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Special Opportunities

The intimate size and innovative spirit of our faculty and students combine to create unique opportunities for student achievement.

Philadelphia Experience

The Philadelphia Experience (Philly X) is a unique program that allows Ursinus students to live, study, and work in Philadelphia for a semester. “With Philadelphia as their classroom and their home, faculty and students will work closely together in a manner that empowers the intellect, awakens moral sensitivity and challenges students to improve society,” says President Brock Blomberg. This experience will match the culture of Philadelphia with the academics of Collegeville to create a distinct experience for each student.

Students create their own personal “Experience” in Philadelphia by matching Ursinus classes taught in Philadelphia, with internships, independent study, and diverse courses offered by Drexel University. Each Experience will be unique to each student, creating the perfect supplement to their Collegeville-based education. Philadelphia Experience

Our Centers

Parlee Center for Science and the Common Good

Now more than ever, scientists need to understand the ethical, political, and religious context in which science operates in order to judge which scientific endeavors best advance the common good. Funded by a grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Ursinus College Center for Science and the Common Good fosters that quality of judgment in its science majors by encouraging them to make the most of the liberal education that Ursinus offers. Visit the Center.

U-Imagine! Center for Integrative and Entrepreneurial Studies

U-Imagine! focuses on entrepreneurship and integration as a way of thinking and acting in various contexts.  Students learn to approach problems in novel ways, develop comfort with ambiguity, and apply learning in real contexts.  The Center provides valuable resources so that ANY student from ANY major feels welcome to use the Center to develop an idea into a product or service that creates value by meeting  a social or market need. Visit the Center.

Melrose Center for Global Civic Engagement 

Our newest interdisciplinary center honors the late U.S. Ambassador Joseph H. Melrose, Jr. ’66, professor of politics and international relations. He embodied global citizenship as a humanitarian who served many world communities.

The Melrose Center seeks to develop future global leaders through innovative scholarship and unprecedented learning opportunities. This distinctive program will support a cohort of students as global civic fellows who will engage in service-learning or community-based research in locations around the world. Melrose Fellows will take courses emphasizing social and global issues, public policy, economics and international development and have the opportunity to design and implement projects to enhance a variety of for-profit/non-profit businesses, government or other civic organizations through immersive experiences abroad. Visit the Center.

Cooperative Programs

At Ursinus you can take advantage of exciting partnership with several universities that offer students seamless access to advanced degree and professional programs.

M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing at Villanova University

Ursinus College has an affiliation agreement with the Villanova University M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing that allows our students to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing after graduating from Ursinus.

 Through this partnership, Ursinus students can seamlessly transition to Villanova’s Accelerated BSN Program for College Graduates, a 14-month second degree program that incorporates all of the standard components of Villanova’s nursing program in a concentrated timeframe. Ursinus students must first successfully complete their four-year undergraduate degree at Ursinus; undergraduate prerequisite courses (or equivalencies) mutually agreed upon in advance by Ursinus and Villanova; and admission requirements for the Villanova BSN program before entering the program.  

The Accelerated BSN Program for College Graduates is approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing and fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. Under the terms of the five-year agreement, at least five Ursinus students will be accepted to the program each year. This agreement presents a clear and direct path to the nursing profession for Ursinus students and a wealth of new opportunities for our students seeking careers in the growing healthcare field.

For additional information, contact:
Sharon Hansen, shansen@ursinus.edu
Colleen Meakim, colleen.meakim@villanova.edu
Cheryl Wert, cheryl.wert@villanova.edu

Columbia University: Pre-Engineering

Arrangements have been made with the engineering school of Columbia University to which a student may apply for transfer after completing three years of prescribed work toward a B.A. at Ursinus College. Ursinus will grant the B.A. or B.S. after the student has satisfied the requirements for that degree, usually on satisfactory completion of the fourth year. The engineering school will grant the engineering degree on satisfactory completion of the fifth year.  Learn more.

Case Western - Engineering Dual Degree Program

The Dual Degree Program at CWRU offers majors in Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Engineering Physics, and Systems and Control Engineering. Learn More.

Direct Admission to MBA Program at Saint Joseph’s University

Through an agreement with the Haub School of Business at St. Joseph’s University, recent and soon-to-be Ursinus graduates have the opportunity to reduce the cost and time associated with obtaining advanced business degrees and certifications from an AACSB-accredited business school. As a continuation of a partnership that has spanned more than 30 years, Ursinus seniors and recent graduates are eligible for the following benefits from St. Joseph’s:

  • Waivers for foundational courses that they have already taken at Ursinus, which can reduce costs of obtaining some degrees and certificates by more than $5,000,
  • Scholarships,
  • Waivers of the GMAT or GRE admission requirements if they obtained a GPA of 3.20 or higher from Ursinus,
  • Waiver of the application fee.

The benefits apply to students in part-time, full-time, on-campus, and online programs. The program provides a path to obtain credits needed to sit for the CPA exam, complete an MBA in accelerated fashion, or develop skills and gain access to recruiters in fields such as data analytics, food marketing, finance, and accounting.  Ursinus seniors and recent graduates from all majors are eligible to apply.

For additional information, contact:
Scott Deacle, sdeacle@ursinus.edu
Jacquie Panto, jpanto@sju.edu

Service Programs

Peace Corps Prep

Ursinus has joined 97 other colleges nationwide designated to offer students a Peace Corps Preparatory program in which they gain an educational component helpful for Peace Corps and international service.

Project Pericles 

Ursinus is a member of Project Pericles, a national organization of colleges and universities committed to make socially responsible and participatory citizenship an essential part of our educational program - in the classroom, on the campus, and in the community. Project Pericles, named after the Athenian statesman credited with introducing democracy to the ancient world, was conceived in 1999 by Eugene M. Lang to address a national concern: the growing political cynicism and civic disengagement of young people.  

Bonner Leader Program

The Bonner Leader Program offers students an opportunity to engage in an intensive service experience. Bonner Leaders are required to complete 300 hours of service in the community each school year.  Throughout their tenure as Bonner Leaders, students develop by gaining knowledge, experience, skills and values through their service work with local non-profit organizations.  Bonners also enroll in a one-credit course each semester.  The focus of this class is leadership development, civic skill-building, reflection on service, vocational exploration, and social justice education. 

The Bonner Leader Program is a distinctive offering of our College.  Approximately 55 colleges and universities participate in the Bonner network.  Schools that participate in Bonner have a unique reputation as institutions dedicated to civic engagement and social change. 

International Programs 

Center for International Programs

Supporting international study abroad opportunities that immerse students in another culture and foster holistic learning. Ursinus study abroad can take you to a wide variety of international settings. Visit the Center.

Tohoku Gakuin University, Japan 

Since 1991, this exchange program has provided Ursinus students with the opportunity to spend the fall semester at sister school Tohoku Gakuin University in Sendai, Japan. Except for Japanese language, all classes are conducted in English. Admission is competitive and students must have completed some Japanese language courses to be eligible. Please note that because of our sister school status, both grades and credits for this program transfer. The program is open to majors in any subject,  and students earn 15 credits in EAS-399.

U.S. Exchanges

Washington Internship Initiative

Ursinus enjoys an affiliation with the Washington Internship Institute (WII), an organization that provides intensive internship experiences and academic coursework within a thematic liberal arts framework.  Learn more about the Washington Internship Initiative.

Howard Semester 

This program allows Ursinus students to attend Howard University in Washington, D.C., under an exchange agreement between the two institutions. Students wishing to participate will normally do so for one semester in their junior year. Students will pay Howard’s tuition and fees.