Since our founding, Peirce has been committed to providing
working adults with the employer-valued skills and knowledge they need to achieve
workplace success and advance in their careers. As we celebrate our 150th
anniversary, we are further exemplifying that commitment with the launch of our
2015-2018 Strategic Plan.
There are many exciting developments included in the plan. One of the most innovative is our new intra-course
flexible delivery model. Peirce has long
been a pioneer in online course offerings, and, for quite some time, students have
had the option of choosing online or on campus delivery on a course by course
basis. This certainly gives some flexibility to students who are juggling jobs,
families, and other responsibilities. Our
new flexible format will allow students to choose between in person or online attendance
on a week-by-week basis. This will provide
an unprecedented level of convenience as they pursue their degrees. The new intra-course flexible delivery option will
be available for all Healthcare and Graduate programs beginning in fall 2015 and
will be offered across our entire curriculum by September 2016, making Peirce the
first in the region and possibly the first in the nation to offer this type of
flexibility curriculum-wide.
Our new strategic plan also includes many other innovations
that reinforce our commitment to working adult students, local businesses, and
the community at large, including:
- Competency-based learning: A key plan initiative is the
development of a competency based learning platform which recognizes and
grants credit for competencies mastered by students outside of the
classroom setting. The platform will
be introduced for selected degree programs at Peirce in 2017.
- Expanded business partnerships: To expand our existing
relationships with companies such as Comcast, Independence Blue Cross, and
SEPTA, and create more value for them as well as other employers
throughout the region, the plan sets a course for a more strategic
approach to employer partnerships which will assist regional businesses in
fulfilling their human capital development needs.
- Guidance and support: The plan calls for the transformation of
the College’s support model to offer a broader range of services that are
customized to provide each student with the academic, career, and life
management services needed to succeed.
These new initiatives have already caused excitement in the
media and have been covered by the
Philadelphia Business Journal, the
Chronicle of Higher Education, CBS
Philly, and Fusion.
The 2015-2018 Strategic Plan underscores our vision to
become the recognized higher education leader in providing adult
learners a direct and customized path to employer valued skills and
credentials.