Introduction
The Graduate Bulletin is Penn State's comprehensive source for graduate academic information and program requirements.
New Features
Program Page Layout
- Consistent layout of graduate major degree program information organized within the following tabs:
- Overview (including the Program Code and Campus)
- Admission Requirements
- Degree Requirements
- Dual-Titles (if any)
- Integrated Undergrad-Grad Program (if any)
- Joint Degrees (if any)
- Student Aid
- Courses
- Learning Outcomes
- Contact
Please note that the University may make changes to policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements.
Changes Page
- Real-time amendments to information in the Bulletin will be tracked on the Changes page.
- The Bulletin is updated every semester. The Bulletin Archive contains previous versions of graduate program information.
Course Bubble
When a course link is clicked, a course bubble will appear with important course information including, but not limited to:
- course title, description, and credits;
- prerequisites and recommended preparation;
- if the course is repeatable;
- if the course is cross-listed.
Nondiscrimination Statement
This publication is available in alternative media on request.
The University is committed to equal access to programs, facilities, admission, and employment for all persons. It is the policy of the University to maintain an environment free of harassment and free of discrimination against any person because of age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, marital or family status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, physical or mental disability, gender, perceived gender, gender identity, genetic information or political ideas. Discriminatory conduct and harassment, as well as sexual misconduct and relationship violence, violates the dignity of individuals, impedes the realization of the University’s educational mission, and will not be tolerated. Direct all inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policy to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access, The Pennsylvania State University, 328 Boucke Building, University Park, PA 16802-5901, Email: oeoa@psu.edu, Tel 814-863-0471.
Definitions and Abbreviations
Described below are definitions related to graduate major degree programs:
Graduate / Postbaccalaureate Certificate Program
A graduate or postbaccalaureate credit certificate program is a group of courses that focuses upon an area of specialized knowledge or information and is developed, supervised, and evaluated by the faculty members of the academic unit offering the program. Postbaccalaureate credit certificate programs reflect emerging academic areas, and may supplement or enhance existing degree programs. Postbaccalaureate certificates and graduate certificates differ in the number of graduate credits required; see the Postbaccalaureate Credit Certificate Programs policy for more details.
Graduate Dual-Title Degree Program
A dual-title program is a fully integrated program of study that integrates course work and research in the graduate major and dual-title fields early in the student’s program. Dual-title programs are adopted by existing graduate major programs; after entering those graduate major programs, students can apply to the dual-title and earn a degree in both their graduate major and the dual-title field. See the Dual-Title Graduate Degree Program policy for more details.
Graduate Joint Degree Program
A joint degree program allows students to pursue work simultaneously towards an existing, specific graduate degree and a professional degree (J.D. or M.D.) offered at Penn State. Joint degree programs enhance students’ educational and research opportunities within the graduate and professional programs, provide students with valuable complementary training for a variety of career opportunities, and enable students to complete both degrees in less time than it would take to complete them separately. See the Joint Degree Programs policy for more details
Graduate Minor Program
A graduate minor may be taken in any of the approved graduate major degree programs. In addition, there are stand-alone graduate minors which are unaffiliated with a graduate major. Graduate minors are available for both master’s and doctoral degrees; see the following Graduate Minors policies for more details: Minor - Research Doctorate, Minor - Professional Doctoral Degrees, Minor - Research Master's Degrees, Minor - Professional Master's Degrees.
Integrated Undergraduate-Graduate (IUG) Degree Program
An Integrated Undergraduate-Graduate (IUG) degree program combines a Penn State baccalaureate degree with a master's degree as a continuous program of study. An IUG program allows qualifying students to:
- create a cohesive plan for baccalaureate and master's degree studies, with advising informed by requirements for both degree programs;
- complete the combined degree program in less time than it would take to complete each program separately;
- become familiar with the expectations of graduate studies in their programs;
- access the resources of the J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School; and
- learn from current graduate students who share academic interests.
See the Integrated Undergraduate-Graduate (IUG) Degree Programs policy for more details.
Option
An option is a distinct curricular specialization within a graduate major. It is the only formal curricular specialization within a graduate major that is recognized on the transcript and diploma for students in the major. Options are defined by certain minimum requirements related to the distinctiveness and commonality of the course work in the major; see the Degree Program Options policy for more details.
Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Codes
Described below are common codes, abbreviations, acronyms, and other types of academic shorthand used at Penn State, along with a brief explanation of each.
| Code | Explanation |
|---|---|
| A | Special topics (course suffix; indicates different versions of the same course, e.g., CAS 100A, CAS 100B, CAS 100C) |
| A & A | Arts and Architecture (college abbreviation) |
| AA | Arts and Architecture (college code) |
| AAPPM | Academic Administrative Policies and Procedures Manual |
| AB | Abington (campus code) |
| AB | Abington (college code) |
| ACUE | Administrative Council on Undergraduate Education |
| AG | Agricultural Sciences (college code) |
| AL | Altoona (campus code) |
| AL | Altoona (college code) |
| AP | Advanced Placement Program |
| APPL | Course requires an application with the School of Music (course characteristic) |
| APPT | By appointment (class meeting time) |
| AU | Audit, attended regularly (grade reporting symbol) |
| AUDN | Course requires an audition (course characteristic) |
| AUU | Audit, did not attend regularly (grade reporting symbol) |
| B | Special topics (course suffix; indicates different versions of the same course, e.g., CAS 100A, CAS 100B, CAS 100C) |
| BA | Business, Smeal College of (college code) |
| BC | Behrend (college code) |
| BK | Berks (campus code) |
| BK | Berks (college code) |
| BR | Beaver (campus code) |
| BW | Brandywine (campus code) |
| C | Special topics (course suffix; indicates different versions of the same course, e.g., CAS 100A, CAS 100B, CAS 100C) |
| CA | Capital (college code) |
| CALC | Course requires a calculator (course characteristic) |
| CAMP | College Assistance Migrant Program |
| CAT | Online catalog, University Libraries |
| CC | Commonwealth Campuses |
| CCP | College Contact Person |
| CCRR | College Contact and Referral Representative |
| CCSG | Council of Commonwealth Student Governments |
| CE | Continuing Education |
| CGPA | Cumulative grade-point average |
| CIC | Committee on Institutional Cooperation |
| CLEP | College-Level Examination Program |
| CM | Communications (college code) |
| CNCR | Course is scheduled concurrently with another course (course characteristic) |
| CNTL | Course is controlled (course characteristic) |
| COMM | Communications (college abbreviation) |
| CORD | Course is coordinated with other course(s) (course characteristic) |
| COST | Course requires an additional fee (course characteristic) |
| D | Special topics (course suffix; indicates different versions of the same course, e.g., HIST 297D, HIST 297E) |
| DAA | Dean/Director of Academic Affairs |
| DF | Deferred grade (grade reporting symbol) |
| DN | Dickinson School of Law (campus code) |
| DS | DuBois (campus code) |
| DU | Division of Undergraduate Studies (college code) |
| D U S | Division of Undergraduate Studies (college abbreviation) |
| E | Special topics (course suffix; indicates different versions of the same course, e.g., HIST 297D, HIST 297E) |
| ECoS | Eberly College of Science |
| ED | Education (college code) |
| EM | Earth and Mineral Sciences (college code) |
| EM SC | Earth and Mineral Sciences (college abbreviation) |
| EN | Engineering (college code) |
| ENGR | Engineering (college abbreviation) |
| EOP | Educational Opportunity Program |
| EPR | Early Progress Report |
| EPS | Educational Planning Survey |
| ER | Behrend (campus code) |
| ESL | English as a Second Language |
| EVEX | Course has evening exams (course characteristic) |
| F | Special topics (course suffix; indicates different versions of the same course, e.g., HIST 297F, HIST 297G) |
| FE | Fayette (campus code) |
| FINL | Course has a final exam (course characteristic) |
| FL | Failure under pass/fail option (grade reporting symbol) |
| FYS | First-Year Seminar |
| G | Special topics (course suffix; indicates different versions of the same course, e.g., HIST 297F, HIST 297G) |
| GA | Arts (General Education code) |
| GA | Greater Allegheny (campus code) |
| GH | Humanities (General Education code) |
| GHW | Health and Wellness (General Education code) |
| GN | Graduate non-degree (college code) |
| GN | Natural Sciences (General Education code) |
| GPA | Grade-point average |
| GQ | Quantification (General Education code) |
| GR | Graduate (level code) |
| GR ND | Graduate non-degree (college code) |
| GS | Social and Behavioral Sciences (General Education code) |
| GV | Great Valley (campus code) |
| GV | Great Valley (college code) |
| GWS | Writing/Speaking (General Education code) |
| H | Honors course or section (course suffix) |
| HB | Harrisburg (campus code) |
| H H D | Health and Human Development (college abbreviation) |
| HH | Health and Human Development (college code) |
| HN | Hazleton (campus code) |
| HY | Hershey Medical Center (campus code) |
| I | Incomplete (grade reporting symbol) |
| I | Special topics (course suffix; indicates different versions of the same course, e.g., HIST 297I, HIST 297K) |
