About Us

Founded in 1869, Chatham University has an enrollment of over 2,200 students across over 60 undergraduate and graduate programs in our areas of excellence: sustainability & health, business & communications, and the arts & sciences. 

Chatham has consistently been named a College of Distinction and was top-ranked for social mobility and a “Best College” by U.S. News & World Report. As the alma mater of environmental icon Rachel Carson '29, Chatham is perennially ranked as one of the "greenest" colleges in the United States.

Located in Pittsburgh, PA—one of the country's most livable cities and great college towns—Chatham is composed of three distinct locations: the historic arboretum, Shadyside Campus; Chatham Eastside in the fast-growing East End; and Eden Hall Campus, one of the world's most sustainable campuses. 

Chatham's mission is "to prepare students to build lives of purpose, value, and fulfilling work...by preparing graduates to be informed and engaged citizens in their communities; to recognize and respect diversity of culture, identity, and opinion; and to live sustainably." Building on this mission, Chatham is committed to creating a supportive and inclusive learning, living, and working environment for all members of the campus community. 

Thinking Outside the Box

Throughout its history Chatham has been innovative and entrepreneurial in its growth from a small women's college 150 years ago to the dynamic, coeducational University of today. Some of these forward-thinking initiatives include:

  • The Integrated Degree Program allows an undergraduate student to begin a Chatham graduate program during their senior year and earn both a bachelor's and master's degree in as few as five years.
  • The Center for Women's Entrepreneurship, the Pennsylvania Center for Women and Politics, and the Chatham University Women's Institute each work to level the playing field by building leadership skills that can propel women into executive-level positions in areas that are traditionally under-represented by women.
  • The Bachelor of Immersive Media is one of the first undergraduate degree programs of its kind in the United States, preparing students to be on the forefront of the technology and development of virtual and augmented reality design.
  • The Master of Physician Assistant Studies program is noted for its problem-based learning pedagogy and interprofessional training of its students. 
  • The Master of Arts in Food Studies is unique in its emphasis on a holistic approach to food systems and is the only graduate food studies program in the U.S. to offer both sustainable agriculture and culinary arts and cuisine within a liberal arts environment.
  • The Gateway Program was one of first undergraduate programs in the U.S. designed exclusively for women over the age of 23 who want to return to college and earn a bachelor's degree.