How to Apply - Graduate Certificate in Community and Economic Development
Deadlines and Important Dates
Applications are accepted for each academic semester and are reviewed by the program's faculty committee upon submission; the priority application deadlines are as follows:
- July 1 for fall semester admission
- November 1 for spring admission
- April 1 for summer semester* admission
*If summer courses are not offered, admission will be deferred to a future semester.
Admission decisions are provided within 2–3 weeks upon submission of a completed application.
Admissions Help
Our administrative coordinator is available to discuss with you your educational goals, certificate curriculum, application deadlines, and questions about the community and economic development certificate and/or the master's degree in community and economic development. Contact us at CEDEVInfo@psu.edu, call 814-863-5884, or visit our program page.
Prerequisites
For admission to the Graduate School, an applicant must hold either (1) a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or (2) a tertiary (postsecondary) degree that is deemed comparable to a four-year bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution. This degree must be from an officially recognized degree-granting institution in the country in which it operates.
You are expected to have completed 6 credits in social sciences — preferably 3 in economics and 3 in sociology — in your undergraduate program.
Application Materials
Individuals seeking admission to the Graduate Certificate in Community and Economic Development (CEDEV) must complete and submit the Penn State Graduate School online application. Within the online application, applicants will need to provide the following items:
A completed application, including a nonrefundable application fee, payable via secure online payment processing system
Current résumé
Short statement of interest. The online application contains an area to write this statement, which may address your reasons for pursuing the certificate program, why you feel you are a good candidate for the program, and any information you would like the admissions committee to know about you personally/professionally.
English Proficiency — The language of instruction at Penn State is English. All international applicants must take and submit scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS), with some exceptions. Minimum test scores and exceptions are found in the English Proficiency section on the Graduate School "How to Apply" page.
One set of unofficial transcripts for all graduate and undergraduate course work completed at an accredited institution, with English translation (literal) of records not in English; Please mail transcripts to:
CEDEV Graduate Program at Pennsylvania State University
305 Armsby Building
University Park PA 16802
Email to cedevinfo@psu.edu
If you have any questions about the application process, please contact the CEDEV Graduate Program at cedevinfo@psu.edu or (814) 865-6223.
Technical Requirements
Review the technical requirements for this program.