School Details
Peirce College was founded in 1865 as Union Business College to provide career-focused education after the Civil War. It has been ahead of its time ever since. Peirce College was one of the first schools in the country to welcome women students. Peirce was one of the first accredited colleges to offer a completely online degree program and is currently Philadelphia’s only institution of higher learning that is dedicated exclusively to serving adult learners. Its mission is to “provide working adults with an affordable education with flexible classes and personal attention.”
Peirce College offers associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees, many of which can be earned completely online. Peirce online degrees provide academic excellence, flexibility, and personalized support.
Accreditation & Licensing
Peirce College is accredited by:
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
All Programs
Art & Liberal Arts
The online Associate of Arts in General Studies degree program from Peirce College provides a wide ranging education that will prepare you for baccalaureate study. You'll create your own, customized interdisciplinary plan of study that explores your interests and advances your career options. In addition to sharpening your skills in areas like oral and written communication and critical and analytical thinking, the curriculum combines courses from areas such as:
- Business
- Technology
- Legal Studies
Business
Launch your business career with the Associate in Science in Business Administration degree online. This program is designed for students looking to gain a foundation in business and management to further their education in the field. Move seamlessly into the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree program. Online learning gives you the flexibility you need to learn around your job and personal life. Stay connected with instructors through weekly, optional, live, virtual sessions.
Topics covered include:
- Accounting
- Economics
- Finance
- Business Law
- Marketing
The Bachelor of Science in Accounting online degree is designed for those seeking to build successful careers in finance and accounting. Graduates pursue careers as business analysts, credit analysts, financial examiners, personal financial analysts, and more like these. The knowledge and skills learned also allow you to move into a graduate-level of study. Courses in this online accounting degree build on analytical and financial skills along with core accounting principles to build a solid foundation.
As a 100% online accounting degree, this program is designed so that students can study without sacrificing their current careers and family lives. In fact, as long as there is a computer and an internet connection, your classroom can be wherever you wish.
If you are a budding entrepreneur, you will be interested in the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Entrepreneurship & Small Business Management. This online entrepreneurship degree provides a strong foundation in areas like finance, marketing, and more while emphasizing the unique challenged entrepreneurs and small business owners encounter. Topics covered include:
- Capitalization
- Business Plan Development
- Competitive Intelligence Gathering
- Launch Planning
Coursework provides practical, real-world insight. Graduates are ready to start their own business, work in start-ups and small businesses, and more, or are able to pursue a graduate education.
Launch your career with the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Management. This online business management degree is ideal for those looking for a foundation in economics and traditional business operations. Emphasis is placed on such topics as:
- Organizational Dynamics
- Effective Leadership
- Business Ethics
- Strategic Planning
This program prepares students for management and leadership careers in numerous industries and organizations, and it is a stepping-stone to a graduate education.
As a 100% online business management degree, this program is designed so that students can study without sacrificing their current careers and family lives. In fact, as long as there is a computer and an internet connection, your classroom can be wherever you wish.
Prepare for a career working with an organization’s most important asset, its employees, with the Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management degree online. Students develop skills in talent recruitment, retention, and business growth. Learn about benefits, compensation, training, and other business principles related to human resources.
This program offers you a flexible learning environment, so you can earn your degree while working and juggling other commitments. Remain connected to your professors by participating in weekly optional, live, virtual sessions.
Graduates are prepared to sit for the Professional in Human Resource (PHR) certification exam.
Complete your baccalaureate degree with this organizational leadership degree online. Students are able to finish their bachelor's degree through coursework already completed in addition to the coursework in the program. The curriculum combines ethics, communications, and the development of organizations. You can use this degree for professional advancement and graduate-level study. Graduates are ready to pursue careers in leadership positions like department head, project administrator, or team leader.
Three tracks are offered, so you can complete courses that best meet your career goals:
- Customer Service Management
- Entrepreneurship
- Human Resource Management
Prepare for leadership positions in your organization with this online master's in organizational leadership. Students will learn how to enhance and then deliver real-world leadership skills. Topics covered include leadership, management, research, analysis, and decision making. Customize your leadership and management degree by choosing one of these concentrations:
- Nonprofit Leadership
- Operations Management
Students benefit from courses that offer lively interaction with other students and faculty, allowing you to network with other busy, working adults. You complete your coursework at a pace that is conducive to your lifestyle and current work schedule.
Computer Science & IT
You’ll learn a broad spectrum of technology skills with this online AS in IT from Peirce. Combined with a general education foundation, this curriculum provides a basic understanding of software, networking and information systems. Credit can be applied towards your online bachelor’s if you decide to pursue your bachelor’s degree. Classes may entail:
- Networking Fundamentals
- Server Administration
- Usability Principles & Design
Peirce offers this online BS in IT with a specialization in Networking, Administration and Information Security. You’ll learn to be at the center of organizational productivity as you keep the network humming that everyone relies upon. This curriculum is rigorous and dominated by technical classes from HTML to Ethical Hacking, you will cover it all. A capstone project culminates your work, which includes other classes such as:
- Linux Administration, Networking & Security
- Routing & Switching
- Asset Security & Security Engineering
Be at the center of solutions in today’s technical environment, with this online BSIT in Programming & Application Development. At Peirce, your degree will culminate in a capstone project, after completing thorough coursework that combines business information systems, networking, management and networking. You’ll have a skill set that employers actively seek in today’s job market, with courses such as:
- Applied Systems Design
- JavaScript
- Project Management
Not all projects are the same when it comes to management and organization. This online BS in Technology Management from Peirce will give you the skills and knowledge to effectively manage the most technical projects within your organization. You’ll learn communication skills to bridge the gap between technical and non-technical managers, as well as methods for team building and innovation. Courses likely offered as a part of this online Technology Management degree are:
- Usability Principles and Design
- Information Security & Risk Management
- Organizational Dynamics
Criminal Justice, Safety & Law
You can start your journey to work in law enforcement and other roles within our criminal legal systems with the Associate in Science in Criminal Justice Studies from Peirce College. The online criminal justice degree explores such topics as:
- Criminology
- Juvenile justice
- Ethics in criminal justice
- The criminal court system
Through the online criminal justice associate’s degree program, you gain a taste of this rewarding field. Those who wish to continue their education can seamlessly transfer to a BS in Criminal Justice program.
