Biostatistics (D, M)
- Environmental Biology (M)
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Business and Marketing Studies
- Finance (B, D, M)
- Business Administration (B, D, M)
- Entrepreneurship (M)
- Advertising and Marketing (B, D, M)
- Operations Management (B, D, M)
- Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (B, M)
- Organizational Behavior Studies (M)
- Organizational and Nonprofit Management (C, M)
- Real Estate (B, C, M)
- Accounting (B, D, M)
- Risk Management and Insurance (B)
- Public Finance (C)
- Commerce (B, D, M)
- Ecommerce
- Transportation and Transportation Management
- Accounting and Finance
- Human Resources
- International Business
- Information Systems
- Insurance
- Retailing and Retail Operations
- Business, Management, Marketing and Related Support Services
Communications and Journalism
- Communication and Media Studies (B, D, M)
Computer and Information Sciences
- Computer (B, D, M)
- Computer Science (B, M)
- Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (M)
- Modeling, Virtual Environments and Simulation (C)
- Computer Networking (M)
Education
- Education (D, M)
- ESL (M)
- Higher Education Administration (D, M)
- Educational Leadership and Administration (D, M)
- Elementary Education (M)
- Secondary Education (M)
- Reading Teacher and Literacy Specialist (D, M)
- Guidance Counselor (M)
- Educational Statistics and Research Methods (M)
- English and Language Arts Teacher Education (M)
- Curriculum and Instruction (D, M)
- Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education (M)
- Social Studies Teacher Education (M)
- Middle School Teacher (M)
- Mathematics Teacher Education (M)
- Science Teacher (M)
Engineering
- Biomedical Engineering (B, D, M)
- Mechanical Engineering (B, D, M)
- Materials Engineering (B, D, M)
- Systems Engineering (B, M)
- Electrical Engineering (B, D, M)
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (B, D, M)
- Computer Engineering (B)
- Geological and Geophysical Engineering (M)
Engineering Technology
- Engineering Design (M)
- Nanotechnology (M)
English Language and Literature
- English (A, B, D, M)
Ethnic Cultural and Gender Studies
- Asian Studies (D, M)
- Near and Middle Eastern Studies (B)
- East Asian Studies (B)
- South Asian Studies (B)
- Women's Studies (B)
- African-American Black Studies (B, D, M)
- African Studies (B)
- Latin American Studies (B)
- United States Studies
- Folklore Studies
Foreign Languages and Literature
- Classical Languages, Literatures and Linguistics (B, D, M)
- Linguistics (B, D, M)
- East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (B, D, M)
- Spanish Language and Literature (B)
- Comparative Literature (B, D, M)
- Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (B, D, M)
- French Language and Literature (B)
- Russian Language and Literature (B)
- German Language and Literature (D, M)
- Italian Language and Literature (B)
Health and Clinical Professions
- Medicine (D)
- Nursing (B, D, M)
- Dentistry (D)
- Veterinary Medicine (D)
- Perioperative and Operating Room Surgical Nurse (M)
- Community Health Services, Liaison, Counseling (B)
- Healthcare Administration (B, D, M)
- Pediatric Nursing (M)
- Bioethics, Medical Ethics (M)
- Family Practice Nurse (M)
- Nurse Anesthetist (M)
- Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences (M)
- Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse (M)
- Nurse Midwife (M)
- Adult Health Nurse (M)
- Maternal, Child Health and Neonatal Nurse (M)
- Medical Scientist (M)
- Periodontics, Periodontology (C)
- Oral Biology and Oral Pathology (M)
- Orthodontics, Orthodontology (C)
- Nursing Administration (M)
- Endodontics, Endodontology (C)
- Advanced Dentistry and Oral Sciences (C)
- Oral, Maxillofacial Surgery (C)
- Pediatric Dentistry, Pedodontics (C)
- Environmental Health (M)
- Nursing Education (M)
- Emergency Room, Trauma Nurse
History
- History (B, D, M)
- History and Philosophy of Science and Technology (B, D)
Interdisciplinary Studies
- International and Global Studies (B, M)
- Cognitive Science (B)
- Sustainability Studies (M)
- Historic Preservation and Conservation
Legal Professions and Studies
- Law (D)
- Legal Studies (M)
Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Liberal Arts (B, M)
Mathematics and Statistics
- Math (B, D, M)
- Statistics (B, D, M)
- Applied Mathematics (D, M)
Natural Resources and Conservation
- Environmental Studies (B, M)
- Environmental and Wildlife Management (M)
- Environmental Science (M)
Philosophy and Religious Studies
- Philosophy (B, D, M)
- Religious Studies (B, D)
- Logic (B)
- Jewish and Judaic Studies
Physical Sciences
- Physics (B, C, D, M)
- Chemistry (B, D, M)
- Geology (B, D, M)
- Hydrology and Water Resources Science (M)
- Geological and Earth Sciences, Geosciences (M)
Psychology
- Counseling Psychology (M)
- Psychology (B, D, M)
- Developmental And Child Psychology (M)
Public Administration and Social Services
- Social Work (D, M)
- Public Administration (M)
- Public Policy (B, M)
Social Sciences
- Economics (B, D, M)
- Political Science (B, D, M)
- International Relations (B)
- Urban Studies (B)
- Sociology (B, D, M)
- Anthropology (B, D, M)
- Criminology (B, D, M)
- Cartography and GIS (M)
- Political Science and Government (C)
- Demography and Population Studies (D, M)
- Applied Economics (D, M)
- Social Science (B)
- Archaeology (D, M)
- Econometrics and Quantitative Economics (B)
Visual and Performing Arts
- Fine Arts and Studio Arts (B, M)
- Film Studies (B)
- Visual and Performing Arts (B)
- Art History (B, D, M)
- Music (B, D, M)
- Graphic Design (C)
- Drama and Theatre Arts (B)
- Design and Applied Arts
Other 4-Year Private Colleges
The list of schools below have been selected by researching which schools offer similar programs to University of Pennsylvania.
- Temple University in Philadelphia, PA (3 miles away)
- Rutgers University - Camden in Camden, NJ (4 miles away)
- Pennsylvania State University - Penn State Abington in Abington, PA (12 miles away)
- Pennsylvania State University - Brandywine in Media, PA (14 miles away)
- Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ (17 miles away)
See a list of all the colleges and universities by clicking on one of the links below:
- Compare schools and see a list of all colleges in Pennsylvania
- Review a list of Pennsylvania private colleges
Data Disclaimer
Information displayed on this page has been obtained from Institution, State, and Federal data sources, including the US Dept. of Education's Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) Survey 2010-2016. Information should be solely used for informational purposes only and may not be accurate for the current year. Contact University of Pennsylvania for official up-to-date information.