Hott off the Press by Karen A. Hott, May 2024

You may know Quinnipiac for their political polls, or you may know them for their standout ice hockey team. But there’s more to QU. Quinnipiac comprises nine schools and colleges attended by 6000 undergraduates and 3000 graduate, law, and medical students. Most students come from the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, with about 30% from the private school’s home state of Connecticut. 

Three campuses, one university in Connecticut

The Mount Carmel campus lies below the outline of Sleeping Giant State Park. (You can easily imagine the giant’s head, torso, legs, and feet, and climbing the mountain makes many a Bobcat’s bucket list.) There you’ll find the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Business, the School of Communications, and the School of Computing and Engineering. In the 2024-25 academic year, the South Quad will open with the new business school and a residence hall. 

The York Hill campus has views of Long Island Sound from apartment-style housing, and students shuttle to York Hill to attend Division I basketball and ice hockey games. Quinnipiac men’s hockey won the title in 2023.

The North Haven campus houses the School of Education, School of Health Sciences, School of Nursing, School of Law, and School of Medicine. 

University Curriculum (UC)

Quinnipiac’s University Curriculum (UC) reflects a liberal arts ethos and consists of 15 core courses across disciplines to “take you beyond your major or school to explore the different fields of study within the university” https://www.qu.edu/academics/university-curriculum/. The UC addresses “universal skills all employers look for, such as how to write and speak clearly and effectively, analyze data,” use digital technology, and adapt quickly to change.

The business school boasts some unique majors in addition to the basic accounting and business administration degrees: biomedical marketing; business analytics; finance; sport and entertainment management; entrepreneurship and innovation, and more. No wonder they need to expand!

The School of Communication has strong programs in journalism and in film, TV and media arts. Students have access to state-of-the-art equipment and acquire hands-on experience at student media organizations in print, TV, radio, and a public relations firm.

The School of Education offers accelerated programs and a 97% placement rate for MAT graduates. In Quinnipiac’s BA or BS/MAT 4+1 programs, you earn a bachelor’s degree, a master’s of teaching, and certification in five years.

The School of Health Sciences, on the North Haven campus with the medical and nursing schools, develops clinicians, imaging professions, and rehabilitation scientists. This school is where to start your pathway to occupational therapy, physical therapy, and physician assistant practices.

Admission

Quinnipiac spells out what they’re looking for in an applicant: a B average and, if supplied, 1080-1300 SAT or 22-28 ACT; specific courses taken and AP credits; how your most recent work relates to the program you’ve applied to (fit to major).

Testing is optional for most programs, but recommended for nursing and dual-degree occupational therapy or physical therapy. Scores are required for the 3 + 3 dual-degree in law  and the dual-degree physician assistant program. Link: https://www.qu.edu/admissions/undergraduate/admission-requirements/

Division I men’s and women’s ice hockey teams both consistently win, but Quinnipiac also has 21 DI teams. If you want to play ice hockey but aren’t already on recruiters’ radar by ninth grade, there’s club hockey (ice and roller) for men. 

Quinnipiac accepts 83% of its applicants, but it also has a high retention rate (88%). I’d put Quinnipiac on the list of a B or B+ student who wants to major in business or communication, or who thinks they may want to pursue a professional pathway in law or health.