Glossary

Hawk Hill Campus: Saint Joseph’s campus location in Philadelphia and Lower Merion. 

University City Campus: University of the Sciences’ current campus located on Woodland Avenue. After the merger closes, Saint Joseph’s location in University City. 

Class of 2021, 2020, etc: At USciences, students are referred to as their class of the year in which they enter the university, rather than the year they graduate. Because different programs extend from four to six years of study, the incoming class of students is unified by their start date at USciences. At Saint Joseph’s, students are usually referred to as the class of the year in which they will graduate with their bachelor’s degree. 

Conferment: A special celebration for students at USciences in an accelerated doctoral degree program. The ceremony marks when these students have earned enough credits to earn a bachelor’s degree. These students will continue in their Doctoral Degree program.

Degree Types:

• B.A.: Bachelor of Arts
• B.S.: Bachelor of Science
  • USciences’ bachelor degree programs are also abbreviated. See full list.
• Ed.D.: Doctor of Education
• MBA: Master’s in Business Administration
• M.H.A.: Master of Health Administration
• M.S.: Master of Science
• Ph.D.: Doctor of Philosophy
• PharmD: Doctor of Pharmacy
• DPT: Doctor of Physical Therapy
• DrOT: Doctor of Occupational Therapy
• MOT: Master of Occupational Therapy
• MSPAS: Master of Physician Assistant Studies
• Historical Degree Types important for alumni:
  • P: Bachelor of Pharmacy Degree
  • PhG: Graduate in Pharmacy
  • HonDSc: Honorary Doctor of Science Degree
  • HonAlum: Honorary Alumnus

First-Year/Freshman: Saint Joseph’s uses traditional undergraduate nomenclature. First-year is preferred, as it is gender neutral. 

U1, U2, P1, P2, P3, P4: USciences offers students direct-entry (guaranteed spot when progression standards are met, no PCAT/GRE) to professional programs, meaning that the undergraduate and graduate curricula are combined into one course of accelerated study. While students are performing their undergraduate coursework they are referred to as U1, U2, U3 known as the pre-professional phase (three years for OT/PT, 2 years for pharmacy). When they enter the professional phases of their programs, they refer to these years as P1, P2, P3, P4 (three years for OT, 2.5 years for PT, four years for pharmacy). This nomenclature helps identify where students are in their course of study. To unify the campus community, no matter their course of study, freshmen are referred to as first-year students.

Doctoral Student vs. Candidate: While a doctoral student is still completing their coursework, a doctoral candidate has completed their candidacy exam and is conducting research for their dissertation.

Pharmacy program-specific terminology:

• PERC (Professional Education Readiness Competency) interview
• IPPES (Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences)
• APPES (Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences)

Policy: Policies establish a fundamental basis and guide for mandating or constraining action by University administrators, employees, students and other members of the University Community. Policies change infrequently. They are written in accordance with applicable law and the Bylaws of the Board of Trustees. They are guided by the mission statement of the University and its Principles of Shared Governance. Policies are designed to enhance the University's mission, reduce institutional risk and ensure compliance.

Procedures: Procedures are a listing of steps, rules or regulations used to implement policies in a manner consistent with the spirit of that policy, the Mission statement of the University, and its Principles of Shared Governance. Procedures should address the process rather than the result of implementing a policy.

Programs: Within the integration structure, work is divided into three programs: Academics, Administration and Support Services and Student Lifecycle. Work between the programs is connected through the Integration Coordination Committee. Occasionally described as verticals, “integration programs” is preferred for clarity.

USciences Institution Naming History:

• Philadelphia College of Pharmacy (PCP)
• Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science (PCPS)
• University of the Sciences in Philadelphia (USP)
• University of the Sciences (USciences)

Verticals: Occasionally described as verticals, “integration programs” is preferred for clarity: Academics, Administration and Support Services and Student Lifecycle programs.