Adult Studies
Earn or complete your degree at DeSales. Online or in person, it's always personal.
![2021-MaryannWickemeyer-news Maryann Wickemeyer graduates at the age of 71](https://www.desales.edu/images/default-source/news/2021-maryannwickemeyer-news.jpg?sfvrsn=5e6b5228_0)
![laptop-news Laptop with DeSales University Sticker](https://www.desales.edu/images/default-source/news/laptop-news.jpg?sfvrsn=c4647843_0)
![DeSales_Campus_Mall DeSales_Campus_Mall](https://www.desales.edu/images/default-source/news/desales_campus_mall.jpg?sfvrsn=1af0ce34_0)
Admission is simple*
All we require is your high school diploma or GED and the desire to learn.
Your education should fit your schedule. We get it. At DeSales, we'll make sure you have the support to make it work. Earn or finish your bachelor’s degree or certificate at the pace, place, and times you choose.
- rolling admissions — start any time throughout the year
- 6, 8, and 3 week accelerated courses, with an option to take traditional day courses
- classes meet online, on campus, or Flex — which combines the best of both
- a generous transfer credit policy — transfer up to 75 credits
* Our 15-Month Accelerated BSN second-degree program is a full-time program with a special application process and admissions requirements.
![ACCESS support](https://www.desales.edu/images/default-source/call-out-rows/accesspage.jpg?sfvrsn=e34c9983_0)
Find the link between opportunity and affordability.
Returning to school to pursue your educational dream is not the kind of decision you can — or should — make on a whim. At DeSales, we wholeheartedly encourage self-knowledge and exploration. We're here to help you find the program that meets your needs.
Enroll in our Adult Studies program to learn more about the endless opportunities at DeSales University.
Connect with an Adult Studies Admission Counselor
Schedule your one-on-one campus or virtual appointment with one of our friendly admissions counselors. Your counselor will be able to prepare a no-obligation transfer credit evaluation and guide you through registration. We look forward to meeting you!
![Life experience credits](https://www.desales.edu/images/default-source/call-out-rows/accesspage1.jpg?sfvrsn=1a1032fa_0)
Generous Credit Transfer Policy
With DeSales' generous transfer policy, you can transfer up to 25 three-credit courses toward your DeSales degree — and if you already have your Associate's degree, all your credits will transfer to DSU.*
Wondering which of your credits will transfer? We'll be happy to give you a personalized, no-obligation transfer credit evaluation.
![access-4 laptop keyboard](https://www.desales.edu/images/default-source/default-album/access-4.jpg?sfvrsn=35ccd68_0)
![access-5 student writing in notebook](https://www.desales.edu/images/default-source/default-album/access-5.jpg?sfvrsn=fa9b1229_0)
Why Choose DeSales Adult Studies?
You'll be academically satisfied
You'll be prepared to succeed
You'll be in good company
You'll build up your resume
The Man Behind the Billboard
![Devon Francis](https://www.desales.edu/images/default-source/news/devon-francis.jpg?sfvrsn=85ccc113_0)
It’s easy to spot Devon Francis’ face throughout the Lehigh Valley.
You’ve probably seen him on DeSales University billboards and in marketing materials. In 2022, he and his 8-year-old daughter, Amelia, were also the faces of Musikfest, a Bethlehem cultural staple. Their images graced the official poster design and the festival’s merchandise.
Francis, an Allentown native, is only a model in his spare time. First and foremost, he is a father of two and a DeSales alumnus working toward his MBA. Francis keeps busy supporting his family, his workplace, and the youth in his community. His genuine attitude and inspiring story linger long after you get to know the man behind the billboard.
Francis became a father in his teens when his son, Shy-Diek Wright-Francis, was born. He knew he wanted to play a more significant role in his son’s life than his own father did during his childhood. As Shy-Diek reached high school, Francis realized he could provide an example by pursuing higher education himself.
“I’d lecture him about the importance of having an education and some of the things that I go through in the workplace. One day, it just hit me: What better way to show how important it is than to do it?”
Francis worked for Lehigh University at the time and was able to enroll in DeSales’ adult studies program through the Lehigh Valley Association of Independent Colleges. He liked DeSales’ campus, the flexibility of the courses, and the rapport with his academic adviser, David Achenbach.
