Academic Advising Basics

Welcome to Penn State Altoona

Your adviser and others in the Penn State Altoona community are here to help you succeed academically and with your co-curricular activities. The more you interact with your community members, the better advice they can provide to guide you on your Penn State journey.

At Penn State Altoona, you will find the appeal of a small, private college, with the name recognition and prestige of a major research University. Nearly 2,500 students attend classes in two campus locations: the Ivyside Campus and the Downtown Campus. Penn State Altoona is about forty miles from the University Park campus.

• Twenty-one undergraduate majors are offered at Altoona
• Start a major and finish at University Park or another Penn State location
• Five Associate Degrees
• Twenty-two Minors offered or start classes for a University Park minor
• Home to the nation’s first and only bachelor of science degree program in Rail Transportation Engineering (RTE)

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Nearly 2,700 students call Penn State Altoona home. With its 21 degrees, 60+ student clubs, NCAA Division III athletics, and two campus locations, Penn State Altoona is an exciting living and learning community.

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Whether you make Penn State Altoona your home for two or four years, you’ll be part of a supportive community where you can excel in the classroom, build relationships with faculty, and meet some of your best friends.

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Penn State students Emerie Stagner, Angel Beverly, Vee Stripnek, and Cole Gibson offer a tour of Penn State Altoona.

Credit: Starfleet Productions, Inc.

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Penn State Altoona Resources

Academic Resources

• The Student Success Center offers tutoring for multiple subject areas via drop-in or appointment times with peer and professional tutors in small groups or individually.
  • Professional and peer tutors
  • Tutoring for mathematics, English, science, languages, and more
  • Schedules posted on the tutoring website
  • Located on the first floor of the Eiche Library
• The Honors Program offers an enriched academic experience for high-achieving, motivated students who qualify by providing opportunities to shape their coursework, research, and creative efforts.
• Undergraduate Research opportunities with faculty are available, and an Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities Fair is held annually.
• Study Away/Study Abroad experiences are offered.
• Internships are available to enhance understanding of concepts learned in class.
• The Sheetz Fellows Program offers mentoring opportunities with successful entrepreneurs and community leaders.

Student Life

• The Office of Student Leadership and Involvement is located in the Slep Student Center.
• Penn State Altoona has 60+ clubs and organizations in academics, activism, outreach, the arts, sports, recreation, faith, spirit and tradition, diversity, and more.
• Students can participate in NCAA Division III Athletics and club sports in the Adler Athletic Complex.
• The Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging provides a range of programs, discussions, social events, resources, guest lectures and events.

Student Services

• Career Services will work with you from start to finish, from career counseling and major exploration, searching for the career that fits your personality, to putting together a stellar resume, to preparing for your job interview.
• Student Disability Resources is responsible for coordinating support services, reasonable academic accommodations, and promoting disability awareness.
• The Health and Wellness Center offers medical care and treatment for most illnesses and minor injuries as well as counseling and psychological services, student disability resources, and health education
• Financial Aid Office

Faculty and Division of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) advisers share the advising of students at Penn State Altoona. The advisers serve to provide information regarding academic policies and procedures, assist in developing short-term and long-term academic planning, and refer students to campus resources.

DUS advises students who are undecided about a major or who are transitioning from one major to another. Faculty advise students in a pre-major or major program.

It is recommended that students meet with their assigned adviser two or three times a semester to develop a relationship and explore academic and career goals.

Students are assigned to advisers and are re-assigned when a major is changed. Your adviser's name and contact information are available in LionPATH and Starfish.

Working Together

The following table explains the adviser’s role and the student’s role:

Students are responsible for course scheduling, program planning, and the successful completion of all graduation requirements.

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Sophomore student Kalle Cooper discusses her experiences at Penn State Altoona and in the Division of Undergraduate Studies and how she explored majors.

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Majors have requirements that need to be completed for entrance into a major.

Entrance to major requirements listed in the Bulletin must be met to be eligible to enter a major. Specific courses, GPA requirements, specific completed credit amounts, and a portfolio review are examples of the entrance to major requirements listed in the Bulletin.

Suggested academic plans for majors are also listed in the Bulletin to provide a guide for course selection each semester.

Students will begin in a pre-major status or in the Division of Undergraduate Studies (DUS). Once the entrance to major requirements have been mostly completed or are in progress, students can change into a specific major using Update Academics on LionPATH. Entrance to major usually occurs during the fourth semester, though it could occur sooner if requirements have been met. Students may change from DUS to pre-major status before the fourth semester.

Entrance to Major

• Begin in Pre-major status
• Complete entrance to major requirements which may include:
  • Specific courses
  • Grades/GPA
  • Credits
  • Portfolio/Talent Review
• Enter a major

Non-Controlled/Controlled Majors

The following table explained non-controlled, academically-controlled, and administratively-controlled majors.

Change of Campus to University Park

Students usually need an academic reason to change to University Park before the fifth semester. If a student can get a full-time schedule (twelve credits or more) at Penn State Altoona and make academic progress, the student will remain at Altoona for four semesters. Students usually change into a major before changing campus to University Park. Changes to other commonwealth campuses before the fifth semester (other than University Park) are often approved. The requested change is reviewed by the Penn State Altoona Registrar’s Office and then by the campus to which the student is requesting transfer.

Use the Undergraduate Bulletin’s Suggested Academic Plans of courses as a guide for course selection.

If undecided about a major, a combination of general education courses and an introductory course for a major under consideration are options.

PSU 003 First-Year Seminar is a one-credit course taken by students during the first or second semester.

Be prepared to meet with your adviser:

• Review the Course Planning Guide.
• Use the Bulletin’s Suggested Academic Plans.
• Prepare a list of courses that you plan to take.
• List questions that you want to discuss with an adviser.

Students register for courses using LionPATH. Tutorials are available.

General Education: Categories of classes in which students can gain skills and knowledge related to or outside of the chosen field of study. Students can use general education courses to explore subjects that interest them. The categories of general education classes are listed in the following groupings:

Strong Foundations

• Writing and Speaking (GWS)
• Quantification (GQ)

Transformative Explorations

• Health and Wellness (GHW)
• Natural Sciences (GN)
• Arts (GA)
• Humanities (GH)
• Social and Behavioral Sciences (GS)

Integrative Learning

• Inter-domain Courses
• Linked Courses

Penn State Altoona has two campus locations, the Downtown Campus and the Ivyside Campus. Please be aware of the location and time of the course during course selection and registration.

Allow at least thirty minutes between classes when going from one campus to the other.

Downtown Campus buildings feature labs for rail transportation engineering, information technology, and nursing, a communications suite, and an entrepreneurship center. The buildings include:

• Aaron Building
• Devorris Downtown Center
• Kazmaier Family Building
• Penn Building
• Sheetz Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence

All other buildings are at the Ivyside Campus.

There is a bus that goes between campuses. Driving time is about ten minutes from one campus to the other, but additional time is needed for parking and getting to class.

Visit the campus map to learn more.

Check your Penn State email daily for important messages! Watch for emails from advisers, announcements about opportunities, and much more.

You can also check the following sites and social media channels for information:

• Instagram: studentlifepsaltoona
• Connect: Your online involvement community
• Student Leadership and Involvement website
• Email: [email protected]

Any academic decision you face—choosing a major, dropping or adding a course, changing campuses—is made up of three stages:

1. Reflecting on your interests, goals, and experiences.
2. Consulting experts and outside resources for more information.
3. Deciding on a course of action.

Everyone enters this process at a different stage.

If you're unsure of who you are, your talents, passions, and abilities, you are most likely in the reflect stage. Sometimes, reflection leads directly to a decision. Other times, it leads you to consult with others.

If you have a direction in mind but haven't spoken to anyone else or gotten any information, you are most likely in the consult stage. Sometimes, the information you receive leads you to reflect again on your path. Other times, the information confirms a decision.

If you have made up your mind about something, you are likely in the decide stage. If you have never reflected on this decision, now is a good time to do so! Also, once you have decided, you might want to consult experts for more information about how to be successful.

