Drexel University

Drexel is a comprehensive global research university ranked among the top 100 in the nation. With over 24,000 students, Drexel is one of America's 15 largest private universities.

Drexel is one of Philadelphia's top 10 private employers, and a major engine for economic development in the region.Drexel has committed to being the nation’s most civically engaged university, with community partnerships integrated into every aspect of service and academics.

Drexel challenges students to apply the knowledge and skill they gain in the classroom to practical situations.Classes are taught by accomplished faculty, most of whom are working professionals in their fields, bringing a depth of knowledge that can only come from experience. Students also have access to a range of extracurricular research and academic opportunities, and different fields of study.

Drexel provides a comprehensive graduate education that includes research opportunities and access to state-of-the-art facilities and laboratories to produce the next generation of scholars, professionals, and leaders. Programs are offered at three Philadelphia-area campuses and online.

Drexel is a world-class comprehensive research university committed to use-inspired research with real-world applications, and the University's research activities result in more than $110 million in annual expenditures for sponsored projects.

Research at Drexel is driven by faculty from all disciplines. Medical and health sciences research complements traditional strengths in engineering, biotechnology, basic science, information science, and business, alongside innovative scholarship in media arts and design, the social sciences, education, and law. The Office of Research at Drexel University is committed to facilitating these research efforts.

Clear examples of the University's interdisciplinary approach to research can be seen in efforts to meet emerging national imperatives to upgrade the transportation infrastructure, move alternative energy sources into the mainstream, and invent the means to improve medical care while reducing its costs. The University has also established major research initiatives in engineering cities, plasma medicine and biology, and neuroengineering.

Entrepreneurship is in Drexel's DNA. Since its founding, Drexel has enrolled students who pursue innovation, applying it to their studies, careers, and life as a whole.

In our groundbreaking Close School of Entrepreneurship, the nation's first freestanding school of entrepreneurship to offer degrees, there are over 20 entrepreneurship courses. In addition to the Close School, Drexel has infused entrepreneurial thinking and application into the curriculum of courses across all disciplines.

Drexel students are unique — some come to Drexel with companies of their own, others create startups while in school, and many proceed to run businesses after graduation. Entrepreneurship Co-ops encourage that drive to take the lead in entrepreneurial efforts. As a part of Drexel's cooperative education, any Drexel student can take part in an entrepreneurship co-op. These are granted to students who have established an ongoing business. Entrepreneurship co-op students receive $15,000 in funding, mentorships, and a dedicated workspace in the Baiada Institute for Entrepreneurship. Many students pursue entrepreneurship jobs closely related to their co-op after graduation.

Drexel's location in Philadelphia, the fifth largest city in the United States, allows for a wealth of opportunities within reach. Drexel has relationships with businesses that range from Fortune 500 companies to independent startups, granting students access to one-of-a-kind professional experiences.

On campus, students can visit the Baiada Institute for Entrepreneurship, an incubation space for student companies; Drexel Ventures, an accelerator space for startup companies; the Innovation Center (ic@3401), a collaborative workspace for entrepreneurs; the ExCITe Center, an innovative incubator that supports research, education, civic engagement, and entrepreneurship; and the APP Lab, a resource for those interested in mobile app development. Young entrepreneurs can even live in the Entrepreneurship Living-Learning Community (ELLC), where residents of all backgrounds are closely connected to experienced mentors.

Drexel Co-op provides professional employment experiences for students, giving them the opportunity to test-drive a career before they enter the workforce. The benefits are obvious—during their time at Drexel, students can participate in up to three different co-ops, which equals 18 months of professional work. A Drexel Co-op experience connects them with industry leaders and brings their cooperative education experiences back into the classroom. Because of this, Drexel students graduate having already built a professional network, and they typically receive higher starting salaries than their counterparts from other schools.

Drexel's mission, services, and opportunities expanded further in 2002 when MCP Hahnemann University — a major Philadelphia health sciences institution — became the Drexel University College of Medicine, College of Nursing and Health Professions, and Dornsife School of Public Health. In 2011, the University established an affiliation with one of Philadelphia’s most storied institutions, the Academy of Natural Sciences. These historic events have extended the resources of Drexel and led to many productive synergies in teaching and research.

Through all of the changes and evolution, Drexel's core mission has held constant. Since its founding, the institution has remained a privately controlled, nonsectarian, coeducational center of higher learning, distinguished by a commitment to preparing men and women for success in their chosen careers. Its greatly expanded enrollment, campuses, and curriculum reflect a history of responsiveness to societal and individual needs — all of which Mr. Drexel sought to address in his day.