“He wouldn’t let anything stand in his way,” Achenbach says. “He had a lot of speed bumps and didn’t have an easy path to get where he did, but he never complained, he never made excuses.”
In completing his degree in business administration, one of the final classes Francis took was a business policy formulation course taught by adjunct instructor Jeffrey Gormley.
Gormley says he saw Francis grow in confidence and was impressed by his career and life success.
“The man I saw was a dedicated student in the classroom,” Gormley says. “The man I see now, wow. He’s making things happen, in business and in life.”
While his father was getting his degree at DeSales, Shy-Diek decided to attend the University to study psychology. During his first year, he didn’t yet have a driver’s license so Francis would drive him to campus before heading to work and returning for his own classes.
“It was a great bonding experience for the both of us,” Francis says.
Francis graduated cum laude in 2022 and credited his DeSales education with helping him land a position at Victaulic, a manufacturing company based in Easton. But to aim for a higher managerial role there, he’s back at DeSales studying for an MBA with a concentration in Lean Six Sigma.
Shy-Diek admires his father’s perseverance. “It’s inspirational overall just to see how, against all odds, he still did what he wanted to do from the beginning,” he says.
The stars are aligned for Francis to finish his MBA and Shy-Diek to complete his bachelor’s in spring 2024, meaning they could walk at the same commencement.
“That would be a wild experience because he’s wanted to go to college ever since I was way younger,” Shy-Diek says. “For him to walk across the stage, to do it at the same time as his son, it’s just crazy to think about.”
Francis and his family enjoy making memories together in the Lehigh Valley. He’s taken Amelia to Musikfest every year since she was small enough to be pushed in a stroller. Artist Bart Cooper wanted to represent a father being involved in his child’s life, and he featured Francis and Amelia on festival posters and mugs in 2022.
In the final product, Francis is carrying Amelia on his shoulders; they’re both wearing sunglasses and grinning as they take in the festival, with a sketch of the SteelStacks behind them on a yellow canvas.
Art festivals, music festivals, museums—Francis likes to organize “daddy-daughter time” around cultural events because it’s something they can do together no matter what age Amelia is.
In addition to being a family man, Francis also makes time to give back to his community. He works on a program called Exploring Post 1919 through Victaulic, where high school students visit the company to learn engineering principles through hands-on activities. There’s also the PA Dream Team, for which he makes presentations at middle and high schools about working in manufacturing.
And every July, you can find Francis at Awesome! Fest, a basketball tournament and festival at Cedar Beach Park, lending a hand in whatever capacity festival organizers need.
“He is definitely engaged in the community and what he is doing for others,” Achenbach says.
Francis’ motivations for giving back are clear.
“It’s important to me to do it,” he says, “because I know I haven’t gotten to where I’m at without the guidance and help from other people who saw the potential in me.”
For Those Who Serve
![Three student presidents in the veteran's lounge](https://www.desales.edu/images/default-source/call-out-rows/sva-desales.jpg?sfvrsn=8af295b2_4)
![online Flex courses - Photo by malcolm garret from Pexels](https://www.desales.edu/images/default-source/call-out-rows/access-adult-online-2658952.jpg?sfvrsn=b87e6513_0)
Flex Classes: In Class or Online
Flex classes are designed for students who enjoy the experience of live-time, instructor-led classes but can't always physically get to campus.
Courses are offered in Center Valley with students being able to participate synchronously from anywhere in the world via the internet.
![Art of Handwriting Photo by Bich Tran from Pexels](https://www.desales.edu/images/default-source/call-out-rows/fresh-start-pexels.jpg?sfvrsn=8877b180_0)
Search For Classes
Wondering which classes are running during different semesters and sessions? Curious to read course descriptions for your topic of interest? Planning ahead? Self-Service for prospective students* will give you a look into which classes are running and when.
Note: If you are already a DeSales student, please search for classes through WebAdvisor Self-Service in MyDSU
*This link is best viewed on a desktop device.
![Tammy Warner Tammy Warner, DeSales University graduate](https://www.desales.edu/images/default-source/inside-desales/tammywarner.jpg?sfvrsn=ac77a927_2)
DeSales gave me the unique opportunity to go to school full time at night and apply everything I was learning directly to my daytime job ... The value is clear and explains why [Adult Studies] has been making a difference in the lives of students for over 40 years!