Saint Joseph’s University

Degrees Offered at Saint Joseph’s University

Saint Joseph’s University appears in our ranking of the Top 20 Affordable Online Master’s in Law Enforcement Administration Programs.

Despite being a large private university, Saint Joseph’s University strives to make university education accessible to all. The university accomplishes this by providing both traditional and non-traditional degree programs, including robust online degree programs.

Generally speaking, the school’s most popular degree programs are in marketing, business and management, education, journalism and communication, social sciences, and psychology. The school has undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as certificate programs.

Its online degree programs include studies in business administration, food marketing, computer science, and criminal justice to name but a few. Students can receive certificates in English as a second language, cybersecurity, and behavior analysis, again to name but a few.

Some of SJU’s more interesting majors include actuarial science, Asian studies, business intelligence and analytics, entertainment marketing, philosophy, and religious studies.

About Saint Joseph’s University

Saint Joseph’s University is a Jesuit university, located in Philadelphia’s suburbs. It’s a school that is well regarded. The US News and World Report ranks the school tenth on its Regional Universities North list. The news site also ranks it 14th on its Best Undergraduate Teaching, 12th on its Most Innovative Schools, and fourth on its Best College for Veterans lists.

Kindness and compassion mark student life at Saint Joseph’s University. Professors have a reputation for being accessible and engaging. They also strive to get to know their students on a personal level, making the university experience much more rewarding for all.

The school’s compassionate vibe doesn’t stop at faculty and staff. The students themselves have a reputation of being considerate, as well as intelligent and passionate. Overall, students do very well academically. Around 18 percent of students earn a 3.75 GPA or above. Another 18 percent earn a 3.50 to a 3.74 GPA. Sixteen percent earn a 3.25 to 3.49.

Participating in service projects is a popular activity. Often life feels hectic for students who spend their time studying and meeting up at the library when they’re not doing activities. That said, students at SJU do make time for fun. Students like to attend concerts and live comedy acts. Some attend parties at the school’s Greek houses on the weekends.

Saint Joseph’s University Accreditation

Saint Joseph’s University received its regional accreditation from the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

Saint Joseph’s University Application Requirements

Undergraduate students have a couple of application options. Saint Joseph’s University allows students to fill out either the Common Application or the SJU application. Those students who intend to apply to more than one school may want to try the Common Application. By design, the Common Application allows students to apply to a number of different schools at the same time.

SJU also has slightly different application requirements than many other schools of its size. The university does not ask students to complete standardized tests. However, admissions officers do look at a student’s academic achievements.

School admissions officers also want to learn more about a student’s community and extracurricular activities. They’re interested in these subjects because the student’s participation in them says a lot about the student.

All of this being said, students can submit ACT or SAT test scores if they feel it will make a difference. Additionally, international students who come from non-English speaking countries must submit either an ACT/ SAT or a TOEFL score to demonstrate English proficiency. Homeschool applicants are also asked to provide the school with an SAT or ACT score.

Generally speaking, undergraduate students must submit the following application materials:

  • School transcripts
  • Application + application fee of $50
  • Personal essay
  • Letter/s of recommendation
  • Early decision agreement

Students who transfer from another academic institution can transfer a maximum of 60 credits to SJU. Students can receive these credits from dual enrollment programs, AP courses, IB courses, or by attending another college or university prior to attending SJU. SJU participates in an articulation agreement with other schools to make transferring credits easier.

The university also accepts graduate students. Students who wish to enter Saint Joseph’s University as graduate students should contact the Graduate Admissions Office, as well as the department they’d like to apply to. Application requirements may vary, depending on which program students apply to.

That said, an incoming graduate student should be prepared to take graduate admission tests, like the GMAT or the GRE.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Saint Joseph’s University’s tuition runs $47,740 per year. The school also charges an additional per credit cost of $1,590. Summer credits cost less. Students can attend during the summer for $584 per credit.

Students are also responsible for fees. These can include fees for the student ID card, transcript fees, field experience fees, language lab fees, orientation, and activity fees to name but a few. Not all students will be required to pay the same fees because many of the fees are department-specific, like the art, music, or science lab fees.

Graduate students at SJU pay by the credit hour. Costs vary, depending on the program. Programs, like biology or criminal justice, cost $905 per credit hour. The cost of the executive MBA runs $2,310 per credit.

Other programs come in somewhere in between. The per-credit cost for the master’s degrees in the education department cost the least at $796 per credit. Students will want to check with their departments to learn the exact cost of their programs.

Saint Joseph’s University offers students financial aid. Those who wish to qualify for aid must first fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The school offers undergraduates federal education loans, scholarships, grants, and work-study programs. Graduate students are eligible for financial aid, including scholarships, loans, and assistantships and other types of aid. Additionally, SJU offers generous financial aid benefits to veterans.

SJU students can also apply for and receive alternative private education loans. Students who wish to qualify for these loans must be at least 18 years old. SJU does not make it a practice to give specific lenders recommendations. However, the school does keep a list of lenders who students have had good luck with in the past.

Aside from this, Saint Joseph’s University provides students with money management resources and offers them intermittently throughout the year.