Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley

What is the history of Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley?

Penn State Lehigh Valley traces its roots to 1912, when Penn State began offering courses in the Allentown area. It is now a campus of The Pennsylvania State University in Center Valley, rather than a separate university.

The campus moved to its current Center Valley location in 2009. Its present role combines locally completed degrees with Penn State's 2+2 pathway: students can begin many Penn State majors at Lehigh Valley and, when the major requires it, finish at another Penn State campus. That distinction matters when comparing programs, costs, and graduation outcomes.

What are the faculties and departments at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley?

Penn State Lehigh Valley offers a selection of associate and bachelor's degrees and provides a starting point for majors completed elsewhere in the Penn State system. It is not organized into a full set of independent colleges comparable to those at University Park.

Campus degree options include fields such as business, psychology, criminal justice, information sciences and technology, and rehabilitation and human services. Penn State's 2+2 pathway broadens the range of majors students can start in Center Valley, but it does not mean every major can be completed there. Applicants should check the current Penn State program directory for their intended major's starting and finishing campuses, as well as any entrance-to-major requirements.

The reported student-to-faculty ratio is 14:1. That institution-wide measure does not predict the size of a particular lecture, laboratory, or major-specific course.

What is the location of Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley?

Penn State Lehigh Valley is in Center Valley, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region south of Allentown and Bethlehem. Its suburban location makes transportation a practical consideration for students who plan to attend classes, work, and campus activities in the same week.

The campus is part of Penn State's statewide system, but its classrooms and day-to-day services are in Center Valley. Students considering a 2+2 major should account for a possible later move to another campus. Commuters should also compare their likely driving or transit arrangements with class schedules rather than assuming that transportation options available elsewhere in the Lehigh Valley will fit every timetable.

What is the mission and vision of Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley?

Penn State Lehigh Valley's educational purpose is to make Penn State coursework and degrees accessible in the Lehigh Valley while connecting students to the university's broader teaching, research, and public-service mission. As a campus of a public university, it does not have a religious affiliation.

The local-campus model gives students two distinct academic choices: complete an available degree in Center Valley or begin a Penn State degree there and continue at another campus. Those are descriptions of the institution's stated structure, not evidence that either route will suit every student. Program availability and the requirements for changing campuses are important parts of evaluating that model.