Academic Transformation FAQs

The world continues to demand more from higher education — greater value, access, and relevance. It also demands more from current and future generations of students — flexibility, adaptability, and resilience. With an experiential academic model that meets this world demand, Drexel University is undergoing an academic transformation that will allow us to align our distinguishing strengths, academic structure and strategies with our mission to advance societal solutions and an experiential education of the highest quality.

The two-year process associated with the University Advisory Committee on Academic Structure (UACAS) resulted in a compelling, community-developed vision and vetted roadmap for evolving our structure to meet changing student and societal needs — earning the support of University leadership and the Board of Trustees to boldly transform our University.

At the same time, the threats facing higher education obligate us to change; with growing needs for inclusive and experiential teaching practices, the impacts of artificial intelligence, mounting financial pressures, and demographic shifts, the current model of higher education requires a new approach for many institutions, including Drexel.

Drexel’s academic transformation is aimed at making our structure, policies and practices more consistent and effective to create a better experience for students, faculty and staff. Intended outcomes of Drexel’s academic transformation include:

• Connecting our disconnected strengths and assets to simplify structures; reduce bureaucracy; improve the experiences of students, faculty and staff; and welcome new partnerships.
• Supporting student learning and outcomes through pedagogical innovation and equitable opportunities for experiential learning across all programs, while creating space, time and incentives for faculty to redesign curricula.
• Doubling down on Drexel’s differentiators and building on our expertise to enhance reputation and research impact.
• Aligning our academic, enrollment and financial strategies to strategically invest in our differentiators in the near term, while intentionally divesting from activities that do not support our strategic priorities or long-term financial sustainability.

Broadly, the academic transformation is meant to ensure our long-term ability to advance research-based societal solutions and an experiential education of the highest quality, attract a broader student base that believes in the value of a Drexel degree, and expand the local and global partnerships that position us to lead through this time of rapid change and far into the future. 

Provost Paul Jensen and Faculty Senate Chair Kevin Owens are Co-Sponsors of Drexel's Academic Transformation, and Vice Provost for Academic Strategy and Communications Amy Weaver is serving as project lead. Importantly, a cross-section of leaders from across the University's academic and administrative units are leading aspects of the Academic Transformation implementation in their respective areas — from enrollment management to co-op, advising, policies and many more.

Faculty and professional staff in academic and administrative units are leading implementation, supported by central coordinating teams and project managers. Depending on the needs of each unit, academic unit leadership may include an Implementation Lead, Curricular Redesign Lead, and, in integrating units, Change Lead and Communication Leads. The names of the academic unit leads are available on the Academic Transformation SharePoint (accessible to faculty and staff).

More broadly, all faculty and professional staff are involved in the Academic Transformation in some way, as these changes touch every individual's work and normal University operations.

• Design Phase: January - June 2025
• Implementation Phase: July 2025 - August 2027
• Summer Transition Quarter: June 21, 2027 - August 20, 2027
• Launch of Semester Calendar: August 23, 2027
• Assessment & Improvement: July 2025 - ongoing

Drexel is redesigning its curriculum to improve student learning through more flexible degree pathways, a signature first-year academic experience, the integration of core competencies for undergraduates, and expanded experiential learning opportunities. The new curriculum will give students more room to explore interests across disciplines, customize their academic path and build skills that support long-term career success. Incoming students in Fall 2027 and later will also complete at least one Experiential Learning Opportunity as part of their Drexel education.

Experiential Learning Opportunities (ELOs) are hands-on, real-world learning experiences, such as co-ops, internships, project-based learning courses, research, global experiences, and community engagement.  Starting fall 2027, all incoming undergraduate students will be required to complete at least one ELO. These experiences will be integrated into undergraduates' academic journey: A student's Experiential Learning Opportunity requirement can be satisfied by completing select courses during academic semesters, participating in co-op, or through other activities at any point, including during the summer term. Students will receive advising support to choose ELOs that align with their goals.

Current students (those enrolled in academic years before academic year 2027-28) will not have any requirements around completing an ELO. 

Drexel’s core competencies are a foundational set of three knowledge areas that undergraduates will develop throughout their Drexel experience, regardless of major. They are designed to create a shared academic foundation for undergraduates to ensure their mastery of fundamental skills and prepare them for success after Drexel. Drexel’s three core competencies are as follows:

• Inquire & Analyze centers on curiosity and thoughtful investigation. Students develop their skillset to ask meaningful questions, evaluate evidence critically, and identify patterns to help make informed decisions. 
• Collaborate & Integrate prepares students to work across disciplines and perspectives, synthesize diverse ideas, and develop stronger solutions through collaboration. Graduates will be equipped to communicate their ideas with clarity as they also reflect on their experiences to learn and grow from the outcomes. 
• Apply & Engage emphasizes applying knowledge in real-world contexts, adapting through challenges, and engaging thoughtfully in complex problem-solving. It encourages using knowledge in meaningful ways and remaining motivated, curious, and thoughtfully involved in learning and problem solving. 