Whatever stage you are in, start with that module. See where your self-exploration takes you!

What stage best describes you?

Reflect

If you are reconsidering your direction or reflecting on an important decision, please look at the reflection module before coming to see your adviser.

Please bring to your appointment:

• Your thoughts about the videos or activities found in the Reflection module
• Questions you have about your own thoughts
• Ideas for next steps

Consult

If you have already done some self-reflection, it's time to seek other resources. Please look at the resources found in the Consult module to gather more information.

Please bring to your appointment:

• List of courses and/or majors that the resources suggest
• Questions about the information found in your resources

Decide

If you are sure of your direction and course schedule, it's time to take action! Please look at the Decide module for some concrete action steps you can take.

Please bring to your appointment:

• List of courses you plan to take next semester
• Any questions you might have

DUS is full of students who are discovering their academic paths. Watch some of the stories of your fellow students and ask yourself these questions:

1. Is there a story I can particularly relate to? Why?
2. How is my own story different from the stories of these students?
3. What can I learn from their stories?

Access student videos.

As you watch the video below, reflect on these questions:

1. Does this video match up with how you think of personal identity? Why or why not?
2. "You will wake up one day and not be the 'you' that you once were." Who have you been in the past? Who are you now? Who are you hoping to become?

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Take a few minutes to reflect and develop a timeline of how you have gotten to where you are today, and where you want to go in the future.

Some guiding questions to help:

1. Who has influenced or inspired you?
2. What experiences have been meaningful to you?
3. What experiences do you want to have in your life?
4. What are your proudest accomplishments?
5. What obstacles have you overcome?
6. What roles do you want to play throughout your life?

Past------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Present

The Penn State Bulletin

Use the Penn State Bulletin to search majors by interest, campus, and college.

Penn State has a suggested academic plan (SAP) for every major. You will not follow this plan exactly---it is just a possible path that you can take. However, it is very helpful to look at in order to plan your upcoming semesters!

You can access the SAPs at the University Bulletin.

1. Select "Program" and type in the name of the degree.
    

2. On the right, select "Suggested Academic Plan.
    

3. If relevant, select an option.
4. Click on a specific course to read the description.
    

A What-if Report is an extremely helpful advising tool. It will show you exactly what courses you need for graduation.

The What-if Report ...

1. Takes into account all the courses you've taken in the past and are currently taking. It will then show you what courses you have left to complete.
2. Can be run for any major. If you're considering multiple majors, run a What-If Report for each to see how your credits fit in with different degrees.
3. Is available in LionPATH.

Watch a video tutorial on how to run a What-If Report.

Confused by what you see? Watch a video tutorial on interpreting a What-If Report.

If you need help understanding a function in LionPATH, click here for videos and step-by-step tutorials!

You can find Penn State courses in two different ways. You access both through LionPATH.

1. Schedule Builder 

2. This is a sandbox for you to play in! It is a planner that shows you all the possible schedules based on every available section of the courses you choose. When you find a schedule you like, you can export it to LionPATH to actually schedule it.
   Find more tutorials here under "Course and Class Search"
3. Class Search 

4. 
   This has more details than schedule builder. It also lets you search by more features, such as start-date and web courses.
   Find more tutorials here under "Course and Class Search"

LionPATH
Click on the "My Advisers" tab in the top right corner of the homepage.

Starfish
Click on the "My Success Network" tab.

DUS advisers and some faculty advisers use Starfish to schedule appointments. If your adviser does not use Starfish, contact them to schedule an appointment.

Directory of faculty and staff at Penn State Altoona

Penn State Altoona uses a shared advising model. Types of advisers include:

• Professional DUS advisers, who advise mainly DUS students (exploring multiple academic programs/majors) and students in transition from one major to another
• Faculty advisers, who advise students in pre-major or major status.
• College Resource Representatives, who serve as contacts to discuss majors in the college that they represent.
• Program Coordinators, who serve as resources to discuss majors offered at Penn State Altoona.

Adviser Assignment
Students are assigned to advisers during New Student Orientation and are re-assigned when a major is changed.

All DUS advisers and some faculty advisers use Starfish to schedule appointments. If your assigned adviser does not use Starfish for appointments, contact the adviser via email or go to their office hours.

To schedule an appointment using Starfish

• Log into Starfish and click on “Home."
• Find “My Success Network” in the navigation pane.
  This will show you all your instructors and adviser. You can make an appointment with your adviser from their Individual profiles.
• Click Schedule Appointment link.
  Calendar (left-hand side) will show dates with open appointment times. Days in bold-face are the ones available for scheduling.
• Click the + icon next to the appointment time that fits your schedule.
• Select a Reason for the appointment.
• Type a detailed description for the meeting to help the adviser best prepare for the meeting.

Once you create the appointment, Starfish will send you an email confirming the appointment and will also send you a reminder closer to the appointment time. Your “Dashboard” will show the new appointment that you have created.

To cancel an appointment

Click the “x” in the upper right of the appointment block on your Dashboard.
If you do need to cancel, please do so well in advance and give your adviser some reasons why the appointment is being canceled.

Video tutorial

A short video explaining how to schedule an appointment (click on How to Schedule an Appointment - Desktop).

Advisers are assigned during New Student Orientation (NSO) based on pre-major status.

After completing the entrance to major requirements and changing from pre-major status to a major, your adviser will be changed based on your major. Information about your adviser will be sent to your Penn State email. Your new adviser will be listed on LionPATH and Starfish.

If you would like to change your adviser while still in pre-major status, contact the College Representative or Program Coordinator. If in DUS pre-major status, please email [email protected].

Student Responsibilities

• Acquire the information needed to assume final responsibility for course scheduling, program planning, and the successful completion of all graduation requirements.
• Explore educational opportunities at Penn State by learning more about their [intended] major and evaluating the fit of their interests and abilities with their [intended] program.
• Engage in planning prior to meetings with academic advisers using relevant tools and resources, such as the University Bulletin, Suggested Academic Plans, and degree audits.
• Meet regularly with an assigned academic adviser to discuss goals, plans, the suitability of other educational opportunities provided by the University, academic progress, challenges, and concerns.
• Seek a variety of opportunities and information needed to set and achieve educational goals.
• Become knowledgeable about the relevant policies, procedures, and rules of the University, college, and academic program.
• Use the logic of the curriculum to integrate learning across all educational experiences.

Adviser Responsibilities

• Engage students in an active discussion of their educational and career objectives with the intent of helping students to understand the range of educational opportunities available at Penn State.
• Help students to better understand the logic of the curriculum and the relationships among educational opportunities such as General Education courses, University requirements, programs, undergraduate research opportunities, internships, study abroad programs, and other academic experiences.
• Help students to understand the nature of the University’s academic programs and to understand the expected standards of achievement and the likelihood of success in certain areas of study.
• Assist students in addressing concerns affecting their academic progress and make referrals to appropriate support services.
• Ensure that students are aware of appropriate University procedures and policies, and help students understand their purpose and rationale.
• Help students to plan a course of study and give advice about courses and the adjustment of course loads.
• Complete consistent electronic documentation of advising interactions in the “student advising system” as Penn State is based on mobility within the institution. A cohesive record of students’ movement through the institution is necessary to provide a consistent and strong advising experience.
• Actively reach out to students as interventions are needed, and provide timely responses to concerns raised by the student or others in a student’s support network.
• Create an inclusive environment that welcomes and supports all students.
• Participate in ongoing professional development to keep informed of and current with advising practice and University policies.
• Where appropriate, contribute to and engage in the scholarship of teaching, learning, and advising.

The Academic Calendar contains important dates and deadlines for the semester.

It is important to use the calendar to be aware of dates and specific deadlines. Some useful dates include the course drop and add deadlines, late drop deadlines, holidays, and more.

The baccalaureate degree General Education program consists of 45 credits in:

• Foundations courses in writing, speaking and quantification (15 credits)
• Knowledge Domains in the Arts, Humanities, Natural Sciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Health and Wellness (30 credits)
• Integrative Studies that bridges commonality and intersections between the Knowledge Domains

The associate degree General Education program consists of 21 credits in:

• Foundations courses in writing, speaking, and quantification (6 credits)
• Knowledge Domains in the Arts, Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Social and Behavioral Sciences (15 credits)

Additional information about gen eds

General Education Planning Tool

See how your courses apply toward a major's general education requirements using a What-if report on LionPATH.

