Peirce College (Distance Learning)

The College that really works for working adults

Peirce College, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a private, nonprofit college that makes higher education accessible and attainable to non-traditional college students of all ages and backgrounds. Accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, Peirce College offers undergraduate programs enabling students to earn bachelor's and associate degrees and certificates in the areas of accounting, business, criminal justice, healthcare, human resource management, information technology, and paralegal studies. In fall 2013, Peirce will begin offering graduate degrees with a master's of science in organizational leadership & management.

Online Learning

Undergraduate distance learning courses at Peirce College are offered online and run for 7 and 8 weeks. Students may log into their courses at any time, from anywhere they have internet access. Working directly with course instructors and classmates through discussion threads, they can view logged lectures and course materials at their convenience. Courses are taught by highly accomplished faculty members who are distinguished professionals in their respective fields, and who teach the same classes on campus.

Students conduct research through the extensive Peirce College online library and can access support services, such as advising, tutoring, and academic workshops, online through the my.Peirce.edu portal. Online students may also take courses on campus.

Curriculum Requirements

Both the bachelor's and associate degree programs contain a core curriculum of required general education courses, which expose students to a variety of building blocks needed in all fields of study.

Students pursuing bachelor's degrees must each complete a minimum of 121 credits. Students enrolled in an associate degree program must complete a minimum of 61 credits. Students who earn associate degrees may continue taking classes and work toward bachelor's degrees. Students pursuing certificates of proficiency must complete 31 credits and graduate-level students must complete 36 credits.

Business Degree Programs

The Business Department at Peirce College confers bachelor's degrees in Accounting, Business Administration and Human Resource Management, and is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). The Peirce Accounting Program prepares graduates for employment as accounting professionals, with a variety of corporate, government and/or nonprofit organizations. Graduates are prepared to sit for the CPA, CIA, CMA and CFE exams, or to study at the graduate degree level in accounting, business and finance. The Human Resource Management Program was developed utilizing the guidelines of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and is geared toward students wishing to enter or advance in the HR field, or enhance their managerial careers with an understanding of HR principles. Graduates enter the profession as HR assistants, recruiters, or generalists, can prepare for professional and senior professional HR certifications from SHRM, or pursue graduate education.

The Business Administration Program offers a variety of concentrations and allows students to customize bachelor's or associate degree curriculums according to their professional goals, with concentrations in Business Law, Entrepreneurship/Small Business, Management, Marketing, and Professional Studies.

Healthcare Degree Programs

The Health Information Technology degree program at Peirce College has a 2-year curriculum that prepares students with the technical skills to manage electronic healthcare data and protect the integrity of patients' records. Students in the program earn Associate in Science (AS) degrees.

The bachelor's degree program in Health Information Administration takes it a step further and prepares students to advance as health information administrators in a number of professional settings.

The bachelor's degree program in Healthcare Administration provides a solid foundation of business concepts integrated with industry knowledge for future leadership in this sector.

Information Technology Degrees and Programs

Peirce College Information Technology degrees are offered in 5 concentrations: Desktop Applications for Business (BS and AS); Information Security (BS only); Networking, Administration, and Security (BS and AS); Programming and Application development (BS and AS); and Technology Management (BS and AS).

Certificates of Proficiency, which prepare students with the skills for immediate employment, are available in .NET Programming, Certified Information Security Systems Professional (CISSP), and Help Desk Technician.

Legal Studies

The Peirce College Paralegal Program is recognized by area employers as a premier credential for paralegal education in the Philadelphia region. Peirce awards associate, bachelor's and post-bachelor's credentials in paralegal studies, preparing graduates for careers at many levels in law firms, corporate offices, business, government, and industry, or providing a foundation for law school.

Peirce's Criminal Justice program awards an associate of science degree in Criminal Justice. Beginning in fall 2013, Peirce will also offer a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice. The curriculum provides students with the flexibility to choose their criminal justice career path in areas that include law enforcement, correctional systems, criminal investigations, private security, and juvenile justice.

Associate in Arts in General Studies

The Associate of Arts (AA) in General Studies program is designed for students who want a broad educational experience, need a 2-year degree for career advancement, or are undecided about their career path. The curriculum covers a wide range of courses and students can customize their degrees to fit personal and professional interests, through a large number of electives.

