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Lifelong Learning and Adult EducationGraduate programs for educators of adults

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Program of Interest
The RN to BSN program requires you to have a valid RN license or to have earned one within your first semester of the program.

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The DNP – Nurse Practitioner program requires you to be licensed to practice professional nursing in the state of Pennsylvania, or to be licensed prior to being admitted into the program.

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The Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Graduate Certificate program requires you to be licensed to practice professional nursing in the state of Pennsylvania, or to be licensed prior to being admitted into the program.

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The Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Graduate Certificate program requires you to be licensed to practice professional nursing in the state of Pennsylvania, or to be licensed prior to being admitted into the program.

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The Family/Individual Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner Graduate Certificate program requires you to be licensed to practice professional nursing in the state of Pennsylvania, or to be licensed prior to being admitted into the program.

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Take the Next Step in Your Career

The modern workplace is in a state of rapid and consistent evolution, creating a sharp increase in the demand for workforce training and professional development. Penn State’s online lifelong learning and adult education program is one of the most established and respected programs in the country, taught by nationally renowned faculty.

Important Update: Applicants are no longer required to submit GRE/GMAT test scores.

Nationally Recognized

US News and World Report graduate education
Our graduate education programs are highly ranked by U.S. News & World Report.

Graduate Degrees

The Lifelong Learning and Adult Education master’s program offers an option to customize your degree. Choose the Global Online and Distance Education option or the general Master of Education option. The online Doctor of Education program draws from several disciplines and lets you customize your learning with a wide range of areas of emphasis, including adult education.

Lifelong Learning and Adult Education (Master of Education)
Apply by April 1 to start May 13
Develop the skills needed to serve adult learners as a teacher, trainer, or leader. This online master's program can prepare you with practical methods to effectively engage and lead in adult education.
Education (Doctor of Education)
Apply by September 15 to start January 13
Prepare for a leadership role to shape the future of education. Customize this online doctoral program by selecting courses from multiple disciplines to prepare for a career within educational institutions, private organizations, or all levels of government.

Graduate Certificate

In addition to our online master’s program in adult education, Penn State World Campus offers a related online postbaccalaureate certificate program. The credits you earn in this certificate program may be applied toward the requirements for the Master of Education in Lifelong Learning and Adult Education, upon your acceptance into that program.

Distance Education (Postbaccalaureate Certificate)
Apply by April 15 to start May 13
Meet the rising demand for distance education professionals. This program — designed by the founding director of the American Center for the Study of Distance Education — focuses on adult education principles, distance learning course design, and research and evaluation in distance education.

Act 48–Approved

Penn State is an Act 48–approved provider for Pennsylvania educators, so the courses for the Master of Education in Lifelong Learning and Adult Education may count toward your professional development hours.

Suddenly realizing that I now was going to make the commitment of working full-time and going back to school, I began to feel overwhelmed. After evaluating several options, it became clear to me that Penn State’s World Campus offered the program that I wanted -- with the flexibility I needed to pursue my master's degree.
— Alayne Fessler, Master of Education in Lifelong Learning and Adult Education

We Are Penn State Online

This is the real Penn State. You will take courses with curriculum developed by the same professors who teach on campus. You can expect the same caliber of academic quality that you associate with Penn State.