Drexel University is preparing for a significant academic overhaul that will reshape its curriculum, academic calendar and institutional structure, set to take effect in Fall 2027. As part of the Academic Transformation initiative, the university will transition to a semester-based system, consolidate academic units and redefine core competencies for students.
This transformation, sponsored by Provost Paul Jensen and steered by Vice Provost for Academic Strategy and Communications Amy Weaver, is being developed through five working groups: Calendar, Core Competencies, Curriculum, Academic Unit Integration/Alignment and Consistency. These groups, made up of members of the Provost’s Office, faculty and other key university leaders, are tasked with designing the implementation of changes that will impact both current and future students.
With such sweeping changes, students are left wondering: What happens to co-op? How will current students transition? How will the transition impact course availability and flexibility?
To gain insight into what this means for the university as a whole, the Triangle sat down with Steven Weber, PhD, vice provost for Undergraduate Curriculum and Education and a key member of the transformation steering team. As a co-lead of the Calendar, Core Competencies and Curriculum working groups, Weber provided a close look at the coming changes.
The current push for academic restructuring stems from a comprehensive 2023 report from the University Advisory Committee on Academic Structure, which emphasized the need for more student flexibility and a streamlined academic structure. However, Weber acknowledged that the broader challenges Drexel faces also played a role. In the 2024 fiscal year, Drexel faced a $63 million operating loss, alongside a 15 percent drop in fall enrollment. These pressures, combined with national uncertainty for universities, make it clear that Drexel needs to become more competitive and sustainable in the long term.
“It’s evident that this is a hard time for higher education,” Weber said. “There’s lots of uncertainty in that sector. Part of it is long-standing trends, and part of it is more recent developments with the change in the presidential administration.”
The university sees the planned shift to semesters as a way to make Drexel more attractive and accessible to more students — an example being the large population of transfer students, particularly those from Philadelphia-area community colleges.
“Many students finish high school and go to community college for one or two years before transitioning into a four-year program, and the fact is that we’re at a natural disadvantage for attracting those students when we’re on a quarter calendar,” Weber explained.
Drexel’s quarter system has historically been a barrier for prospective transfer students; the university hopes that aligning its schedule with institutions like the Community College of Philadelphia will simplify credit transfers and make Drexel a more enticing option.
Weber shared that another goal for the transition from quarters to semesters is the alignment of Drexel’s academic calendar with not only other universities but also internal programs that already follow a semester model, such as Kline School of Law, which operates on semesters and the College of Medicine, which has multiple semester calendars.
For students, the transition raises different concerns about course flexibility. Under the semester model, students will take fewer but longer courses, which could limit their ability to double major, add minors or explore diverse subjects.
Weber acknowledged this concern but pushed back against the idea that students would receive a diminished academic experience, stating, “You’re not getting less education. You’re just breaking up your education into different-sized buckets—smaller for quarters, larger for semesters.”
However, the shift inevitably means that instead of taking around 60 courses over 12 quarters, students will take closer to 40 courses over 8 semesters. While each course may cover more material in-depth, this change raises questions about whether students will have as many opportunities to customize their degree paths.
In addition, while it may be the goal that every class becomes a deeper and more rewarding experience, Weber shared that “it would be outside the scope of my job here… to mandate or legislate what happens in the classroom. That’s at the discretion of the instructor, or the curriculum committee for the course department.”
Although, the university does plan to “incentivize and reward excellent teaching” by putting in place structures that foster “strong pedagogy, interdisciplinary teaching and learning,” Webber disclosed.
The biggest concern for many is the fate of the co-op, which has been at the heart of Drexel’s identity since its introduction in 1919. Initially designed to give students real-world experience while still in school, co-op has grown into the defining feature of Drexel’s experiential learning model.
“I also think that the thing that Drexel is known for is co-op, and we should continue to keep co-op as a centerpiece of our institution,” Weber emphasized. “It’s a central distinguishing part of our value proposition.”
