Widener University is a private, coeducational learning institute located in Chester, Pennsylvania with branch campuses in Harrisburg and Exton (also in Pennsylvania) and in Wilmington, Delaware. The university was founded in 1821 in Wilmington, Delaware initially as a preparatory school for boys known as the Bullock School for Boys. Its campus eventually moved from Delaware to its current location in Pennsylvania in 1862. From 1821 onwards, it went through a series of name changes until it became Widener University in 1979 after the prominent Widener family of Philadelphia.
Today, Widener University is known as “an innovative metropolitan university that combines academic quality with career preparation and a commitment to community service.” It offers associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in a broad range of specialties from liberal arts to professional studies the most renowned of which include programs in engineering, computer science, business, nursing and hospitality management. The university is divided into eight colleges and schools; namely, Arts and Sciences; Business Administration; Engineering; Hospitality Management; Human Service Professions; Nursing; Law; and University College.
University College serves primarily part-time adult undergraduate students who may be too busy with work or family to attend regular day classes. Associate’s and Bachelor’s degree courses are offered in the evenings, on weekends or online.
Tuition and fees vary depending on the degree program chosen and whether one is taking on full or part-time credits. Generally, tuition and fees for part-time students enrolled in the University College are significantly lower than those charged to full-time regular students. Financial aid is extended to students who qualify.
U.S. News & World Report’s 2011 Best Colleges list classifies Widener as a Tier 1 National University and is ranked 159th out of 262 national universities.