International Focus

Students may choose to graduate from Peirce with an additional distinction on their transcripts -- an associate or bachelor's level international studies focus. Bachelor's degree students graduate with 33 credits in international studies, the equivalent to a minor at many other colleges and universities.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Peirce College is committed to helping students meet direct educational expenses, including tuition, fees, and book costs. To receive financial aid, students must demonstrate sufficient financial need and meet all applicable deadlines. A typical aid package includes gift aid (grant and scholarship) and a student loan with low interest rates. Some students may be eligible for part-time work-study employment on campus. Students should complete online FAFSA (Free Application for Student Aid) forms when applying for admission to Peirce College.

• Business/marketing
• Business Administration and Management
  Associate Degree offered for this major. Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Accounting
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Human Resources Management
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Computer and information sciences
• Information Technology
  Associate Degree offered for this major. Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Health professions and related sciences
• Health/Health-Care Administration
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Health Information/Medical Records Administration
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Health Information/Medical Records Technology
  Associate Degree offered for this major.
• Homeland security, law enforcement, firefighting, and protective services
• Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration
  Associate Degree offered for this major.
• Law/legal studies
• Legal Assistant/Paralegal
  Associate Degree offered for this major. Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Liberal arts/general studies
• General Studies
  Associate Degree offered for this major.

• Acceptance Rate
• Applied
• Accepted
• Acceptance Rate
• Enrolled2,261
• Female Applicants
• Females Accepted
• Female Acceptance Rate
• Male Applicants
• Males Accepted
• Male Acceptance Rate
• Applying
• Application Fee$50
• Required for All Transcript of high school record
  
• Required for Some
• Average high school GPA for first-year freshman
• Application Deadlines
• Type Application Closing Notification Date Rolling Admissions
• Fall freshmen Yes
• Out-of-state Fall freshmen Yes
• Early decision plan Not Reported
• Other early decision plan Not Reported
• Transfer Yes
• Test Scores Accepted
• Test Average School Accepted 25th Percentile* 75th Percentile*
• * 25th and 75th percentile is the score that 25/75 percent of students score at or below.

• Tuition
• In-state tuition *$15,450
• Out-of-state tuition *$15,450
• In-district tuitionN/A
• * Tuition costs are based on a full academic year typically extending from September to June.
• Fees
• Full-time student fees$1,050.00
• Room and board *Not Reported
• Room only *Not Reported
• * Room and board charges vary according to board plan selected (i.e., 12-meal plan, 19-meal plan, etc.) and student level (freshman, sophomore, etc.)
• Other Payment Considerations
• Guaranteed tuition plan offeredNo
• Tuition pre-payment planNo
• Tuition payment plans offeredInstallments
• Student groups that qualify for full or partial waiver of tuitionChildren of Alumni, Employees or children of employees

• Gender
• Total Undergraduate Students2,261
• Male Student Percentage27%
• Female Student Percentage73%
• Ethnicity
• Hispanic/Latino6.55%
• Black or African American67.76%
• White or Caucasian22.03%
• American Indian or Alaska Native.35%
• Asian1.42%
• Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander.04%
• Two or more races.35%
• Unknown1.24%
• Other Student Statistics
• International Breakout.27% representing 22 other countries
• Out-of-state Students11% out-of-state student

• Housing
• College-owned housing available No
• Housing Requirements Not Reported
• Housing options Not Reported
• Percentage of undergraduate students who live in college-owned housing Not Reported
• Student Activities
• Student-run campus newspaper No
• Drama / theater group No
• Student-run radio station No
• Student-run television station No
• Marching band No
• Choral groups No
• Student Services
• Legal services No
• Health clinic No
• Personal / psychological counseling No
• Women's center No
• Student Organizations
• Greek fraternities No
• Greek sororities No
• Local fraternities No
• Local sororities No
• Other organizations Yes
• Most popular organizations Not Reported
• Campus Security and Safety
• 24-hour emergency telephone / alarm services Yes
• 24-hour patrols by trained officers Yes
• Students patrols Not Reported
• Late-night transport / escort services Yes
• Electronically-operated dormitory entrances Not Reported
• Other 24-hour security cameras

• Faculty Breakout
• Total Faculty149
• Full-time Percentage25%
• Part-time Percentage75%
• Female Percentage52%
• Male Percentage48%
• Student:Faculty Ratio17:1 or 2,261 students to 149 faculty