Drexel University (Drexel) Summary
Drexel University is a private nonprofit research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with institutional roots dating to 1891. Drexel University was founded in 1891 by Philadelphia financier and philanthropist Anthony J. Drexel as the Drexel Institute of Art, Science and Industry. From its beginning, the institution emphasized practical education for both women and men and later became especially known for cooperative education that integrates academic study with paid professional experience. Academically, the institution is shaped by engineering, computing, business, design and media, arts and sciences, nursing and health professions, biomedical sciences, education, public health, entrepreneurship, and professional studies. Undergraduate students encounter major-based study combined with cooperative education, laboratories, design studios, research, internships, project work, entrepreneurship, and Philadelphia-based professional experience. Graduate and professional education extends into master’s, doctoral, professional, health, business, computing, engineering, design, education, public-health, and interdisciplinary programs. Teaching commonly combines lectures, laboratories, studios, research, co-op placements, clinical learning, design projects, internships, and project-based courses, allowing students to move from foundational coursework into increasingly specialized academic, professional, creative, or research work. Research at Drexel is particularly visible in biomedical engineering, materials, computing, cybersecurity, public health, neuroscience, design, environmental science, advanced manufacturing, and translational research. The institution supports this activity through University City laboratories, engineering and computing facilities, health-professional teaching spaces, libraries, design studios, innovation centers, and the Academy of Natural Sciences. Drexel University undergraduates in areas such as Accounting and Architectural Engineering can pursue faculty-guided research, projects, fieldwork, studios, clinical experiences, or other experiential formats supported by their programs, while graduate students work within deeper disciplinary or interdisciplinary research settings. Student life includes residence halls, student organizations, athletics, design and engineering teams, entrepreneurship, research, cultural programs, and extensive professional work experiences. The setting matters because Philadelphia provides access to health systems, biotechnology, finance, engineering, architecture, technology, media, nonprofits, government, education, and one of the nation’s largest urban employer markets. At Drexel University, advising and student life in Philadelphia complement academics through organizations, cultural programs, athletics, public service, entrepreneurship, and career preparation tied to the campus community. Admissions and affordability are institution-specific. Drexel practices a No Harm Test-Optional review for most first-year applicants, and applying without scores does not reduce eligibility for merit aid. For fall 2027 entrants, first-year merit scholarship ranges are published by admission plan. Drexel University tuition can vary by residency, school, degree level, enrollment status, or cohort when the university publishes separate pricing structures. For Drexel University graduate students, funding varies by program; areas such as Biomedical Engineering and Business Administration may use assistantships, fellowships, scholarships, research support, or external awards under their published rules. Overall, Drexel University combines career-integrated education, a major cooperative-education system, strong technology and health programs, and direct engagement with Philadelphia employers. Drexel University's academic structure supports choices ranging from Accounting to Architectural Engineering, while individual schools retain their own requirements and student communities. Drexel’s cooperative education model allows many students to alternate classroom study with full-time professional employment before graduation.