Full-time status is twelve credits or more. Most students take fifteen to seventeen credits per semester to graduate in four years.

Part-time status is eleven credits or less.

LionPATH allows students to enroll in up to nineteen credits per semester. Additional credits can be added starting on the first day of the semester.

Information about taking more than nineteen credits is available on the Registrar's office website, and it states:

Adding a course that will take a student over nineteen credits for the semester.

• Beginning fall 2023, will result in a tuition surcharge
• Cannot be processed until the first day of classes
• Approval of the adviser is recommended
• $6.00 fee for each transaction after the regular add period

Process to Add a Credit Overload:

1. Obtain the Class Number from the Schedule of Courses.
2. In the LionPATH Student Center, click the "Enroll" link under Academics, and then choose the "Add" subtab to add a course.
   • View LionPATH Video Tutorial on How to Add Courses
   • Download LionPATH Tutorial in Microsoft Word on How to Add Courses
3. In person using a Registration Drop/Add Form. Submit the form to the Registrar's office.

Effective spring 2022, students who have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 can enroll for up to twenty-four credits.

Frequently Asked Questions about the tuition surcharge

• Abbreviations, acronyms, and codes for Penn State
• Definitions and abbreviations in the Undergraduate Bulletin
• Course attributes and suffixes to define course characteristics
• Definitions of Undergraduate degrees and requirements

Directory of academic and administrative departments, campus resources, and a search feature for finding faculty and staff.

Use the directory to help you locate people and offices on campus and find contact information.

Here is a breakdown of some basic info about the hierarchy/types of degrees:

Colleges: contain specific majors and minors, examples College of Agricultural Sciences, College of Liberal Arts, College of Engineering, etc.

Majors: a plan of study containing specific courses for a concentration of study.

• Types of baccalaureate degrees - Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Bachelor of Science (BS). Some majors are specified as a certain degree BA or BS. Other majors let the student decide which to complete, the BA or BS degree. In general terms, a BA degree will require a foreign language and a BS degree usually does not (exception Smeal Business majors). Math requirements for the BA and BS degrees can also vary. Usually, a BA or BS degree is not a factor in a job search, one degree is not preferred over the other.
• Students are in a Pre-Major (PMAJ) status or the Division of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) while completing the entrance to major requirements.

Options: Bachelor of Science degrees may offer option areas which are a concentration of courses/specialization area in addition to courses required for the major.

Minors: a concentration of courses for 18 credits or more to supplement a major. Minors can be related to your major or in a different area of study.

Associate Degrees: a two-year degree of 60 credits. Students can use an associate's degree as a step to a baccalaureate (four-year degree) or get a job after completing the associate's degree. Some degrees are specific and the Letters, Arts and Sciences associate's degree is more general.

Certificates: 9–15 credits to enhance a degree or be a stand-alone exhibit of a knowledge area.

Graduate Degrees: upon completion of a bachelor's degree, a graduate degree can be obtained. A Master's degree is usually two years and a doctorate is four or more years, depending on the area of study.

When a student earns less than a 2.00 grade-point average, academic progress statuses are applied. These statuses include academic warning, academic suspension, and academic dismissal.

Academic Warning

If you have been notified that you are in Academic Warning status:

1. Complete the Academic Action Plan form.
2. Submit your responses to the Academic Action Plan (the form is emailed to the adviser).
3. Discuss your situation/Academic Action Plan with your adviser in person or via Zoom.
4. LionPATH hold will be released.
5. Maintain contact with your adviser regarding your academic progress.
6. Earn a 2.0 or higher semester GPA to continue to take classes while raising your cumulative GPA to a 2.0 or better to be removed from Academic Warning status.

Academic Suspension

Procedure for Academic Suspension Students:

1. While in academic suspension, students wait two semesters before returning to take classes (summer is classified as a semester).
2. Complete the Academic Action Plan while in academic suspension status or when ready to re-enroll to resume taking classes.
3. Discuss your situation/responses to the Academic Action Plan with your adviser in person or via Zoom.
4. Complete the re-enrollment form prior to the deadline for the semester you want to return.
5. Register for classes after the re-enrollment process has been completed.
6. Maintain contact with your adviser regarding your academic progress. Note: you are returning on academic warning status.
7. Earn a 2.0 or higher semester GPA to continue to take classes while raising your cumulative GPA to 2.0 or better to be removed from academic warning status. Note: If your semester GPA is below 2.0, you will move to academic dismissal and must wait four years before being eligible to return to Penn State.

Academic Dismissal

A petition may be used to request an exception to a policy and/or to request a retroactive procedure. Strong, documented justification must be provided to establish the circumstances that warrant an exception. The most common petitions are retroactive withdrawals and retroactive late drops.

• While in academic dismissal, students wait 4 calendar years before returning to take classes.
• Complete the re-enrollment form before the deadline for the semester you want to return.
• Register for classes after the re-enrollment process has been completed.
• Maintain contact with your adviser regarding your academic progress.

With strong justification, a petition may be used to appeal academic suspension or dismissal. Students need 15 or fewer recovery points to begin the petition process. Recovery points are calculated by using this formula:

Recovery points = GPA units x [2 - gpa]

Recovery Point Calculator

Learn more about petitions

If for reasons beyond the student's control, a student is prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, the grade in that course may be deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. Contact your instructor to discuss a deferred grade, if needed.

The period during which a grade may be deferred shall not extend beyond ten weeks following the end date of the course (as it appears in the schedule of courses). The symbol DF appears on the student’s transcript until the course has been completed.

A deferred grade that is not changed to a quality grade by the instructor before the end of this period automatically becomes an F.

Additional information about Deferred Grades

• Grade Forgiveness enables students to repeat a course in which they earned less than a C grade. The new grade replaces the original grade and is calculated into the GPA.
• Grade forgiveness can only be requested after the student has repeated the course and earned a higher grade.
• Students have a maximum of twelve credits for which grades can be forgiven (six credits for an associate's degree)
• Only grades of D or F can be forgiven.
• Before requesting Grade Forgiveness, contact the Financial Aid Office to discuss any possible implications if aid is received.
• Once the grade for the repeated class has been posted to the student’s academic record, Grade Forgiveness can be requested by clicking “Academic Records” and then “Grade Forgiveness” in LionPATH. An adjusted GPA calculation cannot be reversed.
• The original grade remains on the transcript. A notation is added indicating the course(s) for which a grade has been omitted from the GPA.
• Students who have graduated are not eligible for Grade Forgiveness.

Grade Forgiveness Request Instructions

Students can repeat the same course if it is late dropped or unsuccessfully completed with a low grade. Review the Course Repeat Policy.

• Two attempts to complete the same course
• A third attempt can be requested by completing the Special Course Repeat/Credit Overload Request form
• Grade forgiveness is possible after completing the course again with a higher grade policy.
• If the student withdraws from the University, the course will not be counted as one of the attempts.
• Credits for the course are counted once toward graduation.

A leave of absence allows students to interrupt continuous enrollment (usually for a semester or one year) without having to apply for re-enrollment and without changing the conditions of their academic program.

• The deadline for filing a Leave of Absence Form is the last working day prior to the first day of classes for the semester the leave will begin. Submit the completed form to the Registrar's office.
• A leave of absence is not required for the summer session.
• You will be expected to return to the University according to the conditions of your approved leave.
• If you return to school earlier or later than approved, you must submit an application for re-enrollment.
• You may not enroll in any Penn State courses during a leave of absence.
• You may enroll in courses offered by another accredited institution.
• Students receiving federal financial aid loans are considered to be in an "out of school status" and may use their loan repayment grace period and could possibly enter loan repayment. Borrowers should check first with their loan servicer. Go to the Student Aid office for more information.

