Drexel University College of Arts & Sciences

What Drexel University College of Arts & Sciences does

Drexel University College of Arts & Sciences is one of 15+ colleges and schools within Drexel University, a private nonprofit R1 research university headquartered at 3141 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1891 as the Drexel Institute of Art, Science and Industry, the institution now operates across six Philadelphia-area campuses (University City, Queen Lane, Center City, Elkins Park, Salus/Optometry, and the Academy of Natural Sciences) plus online programs. The College of Arts & Sciences delivers interdisciplinary undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral education across humanities, sciences, and social sciences, while the broader university portfolio includes the College of Nursing and Health Professions, the Dornsife School of Public Health, the Nick Howley College of Engineering and Computing, the LeBow College of Business, the Kline School of Law, and the College of Medicine, among others.

Drexel's core differentiator is its experiential education model, anchored by the co-op program that allows students to complete up to 18 months of paid work experience across three placements before graduation. Research output is concentrated in distinctive domains — MXenes nanomaterials (researched in 100+ countries), Creative Arts Therapies (with VR-augmented interventions and partnerships with Johns Hopkins IAM Lab, Walter Reed NICoE, and Penn Medicine), the Tailored Activity Program for dementia care (deployed through Scotland's NHS), and applied public health research via the Dornsife School and the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute. The institution publishes Drexel Magazine (175,000+ readers), the award-winning EXEL research magazine, and the DrexelNow newsletter suite.

The university's revenue model combines tuition and fees (including the Drexel Promise 50% tuition scholarship for transfer students), sponsored research grants (NIH, NSF, DoD and foundations), private philanthropy (including the $112.6 million Howley Foundation gift in 2026), and auxiliary services (housing, dining, athletics, health services). Pricing is not publicly disclosed for most programs. Customer segments are predominantly individual consumers — undergraduate, graduate, transfer, international, and health-sciences students — supplemented by enterprise relationships with healthcare systems (Cooper University Health Care, Penn Medicine) and government agencies for research and clinical training. The institution also operates an Alumni Relations network of 35,000+ members and an institutional marketing function spanning email, social media, content publications, media relations, and on-campus events.

Name

Drexel University College of Arts & Sciences

Legal name

Drexel University

Website

https://drexel.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1891

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Drexel University College of Arts & Sciences is an R1 private nonprofit university unit within Drexel University, delivering interdisciplinary undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral education in Philadelphia with a signature co-op program providing up to 18 months of experiential learning before graduation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive Doctoral Research Universities (Multi-Disciplinary) (EDAHABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Diploma-to-Degree / Articulation & Credit-Transfer Pathways (EDAIAJAG)

Keywords

• Higher education
• Undergraduate programs
• Graduate programs
• Experiential learning
• Arts and sciences

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate degree programs, professional education, and continuing education. Transfer students with associate degrees eligible for Drexel Promise scholarship worth 50% of tuition.
2. Research Grants and Contracts: R1 research university generating revenue through sponsored research from federal agencies (NIH, NSF, Department of Defense), foundations, and industry partners. Supports faculty research across disciplines.
3. Gifts and Endowments: Private philanthropy including the landmark $112.6 million gift from The Howley Foundation to establish the Nick Howley College of Engineering and Computing, and other donor contributions supporting scholarships and programs.
4. Auxiliary Services: University housing, dining services, athletics facilities, student health services, and other student life services generating additional revenue.
5. Co-op Program: Renowned cooperative education program allowing students to gain up to 18 months of resume-enhancing experience. While the program provides experiential learning, it also positions Drexel as a differentiated educational offering.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Drexel University College of Arts & Sciences delivers interdisciplinary undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral education across humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences as part of a private R1 research university. Its core offering centers on degree programs integrated with the Drexel co-operative education (co-op) model, which provides students up to 18 months of paid professional work experience before graduation, supplemented by sponsored research activity and academic support services.

