New Student Orientation Overview

Welcome to the Dornsife School of Public Health!

The Dornsife School of Public Health is excited to welcome new dragons to campus and via online synchronous sessions during New Student Orientation (NSO).

NSO is designed to aid in the transition into public health student life by offering opportunities to explore Drexel and Dornsife services and resources, as well as connect with fellow students, faculty, and staff. Your educational foundation is built upon the experiences and activities offered. Therefore, Dornsife’s Online Orientation via Drexel Learn is required. (Students who do not complete this online course will have a hold placed on their account.) Students are also expected to attend sessions offered during Welcome Week.

Learn more about how to participate in NSO below.

Dornsife Online Orientation

This required, self-paced, asynchronous resource provides you important information about public health and connects you to the Dornsife community. You may access the course via  Drexel Learn. The orientation contains a series of modules which provide an overview of the policies and expectations for being a student at Dornsife, registering and preparing for classes, and student support resources and services. Students should review all modules and complete the assessments as directed.

If you have any questions about the course, please contact Erin Durkin.

Dornsife Welcome Week Events

Students are expected to attend in-person and online events offered during Welcome Week. Below, please find a schedule of both required and optional events listed by degree-level.

Doctoral and Face-to-Face Master’s Students

  • Monday, September 18 9am-4:30pm, DSPH Academic & Student Life Sessions, Nesbitt Hall (REQUIRED): Check-in will take place from 9am-9:30am. Students will participate in sessions with Dornsife students, faculty, and staff on topics including academic expectations, program-specific requirements, Drexel and Dornsife resources, and tips for thriving at Dornsife! Lunch will be provided. 
  • Tuesday, September 19 11am-noon Campus Tour, meet in Nesbitt Hall Lobby (Optional): This tour will help you become familiar with Drexel’s University City Campus. If interested, please register for this event at https://forms.office.com/r/ZRsrm013HW. 
  • Wednesday, September 20 5pm-7pm Social Trivia Event, Nesbitt Hall, Room 140 (Optional): Join us for trivia, meeting fellow Dornsife students with a chance to win prizes! If interested, please register for this event at https://forms.office.com/r/ZRsrm013HW. 
  • Thursday, September 21 8:30am-1:30pm Service Activity with Share, meet in Nesbitt Hall Lobby (Optional, Registration Required–Space Limited): Join us for a service activity with the Share Food Program, which distributes food to Philadelphia neighbors in need. If interested, please register for this event at https://forms.office.com/r/ZRsrm013HW. 
  • Friday, September 22 10:30am-11:30am Welcome & Pinning Ceremony, Nesbitt Hall, Room 111 and via Zoom (ATTENDANCE ENCOURAGED): Check-in will take place from 10am-10:30am. This Ceremony is a long-standing tradition and our opportunity to welcome new students, faculty, and staff to the Dornsife School of Public Health. All incoming students and new faculty and staff will be formally welcomed and will receive pins. A reception with light refreshments will follow. To attend virtually, please register at this Pinning Ceremony Zoom link.

Online Master’s Students

  • Wednesday, September 20 5pm-7pm (EST) DSPH Academic & Student Life Sessions – Part 1, via Zoom (REQUIRED): Please register at this Virtual Session Pt. 1 Zoom link. Students will participate in sessions with Dornsife students, faculty, and staff on topics including academic expectations, program-specific requirements, Drexel and Dornsife resources, and tips for thriving at Dornsife!
  • Thursday, September 21 5pm-7pm (EST) DSPH Academic & Student Life Sessions – Part 2, via Zoom (REQUIRED): Please register at this Virtual Session Pt. 2 Zoom link. Students will participate in sessions with Dornsife students, faculty, and staff on topics including academic expectations, program-specific requirements, Drexel and Dornsife resources, and tips for thriving at Dornsife!
  • Friday, September 22 10:30am-11:30am (EST) Welcome & Pinning Ceremony, via Zoom and Nesbitt Hall, Room 111 (ATTENDING, INCLUDING VIRTUAL, ENCOURAGED): This Ceremony is a long-standing tradition and our opportunity to welcome new students, faculty, and staff to the Dornsife School of Public Health. All incoming students and new faculty and staff will be formally welcomed and will receive pins. To attend virtually, please register at this Pinning Ceremony Zoom link.
  • Other optional, in-person events are running throughout the week, which are you invited to attend. For this list of optional events, please contact Erin Durkin.

