Pennsylvania State University

What is the history of Pennsylvania State University?

Pennsylvania State University began in 1855 as the Farmers' High School of Pennsylvania, established to teach agriculture and related sciences. It became the Agricultural College of Pennsylvania in 1862 and was designated Pennsylvania's land-grant institution the following year. That land-grant role still shapes its combination of teaching, research, and public service.

The institution became Pennsylvania State College in 1874 and Pennsylvania State University in 1953, reflecting a broader range of academic programs. Its original campus grew into University Park, while additional campuses expanded access across Pennsylvania. Today, prospective students should distinguish University Park - the large residential campus in State College - from other Penn State campuses and Penn State World Campus, its online division. They share a university identity, but available majors, campus experiences, and some admission and housing arrangements differ.

What are the faculties and departments at Pennsylvania State University?

Penn State University Park offers undergraduate study across a broad set of academic colleges, with graduate and professional education available through the wider university. Its academic organization includes the colleges of Agricultural Sciences; Arts and Architecture; Education; Engineering; Health and Human Development; Information Sciences and Technology; and the Liberal Arts.

Other University Park colleges include the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications, the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, the Eberly College of Science, the Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing, and the Smeal College of Business. Students can find fields as different as aerospace engineering, journalism, meteorology, nursing, psychology, and supply chain management. Penn State also has a Graduate School and the Schreyer Honors College; the latter is an honors program rather than a separate undergraduate degree-granting college.

The academic path matters as much as the university-wide program list. Some majors have entrance-to-major requirements, prescribed courses, or limited capacity. Applicants considering Penn State's 2+2 plan - starting at one campus and completing a degree at another - should confirm where their intended major can be started and finished.

What is the location of Pennsylvania State University?

Penn State's University Park campus is in State College, in central Pennsylvania. Although the campus is called University Park, State College is the surrounding municipality and the center of much of its off-campus student life.

This is a large campus in a college-town setting rather than an urban campus. Students can generally reach nearby shops, restaurants, and apartments on foot or by local bus, but travel to major cities usually takes longer. Regional bus service and University Park Airport provide additional travel options. Commuters and students considering off-campus housing should check their likely route and parking arrangements; first-year students generally cannot bring a car to park on campus.

Penn State operates other campuses throughout Pennsylvania. A program, service, or event described as available at University Park should not automatically be assumed to operate in the same way at every location.

What is the mission and vision of Pennsylvania State University?

Penn State describes its mission through teaching, research, and service, consistent with its status as Pennsylvania's land-grant university. Its stated aim is to create and share knowledge, educate students, and apply university expertise to public needs in Pennsylvania and beyond.

That purpose is visible in degree programs, research activity, and Penn State Extension, which brings educational resources to communities across the state. University planning also emphasizes access, student success, and the use of research to address practical problems. These are institutional priorities, not evidence that every student will have the same academic or career outcome. Penn State is a public, nonsectarian university.