Chestnut Hill College
Encyclopedia
Chestnut Hill College is a coeducational Roman Catholic college in the Chestnut Hill
section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, USA
. It was founded in 1924 as a women's college
by the Sisters of St. Joseph
. It was originally called Mount Saint Joseph College and assumed its current name in 1938. In 1980 it established a coeducational graduate education program. Chestnut Hill College started to admit male students to its undergraduate programs in 2003.
Located at the northwestern edge of Philadelphia on 45 acres (182,108.7 m²) overlooking the Wissahickon Creek
, Chestnut Hill College opened in 1924 as a Catholic, four-year, liberal arts college
for women. Founded as Mount Saint Joseph College by the Sisters of St. Joseph
, the college was renamed in 1938 as Chestnut Hill College.
Throughout its history the college has aimed to offer a liberal arts education that provides students with a broad background in the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. The goal has been to prepare students for life’s challenges by helping them to grow intellectually, spiritually, emotionally, and socially.
The curriculum
has been modified over time. The college originally awarded only the Bachelor of Arts
and Bachelor of Science
degrees to young women of traditional college age. In 1972, a continuing education
department, now called the School of Continuing Studies, was established to extend opportunities for undergraduate study to mature women and men. Many classes are conducted on evenings and weekends to accommodate the schedules of older students. The coeducational the School of Graduate Studies was established in 1980 to offer Master’s degrees; in 1997, it added a doctoral program.
Academic changes also included expanding beyond the physical limits of the campus. As a member of Southeastern Pennsylvania Consortium for Higher Education (SEPCHE), Chestnut Hill pursues a collaborative approach to higher education with seven other local institutions. Through membership in the Association of College of Sisters of St. Joseph (ACSSJ), Chestnut Hill is able to offer its students opportunities to enrich their educational experiences by studying at seven other colleges in the United States. Study-abroad programs also are available.
In November 2001 Chestnut Hill announced plans to admit men to the traditional-age, full-time undergraduate program in fall 2003. With the enrollment of male students, the 78-year-old College for Women became the School of Undergraduate Studies.
Enrollment increased dramatically after the undergraduate college became coeducational, increasing 80% by fall 2005. In 2006, college officials reported that a total of more than 2000 students were enrolled in Chestnut Hill's three constituent schools, with a total of 2,570 students expected by 2010.
is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. For many years the main buildings were St. Joseph Hall, with a six-story Greco-Roman
rotunda and French Gothic
exterior, Fournier Hall, a jewel of Italian Romanesque architecture
, and Clement Hall, which houses classrooms and modest athletic facilities, including a swimming pool. The campus grounds include a grotto with a charming fountain, the House of Loretto, and an elegant main chapel that was inspired by Sainte-Chapelle
in Paris. Logue Library, Fontbonne Hall, Barbara D’Iorio Martino Hall and, most recently, a new residence hall called Fitzsimmons Hall are relatively new additions to accommodate the college's growth. New structures were designed to preserve the architectural integrity of the campus while addressing specific educational or student life needs.
In recent years science facilities and computer laboratories have been renovated to help create a 21st century teaching and learning environment. Martino Hall includes “smart” classrooms and seminar rooms that are part of the campus-wide interactive network.
In 2006 Chestnut Hill announced the acquisition (from the Albert M. Greenfield Foundation
for $11 million) of the Sugarloaf estate, a 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) property across Germantown Avenue from the existing campus, previously used as The Albert M. Greenfield Conference Center of Temple University
. The additional property was expected to accommodate additional campus expansion.
, was among the women featured in Time magazine when the American Woman was selected Time's Person of the Year for 1975.
Accounting, Criminal Justice, Biology, French, Business Administration, Psychology, Chemistry, Spanish
A Bachelor of Arts degree (B.A.) may be obtained in the following majors:
English, Political Science, English and Communications, Psychology, French, Spanish, History
A Bachelor of Music (B.M.) may be obtained in Music.
