Pennsylvania State University (PSU), founded in 1855 as the Farmers’ High School, is a public research university with campuses throughout Pennsylvania. The flagship campus is located at University Park in State College, Pennsylvania and includes nine colleges and schools offering more than 160 undergraduate majors and graduate programs. PSU is classified as an R1 Doctoral University by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, meaning that it engages in very high levels of research activity. The university has a strong focus on science and technology and is home to numerous research centers, including the Materials Research Institute, the Institutes for Energy and the Environment, and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences.
PSU’s history began when a group of farmers from Centre County petitioned the state legislature to create a school “where common people could receive an education in agriculture and mechanical arts.” The school opened its doors in 1859 with just 33 students enrolled. Today, PSU enrolls nearly 47,000 students across all campuses, making it one of the largest universities in Pennsylvania. The student body is diverse, with students hailing from all 50 states and more than 100 countries around the world.
PSU offers a wide variety of degree programs at both the undergraduate and graduate level. Undergraduate students can choose from over 160 majors across 9 different colleges: Agricultural Sciences; Arts & Architecture; Business Administration; Communications; Earth & Mineral Sciences; Education; Engineering; Health & Human Development; Information Sciences & Technology; Liberal Arts; Nursing; Penn State Law located in Carlisle, PA.; Science ;and Undecided/Exploratory Studies . Graduate students have even more options available to them, with over 200 masters’ programs and 170 doctoral programs offered university-wide. In addition to traditional academic programs, PSU also offers a number of unique educational opportunities such as online degrees , dual-degree programs , global experiences ,and cooperative education . No matter what their interests or goals may be, there is sure to be a program at PSU that meets their needs.
PSU has always been committed to providing an affordable education for all students regardless of their financial situation . In order to make college more affordable for low-income families ,the university established The LionPATH Scholarships program which provides full tuition scholarships plus additional support for living expenses for eligible Pennsylvania residents . For those who are not able to attend classes on campus due to work or family obligations ,PSU World Campus offers more than 150 accredited online degrees that can be completed entirely remotely . Students attending any campus location can also take advantage of flexible course schedules designed around their busy lives . With so many options available ,it’s no wonder that PSU was named one of America’s Best Value Colleges by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine in 2018 .