| I COL | Intercollege programs (college abbreviation) |
| IB | International Baccalaureate Program |
| IC | Intercollege programs (college code) |
| IL | International Cultures (General Education code) |
| INCP | Incomplete (grade reporting symbol) |
| INTG | Course is integrated with other courses (course characteristic) |
| IS | Information Sciences and Technology (college code) |
| IST | Information Sciences and Technology (college abbreviation) |
| ITS | Information Technology Services |
| IUG | Integrated undergraduate/graduate degree programs |
| IVID | Course uses interactive video (course characteristic) |
| J | Individualized instruction (course suffix) |
| K | Special topics (course suffix; indicates different versions of the same course, e.g., HIST 297I, HIST 297K) |
| L | Lecture section (course suffix) |
| LA | Liberal Arts (college code) |
| LEAP | Learning Edge Academic Program |
| LIAB | Course has liability attendance policy (course characteristic) |
| LV | Lehigh Valley (campus code) |
| LW | Law (level code) |
| M | Writing Across the Curriculum and Honors (course suffix) |
| MA | Mont Alto (campus code) |
| MAC | Morgan Academic Center (for Student-Athletes) |
| MD | Medical (level code) |
| MD | Medicine (college code) |
| MED | Medicine (college abbreviation) |
| MEP | Multicultural Engineering Program |
| MRC | Multicultural Resource Center |
| MS | Military Science (ROTC) (college code) |
| NACADA | National Academic Advising Association |
| NC | Non-credit (level code) |
| NDEGR/C/H | Nondegree Regular/Conditional/High School (Classification of Undergraduate Students) |
| NG | No grade (grade reporting symbol) |
| NK | New Kensington (campus code) |
| NR | Nursing (college code) |
| NSO | New Student Orientation |
| OCLC | Course meets at an off-campus location (course characteristic) |
| ODS | Office for Disability Services |
| OSA | Office of Student Aid |
| OUR | Office of the University Registrar |
| P | Pass (noncredit course) (grade reporting symbol) |
| P | Practicum (or laboratory) section (course suffix) |
| PC | Penn College (Pennsylvania College of Technology; campus code) |
| PREQ | Course has prerequisites (course characteristic) |
| PS | Pass (pass/fail option) (grade reporting symbol) |
| PSU | Pennsylvania State University |
| R | Recitation section (course suffix) |
| R | Research (grade reporting symbol) |
| RAP | Recommended Academic Plan |
| RI | Resident Instruction |
| ROTC | Reserve Officers' Training Corps |
| S | First-Year Seminar (course suffix) |
| SA | Satisfactory achievement (grade reporting symbol) |
| SATL | Course is offered at multiple locations via satellite uplink (course characteristic) |
| SC | Science, Eberly College of (college code) |
| SCIEN | Science, Eberly College of (college abbreviation) |
| SEGM | Course is segmented (course characteristic) |
| SGPA | Semester grade-point average |
| SH | Shenango (campus code) |
| SI | Supplemental Instruction |
| SITE | Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence |
| SL | Schuylkill (campus code) |
| SLO | Special Living Options |
| SOTP | Student Orientation and Transition Programs |
| SRTE | Student Ratings of Teacher Effectiveness |
| SSSP | Student Support Services Program |
| T | First-Year Seminar and Honors (course suffix) |
| TMDT | Course has additional meeting times/dates (course characteristic) |
| U | United States Cultures/International Cultures and Honors (course suffix) |
| UAO | Undergraduate Admissions Office |
| UC | University College (college code) |
| UE | Undergraduate Education |
| UFO | University Fellowships Office |
| UG | Undergraduate (level code) |
| UG ND | Undergraduate non-degree (college code) |
| UN | Undergraduate nondegree (college code) |
| UN | Unsatisfactory achievement (grade reporting symbol) |
| UP | University Park (campus code) |
| UPUA | University Park Undergraduate Association |
| US | United States Cultures (General Education code) |
| W | Official withdrawal (grade reporting symbol) |
| W | Writing Across the Curriculum (course suffix) |
| WB | Wilkes-Barre (campus code) |
| WC | World Campus |
| WEB | Web course; offered entirely through the Internet (course characteristic) |
| WEP | Women in Engineering Program |
| WF | Withdrew failing (grade reporting symbol) |
| WISE | Women in the Sciences and Engineering |
| WN | Withdrew no grade (grade reporting symbol) |
| WP | Withdrew passing (grade reporting symbol) |
| WS | Worthington Scranton (campus code) |
| X | Writing Across the Curriculum and First-Year Seminar (course suffix) |
| XC | State College Continuing Education (campus code) |
| XF | Failure, academic dishonesty (course grade) |
| XS | Foreign studies program (campus code) |
| Y | Writing Across the Curriculum course and United States Cultures/International Cultures (course suffix) |
| YK | York (campus code) |
Common abbreviations for course attributes and suffixes can be found in the University Course Descriptions section.
