Find money to help pay your way through California University of Pennsylvania! Complete your FastWeb profile to gain access to the largest database of scholarships, updated daily.

The University

California University of Pennsylvania, a member of Pennsylvanias State System of Higher Education, traces its origin to the establishment of an academy in the town of California, Pennsylvania, in 1852. It has as its mission Building Character and Building Careers. California University began as a teacher-preparation school and has evolved into a multipurpose university that grants both undergraduate and graduate degrees.

In 2007, California was included in the Princeton Reviews Best Northeastern Colleges. California University was also included in the Templeton Guide to Character Building Colleges and the Making a Difference College and Graduate Guide, the distinctive guide for students who want to use their education to make a better world. The University adopted Integrity, Civility, and Responsibility as its core values in 1998 and encourages all members of the community to aspire to these high ideals in order to make the University community, and the world, a better place.

The campus and recreational facilities, consisting of 188 acres with thirty-four primary buildings, are nestled on a bend of the Monongahela River. The Natali Student Center, which is located in the center of the campus, houses the student information center, dining facilities, movie theater, convenience store, food court, bookstore, ATM machine, and a variety of student organizations, including the Commuter Center and the University radio (WCAL) and television (CUTV) stations. The recreational complex, Roadman Park, is located just 1 miles from the campus. Tennis courts; running tracks; picnic areas; baseball, softball, rugby, and soccer fields; and the football stadium are located there.

The current enrollment is about 6,000 undergraduate and 1,250 graduate students. About 3,700 undergraduate students commute, 1,500 live on campus in five recently completed air-conditioned residence halls, 750 live off campus in a new garden-style apartment complex that is affiliated with the University, and the rest live in off-campus fraternity or sorority houses, rental units, or private homes.

At the University, students have the opportunity to select the living arrangement that best fits their personal needs and preferences. Lower-campus residence halls provide the perfect environment for being in the center of all academic and recreational activities. On-campus living also provides an environment that offers structure, with tremendous convenience to classrooms, dining, Natali Student Center, and Manderino Library. A variety of room configurations allows students to choose from 1, 2, or 3 roommates or suitemates.

Great for more independent living, the apartments at Jefferson@California are located less than 1 miles from the campus, adjacent to Roadman Park. There are a variety of configurations, most of which have private baths. Jefferson also provides a clubhouse with a fully equipped fitness center, a recreation room with various games, a computer lab, and a media room. Other amenities include an outdoor swimming pool and sand volleyball and basketball courts. A shuttle service connects Jefferson to the main campus.

The University offers students the convenience of an on-campus Health Center, which is staffed by registered nurses and a nurse practitioner. A medical director/physician has regularly scheduled office hours.

The counseling center, which is staffed by professionals, is available to all students and provides psychological services. The University also offers drug and alcohol education programs that include consultation, intervention, counseling, education, awareness programs, and substance-free activities.

Location

The campus is located in the borough of California, Pennsylvania, a community of 6,000 people. It is approximately 35 miles south of Pittsburgh in the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains, near Pennsylvanias Laurel Highlands recreational area. Professional baseball, football, and hockey, as well as a variety of cultural activities, are available in Pittsburgh. The area in which the University is located has a number of significant historical sites related to the preRevolutionary War era. The University also offers students the option of off-campus sites located in Canonsburg at the Southpointe Technology Park and at the Regional Enterprise Tower in Pittsburgh.

Majors and Degrees

California University of Pennsylvania offers the following baccalaureate degrees: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training, Bachelor of Science in Education, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Bachelor of Science in Sports Management. Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, and Associate of Applied Science degrees are also offered.

The liberal arts majors include art, communication studies (language and literacy, public relations, radio/television, and speech concentrations available), criminal justice, English (creative writing, journalism, and literature concentrations available), French, graphic design, history, international studies (business and economics, geography, modern languages, and political science concentrations available),philosophy, political science (campaign management, prelaw, and public policy concentrations available), psychology (industrial-organizational psychology concentration available), sociology (applied sociology concentration available), Spanish, and theater.

The Bachelor of Science in Education includes majors in athletic training, communication disorders, early childhood education, elementary education, secondary education (art, biology, chemistry, communication, comprehensive social sciences, earth and space science, English, French, mathematics, physics, and Spanish), special education, and technology education. Dual majors are available in many education programs. The College of Education and Human Services also offers bachelors degrees in gerontology, social work, and sport management, with concentrations in professional golf management and wellness and fitness.