A Bachelor of Science degree (B.S.) may be obtained in the following majors:
Accounting, Education, Biochemistry, Early Childhood and Elementary Education, Biology, Early Childhood Education, Business Administration, Elementary Education, Chemistry, Human Services, Computer and Information Sciences, International Business, Language and Culture, Computer and Information Technology, Marketing, Communications and Technology, Mathematical and Computer Sciences, Criminal Justice, Molecular Biology, Environmental Sciences, Music, Education, Sociology.
Graduate programs are designed to meet the needs of working professionals, including some distance education
offerings. Master's degrees are offered in Administration of Human Services (in an accelerated format); Clinical and Counseling Psychology; Education; Holistic Spirituality, Holistic Spirituality and Spiritual Direction, Holistic Spirituality/Healthcare; and Instructional Technology. The Doctor in Clinical Psychology degree (Psy.D.) is also available.
Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Chestnut Hill is a neighborhood in the Northwest Philadelphia section of the United States city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-Boundaries:Chestnut Hill is bounded as follows:...
section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was founded in 1924 as a women's college
Women's colleges in the United States
Women's colleges in the United States are single-sex U.S. institutions of higher education that exclude or limit males from admission. They are often liberal arts colleges...
by the Sisters of St. Joseph
Sisters of St. Joseph
The title Sisters of St. Joseph applies to several Roman Catholic religious congregations of women. The largest and oldest of these was founded in Le Puy-en-Velay, France...
. It was originally called Mount Saint Joseph College and assumed its current name in 1938. In 1980 it established a coeducational graduate education program. Chestnut Hill College started to admit male students to its undergraduate programs in 2003.
Located at the northwestern edge of Philadelphia on 45 acres (182,108.7 m²) overlooking the Wissahickon Creek
Wissahickon Creek
Wissahickon Creek is a stream in southeastern Pennsylvania. Rising in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, it runs about 23 miles passing through and dividing Northwest Philadelphia before emptying into the Schuylkill River at Philadelphia...
, Chestnut Hill College opened in 1924 as a Catholic, four-year, liberal arts college
Liberal arts college
A liberal arts college is one with a primary emphasis on undergraduate study in the liberal arts and sciences.Students in the liberal arts generally major in a particular discipline while receiving exposure to a wide range of academic subjects, including sciences as well as the traditional...
for women. Founded as Mount Saint Joseph College by the Sisters of St. Joseph
Sisters of St. Joseph
The title Sisters of St. Joseph applies to several Roman Catholic religious congregations of women. The largest and oldest of these was founded in Le Puy-en-Velay, France...
, the college was renamed in 1938 as Chestnut Hill College.
Throughout its history the college has aimed to offer a liberal arts education that provides students with a broad background in the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. The goal has been to prepare students for life’s challenges by helping them to grow intellectually, spiritually, emotionally, and socially.
The curriculum
Curriculum
See also Syllabus.In formal education, a curriculum is the set of courses, and their content, offered at a school or university. As an idea, curriculum stems from the Latin word for race course, referring to the course of deeds and experiences through which children grow to become mature adults...
has been modified over time. The college originally awarded only the Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
and Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degrees to young women of traditional college age. In 1972, a continuing education
Continuing education
Continuing education is an all-encompassing term within a broad spectrum of post-secondary learning activities and programs. The term is used mainly in the United States and Canada...
department, now called the School of Continuing Studies, was established to extend opportunities for undergraduate study to mature women and men. Many classes are conducted on evenings and weekends to accommodate the schedules of older students. The coeducational the School of Graduate Studies was established in 1980 to offer Master’s degrees; in 1997, it added a doctoral program.
Academic changes also included expanding beyond the physical limits of the campus. As a member of Southeastern Pennsylvania Consortium for Higher Education (SEPCHE), Chestnut Hill pursues a collaborative approach to higher education with seven other local institutions. Through membership in the Association of College of Sisters of St. Joseph (ACSSJ), Chestnut Hill is able to offer its students opportunities to enrich their educational experiences by studying at seven other colleges in the United States. Study-abroad programs also are available.
In November 2001 Chestnut Hill announced plans to admit men to the traditional-age, full-time undergraduate program in fall 2003. With the enrollment of male students, the 78-year-old College for Women became the School of Undergraduate Studies.
