University College

About the College

Rick Brazier, Interim Dean of University College, Senior Associate Dean for Faculty and Research

University College consists of 14 campuses distributed throughout the Commonwealth. As a land-grant institution, Penn State is committed to providing the citizens of Pennsylvania convenient access to a high-quality education at a campus near them. Many of the more than 10,000 students attending classes at a University College campus will choose to remain at their campus of admission for all four years to complete one of the 18 baccalaureate programs the College offers in a wide variety of academic disciplines, including business, engineering, nursing, the social sciences, the natural sciences, and the humanities. In addition, several campuses offer a variety of professionally-accredited associate programs in the health sciences. Other students starting at a University Campus transition to a second campus after their first two years to complete their selected program of study.

Mission and Goals

University College realizes the University's commitment to educating a diverse and ever-changing demographic of learners, a responsibility at the forefront of the campus mission. It provides a high-quality and innovative Penn State undergraduate education to prepare students for a life of professional success, personal fulfillment, and social engagement. Campuses have an impact that extends beyond their educational mission. They contribute to the educational attainment and local economies of the communities they serve.

Campuses

Penn State Beaver

Penn State Beaver serves a diverse population of approximately 700 students and offers a relaxed environment with baccalaureate degrees, on-campus housing, and varsity sports — all just 35 miles northwest of Pittsburgh.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PENN STATE BEAVER

Penn State Brandywine

Penn State Brandywine, located near Philadelphia, provides the charm and intimacy of a small campus and the resources of a major research university. The campus offers baccalaureate degrees, undergraduate research, internships, global programs, intercollegiate athletics and a variety of student clubs. Students live in on-campus housing or commute to campus from nearby communities.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PENN STATE BRANDYWINE

Penn State DuBois

Penn State DuBois is a small, commuter-based campus that offers cutting-edge technology, faculty expertise, and dedication to excellence. The campus has about 600 students and is located near I-80 in north central Pennsylvania.

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Penn State Fayette

Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus, offers bachelor's and associate degrees to about 700 students. Its beautiful 100-acre campus in Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands is the former site of an 1800’s-era farmstead.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PENN STATE FAYETTE

Penn State Greater Allegheny

At Penn State Greater Allegheny, about 600 students enjoy the suburban environment and the neighboring city life in Pittsburgh. The campus offers residence halls, a diverse student body, athletics, and more.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PENN STATE GREATER ALLEGHENY

Penn State Hazleton

At Penn State Hazleton, about 800 students enjoy a residential campus located in the heart of the Pocono Mountains in northeastern Pennsylvania. Students have the opportunity to work and to learn in state-of-the-art classrooms and labs, all the while being centrally located from New York City, Philadelphia, and University Park.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PENN STATE HAZLETON

Penn State Lehigh Valley

Penn State Lehigh Valley offers world-class education and opportunities both in and out of the classroom to about 900 students on a small campus near Allentown. Students have access to the area's thriving athletic and cultural attractions.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PENN STATE LEHIGH VALLEY

Penn State Mont Alto

Penn State Mont Alto offers a world-class education on an intimate campus that includes an arboretum. The campus enrolls about 950 students, offers residence halls, and is located 30 minutes from Gettysburg and 90 minutes from Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, Md.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PENN STATE MONT ALTO

Penn State New Kensington

Penn State New Kensington offers an array of degrees, undergraduate research, clubs, and athletics to about 650 students. The 72-acre wooded campus is located just 17 miles from Pittsburgh.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PENN STATE NEW KENSINGTON

Penn State Scranton

Penn State Scranton provides a welcoming environment to about 1,100 students on its campus in northeastern Pennsylvania. The campus strives to provide innovative instruction to help students achieve their potential.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PENN STATE SCRANTON

Penn State Schuylkill

Located in north central Pennsylvania, Penn State Schuylkill is close to cities such as Harrisburg, Philadelphia and New York. The campus has about 800 students and offers a world-class education in a small-town setting.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PENN STATE SCHUYLKILL