Product overview

Drexel University College of Arts & Sciences operates as an R1 comprehensive research university offering a portfolio of educational programs across multiple colleges and schools, supported by institutional publications and communications platforms. The institution does not offer commercial technology products; its core offerings consist of undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral academic programs, co-operative education experiences, and research initiatives. The digital products consist of internal university publications including Drexel Magazine (alumni publication), EXEL Magazine (research publication), DrexelNow (internal newsletter), and Drexel News Report (media relations feed).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Degree Programs Four-year residential bachelor's degree programs across multiple colleges and schools including the College of Arts & Sciences, with the Drexel Co-op model integrating up to 18 months of paid professional work experience into the curriculum.
• Graduate and Doctoral Degree Programs Master's, doctoral, and professional degree programs across the College of Arts & Sciences, Dornsife School of Public Health, LeBow College of Business, Kline School of Law, College of Medicine, and other schools, with research opportunities at an R1 institution.
• Drexel Co-op Program Renowned cooperative education program allowing students to gain up to 18 months of resume-enhancing paid work experience through up to three co-op rotations, facilitated by the Steinbright Career Development Center.
• Online Degree and Continuing Education Programs Online degree programs and continuing education offerings delivered via the online.drexel.edu portal for remote and working professional students, including select undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs.
• Drexel Promise Transfer Scholarship Program Scholarship pathway for transfer students who have earned an associate degree from an accredited community college, providing a scholarship worth 50% of tuition cost toward completion of a four-year bachelor's degree.
• College of Nursing and Health Professions (CNHP) Programs Over 84 in-person and online undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and certificate programs in nursing, health professions, creative arts therapies, nutrition, physical therapy, physician assistant (ranked #1 in Pennsylvania), and related fields, with 98.25% NCLEX pass rate.
• Dornsife School of Public Health Programs CEPH-accredited undergraduate, master's, and doctoral public health programs including epidemiology, health policy, urban health, and global health, with Applied Practical Experiences and ranked #1 public health school in Philadelphia.
• Drexel Magazine A magazine for alumni and friends of the University published three times a year (once in print, twice digitally) and mailed to more than 175,000 readers, featuring human-interest stories, photography, and editorial snapshots of life during and after Drexel.
• EXEL Magazine An award-winning biennial research magazine offering an overview of the University's fast-growing research enterprise through 80-plus pages of high-end photography and design depicting research from labs to outdoor expeditions.
• DrexelNOW Newsletter Suite Email newsletters of record for Drexel University faculty, professional staff, students, and families, collecting top stories from around the University and delivering original reporting and announcements.
• Drexel News Report Email feed distributed on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday by the News & Media Relations team, compiling noteworthy higher-education news and links to local and national media stories featuring Drexel students, faculty, and professional staff.
• Tailored Activity Program (TAP) Evidence-based program developed by CNHP Dean Laura Gitlin that assesses abilities and interests of persons living with dementia and instructs caregivers in their use, deployed internationally including in Scotland's national dementia care plan.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% of undergraduate graduates are working or enrolled in graduate or professional education within one year of graduation
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cooper University Health CarecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 March 2026Strategic workforce collaboration between CNHP and Cooper University Health Care to expand access to nursing education and create clearer pathways from learning to professional practice. Announced March 2026.
• Perelman School of Medicine at University of PennsylvaniacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 October 2019Joint study on art therapy benefits for cancer caregivers conducted in Penn's Radiation Oncology department. Research supported by National Endowment for the Arts Research Labs program. Compares coloring and open-studio art therapy approaches for family and professional caregivers.
• Johns Hopkins University - International Arts + Mind (IAM) LabcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 April 2019Collaboration between CNHP and Johns Hopkins University's International Arts + Mind Lab focused on creative arts therapies research using virtual reality. Built on IAM Lab's Impact Thinking model combined with CNHP's creative arts therapies clinical practice expertise. Includes collaborative seminars on neuroaesthetics and research dissemination.
• Scotland National Health ServiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational deployment of Tailored Activity Program (TAP) for dementia care as part of Scotland's national dementia care plan. Original TAP developed by CNHP Dean Laura Gitlin.
• National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE) at Walter Reed National Military Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-year art therapy research programs among armed service members with traumatic brain injury and PTSD. CNHP faculty conduct research at NICoE.
• The Academy of Natural SciencesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with America's oldest natural history museum for research collaboration and academic programs. Drexel maintains security office at the museum location.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights12 records

Direct peers

• Tufts University: Private R1 university with proportionally similar mix of liberal arts, engineering, and health sciences schools. Comparable in research intensity and small-to-mid private research scale.
• Case Western Reserve University: Private R1 research university of similar scale and Carnegie classification with strong engineering, nursing, and health sciences franchises in an urban setting. Comparable on research intensity, professional school breadth, and student outcomes positioning.
• Syracuse University: Private R1 research university with similar enrollment scale and a comparable portfolio of professional schools (communications, engineering, business, public affairs). Overlaps in career outcomes branding and co-curricular experiential emphasis.
• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: Private R1 STEM-focused research university of similar enrollment scale with strong engineering, science, and applied research portfolio. Closely comparable on private research model and tech-led discovery positioning.
• University of Rochester: Private R1 research university of similar enrollment and Carnegie profile with strong STEM, music, and health sciences franchises. Comparable in research intensity and professional school breadth.
• Northeastern University: Private R1 university with the most comparable co-op program in the US (up to 18 months of experiential learning, similar employer-paid model). Closest direct competitor on the differentiated experiential education positioning.

Regional players

• Lehigh University: Private R1 research university located within ~60 miles of Drexel with overlapping engineering and business programs. Competes for the same Pennsylvania/New Jersey applicant pool in STEM disciplines.
• Villanova University: Philadelphia-area private university with strong engineering and nursing programs. Competes directly with Drexel for regional Catholic and non-Catholic applicants in professional disciplines.
• Temple University: Public R1 research university in Philadelphia with overlapping health sciences, public health, and liberal arts programs. Differing sponsorship model but competes head-to-head for Philadelphia-region applicants.

Broad incumbents

• Boston University: Larger private R1 university with overlapping professional schools in health, law, communications, and engineering. Competes for graduate, professional, and research talent at broader scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/DrexelNews
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/DrexelPublicHealth
• Facebookfacebook.com/DrexelPublicHealth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/drexel-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/drexelpubhealth
• TikToktiktok.com/@drexeluniv

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Drexel University College of Arts & Sciences