University of Scranton Informations

The University of Scranton is a private, non-profit, co-educational, Catholic and Jesuit research university, located in the historic Hill Section of Scranton, Pennsylvania, United States. It was founded in 1888 by William O'Hara, the first Bishop of Scranton, as St. Thomas College. In 1938, the College was elevated to university status and took the name The University of Scranton. The institution was operated by the Diocese of Scranton from its founding until 1897. While the Diocese of Scranton retained ownership of the University, it was administered by the Lasallian Christian Brothers from 1888 to 1942. In 1942, the Society of Jesus took ownership and control of the University. During the 1960s, the University became an independent institution under a lay Board of Trustees. The University of Scranton is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and is served by the Scranton Jesuit Community.

Currently, the University is composed of three Colleges: The College of Arts and Sciences, The Kania School of Management, and The Panuska College of Professional Studies, all of which contain both undergraduate and graduate programs. Previously, the University had a College of Graduate and Continuing Education, which has recently been folded into the colleges of the respective programs. The University offers 65 Bachelor's Degree Programs, 29 Master's Degree Programs, 43 Minors, and 38 Undergraduate Concentrations, as well as a Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, a Doctor of Nursing Practice Program, and a Doctor of Business Administration Program.

The University enrolls approximately 6,000 graduate and undergraduate students. Most of its students are from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. In 2016, about 58% of its undergraduate students were women and 42% men. In its graduate programs, about 62% are women students and 38% men. The University has about 300 full-time faculty members, approximately 200 of which are tenured.

In 1888 the first bishop of Scranton, Most Rev. William O’Hara, began construction of St. Thomas College, the predecessor of the University of Scranton. In September 1892 the College admitted its first students, 62 young men. Staffing passed from diocesan priests and seminarians, to Xaverian Brothers, and after 1897 to Lasallian Christian Brothers. In 1897 the school was broken into three divisions: the college department, a two-year commercial program, and St. Thomas High School which remained open until 1939. Jesuit Fr. Daniel J. MacGoldrick came from Georgetown University to serve as president from 1895 until his death in 1900. The College awarded degrees through other colleges until 1924, when it received a State charter to grant bachelor's degrees in arts and science, and the master of science. In 1938, the Christian Brothers renamed the college "University of Scranton" and began admitting women to the evening division.

The Drama Club began productions in 1893. The Aquinas began as a literary monthly in 1915, furnishing also a yearbook edition, evolving into a student newspaper in 1931, and by the 21st century adding a web edition. The current Windhover yearbook was first published in 1948 and named for the bird's loyalty to its master. The Glee Club dates to 1925. In 1931 the college band began playing at sports events and presenting a spring concert.

In 1942 governance of the University of Scranton passed over to the Society of Jesuits. In 1944 Scranton Preparatory School was founded, with its first quarters in a former private hospital building; it moved to its present location in 1963 and became independent of the University in 1978.

With the influx of veterans after World War II, three barracks were constructed on the former Scranton Estate and served as classroom space over the following 15 years. After 1946 the athletic teams ceased to be the Tomcats and were called the Royals after the purple color of their uniforms. The Graduate School opened in 1950, soon adding programs in Education, Business Administration, Chemistry, History, and English; all admitted women from the start. In 1951 an Army ROTC unit was established and made obligatory for non-veterans through freshman and sophomore years.

An expansion plan, beginning at $5,000,000, produced fifteen new buildings between 1956 and 1966, with Loyola Hall of Science in 1956 and the first residence halls for students in 1958: Casey, Fitch, Martin, and McCourt. Three years later Denis Edward, Hafey, Lynett, and Hannan residence halls were added. With the death of Worthington Scranton in 1958, the University acquired the remainder of his properties. Alumni Memorial Library was completed in 1960 and Gunster Memorial Student Center in 1961, including the 400-seat Eagen Auditorium. In 1962 the five-storey classroom building St. Thomas Hall was built, which included St. Ignatius Loyola Chapel. At this time the original Wyoming Avenue properties were completely vacated. New construction extended to Driscoll and Nevils residence halls in 1965, raising on-campus housing to 650 male students. In 1967 the first varsity athletic center was completed and named after former president Fr. John J. Long, S.J., who had led the building campaign over more than a decade.

Esprit, the University's review of arts and letters, first appeared in 1958 and Flannery O'Connor, friend of a Jesuit, visited the campus to help get it launched.

After campus protests against the Vietnam War in the late 1960s, participation in the ROTC became voluntary in 1969. The same year other regulations were changed: the requirement that students wear coat and tie to class was dropped, students of age were allowed to drink in the dormitories, and only underclassmen with failing grades were subject to a curfew. After 1970 females could visit male dormitories until 10:00 P.M. on weekdays and 2:00 A.M. on weekends. The common core curriculum added options after 1970.