The Eberly College of Science and Technology offers majors in the areas of administration and management, biology, business administration (accounting, business administration, business economics, computer-based systems management, finance, human resources management, management, and marketing), computer information systems, computer science, earth science, electrical engineering technology, environmental earth science, environmental studies (ecology, environmental science, and fisheries and wildlife concentrations) geography (geographic information systems and travel and tourism concentrations), geology, graphic communication technology, natural sciences (biology, chemistry, earth science, geology, mathematics, natural sciences interdisciplinary, and physics), parks and recreation management, and prehealth professions (pre-chiropractic medicine, predentistry, premedicine, premortuary science, preoptometry, preosteopathic medicine, prepharmacy, prepodiatric medicine, and preveterinary medicine). A cooperative nursing program is offered with the Community College of Allegheny County. The University offers an upper-division Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program for students who have completed an RN program.

Academic Programs

Each bachelors degree requires a minimum of 120 semester hours of credit. A general education requirement of 51 credits is distributed among the following areas: building a sense of community (1 credit), communication skills (9 credits), critical-thinking skills (3 credits), fine arts (3 credits), health and wellness (3 credits), humanities (3 credits), mathematics (3 credits), multicultural awareness (3 credits), natural sciences (8 credits), social sciences (6 credits), technological literacy (6 credits), and values (3 credits). An honors program provides an opportunity for an enhanced educational experience to students who meet the criteria. Honors students have the option of living in the new Honors Residence Hall, which offers numerous outstanding amenities, including a private library. Wireless Internet connections are available throughout campus. Applications of all incoming first-year and transfer students are reviewed, and those with the highest indicators of past and future academic success are invited to participate in the honors program.

Academic Facilities

The University has traditional library holdings of more than 360,000 volumes, more than 1 million microform units, nearly 1,500 periodical titles, and U.S. government documents. It is a member of the Keystone Library Network, which provides access to library holdings, databases, and electronic resources among fourteen State System of Higher Education libraries. This virtual library electronically links users to a variety of information sources and delivers both text and multimedia sources immediately and seamlessly from any location. The 80,400-square-foot Eberly Science and Technology Center features state-of-the-art science and computer laboratories and is one of the premier teaching facilities on campus. Every residence hall room is wired with fiber optics so that students can bring computers, plug them in, and have immediate access to the Internet and all of its resources. For students who do not have computers of their own, there is a computer lab on every floor of the residence halls. Numerous specialized computer facilities are available across the campus, including ones devoted to meteorology, math and computer science, word processing, accounting, CAD-CAM, robotics, teacher education, art, and chemistry.

Costs

The 200708 tuition for a resident of Pennsylvania attending full-time (12 to 18 credits) was $2589 per semester. For a full-time nonresident, tuition was $4142 per semester. Room costs for 200708 ranged from $2494 to $3638. Board prices ranged from $1188 to $1439. Based on a full-time schedule, fees for 200708 included a $62.50 technology fee, an $85 service fee, a $210 Student Association fee, an $81 student union building fee, an $84 student center operations and maintenance fee, and a $251.90 academic support fee. The cost of books, materials, and supplies varies with each program.

Financial Aid

California University of Pennsylvania has available a number of types of financial aid, including student employment, grant and scholarship aid through the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, federal grants, and student loans. A number of non-need-based academic scholarships are available for talented students. All students must complete the Pennsylvania State Grant and federal financial aid application for need-based aid. The Director of Financial Aid at the University administers all student aid. Overall, 98 percent of student need is met for students who are awarded need-based aid.

Faculty

Classes are taught by 238 full-time faculty members; no classes are taught by graduate assistants. Terminal degrees are held by more than 84 percent of the full-time faculty members. Faculty advisers are assigned based on the students major, department, or school.

Student Government

Student government at California University of Pennsylvania regulates cocurricular activities. It furthers the quality of student life by encouraging and funding diverse student activities, providing experiences in the principles and practices of democratic government, supplying a forum for general student interest, and improving and promoting the cultural standards of the University. Students sit on many important University committees, including the University Forum, and have a voice in most policy decisions.

Admission Requirements

California University of Pennsylvania welcomes applications from all qualified persons. Admission standards have been established by California University of Pennsylvania for the purpose of ascertaining which prospective students are most likely to succeed at the University. An applicant for admission should have graduated from an accredited four-year high school or should possess an equivalency diploma issued by a state department of education. All applicants should submit to the University evidence of their ability to do college-level work, as indicated by such tests as the College Boards SAT. All applicants are required to have a Social Security number.

Create your FastWeb profile today to learn more about California University of Pennsylvania.

Complete your FastWeb profile for access to tons of great tools that will help you get into and pay for [School_Name], including:

• College admissions advice from REAL admissions officers
• Expert scholarship advice
• Get matched to scholarships you qualify for
• College survival tips from other students like you
• Plus much more!

Check out FastWeb today!