Changes to the Graduate Bulletin
Changes to the Graduate Bulletin will be tracked in real-time and listed below. At the end of every semester, these updates will be incorporated into the Bulletin.
Program Changes Effective Summer 2025
Biomedical Sciences
- Adopt dual-title in Microbiome Sciences for the Ph.D. degree.
BIORENEWABLE SYSTEMS
- Add integrated undergraduate-graduate (IUG) program pairing the B.S. in Agricultural and Biorenewable Systems Management with M.S. degree.
Business Administration (Smeal)
- Change degree requirements for the D.B.A. degree.
Computational Science
- Change minor requirements.
Certificate Changes Effective Summer 2025
Organization Development and Change: Operational Excellence Graduate Credit Certificate Program
- Certificate renewed.
Program Changes Effective Fall 2025
Acoustics
- Change degree requirements.
Business Administration (Behrend)
- Change degree requirements.
Business Administration (Capital)
- Change degree requirements.
Communication Sciences and Disorders
- Change degree requirements.
Computer Science And Engineering
- Change degree requirements.
Electrical Engineering
- Change degree requirements.
Engineering Design and Innovation
- Merger of master's degree programs in Engineering Design; Engineering Leadership and Innovation Management; and Engineering, Law, and Policy to form program in Engineering Design and Innovation.
Finance (Great Valley)
- Add integrated undergraduate-graduate (IUG) program pairing the B.S. in Finance with M.Fin. degree.
Hospitality Management
- Add integrated undergraduate-graduate (IUG) program pairing the B.S. in Hospitality Management with M.P.S. degree.
Industrial Engineering
- Change degree requirements.
Mathematics
- Change degree requirements.
Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Biosciences
- Adopt dual-title in Microbiome Sciences for the Ph.D. degree.
Nursing
- Change option requirements.
- Add new Nurse Educator Option for the D.N.P. degree.
Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management
- Change program learning objectives.
Teaching and Curriculum
- Discontinue extension to the Penn State York campus.
Certificate Changes Effective Fall 2025
Audio Devices and Signal Processing Graduate Credit Certificate Program
- New graduate certificate offering.
Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Graduate Credit Certificate Program
- Change certificate requirements and renewed.
Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Graduate Credit Certificate Program
- Change certificate requirements and renewed.
Criminal Justice Administration and Procedure Graduate Credit Certificate Program
- New graduate certificate offering.
Criminological Theory and Research Graduate Credit Certificate Program
- New graduate certificate offering.
Family/Individual Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner Graduate Credit Certificate Program
- Change certificate requirements and renewed.
Impacts on Victims and Offenders Graduate Credit Certificate Program
- New graduate certificate offering.
Noise Control and Building Acoustics Graduate Credit Certificate Program
- New graduate certificate offering.
Organization Development and Change: Consulting Skills Graduate Credit Certificate Program
- Certificate renewed.
Physical Acoustics Graduate Credit Certificate Program
- New graduate certificate offering.
Psychiatric Mental health Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner Graduate Credit Certificate Program
- New graduate certificate offering.
Supply Chain Management Graduate Credit Certificate Program
- Certificate renewed.
Semiconductor Technology Post-Baccalaureate Credit Certificate Program
- New post-baccalaureate certificate offering.
Program Changes Effective Spring 2026
Computer Science (Great Valley)
- New graduate program offering the Master of Computer Science (M.C.S.) degree online via World Campus.
Certificate Changes Effective Spring 2026
FAQs
- Where can I find the Undergraduate Bulletin?
- The Undergraduate Bulletin is located at http://bulletins.psu.edu/undergraduate.
- Where can I find a list of courses and course descriptions?
- You may find courses and descriptions several different ways within the Bulletin. You may navigate to the full listing of courses and descriptions from the Courses link in the top navigation menu. You may also scroll over any course number within the Bulletin to see the course description in a course bubble. Search for specific courses through the search option on the homepage or in the search functions throughout the Bulletin.
- Where can I find past Bulletins?
- Past Bulletins can be found on the Archive page, which can be accessed from any page in the Bulletin's top navigation menu.
- When will the Graduate Bulletin be updated?
- The Bulletin will be updated at the beginning of each semester (fall, spring, and summer). Changes that occur between updates are identified on the Changes page.
- Why are there are some courses listed in the Bulletin that I can't schedule?
- The Bulletin Course Description section displays all courses that are currently active at Penn State. Not all of these courses are taught every academic semester or year. To view courses that are available for enrollment by semester, please view the LionPATH Class Search.
Have a question we didn't include? Please let us know by emailing bulletins@psu.edu.