You can prepare to work in the legal field with the Associate in Science in Paralegal Studies from Peirce College. The online paralegal degree covers such topics as:
- Legal writing
- Civil litigation
- Legal technology
- Legal research
Through the online paralegal associate’s degree program, you receive instruction in your foundational courses via live, face-to-face, video conferencing online. Your credits can apply towards a BS in Paralegal Studies.
You can learn to use technology on the job with the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Studies from Peirce College. The online criminal justice degree focuses on ethics and critical thinking skills.
Through the online criminal justice bachelor’s degree program, you learn about criminal law, law enforcement, and police in society. Your online studies also explore such topics as:
- Criminology
- Juvenile justice
- The correctional system
- Victims and victimization
You can train as a professional in the legal field with the Bachelor of Science in Paralegal Studies from Peirce College. The online paralegal degree explores such topics as:
- Estate law
- Legal technology
- Business organizations
- Professional legal responsibility
Through the online paralegal bachelor’s degree program, you develop research, writing, and investigative skills. Graduates have the organizational and management training to succeed in supporting roles to attorneys.
You can prepare for your CompTIA Security+ certificate with the Certificate of Proficiency in Cybersecurity from Peirce College. The online cybersecurity program explores such areas as;
- Network security
- Risk management
- Ethical hacking
- Cybersecurity analysis
Through the online cybersecurity certificate program, you can also gain foundational preparation for the CISSP certification. Students study all eight of the domains of the CISSP exam.
You can change careers with Peirce College’s Certificate of Proficiency in Paralegal Studies. The intensive, one-year online paralegal program covers such topics as:
- Criminal law
- Legal writing
- Legal technology
- Civil litigation
Through the online paralegal certificate program, you can enter the legal field, continue to law school, or work towards a graduate degree. Graduates develop personal and professional skills to aid them in their future careers.
Healthcare
The online Associate in Science in Health Information Technology gives students the foundation to begin or advance their careers in the healthcare industry, building skills through coursework that combines healthcare, IT, and business. The curriculum gives students practical, career-oriented training in the latest information management technology applications and provides an understanding of the typical workflow found within healthcare provider organizations. Graduates find work in healthcare roles as hospital facilities staff, medical assistants, and insurance and claims specialists.
The online Bachelor of Science in Health Information Administration program is designed to advance students’ healthcare careers by providing them with the technical and managerial skills they will need to succeed in the field. Graduates may find administrative and managerial positions in hospitals, multi-specialty clinics, physician practices, mental health settings, software vendors, consulting firms, insurance companies, and government agencies. Courses include Introduction to Health Information Technology, Statistical Applications in Healthcare, Legal Issues in Health Information Management, and Healthcare Reimbursement.
The online Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration is designed for students looking to start or advance their careers on the business side of healthcare. The program prepares students for administrative or management careers in settings like hospitals, ambulatory care, healthcare insurance companies, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies. Graduates have practical skills and a solid foundation for managing and improving healthcare organizations and are also talented leaders that are prepared to make positive impacts in the field.
The online Bachelor of Science in Public Health Administration from Peirce College covers a wide range of approaches to public health and helps students to understand how to improve healthcare policy. Students learn the skills and techniques to help the public make informed choices regarding disease prevention and promoting human health. Students will apply health-centered communication to a diverse population.
Classes include, but are not limited to:
- Basic helping and counseling skills
- The history of public health
- Healthcare economics
Career opportunities available to graduates include working in health education, community service, healthcare administration, and research. Students work with career counselors to explore options based on goals and interests. The online bachelor’s degree in public health administration enables graduates to pursue rewarding careers in the public health sector.
The online Certificate in Medical Coding readies students to perform essential, behind-the-scenes work supporting patient care, specifically by teaching them the ICD-10 coding system. Graduates are prepared to use the system’s thousands of codes for diseases, abnormal findings, complaints, social circumstances, and more. They are also familiar with medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, health information, and delivery systems, and are eligible to sit for the Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) Exam.
The online Graduate Certificate in Public Health Administration provides graduate-level training for students interested in pursuing a career in public health. The 18-credit curriculum focuses on leadership and communication. Students have the opportunity to choose an elective based on their interests and goals.
Classes include, but are not limited to:
- Community health
- Performance leadership and culture in healthcare
- Public health leadership, advocacy, and policy
Students enjoy lively interaction with classmates and faculty, no capstone or practicum requirements, and free books for their first course. This graduate certificate program can be completed in one year on a part-time basis. The online graduate certificate in public health administration allows graduates to pursue advanced careers in the public health industry.
The online Master of Science in Healthcare Administration is for students with experience in healthcare who aspire to be leaders in the field, providing them with key management skills. The program teaches students how to analyze healthcare policies and develop solutions for delivering innovative care services and strategically managing the industry’s financial and business needs. Students learn to think critically, act ethically, and make informed decisions when leading healthcare teams.