Drexel’s six-month co-op cycle will remain unchanged under the semester system. Unlike Northeastern University, which offers four-month co-ops as an option to its students, Drexel has prioritized maintaining its signature six-month rotations.
“One thing that was not on the table was the six-month co-op. We’re not touching that,” Weber said.
However, the exact structure of co-op within the semester model has not been disclosed. While Weber confirmed that a solution has been worked out, he declined to share details, stating that the information has not yet been made public.
“We did make sure that everything still works, so nothing would break,” he assured.
In addition to maintaining current co-op structures (four-year, one co-op and five-year, three co-ops programs), Drexel plans to introduce a new five-year, two-co-op option.
“Maybe you want to use some of your summers for something other than working or studying,” Weber said. “Maybe you want to go study abroad, travel, do an internship, or work at a nonprofit.”
The goal, according to Weber, is more flexibility in the student academic experience — a recurring motivator throughout the transformation.
Weber noted that while co-op will remain at the forefront, the university hopes to better highlight other experiential learning opportunities in which Drexel excels.
“We do really well in research experiences for undergraduate students, global experiences, civic engagement and collaboration with local industry on projects. But prospective students and their families often aren’t aware of that,” Weber stated, emphasizing that part of the transformation’s goal is to ensure these opportunities are more visible and accessible.
The hope is that “Recognizing there’s a broader landscape of experiential education beyond co-op… might broaden the appeal of Drexel to other students and their families for whom co-op doesn’t seem like the right mix initially.”
Beyond co-op, Drexel is also redefining core competencies, which will establish university-wide learning objectives — “hallmarks of a Drexel education,” as Weber describes — without enforcing a rigid core curriculum. Weber described them as a way to unify the academic experience while making it easier for students to change majors without losing progress.
“Drexel asks too much of an 18-year-old who doesn’t know exactly what they want to do,” he said. “There’s 14 schools and colleges, 120 degree programs, all manner of co-op opportunities… and you’re expected to decide everything before you start.”
The intended result is that by standardizing key learning outcomes, students will feel less locked into rigid academic tracks.
A major aspect that comes along with the standardization of learning is course consolidation. Drexel plans to reduce redundancy in its course offerings by merging similar courses across departments.
“We have many, many more [course variations] than we need,” Weber said. “This is an opportunity to redesign every single course to fit a semester model and consider—what makes sense?”
The idea is to create a more cohesive, less fragmented curriculum. However, the trade-off is that some niche or specialized courses may be eliminated or merged into broader categories, potentially limiting highly specific academic pathways.
Faculty played a significant role in shaping the transformation through Faculty Senate nominations. “We put out an announcement to faculty and staff that there would be these five work streams, and we invited all faculty and staff to nominate themselves and describe their credentials,” Weber explained.
Each workgroup has two or three co-chairs—always including at least one faculty member—and consists of six to eight faculty members alongside a small number of staff.
However, when asked about how student voices are being included in the restructuring process, Weber shared that student involvement has been limited. Undergraduate Student Government Association representatives participated in one discussion. The majority of students have not had access to planning documents or contributed to any decision-making processes.
For students already enrolled at Drexel, the transition raises questions about how their degree progress will be affected. While specific details have not yet been finalized, Weber assured that the university is committed to a smooth transition.
“There is every commitment to make sure students are not in any way disadvantaged by living through that transition,” he said. “The details of that will have to be shared publicly in due course.”
Advising services will play a critical role in helping students navigate the shift. Drexel plans to provide clear written guidance to ensure students understand how their credits, schedules, and degrees will transfer into the new system. However, given historical student concerns about the reliability of academic advising at Drexel, it remains uncertain how smoothly this process will unfold.
As the Fall 2027 transition approaches, Drexel communication emphasizes that while this is a massive undertaking, it is meant to enhance, not disrupt, the student experience.
“We will put out a transition plan that will work for the students, and the end result will be a better Drexel,” Weber affirmed.