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
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 Affirmative Action Office, The Pennsylvania State University, 328 Boucke Building, University Park, PA 16802-5901, Email: aao@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 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 2023
Business Administration (Intercollege)
Change residency experience.
Corporate Finance
Change graduate program name to Finance.
Education
Add new online graduated degree program offering the Doctor of Education (D.Ed.) degree.
Supply Chain Management
Change degree requirements.
Certificate Changes Effective Summer 2023
Accounting Foundations Graduate Credit Certificate Program
Certificate renewed.
CounterTerrorism Graduate Credit Certificate Program
Certificate renewed.
Dietetic Internship Postbaccalaureate Certificate Program
Certificate renewed.
Geospatial Programming and Web Map Development Graduate Credit Certificate Program
Certificate renewed.
Global Health Graduate Credit Certificate Program
Certificate renewed.
Hospitality Management Graduate Credit Certificate Program
New certificate offering.
Human Factors Engineering and Ergonomics Graduate Credit Certificate Program
Drop certificate program.
International Affairs Graduate Credit Certificate Program
Certificate renewed.
International Development and Policy Graduate Credit Certificate Program
Certificate renewed.
International Public Policy Graduate Credit Certificate Program
Certificate renewed.
International Security Studies Graduate Credit Certificate Program
Certificate renewed.
Public Health Graduate Credit Certificate Program
Certificate renewed.
Translational Science Graduate Credit Certificate Program
Certificate renewed.
Teaching and Learning Online in K-12 setting Postbaccalaureate Certificate PRogram
Expiration of certificate program.
Program Changes Effective Fall 2023
Accounting Analytics
Add a new graduate program offering the Master of Accounting (M.Acc.) degree.
Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Change degree requirements.
Applied Linguistics
Adopt dual-title in African Studies for the Ph.D. degree.
Applied Statistics
Add IUG pairing the B.S. in Data Sciences with the M.A.S. degree.
Business Administration (Smeal)
Add Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.) degree.
Civil Engineering (Capital)
Add IUG pairing the B.S. in Civil Engineering with the M.S. degree.
Finance
Change degree requirements.
Geographic Information Systems
Change degree requirements.
Lifelong Learning and Adult Education
Change admission and degree requirements.
Political Science
Change degree requirements.
Certificate Changes Effective Fall 2023
Geospatial Intelligence Applications Postbaccalaureate Certificate PRogram
Drop certificate program.
Gerontology Postbaccalaureate Credit Certificate Program
Expiration of certificate program.
Weather and Climate Analytics Graduate Credit Certificate Program
Expiration of certificate program.
Program Changes Effective Spring 2024
Accounting (Great Valley)
Add IUG pairing B.S. in Accounting with the M.P.Acc. degree.
Anthropology
Adopt dual-title in Microbiome Sciences.
Business Administration (Smeal)
Change degree requirements.
Ecology
Adopt dual-title in Microbiome Sciences for the Ph.D. degree.
Enterprise Architecture and Business Transformation
Change degree title to Master of Enterprise Architecture (M.A.E.) and change degree requirements.
Forensic Science
Change degree requirements.
Hospitality Management
Discontinue offering the M.S. degree.
Management and Organizational Leadership
Drop graduate program.
Physics
Change degree requirements.
Social and Behavioral Neuroscience
Change dual-title requirements.
Software Engineering
Add IUG pairing B.S. in Computer Science with the M.S.E. degree.
Certificate Changes Effective Spring 2024
AI Engineering Graduate Credit Certificate Program
New certificate offering.
Business Analytics Graduate Credit Certificate Program
Certificate renewed.
Business Sustainability Strategy Graduate Credit Certificate Program
Change requirements and renew certificate.
Computer Vision Graduate Credit Certificate Program
New certificate offering.
Data Analytics Graduate Credit Certificate Program
Change requirements and renew certificate.
Data Analytics and Engineering Graduate Credit Certificate Program
New certificate offering.
Data Engineering for Analytics Graduate Credit Certificate Program
New certificate offering.
Diversity and Inclusion as Strategy Graduate Credit Certificate Program
Change requirements and renew certificate.
Diversity, Ethics, and Leadership Postbaccalaureate Credit Certificate Program
New certificate offering.
Foundations of Artificial Intelligence Graduate Credit Certificate Program
New certificate offering.
Foundations of Data Science Graduate Credit Certificate Program
New certificate offering.
Human Resources and Employment Relations Foundations Graduate Credit Certificate Program
Change certificate title from "Human Resources and Employment Relations", change requirements, and renew certificate.
International Human Resources and Employment Relations Graduate Credit Certificate Program
Change requirements and renew certificate.
Labor and Collective Bargaining Postbaccalaureate Credit Certificate Program
New certificate offering.
Labor and Employment Law Graduate Credit Certificate Program
New certificate offering.
Life-cycle System Design Graduate Credit Certificate Program
New certificate offering.
Marketing Analytics Graduate Credit Certificate Program
Certificate Renewed.
Natural Language Processing Graduate Credit Certificate Program
New certificate offering.
Negotiation and Influence Graduate Credit Certificate Program
Certificate Renewed.
People Analytics and Artificial Intelligence Graduate Credit Certificate Program
New certificate offering.
Project Quality Management Graduate Credit Certificate Program
New certificate offering.
Psychology of Ethical Leadership Graduate Credit Certificate
New certificate offering.
Psychology of Leadership Foundations Graduate Credit Certificate Program
New certificate offering.
Psychology of Team Leadership Graduate Credit Certificate Program
New certificate offering.
Quality Management Across Product Lifecycle Graduate Credit Certificate Program .
New certificate offering.
Quantitative Decision Making for Engineering Managers Graduate Credit Certificate Program
New certificate offering.
Software Architecture and Design Graduate Credit Certificate Program
New certificate offering.
Strategic Human Resources and Workplace Ethics Graduate Credit Certificate
New certificate offering.
System Modeling and Analysis Graduate Credit Certificate Program
New certificate offering.
System Quality & Risk Evaluation Graduate Credit Certificate Program
New certificate offering.
Systems Data Analytics Graduate Credit Certificate Program
New certificate offering.
Talent Management Graduate Credit Certificate Program
New certificate offering.
Technical Management Graduate Credit Certificate Program
New certificate offering.
Technical Management and Leadership Essentials Graduate Credit Certificate Program
New certificate offering.
Trauma-Informed Psychotherapy Graduate Credit Certificate Program
Certificate Renewed.
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.