Additional Information on Leave of Absence

Re-enrollment allows a student to resume taking classes toward completion of a degree. Re-enrollment is appropriate if you:

• Withdrew from the University
• Interrupted continuous degree enrollment during fall/spring semester
• Were dismissed or suspended for nonacademic reasons
• Invalidated a leave of absence
• Plan to return for a second associate or baccalaureate degree
• Plan to return for graduation
• Voluntarily changed your enrollment status to non-degree

Students who left in good standing and who are re-enrolling in their previous major (providing the major is not controlled) will be approved to re-enroll. Every re-enrollment request will be reviewed and a decision letter will be sent to the student.

Overview of the Re-enrollment Process

1. Student submits re-enrollment form by the deadline date.
2. Registrar’s Office sends form to program coordinator for review.
3. Program Coordinator sends approval or denial to Registrar’s Office.
4. Registrar’s Office notifies student by email through LionPATH confirming or denying re-enrollment.
5. If approved, Registrar’s Office enters student information into LionPATH.
6. LionPATH sends an automated email with log-on information to student.
7. Student logs on to LionPATH and completes Pre-Registration Activity Guide and Financial Responsibility Agreement.
8. Student is ready to meet with an adviser and add classes per the set registration/enrollment date.

Semester classification (semester standing) is related to the total amount of credits completed.

It is used for the following:

• how early a student may register
• assigning classes with a prerequisite semester classification
• change of campus assignment
• tuition calculation
• eligibility for parking on campus
• football tickets

If you are unable to complete the semester, you may choose to withdraw from the University.

• Students may withdraw at any time during the semester including the last day of classes.
• Withdrawals are effective the date the form is received by the Registrar's office.
• Withdrawal will delay normal degree progress, and may have financial implications.
• Undergraduate students should contact their academic advisers to discuss alternatives.
• Withdrawal will terminate enrollment in credit courses for current and future semesters except in the case of "summer-only" withdrawal.
• Withdrawal results in a "W" symbol recorded as the course grade(s) on your transcript.
• If a course was completed before a withdrawal was processed, a grade or appropriate symbol is recorded.

Reasons for Withdrawing

• Poor academic performance
• Financial issues
• Family/personal issues
• Transfer to another college
• Active military duty
• Health problems

If applicable, contact offices on campus concerning your withdrawal:

• Housing and/or meal plan contract: Port-Sky Café office
• Financial Aid: W113 Smith Building
• Tuition: W111 Smith Building - tuition adjustment policy may apply based on the withdrawal date

International Students

You may need to return to your home country immediately upon withdrawal from the University. Meet with the Coordinator of International Student Services in 103 Slep Student Center

Overview of the Withdrawal Process

More information available on the Penn State Altoona Registrar site.

Fall and Spring Withdrawal

1. The student submits the withdrawal form and completed a checklist to the Penn State Altoona Registrar's Office in 130 Smith Building. A copy of both forms will be given to the student to share with parents and family and/or to retain for their own record.
2. Penn State Altoona Registrar’s Office submits the completed form to UP for final processing
3. All current semester courses will be noted as withdrawn (W) on the student’s transcript
4. All future semester courses will be canceled from the student’s record
5. Once a withdrawal is processed, a student must file either a Re-Enrollment Form ($20 charge) or a Non-Degree Enrollment Form (depending on their academic status at the time of withdrawal) to return to Penn State.

Summer Withdrawal

1. Student submits a withdrawal form to the Penn State Altoona’s Registrar’s Office
2. Penn State Altoona Registrar’s Office submits the completed form to UP for final processing
3. All current semester courses will be noted as withdrawn (W) on the student’s transcript
4. All Fall Semester courses will remain on the student’s record
5. The student remains in inactive status in LionPATH; It is not necessary to file a re-enrollment or a non-degree enrollment form for the Fall Semester

Returning to Penn State

Once a withdrawal is processed, a student must file either a re-enrollment form or a non-degree enrollment form (depending on your academic status at the time of withdrawal) to return to Penn State.

Alternative grading, first implemented in spring 2020, will continue to be an option for the spring 2021 semester to serve as a safety net for undergraduate students who encounter significant academics challenges due to circumstances beyond their control.

LionPATH allows undergraduate students to select which standard grades (those that carry grade points) they want to replace with alternative grades.

For D or F grades, alternative grades protect students from having their Penn State GPA negatively impacted. For grades of C or better, the selection of SAT (Satisfactory) grades will keep the grades from appearing on their transcripts and remove them from their GPA calculation.

The alternative grading options are as follows:

• SAT (Satisfactory): This grade will be available if a student earns a C or better in a course. A course with an SAT grade can be used to meet prerequisites requiring a C or better.
• V (Pass): This grade, which will be available if a student earns a D in a course, will be considered a passing grade. The student will earn credits for the course, and a V grade can be used to meet requirements for which D is an acceptable grade. The V grade cannot be used to meet C-or-better requirements.
• Z (No Grade): This grade will be available if a student earns an F in a course. Z can be used to replace an F grade and will be treated similar to a Late Drop (LD).

Use alternative grading very cautiously and with a lot of attention to the potential long-term implications of this decision, especially for the selection of SAT grades.

• Administratively controlled majors may have specific entrance to major courses for which alternative grades may not be used.
• SAT grade may be interpreted negatively by outside entities such as graduate schools and employers, some of which are likely to recalculate GPAs.

Additional information about alternative grading is available on the University Registrar's site.

The Undergraduate Bulletin provides official documentation and information on policies, procedures, majors, and more at Penn State.

Video Tutorials

• Introduction to the Bulletin
• Using the Filters
• Sample Program Page
• General Information Menu Option
• Bulletins Archives Menu Option

Use the links below to find further information.

Majors: All students must eventually choose a major, but Penn State allows ample time to explore and discover. Click on this link to investigate Penn State's 275+ majors. Filtering options allow sorting by interest area, campus, and college to help examine and analyze all of the possibilities.

Minors: A minor is an addition of 18-21 credits that can complement any major at any campus where the required coursework is offered. Penn State has over 200 Minors to choose from, so visit this link to research if adding a minor may be an option for you.

Certificates: Penn State has over 100 Undergraduate Certificates, which are a great way to enhance a major. They are typically 9-15 credits and can be taken at any campus that offers the specified coursework. Choose this link to investigate the options.

General Education: Composing about one-third of an undergraduate degree, General Education requirements connect curiosity with career. They are a great way to explore areas of interest while still working towards degree completion. The link gives details on the specifics requirements and categories of General Education.

Undergraduate Courses: Looking for a course on a specific topic or that fulfills a certain General Education category? This link provides a description of each and every undergraduate course at Penn State and is a great way to browse course options.

Entrance to Major Requirements: From this link, choose "Entrance to Major" to learn more about the minimum academic requirements needed to declare a major. Some majors also have Enrollment Controls, so be sure to note the requirements for any and all majors you are currently considering.

Enrollment Controls: This site lists all currently Administratively Enrollment Controlled majors at Penn State. These majors at GPA and course requirements that must be met before being able to declare them. It is important to be aware of these conditions during the exploration process, as it could impact your choices moving forward.

Please consult the Undergraduate Bulletin for current course requirements.