Penn State Shenango

Located near the Pennsylvania/Ohio border, Penn State Shenango combines quality academics with the personal attention of a small campus. The campus has about 500 students and is committed to serving the people of northwestern Pennsylvania.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PENN STATE SHENANGO

Penn State Wilkes-Barre

Penn State Wilkes-Barre offers the advantages of an intimate campus atmosphere combined with the resources of a major research university. The campus has about 550 students and is located on a scenic estate in northeastern Pennsylvania.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PENN STATE WILKES-BARRE

Penn State York

Penn State York has about 1,100 students and offers a wealth of stimulating intellectual, cultural, and historically-significant learning experiences in a welcoming, state-of-the-art campus environment in southern Pennsylvania.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PENN STATE YORK

Baccalaureate Degrees

Associate Degrees

Minors

Certificates

College Procedures

Change of Campus

Students are expected to remain at their campus of admission for the first two years of study. In exceptional situations, a student may request an early change of campus to maintain progress toward degree. The student must obtain approval from the home campus (first) and at the desired campus (second) in order for the change to be processed.

Concurrent Majors

A Concurrent Majors Program is one in which students take courses to concurrently meet the requirements of at least two majors, with graduation for all majors in the program occurring during the same semester. Students should meet with their academic adviser, review academic plans/approvals noted in Starfish and submit requests through LionPATH. Please review Penn State policies below for step by step instructions. University College will not approve concurrent majors in the following majors: Science/Biology.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CONCURRENT MAJORS

READ SENATE POLICY 60-00: COMPLETING MORE THAN ONE UNDERGRADUATE MAJOR PROGRAM

Academic Warning

A student who fails to earn a 2.00 cumulative grade-point average will be placed on academic warning. A student placed on academic warning will have a hold placed on registration and will be required to meet with an academic adviser in order for this registration hold to be removed. The University College campuses support students through programming and individualized advising services. A student must work with an academic adviser to have the registration hold removed. To remove academic warning, the cumulative grade-point average must be 2.00 or higher.

READ SENATE POLICY 54-20: ACADEMIC WARNING

Academic Suspension

A student in academic warning who fails to maintain a semester grade-point average of 2.00 or higher will be academically suspended. A student who has been academically suspended may not schedule courses at the University for two consecutive semesters. (Note: Summer session is equal to one semester.) These students are encouraged to work closely with their advisers or other designated staff to consider the issues that led to their suspension and may apply for re-enrollment as a degree candidate by contacting any campus Registrar’s office.

READ SENATE POLICY 54-40: ACADEMIC SUSPENSION

Resources

Credit-by-Portfolio Assessment

Portfolio Assessment is a process that enables students to demonstrate college-level learning from experiences gained outside the classroom. The process of portfolio assessment requires that students demonstrate knowledge equivalent to a particular course. It is the student’s responsibility to identify course(s) for which he or she would like to document identification of appropriate courses. University College provides guides for both faculty and staff.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CREDIT-BY-PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT

Course Substitution Request System

Students should visit their advisers to review their academic plan and petition course substitutions via the Course Substitution Request System. Course descriptions and syllabi for course work completed at other institutions may be required.

LOG IN TO THE COURSE SUBSTITUTION REQUEST SYSTEM

Digital Learning Cooperative

The Digital Learning Cooperative (DLC) allows students to enroll in online, hybrid, and video courses offered by Penn State campuses across the University. Courses shared on the DLC may count toward students’ general education program and fulfill requirements in a wide variety of majors. DLC courses available to students will be listed in the Schedule of Courses for their campus.