Undergraduate Students

  • Tuesday, September 19 9:30am-3pm, DSPH Academic & Student Life Sessions, Nesbitt Hall, Room 719 (REQUIRED): Check-in will take place from 9:30am-10am. Students will participate in sessions with Dornsife students, faculty, and staff on topics including academic expectations, program-specific requirements, Drexel and Dornsife resources, and tips for thriving at Dornsife! Lunch will be provided. 
  • Wednesday, September 20 5pm-7pm Social Trivia Event, Nesbitt Hall, Room 140 (Optional): Join us for trivia, meeting fellow Dornsife students with a chance to win prizes! If interested, please register for this event at https://forms.office.com/r/ZRsrm013HW. 
  • Thursday, September 21 8:30am-1:30pm Service Activity with Share, meet in Nesbitt Hall Lobby (Optional, Registration Required–Space Limited): Join us for a service activity with the Share Food Program, which distributes food to Philadelphia neighbors in need. Please register for this event at https://forms.office.com/r/ZRsrm013HW. 
  • Friday, September 22 10:30am-11:30am Welcome & Pinning Ceremony, Nesbitt Hall, Room 111 and via Zoom (ATTENDANCE ENCOURAGED): Check-in will take place from 10am-10:30am. This Ceremony is a long-standing tradition and our opportunity to welcome new students, faculty, and staff to the Dornsife School of Public Health. All incoming students and new faculty and staff will be formally welcomed and will receive pins. A reception with light refreshments will follow. To attend virtually, please register at this Pinning Ceremony Zoom link.
  • Small-Group Advising Sessions (REQUIRED) are also happening throughout the week. You can sign up for a small-group advising session through your DrexelOne portal. Please contact DSPHadvising@drexel.edu if you need more details.

Additional Required Orientation Programs

Graduate College Online Orientation

The Graduate College requires a self-paced, asynchronous online orientation for all new, incoming graduate students enrolled in quarter programs, including face-to-face and online, in Drexel Learn. The orientation contains a series of modules which provide a high-level overview of and introduction to University policies and services, as well as reminders of required training and compliance items. Students should review all modules and complete the short assessment after each by Friday, October 6, 2023.

If you have any questions about the course, please contact the Graduate College.

Learn more.

Title IX Training

All Drexel graduate students are required to complete an online module entitled, “Drexel U Got This! – Grad Student Training”, a sexual and gender-based harassment and misconduct prevention program, in order to be compliant with the University’s policies each academic year. The training will appear under “Courses” from the left-hand menu in  Drexel Learn and in the “Administrative Term”. Students will receive more information about how to access the training and instructions for completion via their their Drexel email. Students must complete the module by Tuesday, October 31, 2023.

If you have any questions about the training content or why you’re required to do the training, please contact the Office for Institutional Equity and Inclusive Culture (EIC) at eic@drexel.edu.

Learn more.

International Graduate Student Orientation

New, incoming international students (F-1 and J-1) are required to complete the International Students and Scholars Services (ISSS) Mandatory International Student Orientation, a separate asynchronous online orientation in Drexel Learn.

New, incoming international graduate students are also invited to a series of pre-arrival webinars hosted by the Graduate College, International Graduate Student Association (IGSA), ISSS, and Health Insurance and Immunizations, each year in the summer. The webinars are recorded and archived for later viewing. Visit our International Students page for more information.

If you have any questions about the course, please contact ISSS.

Learn more.