Immaculata University

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Immaculata University is a Catholic university on King Road in Malvern, Pennsylvania. Immaculata was founded as a women's college in 1920, by the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and is part of the greater IHM community, which includes the neighboring House of Studies and an academy for girls. The University adopted coeducation in the fall of 2005.

[edit] History

Immaculata’s history begins in 1906, when the Sisters, the Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, purchased the present site in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Construction began for Villa Maria Hall, the main university building, in 1908. Two years later, construction was complete. The growth of Immaculata University over the past century has been gradual, yet consistent. The initial 198 campus acres have grown to approximately 370, while the two original dormitory-classroom structures are now part of a complex of thirteen principal buildings, representing a multi-million dollar investment. Off-campus sites and on-line courses extend the geographic range and scope of the university.

In September 1969, the college introduced an evening division program of continuing education for both men and women in order to serve the local community. Recognizing the growing number of non-traditional-age women, a continuing education office opened in 1974 to provide special services for this population. Three years later, in September 1977, the college initiated a master’s degree program in Bicultural/Bilingual Studies in cooperation with Marywood College. In July 1983, three graduate programs were inaugurated, seeking to address the need for graduate education among adult students interested in part-time or full-time study in psychology, nutrition education, and educational leadership and administration.

In 1991, the Bilingual/Bicultural Master’s Program was integrated into the Immaculata Graduate Division, together with the addition of Music Therapy on the master’s level and doctoral programs in Clinical Psychology and Educational Leadership and Administration. Immaculata received final approval from the Pennsylvania Department of Education for the doctoral degree program in Clinical Psychology in 1994, and in 1997 for the doctoral degree program in Educational Leadership. In February 1999, Immaculata received approval for a new master of arts degree in Organization Leadership with concentrations in Organizational Effectiveness and Applied Gerontology. In 2000, the Pennsylvania Department of Education approved a doctoral degree program in School Psychology. In spring 2004, a master’s of science degree in nursing was begun.

In 1995, an accelerated undergraduate degree program (ACCEL) was established in Organization Dynamics, a model for an innovative mode of delivery of major programs for working adults. Following the success of this first accelerated program, five additional accelerated programs were introduced. Growth has been consistent over the university’s eight-decade history with the student population growing to over 3500 students.

As a result of its unprecedented growth, Immaculata reshaped its internal structure. In July 2000, Immaculata adopted a three-college organizational structure, comprised of the Women’s College, the College of LifeLong Learning, and the College of Graduate Studies. This system allowed Immaculata to retain its original mission as a women’s college, created new institutional structures to welcome a diverse contingent of men and women as non-traditional students, and encouraged the innovative programs that are responsible for Immaculata’s remarkable growth.

In June 2002, Immaculata College received confirmation of university status from the Pennsylvania Department of Education. As of August 2002, the college was, and is, known as Immaculata University.

In October 2003, the University decided to welcome men into its traditional undergraduate college beginning fall 2005. The University's three-college structure now includes the College of Undergraduate Studies, the College of LifeLong Learning, and the College of Graduate Studies.

[edit] Trivia

The Immaculata Mighty Macs were the AIAW Division I Basketball Champions, the top national title, from 1972 to 1974, a pivotal time in the history of women's collegiate sports.[1]