Undergraduates enrolling in Fall 2027 or later will have graduation requirements related to core competencies; however, current Drexel students (those enrolled in academic years before academic year 2027-28) will not have any graduation requirements related to core competencies. Current students may notice these competencies appearing in updated course outcomes, advising conversations and Experiential Learning Opportunities.

The College of Engineering, the College of Computing & Informatics and the School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems have integrated into a new academic unit — the College of Engineering and Computing. Each of the three schools within the College will become a School within CoEC and retain its distinct scholarly identity.

A cornerstone of the University’s transformation, this integration presents meaningful opportunities to advance interdisciplinary education and research, elevate Drexel’s academic distinction and cultivate deeper collaboration across engineering, computing, information science, biomedical innovation and beyond.

Additional unit integrations include:

• School of Education has joined the College of Arts & Sciences
• Close School of Entrepreneurship has joined the LeBow College of Business
• A.J. Drexel Autism Institute has joined the Dornsife School of Public Health

View more information on academic unit integrations.

The newly proposed academic year consists of the following semesters and terms that accommodate holidays, extended break periods, and final exam weeks:

• Fall & Spring Semesters: 14 weeks of instruction plus 1 week of final exams.
• Reading Days: Two no-class days before exams to give students time to prepare.
• Fall Break: A new five-day break in mid-semester, in addition to the Wednesday–Friday Thanksgiving break.
• Spring Break: A five-day break in mid-semester.
• Election Day: Recognized as a no-class day.
• Summer Term: Redesigned to offer full-term (12 weeks of instruction, plus 1 week for finals) and part-term (6 weeks) courses, experiential learning opportunities, and/or a summer break.

Summer 2027 will be the transitional summer when Drexel converts from the current quarter system to semesters. The Summer 2027 quarter will be shortened as a one-time transition term between the quarter and semester calendars. Classes will begin on June 21, 2027, and end of August 7, 2027, with exams the following week. The goal is to maintain the same number of instructional contact hours during this shortened term, which will be seven weeks instead of 10.  

Co-op remains a cornerstone of the Drexel experience. The length of co-ops—six-month periods of employment—will stay the same after the transition to semesters. What’s changing is the timing: fall co-ops will run mid-July to January, and spring co-ops from January to mid-July.

On a semester calendar, co-op start and end dates will line up more closely with industry hiring cycles, making it easier for employers to onboard and offboard students. Additionally, with fewer academic terms per year, students face less scheduling complexity and can more easily plan their co-ops around classes and other opportunities like study abroad or research.

Students currently on a quarter-based co-op plan will transition to a semester-based co-op plan when the University transitions to a semester calendar in August 2027. For students on co-op during the spring/summer 2027 or during the first fall semester of 2027 only, co-op will be reduced by about a month. For more information, please visit the Academic Transformation Information for Students SharePoint.

Our students are our top priority. Drexel will provide proactive academic advising, planning tools, and clear communication to help students navigate the transition to a semester calendar. Starting in the mid-to-late Summer of 2026, students will work with their advisor to develop a personalized plan of study that supports their progress toward graduation. While each student’s path may vary depending on individual circumstances — such as changes in major, academic challenges or broad academic interests—our advising teams are committed to helping you find the best path forward and stay on track.

In addition, representatives from the Undergraduate Student Government Association and Graduate Student Association have been engaged throughout implementation to provide critical student feedback and guidance to ensure we are meeting the student experience goals of Transformation and communicating effectively with our students. In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns, we invite you to submit them here.

We expect these changes to our academic structure to improve our research standing and lay a better foundation to take on the biggest challenges our society faces. We maintain national recognition in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, with a designation as an “R1 Doctoral University: Very High Research Activity” and one of the 39 private higher education institutions to hold this distinction. By making structural changes, we will remove barriers to interdisciplinary team formation as well as streamline and improve research administration, resulting in more opportunities for our research community. Importantly, the academic transformation will strengthen Drexel's ability to attract and retain top students and faculty and to secure the institution’s future as a leading, experience-driven research university that meets pressing areas of societal need. 

The accomplishments of our alumni remain a testament to Drexel’s legacy of excellence. These changes are designed to enhance future academic programs and the student experience, while strengthening the University’s position as a leader in higher education and experiential learning. The Office of Institutional Advancement and the Alumni Board of Governors are committed to maintaining regular communication with alumni through email and other forms of outreach during this transformation. If you have any questions, please direct them to alumni@drexel.edu.

With questions, members of the Drexel community are welcome to email pmoe@drexel.edu or use the following form.

Submit a Question

Drexel students should stay in touch with their academic advisors, who will be informed of developments as the implementation process progresses. Faculty and professional staff should visit the Academic Transformation SharePoint for information on working groups and their current project plans. We may not have all the answers at this time, but your questions and feedback will help inform the work, and we will provide answers as they become available through ongoing communication with the University community.