Harrisburg University will shut down its Philadelphia campus on Spring Garden Street at the end of August, enabling the private college to bolster offerings at its main campus in the state capital, the university announced.
The satellite campus at 1500 Spring Garden St. — directly across from the Community College of Philadelphia — opened in 2017 as a branch for degree programs in computer and information science. The university did not immediately provide information on how many students the Philadelphia campus serves.
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The university called the pending closure a strategic decision based on a review of resources and the evolving needs of its programs in Harrisburg. The Philadelphia campus will close Aug. 31.
"Consolidating our operations at the main Harrisburg campus allows us to focus our efforts and resources, ultimately enhancing the student experience and operational efficiency for all," the university said on a page addressing frequently asked questions about the closure.
Current students at the Philadelphia campus will be able to complete their degree programs at the Harrisburg campus without disruption to their academic timelines, the university said. Curriculum requirements will not change, and faculty at the Philadelphia campus will be transitioning their roles to Harrisburg.
"We are committed to ensuring a seamless transition for all our Philadelphia students," the university said.
The university did not say whether any of its programs in Philadelphia will offer online classes for students who are unable to complete their degrees in Harrisburg. A few of the programs offered in Philadelphia already have online learning options. There will be no changes in tuition for transitioning students, and those receiving financial aid will receive assistance for any adjustments or applications that need to be resubmitted, the university said.
The school's main campus in downtown Harrisburg opened in 2001, primarily offering STEM-focused degree programs. It serves about 6,500 undergraduate and graduate students.
Harrisburg University has faced declining enrollment and financial challenges in recent years, resulting in layoffs and delayed debt payments due to shortfalls in its operating budget. The university's international campuses in Dubai and Panama were closed last year. At the main campus, the university partnered with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center on a $100 million health sciences tower that opened in 2023.
When the Philadelphia campus opened in 2017, the building on Spring Garden Street had recently undergone renovations. Harrisburg University previously had offered classes for first-year students in Philadelphia at the Bourse Building in Old City. After the move, the university shared the 38,000-square-foot building with Hussian College, a private art school that closed abruptly in 2023 due to falling enrollment and financial distress.
The closure of Harrisburg University's Philly campus comes amid a wave of closures and mergers in higher education, particularly in the years since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The University of the Arts closed suddenly last June and filed for bankruptcy, citing falling enrollment and unexpected financial problems. Since 2022, Salus University has merged with Drexel University; Villanova assumed ownership of Cabrini University and announced it will combine with Rosemont College; and St. Joseph's University merged with the University of the Sciences.