College of Agricultural Sciences

• All Majors – Ag 150
• Agribusiness Management - AGBM 101 (GS) or ECON 102 (GS), ECON 104 (GS)
• Agricultural and Extension Education - AEE 100, BIOL 110 (GN), EDPSY 14, EDTHP 115
• Agricultural Science - CHEM 130 (GN) or 110 (GN) and 111 (GN), BIOL 110 (GN), BISC 3 (GN)
• Animal Sciences - BIOL 110 (GN), CHEM 110 (GN) and 111 (GN), ECON 102 (GS)
• BioRenewable Systems - CHEM 110 (GN) and 111 (GN), ECON 104 (GS), EDSGN 100, MATH 110 (GQ) or 140 (GQ), PHYS 211 (GN) or 250 (GN)
• Community, Environment, and Development - AGBM 101 (GS) or ECON 102 (GS), ECON 104 (GS), GEOG 160 (GS), RSOC 11 (GS) or SOC 1 (GS)
• Environmental Resource Management - BIOL 110 (GN), CHEM 110 (GN) and 111 (GN), ECON 102 (GS), MATH 110 (GQ) or 140 (GQ)
• Food Science - BIOL 110 (GN), CHEM 110 (GN) and 111 (GN), FDSC 200, MATH 110 (GQ) or 140 (GQ), HIST 111 (GH)
• Forest Ecosystem Management - BIOL 110 (GN), CHEM 110 (GN) and 111 (GN), ECON 102 (GS), STAT 200 (GQ) or STAT 240 (GQ) or STAT 250 (GQ); and for some options: MATH 110 (GQ) or 140 (GQ)
• Immunology and Infectious Disease - BIOL 110 (GN), CHEM 110 (GN) and 111 (GN), MATH 140 (GQ)
• Landscape Contracting - ART 20 (GA), BIOL 110 (GN) or BIOL 127 (GN), HORT 101 (GN), LARCH 60 (GA), SOILS 101 (GN)
• Plant Sciences - BIOL 110 (GN), CHEM 110 (GN) and 111 (GN), HORT 101 (GN), SOILS 101 (GN)
• Toxicology - BIOL 110 (GN), CHEM 110 (GN) and 111 (GN), MATH 140 (GQ)
• Turfgrass Science - BIOL 110 (GN), BIOL 127 (GN), CHEM 130 (GN) or 110 (GN), SOILS 101 (GN)
• Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences - BIOL 110 (GN), CHEM 110 (GN) and 111 (GN), MATH 140 (GQ)
• Wildlife and Fisheries Science - BIOL 110 (GN), CHEM 110 (GN) and 111 (GN), ECON 104 (GS), MATH 110 (GQ) or 140 (GQ)

College of Arts & Architecture

• Acting – Dance 270 (GHW), THEA 102 (GA), THEA 150, Dance 370, Thea 289
• Architecture - ART 10 (GA), ART 20 (GA), ART H 201 (GA; IL), ART H 202 (GA; US; IL), ARCH 100 (GA), MATH 26 (GQ) or higher, submit portfolio (Art 165, Art 168)
• Art - ART 20 (GA), ART 30 (GA), ART 50 (GA), ART 80 (GA), ART 110 (Art 165, Art 168)
• Art Education - AED 101S (FYS), AED 225 (GA; US)
• Art History - ARTH 1S (GA), ARTH 111 (GA; IL), ARTH 112 (GA; IL), ARTH 120 (GA; IL), ARTH 130 (GA; US; IL), ARTH 140 (GA ;IL)
• Graphic Design - CAS 175 (GH), GD 100 (GA), IST 110 (GS), PHOTO 100 (GA) (Art 165, Art 168)
• Landscape Architecture - ART 10 (GA), LARCH 60 (GA), LARCH 65 (GA;US;IL), BIOL 011 (GN) and 12 (GN) or BIOL 127 (GN), EARTH 100 (GN), GEOG 20 (GS;US;IL), GEOG 30 (GS;IL), GEOG 115 (GN), GEOSC 10 (GN), SOILS 101 (GN), ART 20 (GA), MATH 26 (GQ) or higher (Art 165, Art 168)
• Music; Music Education; Musical Arts - MUSIC 4 (GA), MUSIC 5 (GA), MUSIC 7 (GA;US), MUSIC 8 (GA), MUSIC 9 (GA;IL), MUSIC 50 (GA), MUSIC 51 (GA) or ensemble courses or private lessons
• Theatre - THEA 105 or THEA 100 (GA), THEA 102 (GA), THEA 289 (GA)

Smeal College of Business

• All majors - ECON 102 (GS), ECON 104, SCM 200 or STAT 200 (GQ), MATH 110 or 140 (GQ)
• Actuarial Science - MATH 140 (GQ)

Bellisario College of Communications

• Advertising/Public Relations - ENGL 15 or 30 (GWS), ECON 102 (GS), PSYCH 100 (GS), COMM 118 (GS) or 110 (GH)
• Film and Video - COMM 150 (GA), ENGL 15 or 30 (GWS)
• Journalism - ENGL 15 or 30 (GWS), COMM 160, COMM 180 (GS), COMM 205 (US) (GS effective SP15)
• Media Studies - COMM 100 (GS), ENGL 15 or 30 (GWS), COMM 110 (GH), COMM 118 (GS), COMM 150 (GA), COMM 205 (US) (GS effective SP15)
• Telecommunications - ECON 102 (GS), ENGL 15 or 30 (GWS), COMM 180 (GS)

College of Earth and Mineral Sciences

• Earth Science and Policy - BIOL 110 (GN), GEOG 126 (GS), GEOSC 1 and 20 (GN), PLSC 1 (GS)
• Earth Sciences - CHEM 110 and 111 (GN), GEOG 30 (GS), GEOSC 20 (GN), METEO 3 (GN)
• Energy, Business and Finance - ECON 102 (GS), MATH 140 (GQ), EBF 200 (GS), ECON 302 (GS)
• Energy Engineering, Environmental Systems Engineering; Mining Engineering; Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering - MATH 140 (GQ), CHEM 110 and 111 (GN), PHYS 211 (GN)
• Geobiology - BIOL 110 (GN), MATH 140 (GQ), CHEM 110 and 111 (GN), GEOSC 001
• Geography - GEOG 10 (GN), GEOG 20 (GS), GEOG 30 (GS), GEOG 160 (GS)
• Geosciences - GEOSC 1, MATH 140 (GQ), CHEM 110 and 111 (GN)
• Materials Science and Engineering - MATH 140 (GQ), CHEM 110 and 111 (GN), MATSE 112 (GN), PHYS 211 (GN)
• Meteorology - METEO 101 (GN), MATH 140 (GQ), PHYS 211 (GN)

College of Education

• All majors for teacher certification (not RHS or EPP) - EDPSY 14
• EARLY CHILDHOOD & ELEMENTARY EDUCATION - EDTHP 115, EDPSY 11/ HDFS 229 (GS), HIST 20, HIST 21, HIST 12 (GH) or SOC 119 (GS), Engl Literature courses (CMLIT or ENGL) (for PK-4), MATH 30 (GQ), STAT 100 or STAT 200(GQ)
• MIDDLE LEVEL EDUCATION – EDTHP 115, HD FS 239, Engl Literature courses (CMLIT or Literature), course in subject area (English, Math or Social Sciences) 4-8 grade
• Education and Public Policy - EDTHP 115, LER 100 (GS), PL SC 14 or PL SC 7 (GS), SOC 30 (GS), WMNST 301 (GS), PHIL 10 or PHIL 12 or PHIL 103(GH), SOC 119 (GS) HD FS 239, (GS)
• Rehabilitation and Human Services - PSYCH 100 (GS), SOC 1 (GS), RHS 100 (GS), SOC 119 (GS), ANTH 21, BI SC 1, 2, 3 or 4 (GN), EDPSY 101 or STAT 100 or STAT 200 (GQ), HD FS 239 (GS)
• Secondary Education – HD FS 239 (GS), course in subject area (7 to 12 grade)

College of Engineering

• All majors except Computer Science and Computer Engineering- MATH 140 (GQ), CHEM 110 (GN), EDSGN 100 - MATH 140 (GQ), PHYS 211 (GN), EDSGN 100, ECON 102 or ECON 104 (GS) (some majors will take ECON 14)
• Computer Science - CMPSC 131 (GQ), MATH 140 (GQ) For students with lower math scores and unsure as to what Computer Science is, IST 110/SRA 111 should be the GS course)
• Computer Engineering - MATH 140 (GQ), CHEM 110 (GQ), CMPSC 131 (GQ), ECON 102 or 104
• Computational Data Sciences – MATH 140, STAT 200, CMPSC 131 (GQ), IST 110 (GS)