Enrollment increased dramatically after the undergraduate college became coeducational, increasing 80% by fall 2005. In 2006, college officials reported that a total of more than 2000 students were enrolled in Chestnut Hill's three constituent schools, with a total of 2,570 students expected by 2010.
Campus
The Chestnut Hill campusCampus
A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. For many years the main buildings were St. Joseph Hall, with a six-story Greco-Roman
Neoclassicism
Neoclassicism is the name given to Western movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw inspiration from the "classical" art and culture of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome...
rotunda and French Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
exterior, Fournier Hall, a jewel of Italian Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
, and Clement Hall, which houses classrooms and modest athletic facilities, including a swimming pool. The campus grounds include a grotto with a charming fountain, the House of Loretto, and an elegant main chapel that was inspired by Sainte-Chapelle
Sainte-Chapelle
La Sainte-Chapelle is the only surviving building of the Capetian royal palace on the Île de la Cité in the heart of Paris, France. It was commissioned by King Louis IX of France to house his collection of Passion Relics, including the Crown of Thorns - one of the most important relics in medieval...
in Paris. Logue Library, Fontbonne Hall, Barbara D’Iorio Martino Hall and, most recently, a new residence hall called Fitzsimmons Hall are relatively new additions to accommodate the college's growth. New structures were designed to preserve the architectural integrity of the campus while addressing specific educational or student life needs.
In recent years science facilities and computer laboratories have been renovated to help create a 21st century teaching and learning environment. Martino Hall includes “smart” classrooms and seminar rooms that are part of the campus-wide interactive network.
In 2006 Chestnut Hill announced the acquisition (from the Albert M. Greenfield Foundation
Albert M. Greenfield
Albert M. Greenfield was a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based real estate, banking, retailing, hotel, and transportation industry leader. Over time, he became increasingly influential in the civic and philanthropic arenas, and in local and national politics.-Business Activities:The Albert M....
for $11 million) of the Sugarloaf estate, a 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) property across Germantown Avenue from the existing campus, previously used as The Albert M. Greenfield Conference Center of Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
. The additional property was expected to accommodate additional campus expansion.
Alumni
More than 10,000 individuals have earned degrees from Chestnut Hill College since 1924. The list of accomplished graduates includes numerous representatives in medicine, law, research, education, business and social service. One alumna, Kathleen ByerlyKathleen Byerly
Kathleen M. Byerly is known for being one of the women named by Time magazine Time Person of the Year in 1975, representing American women...
, was among the women featured in Time magazine when the American Woman was selected Time's Person of the Year for 1975.
Mission statement
The mission of Chestnut Hill College is to provide students with holistic education in an inclusive Catholic community marked by academic excellence, shared responsibility, personal and professional growth, service to one another and to the global community, and concern for the earth.Academics
An Associate of Arts degree (A.A.) may be obtained in the following majors:Accounting, Criminal Justice, Biology, French, Business Administration, Psychology, Chemistry, Spanish
A Bachelor of Arts degree (B.A.) may be obtained in the following majors:
English, Political Science, English and Communications, Psychology, French, Spanish, History
A Bachelor of Music (B.M.) may be obtained in Music.
A Bachelor of Science degree (B.S.) may be obtained in the following majors:
Accounting, Education, Biochemistry, Early Childhood and Elementary Education, Biology, Early Childhood Education, Business Administration, Elementary Education, Chemistry, Human Services, Computer and Information Sciences, International Business, Language and Culture, Computer and Information Technology, Marketing, Communications and Technology, Mathematical and Computer Sciences, Criminal Justice, Molecular Biology, Environmental Sciences, Music, Education, Sociology.
Graduate programs are designed to meet the needs of working professionals, including some distance education
Distance education
Distance education or distance learning is a field of education that focuses on teaching methods and technology with the aim of delivering teaching, often on an individual basis, to students who are not physically present in a traditional educational setting such as a classroom...
offerings. Master's degrees are offered in Administration of Human Services (in an accelerated format); Clinical and Counseling Psychology; Education; Holistic Spirituality, Holistic Spirituality and Spiritual Direction, Holistic Spirituality/Healthcare; and Instructional Technology. The Doctor in Clinical Psychology degree (Psy.D.) is also available.