Are you aware that Alvernia was once for Catholic Sisters? If you don’t know you will be informed now as I take you through a brief history of the school. Alvernia University is a university with differences that have produced world-renown scholars, engineers, teachers, leaders, technologists, and other well-known people from all spheres of life.
Alvernia University is a privately owned Franciscan Roman Catholic university sited in Reading, Pennsylvania. It was formerly called Alvernia College before transitioning into university in the year 2008.
It was established in 1958, although before gaining university status, there are tranches of history that time factors may not allow us to discuss here, we may do that in another article about the school. In furtherance of this, the school is a host to 2900 students studying different courses- there are 1500 undergrad, 600 part-time, and 780 grads.
The University is seated on 121 acres. It was founded by the Bernardine Sisters as a college where sisters could study and later filed into liberal art school for a normal four-year university calendar.
Academic Dispensations
Under this heading, we shall look at the programs the school offers. The University offers over 50 undergraduate major and minor courses. There are also professional and pre-qualification programs offered by the institution. And there are also graduate schools offering different courses for those who intend to pursue postgraduate and master’s programs. All courses and programs offered at the university are accredited by the Pennsylvania Education body. The school has one of the best curricula that offers students a quality education.
Available Courses and Colleges
In this section, I shall intimate you with available courses and colleges of which Alvernia is a host. Alvernia University hosts many colleges and faculties which house various courses applicants intend to study. Underneath are the colleges and courses that you need to be aware of if you choose to study at Alvernia University.
Undergraduate Programs
- College of Health Sciences
- Athletic Training
- Athletic Training (5-year Masters)
- Healthcare Science
- Nursing
- Occupational Therapy (5-year Master’s Degree)
- Physical Therapy (6-year Doctoral Degree)
- Physician Assistant (5-year Master’s Degree)
- College of Business, Communication, and Leadership
- Business(Optional 5-year MBA, choose a major below)
- Accounting
- Economics
- Finance
- Healthcare Administration
- Human Resource Management
- Management
- Marketing
- Sport Management
- Communication (choose a track below)
- The film, Culture, and Creative Arts
- Journalism
- Media Design and Production
- Public Relations and Advertising
- Strategic Communications
- Sports Media
- Digital Media Marketing
- College of Humanities Education and Social Sciences
- Addictions and Mental Health Treatment
- Psychology
- Criminal Justice Administration
- Education
- Early Childhood (Special) Education Certification
- English
- Social Work
- History
- Liberal Studies
- Philosophy
- Political Science
- Theology
- College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM)
- Biochemistry
- Biology
- Biology-Medical Laboratory Science
- Chemistry
- Computer Science
- Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Industrial Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Environmental Science
- Forensic Science
- General Science
- Mathematics
- Theatre
- Additional Minors
The following are minor programs successful applicants can choose to study alongside major ones
Art
- Business
- Community Engagement
- Community & Environmental Sustainability
- Cultural Studies
- Cyber Security
- Data Science
- Gerontology
- Health Communications
- Leadership Studies
- Music
- Physics
- Sociology
- Spanish
- Women’s & Gender Studies
- Pre-professional Programs
- Pre-Dental
- Pre-Law
- Pre-Medical
- Pre-Optometry
- Pre-Pharmacy
- Pre-Veterinary
Graduate Degree Programmes
- Special Education (Grades Pre K-8 and 7-12) Certification
- Certificate in Disabilities and Inclusive Communities
- Principal Certification
- Superintendent’s Letter of Eligibility
- Master of Science in Nursing
- Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education
- Graduate Certificate in Nursing Leadership
- Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership
- Doctor of Physical Therapy
- Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling (CACREP Accredited)
- Master of Arts in Leadership (New)
- Master of Business Administration
- MBA with Healthcare Emphasis (New)
- Master of Education
- Post-baccalaureate Certification Programs for Educators
- English as a Second Language Program Specialist (Grades K-12)
- Post-Master’s DNP Completion Program
- Master of Science in Athletic Training
- Master of Science in Occupational Therapy
- Master of Social Work (Entry-Level & Advanced-Standing)
Alvernia University Admission Requirements
To gain admission into this school, you are demanded to possess the following qualifications. Below are these qualifications:
GPA Requirement
Any applicants seeking admission into Alvernia University must score above average grades in their high schools. The average high school GPA for the prospective candidates needs to stand at 3.41 on the 4.0 scale, this shows primarily only students with B+ might be considered for admission. So applicants should pass the average mark to gain a place at Alvernia University.
SAT or ACT Requirement
In 2022-2023 admission, SAT or ACT scores are optional as they have been waived. They may not form major criteria to gain admission into Alvernia University but it’s recommended. If you submit it, it will boost your chance of being admitted as it will form part of your admission evaluation.
Acceptance Rate
In this section, we shall look at the acceptance rate at Alvernia University. The University accepts 70% of its applicants. Once applicants meet admission requirements as stipulated in the school’s admission criteria. There’s the possibility that the candidates would be accepted.
Demographic Acceptance Statistics
In 2019 and 2020, provided below are the data for acceptance.
- Female Applied 2,012
- Male Applied 1,671
- Total 3,683
- Female Accepted 1,426
- Male accepted 1,153
- Total accepted 2,579
- Acceptance Rate percentage Female 71%
- Male 69%
- Overall percentage 70%
In the above data, it can be confirmed that women are given more consideration than men. The reason for this might be because the school commenced as a female-only school before being co-educated.
Alvernia University SAT or ACT Scores
As I said earlier that the school does not ultimately consider or specifically mention SAT or ACT in its admission criteria but applicants must score high in their high school GPA. We can attest to this fact in the subsequent section.
SAT and ACT Requirements
- SAT Range-Not recorded
- Applicants Submitting SAT-95%
- SAT Reading- Not Available
- SAT Math- Not Available
- SAT Composite- North Available
- ACT Range-Nil
- Applicants Submitting ACT 21%
- ACT Reading-Nil
- ACT Math-Nil
- ACT Composite-Nil
- ACT Reading-Nil
High School GPA Tagline
In this section, I will keep you updated with the GPA strength needed for acceptance at Alvernia University. Here is the GPAs’ strength.
- 4.0 19.57% Good
- 3.75 to 3.99 15.22% Avg +
- 3.50 to 3.74 17.83% Avg –
- 3.25 to 3.49 12.83% Avg –
- 3.00 to 3.24 13.26% Close to
- 2.50 to 2.99 15.22% Close to
- 2.00 to 2.49 5.87% Close to
- 1.00 to 1.99 0.22% Low
- less than 1.00 0% Low
As we can see above, those who score high have higher chances of being admitted than those who score below the required grades.
You can apply here www.alvernia.edu