College of Health and Human Development

• Biobehavioral Health - BBH 101 (GHA), PSYCH 100 (GS), HDFS 129 (GS), BIOL 161 (GN), BIOL 110 (GN)
• Communication Sciences and Disorders - PSYCH 100 (GS), CSD 146, CSD 100 (GHA), CSD 230 (GHA), CSD 269 (GHA), HDFS 129 (GS), BI SC 2 (GN) or BI SC 4 (GN) or PHYS 1(GN) or INART 50 (GN), EDPSY 14
• Health Policy and Administration - HPA 101, PLSC 1 (GS), ECON 102 (GS), HPA 57 (GHA), BI SC 004 (GN) or BIOL 161 (GN)
• Human Development and Family Studies - HDFS 129 (GS), HDFS 229 (GS), HDFS 239 (GS), HDFS 249 (GS), EDPSY 101 or STAT 200 (GQ)
• Kinesiology/Athletic Training - BIOL 161 (GN), KINES 100, KINES 101 MATH 22/26 (GQ), PSYCH 100 (GS)
• Nutritional Sciences - NUTR 251 (GHA), CHEM 130 or 110 (GN), BIOL 161 (GN), PSYCH 100 (GS) or HDFS 129 (GS), HIST 111(GS)
• Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management - RPTM 101, RPTM 120, RPTM 236, STAT 100 or STAT 200 or EDPSY 101 (GQ)
• Hospitality Management - HM 201, HM 202, ECON 102(GS), (Math 4 if needed), STAT 200 or SCM 200 (GQ), NUTR 100 or 251 (GHW)

College of Information Sciences and Technology

• Information Sciences and Technology - IST 110 (GS), IST 140 (Math 22 placement or higher), Math 110 (GQ)
• Security and Risk Analysis - SRA 111 (GS), IST 140 (Math 22 placement or higher), STAT 200 (GQ), Math 22
• Cybersecurity Analytics and Operations - CYPER 100, Math 110 (GQ), SRA 111 (GS),
• Applied Data Sciences –IST 110, STAT 200 (GQ), CMPSC 131 (GQ), Math 140 (GQ)

College of Liberal Arts

• African Studies - AFR 110 (GS), AFR 191 (GH), AFR 192 (GH),
• African American Studies - AFAM 100 (GS), AFAM 110 (GS), AFAM 139 (GH/US)
• Anthropology - ANTH 2 (GS), ANTH 9 (GS), ANTH 21 (GN), ANTH 45 (GS), ANTH 120 (GS/IL)
• Archaeological Science - ANTH 2 (GS), ANTH 11 (GS), ANTH 21 (GN), ANTH 45 (GS); BIOL 110 (GN) or CHEM 110 and 111 (GN), SOILS 101 (GN), STAT 200 (GQ)
• Asian Studies - Chinese, Japanese, Hindi, or Korean language classes, ASIA 100 (GH), CHNS 121 (GH), CMLIT 4 (GH), HIST 175 (GH), RLST 3 (GH) [: CMLIT 4U, ASIA 83U (FYS, GH)]
• Biological Anthropology - ANTH 2 (GS), ANTH 21 (GN), ANTH 45 (GS), BIOL 110 (GN), CHEM 110 and 111 (GN), MATH 140 (GQ)
• Chinese - Chinese language classes, ARTH 120 (GA), ASIA 4 (GH), ASIA 100 (GH), CHNS 121 (GH), CMLIT 4, HIST 174 (GH), HIST 175 (GH)
• Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies - Greek or Latin language classes, CAMS 1 (GH), CAMS/HIST 5, CAMS 25 (GH), CAMS 33 (GH), CAMS 45 (GH)
• Communication Arts & Sciences - CAS 101 (GS), CAS 175 (GH), CAS 203 (GS), CAS 206 (GH), CAS 250
• Comparative Literature - CMLIT 4 (GH;IL), CMLIT 5 (GH;US;IL), CMLIT 10 (GH;IL), CMLIT 101 (GH;US;IL), CMLIT 106 (GH;IL), CMLIT 107 (GH;IL), CMLIT 108 (GH;IL), CMLIT 128 (GH;US;IL), CMLIT 130 (GH;IL), CMLIT 143 (GH;US;IL), CMLIT 153 (GH;IL), CMLIT 184/ENGL 184 (GH;IL) [: CMLIT 4U (GH), CMLIT 10U (GH), CMLIT 108U (GH)]
• Criminology - CRIM/SOC 12 (GS), CRIM 100/CRIM J 100 (GS), SOC 1 or SOC 5 (GS)
• Economics - ECON 102 (GS), ECON 104 (GS) (ECON 106 is not a good choice for a first economics course unless the student is very confident in math; it is a very quantitative course that covers most of the material in STAT 200. It is also not a gen ed and not part of the minor.) MATH 110 or 140 (GQ) for the B.S. degree
• English - ENGL 50 (GA), ENGL 111, ENGL 201 (GH), any ENGL (GH)
• French and Francophone Studies - courses in the language (e.g., FR 1, 2, 3, or higher)
• German - courses in the language (e.g., GER 1, 2, 3, or higher)
• Global and International Studies - GLIS 101 (GS;IL)
• History - 100-level HIST (GS, GH); HIST 1, 2, 12, 20 or 21 (GH)
• International Politics - PLSC 1 (GS), PLSC 3 (GS;IL), PLSC 14 (GS:IL), PLSC 22 (GS;IL) [PLSC 3H, PLSC 14H]
• Italian - courses in the language (e.g., IT 1, 2, 3, or higher), IT 131 (GH)
• Japanese - courses in the language (e.g., JAPNS 1, 2, 3, or higher), ASIA 100 (GH;IL), CMLIT 4 (GH;IL), JAPNS 120 (GH:IL), HIST 175 (GH;IL) [ CMLIT 4U]
• Jewish Studies - JST 10 (GH)
• Labor and Human Resources - LER 100 (GS), LER 201 (GS), ECON 102 (GS), PSYCH 100 (GS)
• Latin American Studies - Portuguese or Spanish language courses, ANTH 45 (GS), SPAN 131 (GH)
• Latin American Studies minor - LTNST 100 (GH)
• Medieval Studies - MEDVL 107 (GH) or 108 (GH)
• Philosophy - PHIL 1 (GH), 3 (GH), or 103 (GH)
• Political Science - PLSC 1 (GS), PLSC 3 (GS; IL), PLSC 14 (GS;IL), PLSC 22 (GS;IL) [: PLSC 3H, PLSC 14H]
• Psychology - PSYCH 100 (GS), STAT 200
• Russian - courses in the language (e.g., RUS 1, 2, 3, or higher), RUS 100 (GH;IL), GER 143/RUS 143 (GH;IL)
• Social Data Analysis - PLSC 1 (GS), PLSC 3 (GS; IL), PLSC 14 (GS;IL), CMPSC 131 (GQ) PLSC 3H, PLSC 14H], MATH 140 (GQ), IST 110 (GS)
• Sociology - SOC 1 (GS), 3 (GS), 5 (GS), 12 (GS) or 119 (GS)
• Spanish - courses in the language (e.g., SPAN 1, 2, 3, or higher)
• Women's Studies - WMNST 100 (GS;US;IL), WMNST 106 (GH;US;IL): WMNST 100U (GS), WMNST 106U (GH)]

College of Nursing

• Nursing - BIOL 161 and 162 (GN), SOC 1 (GS) or 5 (GS) or HD FS 129 (GS) or PSYCH 100 (GS), NUTR 251 (GHW)

Eberly College of Science

• Astronomy; Astrophysics; Planetary Science - ASTRO 20S, PHYS 211 (GN), MATH 140 (GQ)
• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Biotechnology; Microbiology - CHEM 110 and 111 (GN), MATH 140B (GQ), MICRB 201*, STAT 200 (GQ)
• Biology - BIOL 110 (GN), CHEM 110 and 111 (GN), MATH 140B (GQ)
• Chemistry; Physics - CHEM 110 and 111 (GN), PHYS 211 (GN), MATH 140 (GQ)
• Forensic Science - BIOL 110 (GN), CHEM 110 and 111 (GN), FRNSC 100, MATH 140B (GQ), CRIM J 100
• Mathematics; Statistics - MATH 140 (GQ)
• Pre-medicine - BIOL 110 (GN), CHEM 110 and 111 (GN), MATH 140B (GQ), PSYCH 100 (GS), SOC 1 (GS) or SOC 5(GS), STAT 200 or STAT 240 or STAT 250(GQ)
• Science - BIOL 110 (GN), CHEM 110 and 111 (GN), MATH 140 (GQ)
• *MICRB 201 has CHEM 110 as a prerequisite.
• Statistical Modeling Analysis – MATH 140, CMPSC 131, STAT 200, IST 110

Advising Resources

• Talk with your adviser
• Watch videos by DUS students
• Use online DUS resources for exploration
• DUS videos and worksheets to explore interests
• Talk with College Representatives and faculty members in the field. Prepare a list of questions and go to office hours.

