GENERAL INFORMATION

A View of Temple University

Research and teaching. Service and learning. Academics and athletics. City and suburban. These contrasts energize and enliven Temple University. Located in the heart of  metropolitan Philadelphia, Temple’s Main Campus reflects its history and diversity. From historic College Hall; to state-of-the-art smart classrooms in the Tuttleman Learning Center; to the Liacouras Center; a thriving sports, entertainment and recreation complex; Temple University declares its commitment to learning, teaching, and living.

Temple University is a major research institution, identified in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as one of only a hundred or so public institutions nationally (and one of six in Pennsylvania) that are designated as "Doctoral/Research Universities—Extensive." Temple serves as a vital research center for the United States government and is one of the three national survey research facilities. In addition to its campuses in Tokyo and Rome, Temple has connections to campuses on virtually every continent, and its professors are known both nationally and internationally. But Temple is also dedicated to teaching -- with a student faculty ratio of 15:1. Students have access to the resources of this leading research university, yet retain the close rapport with professors found at smaller colleges.

Because all of life can’t be lived in the classroom, Temple University offers its students engaging recreational and cultural activities. Social and professional Greek associations abound, and Temple athletic teams participate in almost every intercollegiate sport. Annual events like Spring Fling and Cherry & White Day liven up the semester. When you’ve exhausted Temple’s ample resources, the City of Philadelphia welcomes you. Terrific theater, outstanding concerts, famous museums, exciting cultural events, a fascinating history, and attractions like Edgar Allan Poe’s house, Independence Hall, and the Liberty Bell all wait to be enjoyed. For a taste of suburban life, Temple offers easy access to its two campuses in neighboring Montgomery County. New on-campus student housing, adding accommodations for 1,000 students, and an attractively renovated Student Center underscore Temple's commitment to enriching campus life.

Large and small, in the city and around the world, on the field and in the classroom, Temple University gives students every opportunity they could ever want. Come find the one for you.

(Adapted from comments by Erica Still, Class of 1999, and David Bucy, Class of 2001)

The University: Where We've Been and Where We're Going

Temple University was founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell as an outgrowth of his ministry at the Baptist Temple. Dr. Conwell wanted to make higher education available to all capable and motivated students regardless of their backgrounds and finances. His college began as informal classes for seven people and was first housed in the meeting rooms of his church.

More than 100 years later, having emerged as a major educational enterprise, Temple University continues the Conwell mission. Temple is today the 39th largest university in the United States and the largest public university provider of professional education (law, dentistry, medicine, pharmacy, and podiatric medicine) in the country.

Temple is a world-class center of teaching, research, and health care. From its roots in the historical and cultural richness of Philadelphia, it has become a major international university. With seven regional campuses as well as foreign campuses in Tokyo, Japan, and Rome, Italy, Temple attracts over 30,000 students from across the nation and around the world.

Twelve schools and colleges provide baccalaureate degree programs. The Graduate School offers master's and doctoral programs in cooperation with the schools and colleges within the University.  Through its various schools and colleges, Temple University offers academic programs in 9 associate degree areas, 127 bachelor's degree areas, 132 master's degree areas, 61 doctoral degree areas, and 6 first professional degree areas. In the 1999-2000 academic year, Temple University awarded 42 associate's degrees, 3164 bachelor's degrees, 1544 master's degrees, 267 doctorate's and 747 first professional (JD, MD, DMD, DPM, PharmD) degrees.

The University is proud of its distinguished faculty, many of whom possess national and international reputations. These award-winning scholars and teachers offer students at the undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels the education and training they need to succeed. At the undergraduate level, average class size is 25, and most of these students are being taught by senior faculty. One of the nation's major centers of teaching, research, and service, Temple is one of three public research universities in Pennsylvania and the second largest in the state. It is a leader in medicine and biomedical research, and the Temple University Health System, Inc., provides the most advanced care for thousands of residents throughout the region.

Temple has also been a leader in bold curricular initiatives. It was one of the first public research institutions to establish a rigorous, university-wide core curriculum in its undergraduate schools and colleges. Temple also has received national recognition for its Learning Communities, in which incoming freshmen form small groups according to their majors and interests. In addition, the University's Honors program is already a model for other colleges and universities.

Temple University is a member of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education in Pennsylvania and is supported by student tuition; annual appropriations from the Commonwealth; federal grants; gifts from alumni, corporations, and friends; and income from endowments. Temple University is governed by a 36-member Board of Trustees. David Adamany is the University's eighth president.

 Temple University is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Higher Education. Most of Temple's schools and colleges have received additional accreditation from other agencies, noted in each school and college's section of this Bulletin.

Administrative Officers and Board of Trustees