Desales University

THE MISSION OF DESALES UNIVERSITY IS TO PROVIDE MEN AND WOMEN WITH QUALITY HIGHER EDUCATION ACCORDING TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF CHRISTIAN HUMANISM AS DEVELOPED BY SAINT FRANCIS DE SALES AND HIS SPIRITUAL HEIRS. THE UNIVERSITY IMPARTS KNOWLEDGE ABOUT AND DEVELOPS TALENTS FOR PERSONAL, FAMILIAL, AND SOCIETAL LIVING. DESALES UNIVERSITY ENRICHES THE HUMAN COMMUNITY AND ENCHANCES THE DIGNITY OF THE INDIVIDUAL THROUGH ITS EDUCATIONAL ENDEAVORS. IN ITS WORK, THE UNIVERSITY FOSTERS A VITAL AND RESPECTFUL DIALOGUE BETWEEN ROMAN CATHOLIC FAITH AND HUMAN CULTURE.

DESALES UNIVERSITY IS A MEDIUM-SIZED, PRIVATE, FOUR-YEAR CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY WITH A SALESIAN MISSION ADMINISTERED BY THE OBLATES OF ST. FRANCIS DE SALES. STUDENTS AT DESALES ARE EXPOSED TO CATHOLIC TEACHINGS BUT ARE ALSO AFFORDED THE LUXURY OF EXPLORING IN AN ATMOSPHERE OF INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM. IT IS THE MISSION OF DESALES UNIVERSITY TO INSPIRE TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING THROUGH THE LIBERAL ARTS AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES BY ENERGIZING STUDENTS TO BE WHO THEY ARE AND BE THAT WELL. THE PHILOSOPHY OF DESALES UNIVERSITY IS FIRMLY AND PUBLICLY COMMITTED TO THE PRINCIPLES OF ROMAN CATHOLIC DOCTRINE AND MORALITY. IT ALSO FULLY RECOGNIZES THAT THE SEARCH FOR TRUTH REQUIRES AN ATMOSPHERE OF INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM, AND THAT LOVE DEMANDS AN OPENNESS TO ALL THAT IS GOOD. DESALES CAREFULLY DISTINGUISHES BETWEEN THE FREE PURSUIT OF TRUTH - WHICH IT GUARANTEES EVERY MEMBER OF THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY - AND ITS OWN COMMITMENT TO THE TEACHINGS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. FOR DESALES UNIVERSITY, CHRISTIAN HUMANISM MEANS THAT EVERY ASPECT OF HUMAN EXPERIENCE IS CAPABLE OF ENLIGHTENMENT BY THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. THIS GOSPEL BRINGS LIGHT TO EACH DIMENSION OF PERSONAL EXISTENCE (PHYSICAL, INTELLECTUAL, SOCIAL, MORAL, AESTHETIC, AND RELIGIOUS) AND EVERY ENVIRONMENTAL DOMAIN (NATURAL WORLD, SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS, CULTURAL ACHIEVEMENTS, HISTORICAL PERIODS, AND RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES). THE ENCOUNTER BETWEEN THE WORD OF GOD AND THE CONCRETE WORLD OF THE HUMAN PERSON MAKES A FULLY MEANINGFUL EXISTENCE POSSIBLE. DESALES UNIVERSITY STRIVES TO TEACH THE STUDENT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE CHRISTIAN IN A SALESIAN WAY, WHAT IT MEANS TO EMBRACE ONE'S OWN LIFE, AND WHAT IT MEANS TO BRING THIS GOOD NEWS TO THE HUMAN FAMILY.THE DESALES MAIN CAMPUS IS LOCATED IN CENTER VALLEY, PA ON 550 ACRES APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES NORTH OF PHILADELPHIA, PA AND 90 MILES SOUTHWEST OF NEW YORK CITY. THE UNIVERSITY OFFERS TRADITIONAL, ONLINE, AND HYBRID COURSES AND PROGRAMS AT THE UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE LEVELS. DESALES UNIVERSITY IS ACCREDITED BY THE MIDDLE STATES COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION (MSCHE). SEVERAL PROGRAM-SPECIFIC ACCREDITATIONS ARE ALSO HELD BY THE UNIVERSITY INCLUDING THE ACCREDITATION REVIEW COMMISSION ON EDUCATION FOR THE PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT (ARC-PA), COMMISSION ON COLLEGIATE NURSING EDUCATION (CCNE), THE COMMISSION ON ACCREDITATION IN PHYSICAL THERAPY EDUCATION (CAPTE), THE ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGIATE BUSINESS SCHOOLS AND PROGRAMS (ACBSP), AND CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER BOARD REGISTERED PROGRAMS. DESALES HAS ALSO BEEN APPROVED BY THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (PDE) TO PARTICIPATE IN THE NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR STATE AUTHORIZATION RECIPROCITY AGREEMENTS (NC-SARA) FOR POSTSECONDARY DISTANCE EDUCATION.THE UNIVERSITY OFFERS OVER 40 BACHELOR'S DEGREES, 8 MASTER'S DEGREES, AND 2 DOCTORAL DEGREES IN A WIDE RANGE OF DISCIPLINES. OVER 30 UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS ARE ALSO OFFERED. OVER 40 DEGREE AND CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS ARE OFFERED VIA DISTANCE EDUCATION WITH 22% OF STUDENTS ENROLLED EXCLUSIVELY IN DISTANCE EDUCATION AND ANOTHER 23% ENROLLED IN AT LEAST ONE DISTANCE COURSE.AS OF OFFICIAL CENSUS IN FALL 2021, DESALES UNIVERSITY ENROLLED A TOTAL OF 3,101, WITH 2,309 UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AND 792 GRADUATE STUDENTS. THE STUDENT-FACULTY RATIO AT DESALES UNIVERSITY IS 12:1, AND THE SCHOOL HAS 61% OF ITS CLASSES WITH FEWER THAN 20 STUDENTS. THE FRESHMAN RETENTION RATE, AN INDICATOR OF STUDENT SATISFACTION, IS 82%. WITHIN SIX YEARS, 70% OF FULL-TIME, FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS GRADUATE WITH A BACHELOR'S DEGREE. THE MOST POPULAR UNDERGRADUATE MAJORS AT DESALES UNIVERSITY INCLUDE NURSING, BIOLOGY, MEDICAL STUDIES, BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, THEATRE, AND PSYCHOLOGY. MORE THAN 95% OF UNDERGRADUATE, FULL-TIME TRADITIONAL STUDENTS RECEIVE SOME FORM OF FINANCIAL AID.