Thomas Jefferson University’s East Falls Campus will undergo a strategic academic restructuring to support long-term vision and growth.
“This move will strengthen our academic identity, better reflect the distinctiveness of our programs and enhance clarity for prospective students and partners,” says University President Dr. Susan Aldridge. “We’re designing the university for the future.”
The Jefferson Board of Trustees has approved to reorganize the Kanbar College of Design, Engineering and Commerce, which houses the School of Business and School of Design and Engineering. As a result, Jefferson will establish the College of Fashion and Textiles, and several design and engineering programs will merge with the College of Architecture and the Built Environment. This reorganization will create three new colleges: the College of Business, the College of Fashion and Textiles, and the College of Architecture, Design and Engineering. The change goes into effect on July 1, 2026.
“Importantly, this restructuring won’t disrupt the student experience,” Dr. Aldridge stresses. “Students will remain in their current programs with no changes to curriculum, faculty or advising. All transitions will be designed to ensure continuity and clarity for students. In fact, this new structure is intended to enhance their experience through new collaborations.”
Three New Colleges Emerge From Academic Restructuring
The reorganization strengthens Jefferson’s academic identity without disrupting the student experience.
Through the academic restructuring, Jefferson will establish the College of Fashion and Textiles.
The reorganization will strengthen Jefferson’s voice in a highly competitive educational landscape and position the University to build even stronger relationships with employers, alumni and collaborators, says College of Business Dean Philip Russel, pictured second from left at the Thackrah Capital Markets Research Lab ribbon cutting.
The College of Business will include:
- Undergraduate Programs: Accounting, Business Administration, Finance, International Business, Management and Marketing
- Graduate Programs: Master of Business Administration, Organizational Leadership, Business Analytics and Data Analytics
- Online Accelerated Undergraduate Programs: Business Administration, Human Resources Management, Information Technology and Organizational Leadership.
In addition, the Fashion Merchandising and Management undergraduate and graduate programs will join the new College of Fashion and Textiles. The change will enable these students to benefit from award-winning programs and the entire fashion ecosystem.
The new College of Fashion and Textiles will include:
- Undergraduate Programs: Fashion Design, Fashion Merchandising and Management, Textile Design and Textile Product Science
- Graduate Programs: Fashion Design Technology, Fashion Merchandising and Management, Textile Design and Textile Technology
- Doctoral Program: Textile Engineering and Sciences.
The School of Design and Engineering programs moving to the new College of Architecture, Design and Engineering include:
- Undergraduate Programs: Animation and Digital Media, Engineering, Industrial Design, Mechanical Engineering and Visual Communication Design
- Graduate Programs: Engineering, Industrial Design, and User Experience and Interaction Design.
In addition, the new College of Architecture, Design and Engineering will continue to offer:
- Undergraduate Programs: Architecture, Architectural Studies, Construction Management, Interior Design and Landscape Architecture
- Graduate Programs: Architecture, Architecture and Design Research, Construction Management, Historic Preservation, Interior Architecture, Real Estate Development, Sustainable Design and Urban Design–Future Cities
- Doctoral Program: Architecture and Design Research.
Jefferson’s industrial design program will move into the new College of Architecture, Design and Engineering.
For additional insights, we asked the deans of the three new colleges to share their thoughts on the reorganization:
Philip Russel, College of Business Dean
The reorganization marks a pivotal step in the School of Business’ evolution and a moment of renewed purpose. The new structure will distinguish business from design and engineering by elevating our distinct curriculum and professional pathways.
With greater clarity and immediacy, prospective students and partners can now see the depth of our offerings and values that guide our work. This sharper focus strengthens our voice in a highly competitive educational landscape and positions us to build even stronger relationships with employers, alumni and collaborators.
The College of Business will continue to be grounded in interdisciplinary thinking, collaboration, creative problem-solving and a willingness to challenge convention. It’s a step forward that honors our past while boldly embracing our future.
We envision the College of Business as a true lifelong learning hub—a place that people can return to throughout their careers to gain new knowledge and professional skills. Continuous learning is the future of workforce development, and we plan to position the College of Business as a leader in delivering flexible, relevant and accessible education to empower current students and graduates to achieve meaningful and rewarding career outcomes.
“This reorganization sharpens our academic identity by bringing together design excellence and engineering rigor within a cohesive structure that reflects how the professions collaborate to shape society and the built environment,” says Barbara Klinkhammer, dean of the new College of Architecture, Design and Engineering.
Marcia Weiss, College of Fashion and Textiles Interim Dean
The College of Fashion and Textiles is a creative, collaborative community for students who aspire to shape a sustainable, equitable and inspired world. Rooted in our distinction as the nation’s first textile school and strengthened by our globally recognized fashion programs, the college celebrates who we are: innovators grounded in heritage, makers guided by purpose and leaders prepared for impact. By uniting these textile and fashion strengths within one college, we amplify our academic identity and elevate our presence on the international stage.
Our students engage in immersive, globally connected learning that bridges artisanal traditions and emerging technologies, aligned with professional practice. We cultivate empathetic, ethical problem-solvers who merge design and technology to build dynamic careers and meaningful lives. In the College of Fashion and Textiles, we improve lives by fashioning the future of our disciplines through bold, collaborative innovation. Here, students do more than enter an industry—they redefine it.
Barbara Klinkhammer, College of Architecture, Design and Engineering Dean
The creation of the College of Architecture, Design and Engineering builds on the strong foundation we established in the former college while expanding our framework to more fully unite the architecture and design disciplines, mirroring today’s integrated practice model.
As a college grounded in profession-focused disciplines, we’re aligning fields that share a commitment to human-centered problem-solving, environmental resilience and technological innovation. This reorganization sharpens our academic identity by bringing together design excellence and engineering rigor within a cohesive structure that reflects how the professions collaborate to shape society and the built environment.
For prospective students and partners, the College of Architecture, Design and Engineering offers clarity and purpose: a collaborative college where professional preparation, creative vision and technical expertise converge to design, engineer and build solutions that generate meaningful, measurable impact for society.