Below is some information that may help with your computer purchasing decision. There are also options at the links below to purchase a laptop from one of the vendors we’ve made arrangements with. Please contact Tech Support with any questions. We welcome the opportunity to speak with you.
Certain majors in the sciences, math and computer science, and other computer-intensive fields may need to increase the requirements listed below. Each student should check with the department of their major field of study to determine whether a Windows computer or Macintosh is required or recommended, and for further computer requirements.
Chromebooks do not allow the installation of software that may be required in some courses, and may not be useable. Purchasing a Chromebook may require purchasing an additional computer for certain situations and classes.
Suggested Minimum Requirements
The minimum requirements listed below would be suitable for running Microsoft Office, web browsing and other low resource use software.
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Hard Drive: 500 GB Hard drive or Solid State Drive
Backup system for your files, such as an external hard drive, flash drive, or an online service.
(all students have access to Microsoft OneDrive via our enterprise subscription)
Purchase Options
We’ve made arrangements with the following vendors to assist you
Ursinus College strongly recommends students come with a laptop computer. Students will be required to use computers frequently for communications and academic activities, often in class.
The selection of a particular computer is largely a matter of personal choice, but the Ursinus faculty will often require you to bring your computer to classes and lab sessions, so a laptop will be an important tool.
Ursinus Tech Support recommends either a Windows or Macintosh laptop for most students. We strongly discourage students from buying Chromebooks, as ChromeOS does not have the capabilities required for many classes or software applications. Some faculty departments have specific recommendations that you should consider as you select the technology that will best meet your needs.
Loaner laptops are available to borrow on a short-term basis if your personal computer is undergoing repairs. You can check them out at The Learning Curve in The Myrin Library.
Yes. On the main floor of Myrin Library there is a computer lab featuring both Windows and Macintosh computers for students to use. There is also a Windows lab on the second floor of the library.
Software is added and updated as needed by Ursinus courses, but current software available on these computers includes:
Microsoft Office
Adobe Creative Suite
ArcGIS
Wolfram Mathematica
Maple
SAS
SPSS
No. Some software used on campus only runs on Windows (e.g. ArcGIS); however, we provide a virtual Windows environment called Apporto that runs in your web browser. We also offer a limited number of Windows desktop computers in Myrin Library with this software installed. Depending on your major or coursework, choosing between a Microsoft Windows computer or an Apple/Mac computer may be more suitable for your requirements.
If the need arises, however, there are options for running Windows on a Mac computer. These options include Boot Camp (comes with Mac OS X), Parallels, or VMWare Fusion. A properly purchased copy of Windows will also be required.
At a minimum, you will want Office productivity software. Currently, Microsoft Office is available free of charge for Ursinus students to install on their own devices. Other software may be required in certain courses, which may also be available free of charge. Different software requirements will be noted per class.