The master's programs - in business administration, engineering, education, information systems and library science - are targeted at working adults and will be offered at a location in downtown Sacramento.
"We have been drawn by the exciting future of greater Sacramento, the passion of its community, business and education leaders, and the opportunities available to serve this innovative region," Drexel University President Constantine Papadakis said in a statement.
School officials are in Sacramento for the announcement, which is scheduled for Thursday. The plan, which also includes a $10 million fellowship fund for students, was approved Wednesday by the university's board of trustees, officials said.
Drexel, a private university in Philadelphia serving about 13,000 undergraduate students and 7,000 graduate students, is also considering building a second campus in Placer County, Calif., just outside Sacramento.
That plan is still in the exploratory stages. But the university has already created a $1 million "Build the Pipeline" scholarship fund exclusively for Sacramento-area residents, offering $10,000 annual grants for qualified students to enroll at the Philadelphia campus.