Websites

• Use the Undergraduate Bulletin for information about majors and requirements. Search majors by interest area, college, and campus by using the filters.
• Look at majors in each Penn State College
• Use the Undergraduate Bulletin to read course descriptions for the major's upper-level courses using the links on the Suggested Academic Plans of courses
• What can I do with this major?
• Learn about careers in the Occupational Outlook Handbook

Classes

• Take a class to help explore the major - see Classes to Explore Majors course list in this module.
• Attend lectures in relevant courses (with instructor permission).

Career Services

• Videos of alumni talking about their careers
• Take the Counselor Education (cn ed) 100 course offered by Career Services for career exploration.
• Go to Career Services to discuss careers and majors with counselors, use Focus 2 to know about your interests, abilities, and values as they relate to careers.

Go and Do

• Attend information sessions and fairs
• Join a club or student organization related to the major
• Shadow someone in the field or career
• Volunteer or do an internship experience in a job that interests you

Learn about health professions

Join the health professions listserv at Penn State Altoona for announcements about programs, scholarships, speakers, courses, etc. Send an email from your Penn State email account to [email protected] and include your areas of interest. You can unsubscribe at any time if your interests change.

Most professional schools do not require a specific degree but do require specific coursework. Completing these prerequisites requires careful planning. Students should carefully research admission requirements for the profession of their choice.

Use the Undergraduate Bulletin to explore health-related majors by selecting the "Health and Medicine" interest area filter on the right side of the page.

• Prehealth Advising
• Prehealth Advising FAQs
• Medical or Pharmacy School Information
• Chart of courses usually needed for entrance into health professions
• Admissions list of Health professions and recreational services brief descriptions of majors - use the bulletin or the website for the College for more details.

Interest in law school?

Pre-Law Advising helps students from all Penn State majors and campuses:

• determine whether law school is the best fit for their goals,
• learn about law school and legal practice,
• make informed decisions about whether to apply,
• develop strong application materials, and
• select the best law school to meet their goals.

There is no preferred major for law school. Select the major that interests you most. Some traditional majors for law school include English, political science, philosophy, economics, business, criminology or choose a major such as art, education, science, math, computer science, or nursing.

Helpful skills, values, knowledge, experience:

• problem-solving
• critical reading
• writing and editing
• oral communication and listening
• research
• organization and management
• public service and promotion of justice
• relationship building and collaboration
• exposure to law

Explore majors in computers and cyber information in the Undergraduate Bulletin. Use the Computers and Cyber Information interest area filter on the right side of the page

Use the descriptions of majors in the Undergraduate Bulletin to see the entrance to major requirements—required courses, GPA, and credits completed

• Cybersecurity Analytics and Operations
• Information Technology
• Security Risk Analysis

College of Information Sciences and Technology (finish degree at University Park)

Careers in Cyber Security

• Education abroad provides opportunities to learn in cultural environments different from your own.
• The length of the education abroad program can vary—a week, semester, or year.
• Penn State Altoona Education Abroad programs: Contact Altoona's education abroad adviser to discuss your interest in education abroad programs.
• Global Penn State - University Park
• Steps to Study Abroad and FAQs

There are business majors in the Smeal College of Business and in other colleges. Use the Undergraduate Bulletin, Business interest area filter to see all of the business-oriented majors that are available.

Smeal College of Business Majors

Entrance to Major requirements:

• Students must be in BA_PMAJ (Smeal Business pre-major) or the Division of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) to change into a Smeal major
• Smeal College of Business majors require several specific courses to be completed (usually within the first four semesters) and GPA requirements. The GPA requirements vary depending on the major. Be sure to follow the requirements for the year that you begin at Penn State, as the requirements can change. The Undergraduate Bulletin Archive has previous years of Bulletins, so you can see the requirements for the year that you began at PSU.
• The business-oriented majors in other colleges, such as the College of Liberal Arts, College of Health and Human Development, and Bellisario College of the Communications (and others) have different entrance to major requirements as compared to the Smeal requirements.

Business degrees can also be completed at some Commonwealth campuses.

BA 197 is an online one-credit class for students interested in a major in the Smeal College of Business. Topics include entrance to major requirements, major and career explorations, transitioning to University Park, and resources there. This course can be taken at any time during the first four semesters. Talk with your adviser about how to register.

BA 297 is an online one-credit class in Career Planning and Strategies for students at Commonwealth Campuses.

Information about transfer courses and courses not included toward a Smeal degree

Predict your GPA in the Smeal Entrance to Major courses

Science-related Majors at Penn State Altoona

• Biology Degree
  With a degree in Biology from Penn State Altoona, you’ll be well prepared for your future, whether you are interested in a career in medicine or other health-related professions, looking to pursue an advanced degree through graduate study, or interested in working with various governmental agencies or industries having biological responsibilities. Importantly, you’ll understand the world of living things and gain practical experience through laboratory and fieldwork in small classes taught by faculty.
• Environmental Science Degree
  As an Environmental Studies major at Penn State Altoona, you will explore the complex interactions between humans and nature through a broad interdisciplinary curriculum in the natural sciences, humanities, and social sciences. You will gain new perspectives, develop the knowledge and skills to address contemporary environmental problems, and apply all of these through hands-on experiences, including fieldwork, field trips, and internships.
• Penn State Altoona Minors
• Health Professions
• Research Opportunities
• Student Organizations
  Find additional information about clubs and events on Connect

University Park Colleges

College of Agricultural Sciences

The College of Agricultural Sciences offers seventeen majors and twenty-three minors across a broad spectrum of fields to match your interests and talents, and accomplish our mission of providing practical, science-based education.

Majors in the College of Agricultural Sciences allow you to pursue your interest in animals, business, engineering, environment, food, health, plants, education, public policy, and science.

• Majors
• Undergraduate Bulletin Majors, Minors and Certificates
• Agricultural Club at Altoona: club details on Connect

College of Earth and Mineral Sciences

The future faces challenges of unprecedented scope and complexity, especially in achieving and maintaining global energy security, ensuring a sustainable planet, creating a pipeline of new materials with novel properties, and understanding how changing human values will influence where and how we live. Visit the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences site.

• Majors
• Undergraduate Bulletin Majors, Minors and Certificates
• Academic Planning, Progress and Requirements
• Clubs and Organizations

Eberly College of Science

The Eberly College of Science, home of the biological, physical and mathematical sciences at Penn State. We’re widely recognized and respected for high-quality education and scientific breakthroughs – and we’re firmly committed to making a positive impact on the world.

• Majors
• Undergraduate Bulletin Majors, Minors and Certificates
• Office for Undergraduate Students
• Pre-health Advising

Additional Items

• Use a What-if Report on LionPATH to see how your classes apply toward the requirements of majors that interest you. A tutorial is available to explain the sections of the What-if Report, and you can discuss it with your academic adviser.
• Check your ALEKS math placement score. If you would like to try to improve your score, the ALEKS math assessment can be taken up to three times before the end of the first semester.
• Your adviser can provide information about majors and refer you to Program coordinators of Altoona majors and College Contact Resource Representatives for University Park Colleges to discuss majors more extensively.

Complete your degree at Penn State Altoona. Baccalaureate degrees, associate degrees, and minors are available.