In 1966 a University Senate was established, whereby faculty and administrators, and later student representatives, could make recommendations to the Board of Trustees. Until 1969 the Jesuit community exercised ownership of the University. In 1969 lay members were first admitted to a newly independent Board of Trustees. While women had been admitted to evening school and summer classes since 1938, it was only in 1972 that they were first admitted to the College of Arts and Science. Fitch Hall, the first women's residence, opened that fall.

Linden Street was closed to form the university commons in 1980 and sculptures were added to beautify the campus: Jacob and the Angel (1982), Ignatius of Loyola and fountain (1988), and Christ the Teacher (1998). The World Premiere Composition Series began performing new works by composers in 1984 and has continued this annual showcase. During the 16-year presidency of Jesuit Fr. Joseph A. Panuska, S.J., two capital campaigns enabled the construction of major new buildings, including the Byron Recreational Complex (1986), Hyland classroom building (1988), Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Memorial Library (1992), and McDade Center for the Performing Arts (1993). Upon Panuska's departure, the Board of Trustees renamed in his honor the College of Health, Education, and Human Resources which he had founded in 1987.

In 2000 the Kania School of Management moved to the new, five-storey hall named for John E. Brennan ‘68. The Department of Physical Therapy, founded in 1980, became in 2004 the University's only doctoral program, receiving CAPTE certification in 2007. In fall 2011, the new Loyola Science Center added 22 class and seminar rooms and 34 laboratories. Pilarz and Montrone halls on Mulberry Street provided more fitness space, a dining area, and apartment-style units to accommodate 400 juniors and seniors. In 2015 Leahy Hall was dedicated to accommodate the area of physical therapy.

In 1942 the University was primarily a commuter school with fewer than 1,000 students. By 2015 it had come to serve a wide region with an enrollment of approximately 5,500 students in undergraduate, graduate, and nontraditional programs. The University's strategic plan for 2015-2020 looks to build on the Jesuit heritage with education that is "engaged, integrated, global". 

The university grants undergraduate degrees (Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science) in 65 majors. Students may also utilize many pre-professional concentrations, such as pre-medical, pre-law, and pre-dental. The university also has an Honors Program and the SJLA (Special Jesuit Liberal Arts) Program in which select students complete courses in moral philosophy, ethics, theology, and the humanities in addition to their normal course load.

The university also grants graduate degrees in 29 fields, ranging from Accounting and Chemistry to Software Engineering and Theology. The university also offers a Doctor of Physical Therapy program and Doctor of Nursing Practice.

The university offers a liberal arts program. Students are required to take the core courses in composition. Students are also required to take two theology courses, two philosophy courses, as well as an elective in one of these two areas. Filling out the general education requirements are 6 credits in science courses, 6 credits in writing intensive courses, 6 credits in cultural diversity courses, 3 credits in a mathematics course, 12 credits in humanities courses and 3 credits in physical education.

The honors program, first created in 1963 by Academic Vice President Fr. William Kelly, S.J., stresses independent work and individualized engagement with faculty. The program gives students the opportunity to pursue their research interests through one-on-one tutorials with professors and culminating in a year-long thesis project. Honors Students must take one course, between three and five tutorials, two seminars and the final 6-credit project. Honors courses count toward general education requirements and the tutorials count toward major, minor, cognate or general education requirements. Students can apply to the Honors Program in the fall of their sophomore year. Because a minimum of a 3.5 GPA is required for graduation in the Honors Program, applicants must have at least a 3.3 GPA to be considered. Admission is also based on the applicant's high school and college records, SAT scores, application, recommendations, and interviews. Normally around 50 students are accepted into the program.

The Business Leadership program (BLDR), a honors program in the Kania School of Management (KSOM), teaches students the key components of leadership. The program includes special sections of key business courses taught from the leadership perspective, leadership seminars, a mentor/internship program, and an independent leadership project. The program culminates in the students preparing portfolios on the essence of leadership, as derived from participation in the program, and defending their concepts of leadership before a faculty board. The program accepts 15 sophomores each spring to begin the two-year curriculum the following fall based upon leadership experience and/or potential, student records from high school and college, involvement in clubs and activities, recommendations from professors, and a minimum GPA of a 3.0, because students need at least a 3.5 GPA to graduate with the program.

The Special Jesuit Liberal Arts program (SJLA) was established in 1975 to model the traditional Jesuit liberal arts education that emphasizes philosophy, theology, history and literature of the Western classical and Christian ages while providing a way for students to fulfill the general education requirements. Through the courses, students develop enhanced writing, oral and critical-thinking skills while also becoming immersed in a community atmosphere that encourages excellence and service to others and an awareness of contemporary issues. Before the start of freshman year, the most qualified incoming students, usually in the top five percent of applicants, are invited to join the four year SJLA program. Students not selected initially may apply for admission as second semester freshmen or as sophomores.

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