Policies

Advanced Standing (Transfer) Admission An applicant who has attended any regionally accredited college or institution on the college level and attempted 18 or more semester credits subsequent to high school graduation may be considered for admission with advanced standing. Attendance at any and all other institutions must be reported at the time of application. Failure to indicate, at the time of application, previous registration at another college or university can result in refusal or cancellation of admission. An applicant for admission with advanced standing must meet the minimum secondary school requirements for admission to degree candidacy prior to the time of matriculation. Advanced standing applicants are considered for admission on the basis of the applicant's requested academic program, space availability, and the academic quality of their work at the previously attended institution(s). A minimum cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.00 (C) out of 4.00, as computed for Penn State students, is required, although certain areas of study may have additional requirements. In addition, an applicant must be in good academic and nonacademic standing. An applicant whose overall grade-point average is less than 2.00 (on a 4.00 scale) but has a grade-point average of at least 2.00 (on a 4.00 scale) at all institutions attended in the four years prior to the requested enrollment semester may apply for admission as an advanced standing student with forgiveness. An applicant who has not attempted any collegiate level course work four years prior to the requested enrollment semester may also apply for advanced standing with forgiveness. An applicant who does not meet the minimum requirement of a grade-point average of at least 2.00 and does not meet the criteria for advanced standing with forgiveness may enroll in credit courses as a non-degree student in accordance with applicable policies and procedures. Advanced standing credits may be awarded for college-level work taken at regionally accredited institutions provided Penn State offers a similar class and the course grade earned is equivalent to a grade of A, B, or C at this University. The credits also must be useful to the student's program of study. An academic adviser determines which of the transferable credits are applicable to the program of study at Penn State. Credits are transferred, but grades and grade-point average are not. Advanced standing students enter the University without an average and their average begins with the completion of their first semester of study at Penn State. Under certain circumstances, the University may need to restrict advanced standing admissions to a particular college or school because of space limitations. Entrance to a major is an additional step beyond admission to a college or school. It involves additional academic requirements and may be subject to additional restrictions because of space limitations.

Courses taken in the certificate program may be applied toward a master's degree in Data Analytics, subject to restrictions outlined in GCAC-309 Transfer Credit . Certificate students who wish to have certificate courses applied towards a graduate degree must apply and be admitted to that degree program. Admission to the graduate degree program is a separate step and is not guaranteed.​ Effective Semester: Spring 2024 Expiration Semester: Spring 2029 Admission Requirements Applicants apply for admission to the program via the Graduate School application for admission . Requirements listed here are in addition to Graduate Council policies listed under GCAC-300 Admissions Policies . International applicants may be required to satisfy an English proficiency requirement; see GCAC-305 Admission Requirements for International Students for more information. Courses taken in the certificate program may be applied toward Master of Software Engineering degree, subject to restrictions outlined in GCAC-309 Transfer Credit . Certificate students who wish to have certificate courses applied towards the Master of Software Engineering must apply and be admitted to that degree program.

Courses taken in the certificate program may be applied toward a graduate degree, subject to restrictions outlined in GCAC-309 Transfer Credit . Certificate students who wish to have certificate courses applied towards a graduate degree must apply and be admitted to that degree program.

Courses taken in the certificate program may be applied toward a master's degree in HRER, subject to restrictions outlined in GCAC-309 Transfer Credit . Certificate students who wish to have certificate courses applied towards a graduate degree in HRER must apply and be admitted to that degree program.

Courses taken at other Penn State campuses may not be counted toward this 24 credit minimum.

Credits earned at other institutions but not used to earn a degree may be applied toward the requirements for a graduate degree, subject to restrictions outlined in GCAC-309 Transfer Credit . Degree Requirements

An advanced standing degree candidate may be admitted to a college or school of the University.

Applicable transfer credits may be applied to general education or elective credits.

No substitutions or transfer credits are permitted.

Up to 15 credits earned in three semesters or fewer, as a nondegree student, may be applied toward the master's degree, subject to restrictions outlined in GCAC-309 Transfer Credit . Those applying for admission as a Master of Engineering student without an electrical engineering degree may be admitted with the stipulation that deficiencies in background, if any, will be remedied early in the program and that these courses will be in addition to the required number of credits for the degree.

Up to 9 credits of graduate work may be transferred from other institutions provided (a) credits are suitable for the particular engineering discipline, and (b) students have earned a grade of B or better, subject to restrictions outlined in GCAC-309 Transfer Credit . At least 18 credits must be at the 500 level, which includes 3 credits of EE 594 . Students enrolled in the program for the Master of Engineering degree in Electrical Engineering must earn 9 credits in the required core courses (i.e., courses with the EE prefix).

To be eligible for admission consideration to the University as a degree candidate, either as a beginning student or as a student with advanced standing, an applicant must meet the following minimum requirements: Graduation from an accredited secondary school. A secondary school diploma issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, or appropriate authority in another state, may be accepted as equivalent to graduation from an accredited secondary school and as equivalent to the minimum secondary school units required for admission, as indicated under the Minimum Carnegie Units heading, with the exception of math and world language.

Social work students who earn a BSW degree from accredited Council on Social Work Education programs may be eligible for advanced standing in MSW degree programs. With advanced standing, graduate social work students can earn an MSW degree in less than one year in select programs.

External transfer credit requests should follow the Transfer Credit procedure at Penn State Admissions, which may involve evaluation of the external course by faculty for approval.

An applicant who has attempted 18 or more semester credits at another regionally accredited college or university subsequent to high school graduation will be evaluated as an advanced standing applicant.

Qualified sophomores, either in attendance or planning to commence studies at University Park Campus during their junior year, may compete for the special Two-Year College Program Advanced Standing or Two-Year Scholarship Programs.

Transfer credits for language courses taken prior to enrollment at Penn State may not be used.

In the case of advanced standing admission, performance is measured either through success in non-degree programs and courses of the University or by success at some other institution of higher education. Admissions Group II - Penn State Advanced Standing Admissions: Applicants who (1) request baccalaureate degree re-enrollment, presenting 18 or more semester credits; (2) request a change from Penn State associate degree to baccalaureate degree status, presenting 18 or more applicable semester credits; (3) request a change from Penn State provisional degree to baccalaureate degree status, presenting 18 or more applicable semester credits; or (4) request a change from Penn State non-degree to baccalaureate degree status, presenting 18 or more applicable semester credits. In all advanced standing admissions at Penn State, the student must have a grade-point average of at least 2.00 and must meet the minimum entrance and advanced standing requirements of the college or school. Admissions Group III - Other Advanced Standing Admissions: Applicants who have not been students at Penn State and request baccalaureate degree status at Penn State, presenting 18 or more applicable semester credits from a regionally accredited institution. In all advanced standing admissions, it is understood that the applicant must have a cumulative grade-point average of 2.00 as computed at Penn State and meet the minimum entrance and advanced standing requirements of the college or school.

Transfer Credits Credits earned at other institutions but not used to earn a degree may be applied toward the requirements for a graduate degree, subject to restrictions outlined in GCAC-309 Transfer Credit . It must be the opinion of the reviewing faculty that these courses are equivalent in quality to those offered at Penn State Harrisburg. Credit will not be given for any class used to complete a previous degree.