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Is this the real Penn State?
Yes! Penn State World Campus is one of Penn State's 25 campuses. Our students are Penn State students and are held to the same rigorous standards as Penn State students attending classes on campus. Your transcript will look the same as any other Penn State student's transcript, and your diploma will look the same as any other Penn State student's diploma. Neither the diploma nor the transcript will differentiate the mode (online or otherwise) in which the courses or degree was completed. You can learn more about our history or mission by visiting the "About Us" section of our Web site.
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Is Penn State World Campus accredited?
Penn State is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and has an outstanding reputation as a research and teaching university. Our courses are also accepted by most other colleges and universities in fulfillment of their requirements.
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How do I pay for my Penn State World Campus courses? Do you have a payment plan?
Your World Campus course tuition and fees must be paid in full when you register for your course(s). At this time the World Campus online iMBA program is the only one that offers a payment plan. Important: If you are a Penn State on-campus student, the tuition for World Campus courses is not included as part of standard University tuition, so you will need to pay for your World Campus courses at the time you register for them.
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Is financial aid available to World Campus students?
Yes. Detailed information about financial aid, scholarships, and other forms of aid can be found on our Paying for Your Education page.
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How can I transfer credits from another university to Penn State?
Most important, if you are planning to transfer college/university credits to Penn State, the institution must be accredited by one of the following accrediting agencies:
| Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools |
Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges |
| New England Association of Schools and Colleges |
Southern Association of Schools and Colleges |
| North Central Association of Colleges and Schools |
Western Association of Schools and Colleges |
Visit our transfer students page for specific information.
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Does Penn State accept professional experience for credit?
Penn State accepts only certain types of professional experience for credit toward fulfilling degree requirements—a process called Credit by Portfolio Evaluation, which is typically restricted to students with particular types of formal professional training, such as nurses or police officers. Some aspects of military training will also result in transfer credits if officially documented. Other types of professional training are considered on a case-by-case basis, but the review is costly and rarely results in credit conferral. Contact one of our academic advisers for further information.
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How do I apply to a Penn State World Campus distance education program?
Application instructions and admissions requirements vary by program. Visit the Web page for your World Campus program of interest and click on the "Apply Now" button for specific instructions.
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Do I have to be in a World Campus degree program to take a course? How do I register for a course?
Undergraduate Nondegree
With the exception of our dietetics and nursing courses, you don't have to be in a World Campus degree program to take undergraduate World Campus courses.
Graduate Nondegree
If you're interested in taking graduate-level World Campus courses as a nondegree student with the intent of eventually becoming a degree student, visit the Web page for your online degree or online certificate program of interest for information.
If you'd like to take a graduate-level online course for certification or professional development—or just for fun—and you don't intend to pursue a graduate degree program, you will need to complete a Graduate Nondegree Application Form (Adobe PDF; download the free Adobe® Acrobat® Reader software) before you can register for your World Campus course.
There are some World Campus online education programs with courses that are closed to graduate nondegree students. Contact our academic advising team for more information.
To Register
Visit our Getting Started page for specific registration instructions.
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How do I get my textbooks and other course materials?
Software for World Campus courses can be purchased at academic prices through education software vendor JourneyEd.com.
All textbooks for World Campus courses should be ordered through our contracted partner, MBS Direct. Should your World Campus course be cancelled, MBS Direct will refund the cost according to their return policy. If you purchase materials from a provider other than MBS Direct, you are responsible for verifying that the edition of the text is exactly the one required for your course; you are also responsible for knowing that vendor's return policy in the event your course is cancelled. World Campus is not responsible for refunding the cost of your course materials (purchased through MBS Direct or any other vendor) under any circumstances.
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How do I know if distance learning is right for me?
Learning via distance education requires a significant amount of self-motivation and commitment. Having the flexibility to study at the time that is most convenient for you means you won't have a firm schedule as you would in many on-campus courses. You will need to establish and hold to a fixed study schedule in order to successfully complete your course work. Because most of our students are juggling numerous life commitments at the same time they're taking courses, it's essential that you find a balance between your life responsibilities and course work to remain motivated.
Remember—we're here for you! With our amazing team of academic advisers, technical support experts, customer service representatives, and Penn State instructors, we'll help you get where you want to go—successfully—through distance education.
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