University of Bridgeport

Awards

The University of Bridgeport’s newly appointed President, Laura E. Skandera Trombley (PhD), was honored by The Huntington Library earlier this year as the recipient of The Dixon Wecter Distinguished Professor of American Literature Award.

Skandera Trombley assumed the presidency of UB on July 1, 2018 and is the president emerita of The Huntington Library and Pitzer College and chair emerita of the William J. Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. The Huntington describes Skandera Trombley as a, “preeminent academic within the field of 19th-century American literature and specifically as a world-class scholar of Mark Twain’s life and literature.”

The Wahlstrom Library

With spectacular sea views of the Long Island Sound, Bridgeport’s newly renovated Wahlstrom Library is now the vibrant and innovative center of the UB campus. The library provides a wealth of resources and offers comfortable and spacious study and relaxation areas over four floors and is staffed by professional and caring librarians seven days a week.

With 68 PC’s and over 100 docking stations, as well as the Information Literacy Program, students and faculty can use the most sophisticated search tools available for today’s research needs as well as an extensive collection of databases, ejournals, ebooks, and streaming video content.

The Wahlstrom Library Platform acts as an easy to use digital portal and is accessible from anywhere in the world allowing users to search multiple products at a time. Students can use their mobile devices to access ongoing customized web-based tutorials and real time virtual research assistance.

Known for its competent, committed, and caring staff who promote academic excellence, UB’s highly-regarded faculty come from some of the most prestigious academic and professional backgrounds to provide a world-class education.

Its world-renowned faculty includes Fulbright Scholars, National Science Foundation Fellows, Ford Fellows, National Endowment for the Humanities Fellows, American Council for Learned Societies Scholars and Phi Beta Kappa Scholars.

There are approximately 1,200 international students from more than 80 countries at UB with over 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students overall creating a wonderfully diverse campus. With 526 academic staff and a student-faculty ratio of 16:1, UB ensures that students get personal attention both in and out of the classroom and UB is fully accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and the Board of Governors of the Connecticut Department of Higher Education.

Its comprehensive curricula and supportive learning environment prepares graduates for ambitious career paths and qualified leadership in global markets.

UB’s three colleges

The College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Health Sciences, and the College of Engineering, Business, and Education, are uniquely structured so that each student benefits from small class sizes with innovative and caring staff, who are at the forefront of their fields.

Cutting-edge career-oriented programs prepare students for strong futures and UB’s pioneering spirit of innovation is reflected by 125 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, from associate through to doctoral level. UB’s state-of-the-art research labs, designed to support collaborative research, think tanks for new ventures, and a 21st century learning center for STEM-oriented markets and international programming provide students with every academic and professional advantage.

UB’s campus is also home to its prestigious teaching clinics for the School of Chiropractic, Acupuncture Institute, and Fones School of Dental Hygiene which is able to provide the Bridgeport student and local community with cost-effective and accessible healthcare.

Careers will require knowledge in more than just one discipline and UB’s uniquely integrated approach to teaching and learning across all its colleges allow students to incorporate different fields of interest into their studies in preparation for the dynamic workforce of tomorrow and technologically advanced marketplace.

On application, UB calculates international students’ grades/marks by converting them to a U.S. grading equivalent known as the Grade Point Average (GPA), and these conversions are used by many universities in the United States.

Admissions are on a rolling basis and students are accepted directly into majors. Entry requirements may vary by program of study and each application is reviewed by the Admissions Committee before a final decision is made.

English language requirements

International students, particularly all non-native English language speakers seeking associate’s or bachelor’s degrees must demonstrate English language proficiency by providing the following:

• For undergraduate applicants, required scores for direct admission are TOEFL 75 (IBT), IELTS 6.0, PTE 53. A TOEFL, IELTS or PTE score must be presented to be considered for an academic scholarship.
• For graduate applicants, required scores for direct admission are TOEFL 80 (IBT), IELTS 6.5, PTE 58.
• All MBA applicants must submit a TOEFL or IELTS score.

Students who do not have a TOEFL or IELTS score may apply for conditional admission. Also, students who do not provide proof of English language proficiency prior to registration will be given the University English Language Assessment Battery (ELAB) test upon arrival.

There are also other ways to demonstrate English language proficiency to qualify for the programs students wish to pursue, and they are:

• SAT Evidence-Based Reading & Writing score of 450 or above or ACT English score of 19 or above.
• An official “O” level or “A” level Certificate indicating a grade of “C” or better in English.
• A score of 4 or better on the “English A” Higher Level examination in the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme.

UB provides the following opportunities for international students to receive merit-based academic scholarships to help them pay for their studies based upon previous academic performance and English proficiency. They are offered to international students to encourage academic excellence and student leadership and to continue UB’s tradition of enrolling a “Community of Scholars” from around the world:

• General Academic Scholarships – partial undergraduate scholarships based upon academic merit.
• Academic Scholarships for IB, IGCSE, GCSE and American Curriculum International Students - partial undergraduate scholarships based upon completion of specific secondary education programs.
• Scholarship opportunities for international graduate students - scholarship programs for incoming international graduate students with four award amounts ranging from USD 3,000 – USD 6,000 based on student’s academic achievement and test scores.

Founded in 1927, UB is based in one of the most beautiful locations in American higher education. Situated on the beautiful Long Island Sound with views of the pristine, oceanfront Seaside Park, the Connecticut community and students can enjoy the beach, local amenities, and the natural splendor of coastal New England. Just over an hour from New York City by car or train and with proximity to major cities such as Boston, Philadelphia and Washington D.C., UB is a desirable destination for students seeking to study abroad.

International students are recommended to arrive at John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) in New York and then proceed to the Ground Transportation Center and request either a Go Shuttle or Connecticut Limousine Service for the short journey to UB campus.

With over 1,200 international students, UB’s vibrant, diverse campus offers more than 50 active clubs, organizations, societies, fraternities, sororities and includes co-ed intramural sports, such as athletics, baseball, basketball, soccer, swimming, cross country, gymnastics and lacrosse.

Student involvement and leadership in extracurricular activities is encouraged and celebrated and the Office of Campus Activities and Civic Engagement provide mentorship, training and leadership development inside and outside the classroom, and coordinate local volunteer and community service opportunities as well as social events.

UB offers convenient, safe and affordable on-campus housing for international students and it is an important part of their overall experience of university life. Its residence halls are friendly, lively homes where students are engaged as active members of the campus, educated on topics directly related to their success and empowered with critical thinking skills that will help them become part of future global communities.