Pathway to Student Success: Summer Start (PaSSS)

Assists first-time students in making the transition from high school to college. Students selected for the program are eligible to receive scholarships in the first two summers after their high school graduation and are guaranteed a on-campus job to earn money.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PATHWAY TO SUCCESS: SUMMER START (PASSS) PROGRAM

Undergraduate Research

Penn State undergraduates who are presenting the results of their research or creative work at national or regional professional conferences may request financial support to defray the costs of attendance at the conference. If the request is approved, the costs will be equally split among the University College Dean's Office (OVPCC), the Office of Undergraduate Education, the campus, and, if applicable, the Schreyer Honors College. The contribution from each partner is capped at $400 per student. The student must be a conference presenter to be eligible for funding and the presentation must be related to the student's academic program.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH

VIEW APPLICATION FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF RESEARCH/CREATIVE WORK PRESENTATION AT NATIONAL AND REGIONAL PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCES

Erickson Discovery Grants

The Rodney A. Erickson Discovery Grant Program, named in honor of Penn State's seventeenth President, supports undergraduate student engagement in original research, scholarship, and creative work under the direct supervision of a faculty member. Approximately 60 Erickson Discovery Grants, each in the amount of $3,500, are available through the Office of Undergraduate Education for summer 2018. Additional grants may be funded through College and/or campus support. The Erickson Discovery Grants are directed to student-initiated projects in the arts, engineering, humanities, sciences, and social sciences that provide experience in all facets of the research, scholarship, or creative processes.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ERICKSON DISCOVERY GRANTS

Engineering Summer REU

The Summer Multi-Campus Research Experience for undergraduates (MC REU) occurs during June and July. The MC REU program supports Penn State Undergraduate engineering students to conduct research with Penn State faculty. Selected students will complete their proposal in conjunction with a Penn State faculty member from the student’s home campus and a second faculty member at the University Park campus. The objectives of the MC REU are to promote undergraduate students participating in research early in their academic programs;to broaden their education and increase their chances of entering graduate studies; and to promote awareness and collaboration among faculty across the Commonwealth.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SUMMER MULTI-CAMPUS RESEARCH EXPERIENCE FOR UNDERGRADUATES

Global Program Student Faculty Funding for International Activities

The University office of Global Programs provides limited funds to support student international travel related to education and research opportunities in any discipline.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT GLOBAL PROGRAMS TRAVEL GRANTS

CUR Membership

Penn State has an enhanced institutional membership for the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR). As a result of this enhanced institutional membership, any faculty member, administrator, student, or staff member from any Penn State campus or college may join the CUR at no additional cost to the individual. Membership benefits include a digital subscription to CUR Quarterly, substantial discounts on CUR materials and conferences, access to CUR’s online archive of Webinar Recordings and materials, and access to the member’s only portion at https://www.cur.org/, which includes information on funding opportunities, jobs, and other resources.

Eastern Undergraduate Research Symposium

Penn State's Eastern Regional Campuses’ annual Regional Undergraduate Research Symposium communicates and celebrates the participation of undergraduate students from the eastern regional Penn State campuses in their scholarly research endeavors. Undergraduate students who have been selected to represent their local campus will present posters or other exhibits to showcase their work to a general audience. The Symposium is open to the public.

Invent Penn State

Innovation Hubs Across the Commonwealth: LaunchBox’s

The Invent Penn State seed grant program provided campuses with grants of $50,000 to launch or enhance innovation hubs. The impact of these grants is far reaching, with 21 Commonwealth communities now having Invent Penn State-affiliated spaces and programs—free to the community—that will drive innovation and economic growth. The 21 are listed at: https://invent.psu.edu/programs/pa-innovation-hubs/.

The Intercollege Minor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ENTI)

Because entrepreneurs and innovators exist in all industries and in all types of companies, the ENTI minor appeals to students regardless of their academic discipline. ENTI teaches students foundational skills they will need to succeed in the professional world, including innovative thinking, opportunity recognition, developing budget models, leadership, and project management.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE INTERCOLLEGE MINOR IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION

Venture and IP Conference

A two-day showcase for Penn state student and faculty start-up companies and innovative technologies.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE VENTURE AND IP CONFERENCE

Resource, IP, and Start-up Navigators

Search portals for everything happening in the entrepreneurship ecosystem.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT INVENT PENN STATE

Contact

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE
111 Old Main
University Park, PA 16802
814-863-0327

https://www.campuses.psu.edu/