Penn State Behrend

Penn State Behrend gives undergraduate and graduate students the best of two worlds: The friendly, student-centered environment of a smaller college and the academic resources of a major research university.

Penn State Behrend is a four-year and graduate college of Penn State. We offer an academically rigorous, globally respected Penn State education in a setting where students can have close interaction with faculty and meaningful out-of-classroom experiences.

With nearly 4,600 students in resident instruction, 40-plus academic programs, and an 854-acre campus, Penn State Behrend has the largest undergraduate enrollment of Penn State’s Commonwealth Campuses. Penn State is a multicampus public research university that educates students from Pennsylvania, the nation and the world, and improves the well being and health of individuals and communities through integrated programs of teaching, research, and service.

Our instructional mission includes undergraduate, graduate, professional, and continuing education offered through both resident instruction and online delivery. Our educational programs are enriched by the cutting edge knowledge, diversity, and creativity of our faculty, students, and staff.

Our research, scholarship, and creative activity promote human and economic development, global understanding, and progress in professional practice through the expansion of knowledge and its applications in the natural and applied sciences, social sciences, arts, humanities, and the professions.

As Pennsylvania's land-grant university, we provide unparalleled access and public service to support the citizens of the Commonwealth. We engage in collaborative activities with industrial, educational, and agricultural partners here and abroad to generate, disseminate, integrate, and apply knowledge that is valuable to society.

Penn State is in the top 1 percent of universities worldwide, making a Penn State degree recognized and respected from Berlin (Pennsylvania and Germany) to Parma (Ohio and Italy) to Paris (Texas and France). At Penn State Behrend, our students earn their Penn State degree in a welcoming, student-centered environment. We have the resources of a global research university, yet our student-to-faculty ratio of 15:1 means students get individual attention from accomplished faculty and have unmatched hands-on learning opportunities.

Penn State Behrend offers thirty-seven four-year bachelor’s degrees, five master’s degrees, and four two-year associate-degree programs. You also can complete the first two years of most of Penn State’s 160+ undergraduate programs, although three-quarters of Penn State Behrend students will start and finish their degrees right here. Open-lab learning, internships, undergraduate research, honors coursework, study abroad: Your Penn State Behrend education begins in the classroom, but it doesn’t end there.

Tuition is an investment in your future—and a degree from Penn State Behrend is an especially sound investment. A Penn State education is recognized and valued by employers around the world. Tuition and financial aid processes can be complicated and intimidating. That's where our expert financial aid staff can help. They'll identify the combination of financial aid sources that's right for you and your family.

Studying abroad for a semester provides great variety in course offerings, giving you access to unique topics of personal interest or specialized courses that will enhance your resume. You can find courses with the same content as those at Penn State, so you can meet graduation requirements. When you study abroad, you’re learning all the time—inside the classroom and out. No matter where you go or what you study, you’ll never look at the world the same way again. Today, even small, local companies have global interests. An international experience will give you an extra edge on your resume or graduate school application—and give you experiences to discuss during interviews that will highlight your maturity, adaptability, and initiative.

An internship or cooperative education program (co-op) is a professional, career-related experience in an organizational or company setting. Students may have the opportunity to receive academic credit for the experience, although most students intern for the experience, contact and/or pay, not necessarily for the credits.

Internships can be completed during the academic year in conjunction with classes (10-12 hours per week) or as a full-time experience (up to 40 hours per week) in the summer. Co-ops are typically 40 hours per week and completed over an extended period (one semester and one summer, or even over the course of two semesters). Alternative schedules are possible and depend on the needs and expectations of the parties involved, including the student intern, a faculty adviser, and the intern supervisor for the company/organization.

Penn State Behrend offers thirty-seven four-year degree programs (some of which are unique to the Penn State system) plus five master’s degrees and four associate degrees. Or, start most of Penn State’s 250+ undergraduate degree programs here.

There's a whole lot to college life beyond the classroom, the lab, or the studio. Here at Penn State Behrend, you'll find much, much more—130 clubs and organizations plus concerts, speakers, intramural activities, and social events where you can make friends and get involved. You'll also find a range of programs, services, and staff members focused on your health and safety, academic success, residential life, leadership development, spiritual growth, and more.