Bachelor's Degrees

Minor Programs

Instruction Mode indicates the manner in which instruction is delivered for each class section during a given semester. The assigned instruction mode can be found in the LionPATH Schedule of Classes, within the "Class Details" section of each class. Click on the class number or section number to view the Class Details.

Descriptions of the Modes of Instruction

If you have questions regarding certain classes, please contact your instructors. They will be able to give you more details regarding the class.

How to Search for Classes on the Schedule of Courses by Instruction Modes

1. From the LionPATH Student Home Base, select the Find Classes button.
2. Select the appropriate term (semester) and campus.
3. Enter your search criteria into the Class Search sections. When entering your search criteria, it is best to work from top to bottom.
4. To display additional search options, expand the additional search criteria section by selecting the green arrow to the left of Additional Search Criteria. The additional search criteria fields allow you to narrow the search based on multiple variables. The field for Mode of Instruction shows available options for the semester.
5. Once all the criteria are selected, select the Search button.

The date to register for classes is listed on the LionPATH Student Home Base, near the center of the page, in a box labeled Enrollment Dates. The starting date to put courses into the shopping cart is also listed.

A registration timetable is provided on the Registrar's Office website. Students are able to register for classes starting at 12:00 a.m. on the registration date. Registration can occur after the registration date through the beginning of the semester.

Remember to remove holds on LionPATH before registering. A hold can prevent registration. Holds are listed on the LionPATH home base at the top of the page. To remove the Financial Responsibility Hold (given to all students each semester), go to the LionPATH To Do List and complete the Pre-Registration Activity Guide.

Meet with your adviser to discuss schedule planning. Your assigned adviser's name is listed on Lionpath and Starfish. Don't wait to schedule your appointment; advisers' schedules fill quickly. DUS advisers and some faculty advisers use Starfish for appointments. If your adviser does not use Starfish, contact them for details on how to schedule an appointment.

Meet with your adviser to discuss your major and schedule planning before registering for classes. Find your adviser's name and contact information on LionPATH or Starfish.

Use the Undergraduate Bulletin to look at information for majors of interest. Use Suggested Academic Plans for the major as a guide in course selection. The Suggested Academic Plans can be adjusted as needed, depending on placement, transfer credits, and courses completed.

Use a degree audit to see the requirements of a major and how your courses apply to the requirements.

Types of degree audits:

• What-If Report can be selected for any major
• Academic Requirements shows only the requirements of your current major

Interpreting a degree audit and Degree audit FAQs can help you to understand an audit. A PDF version of the audit can be printed, so you can bring it to your advising appointment.

You can find Penn State's courses in two different ways on LionPATH.

Schedule Builder 

Schedule Builder is a planner that shows all possible schedules based on every available section of the courses you choose. When you find a schedule you like, you can export it to LionPATH to enroll in the classes.
Find more tutorials here under "Course and Class Search"

Class Search

Class Search has more details about the courses than Schedule Builder. It also lets you search by course features, such as general education category, instructor name, mode of instruction and more.
Find more tutorials at "Course and Class Search"

List courses for each semester by typing on this Semester by Semester Planning Worksheet.

Fill in courses you have completed and plan ahead by listing courses you will take in future semesters. You can print the worksheet or save it for future reference.

Talk with your adviser about selecting courses. Use the Undergraduate Bulletin to see the Suggested Academic Plans for your major. Use a What-if Report (undecided or pre-major status) or Academic Requirements report (in your major, update academics was completed on LionPATH) from LionPATH to see requirements to be completed.

Use the tutorial to learn how to add classes to your shopping cart and register for the classes.

Classes can be added to your LionPATH shopping cart before your registration date. The start date to add courses to your shopping cart is listed in the Enrollment Dates box on your LionPATH Student Home Base.

On your registration date (listed in Enrollment Dates box on your LionPATH Home Base), go to your shopping cart and finish enrolling.

Classes can be added and changed until the drop and add deadline dates listed on the academic calendar.

Be sure to check LionPATH holds before adding courses. Holds may prevent course registration. Complete the Pre-Registration Activity Guide in the LionPATH "To Do List" each semester to remove the Financial Responsibility Agreement hold.

Course scheduling guide

Use the tutorial to learn how to drop a class from your schedule (beginning of the semester).

The deadline to drop a class is listed on the academic calendar.

It is possible to Late Drop a class after the drop/add period the semester to remove it from your schedule. Discuss it with your instructor, adviser and the Student Aid office before late dropping a course. Consult the late drop checklist. The late drop deadline date is listed on the academic calendar.

Consider using the Student Success Center for free tutoring offered in many subjects.

A Drop in Sequence may be an alternative to a late drop if you are having difficulty in a math or chemistry course. See your adviser or instructor for more information.

Additional information about dropping courses

Swapping classes allows you to drop a class and replace it with a new class.

The change is made simultaneously, so you keep your space in the original class while trying to add the new class.

LionPATH tutorial

To add a course that is full, keep looking for an opening in the course during the first week of the semester until the add deadline listed on the academic calendar.

Talk with the instructor of the class. The instructor could sign a drop/add form to add you to the course. Submit the completed form to the Registrar's office. If the fire code limit of people for the classroom has been exceeded, the registrar's office will not be able to add you to the course.

If offered, use the waitlist for the course.

There are a few courses on the schedule that begin mid-semester. The purpose of the courses is mainly for students who late drop a class.

If you would go below twelve credits for the semester by late dropping a course (part-time status), it could impact student aid. A mid-semester course could be added to remain in full-time status.

Talk with your adviser about the mid-semester courses that are offered.

The courses are added at the Registrar's office if you are avoiding part-time status.

If not all seats are filled in the mid-semester courses near the start date of the course, any student can add a mid-semester course using LionPATH.

It is possible to late drop a class (after the drop/add period - first week of the semester) to remove it from your schedule. Discuss it with your instructor, adviser, and the Financial Aid office before late dropping a course on LionPATH.

Consult the late drop checklist.

Check the late drop deadline on your LionPATH Student Center. In the area for Class Schedule, click on More.

You will see a list of your classes. Beneath each class listing, click on Enrollment Deadlines to see its late drop deadline.

The late drop deadline dates, according to session, are listed on the academic calendar.

If you are having difficulty in a math or chemistry course, a drop in sequence may be an alternative to a late drop. See your adviser or instructor for more information.

Considerations:

• Have you discussed your grade and course progress with the instructor?
• Is it a course required for my major?
• Is it an entrance to major requirement?
• How many credits will I have on my schedule? 12 or more for full time status, 11 or less is part-time status
• How will my student aid be impacted?
• Does the class to be late dropped have a different start or end date than regular semester classes? Check Enrollment Dates for the late drop deadline.

Additional information about dropping courses

Tutorial to drop a course

Students are able to attend any Penn State campus in the summer (official change of campus is not required).

Multiple summer sessions are offered, so you can select the course that best fits your personal schedule. Online courses are available at some Penn State campus locations.

View summer classes on the schedule of courses by selecting summer for the semester and the campus you would like to attend.

Summer registration usually occurs in early February. All students can begin registering for summer on the same registration date. It is also possible to register for the class after that date until the course begins.

Credits and the course grade are added to your Penn State record, like any other course taken.

Do you have credits from an AP class or a high school dual enrollment course? Are you interested in taking a class at another college or university and transferring the credits to Penn State?

Use the Transfer Credits Tool to see how the class at the other school compares to a Penn State course.

To transfer credits to Penn State:

• Submit an official transcript to Penn State Admissions - paper or electronic versions are accepted
  • Electronic transcripts are sent to [email protected]
  • Paper transcripts are mailed to:
    • Penn State Undergraduate Admissions Office, 201 Shields Building, University Park PA 16802
• A "C" or higher grade is needed to transfer the credits
• There is no impact on the PSU GPA for transfer credits
• It can take several weeks for the transfer credits to appear on your PSU record
• A notation of TR will appear instead of a grade
• A $25 processing fee will be added to your student account

Online courses and degrees are offered by the World Campus. Some Penn State campuses also offer online courses, especially in the summer. Courses, such as math, which are offered by the World Campus are reserved for students who complete their whole degree online.

Considerations for taking an online course:

• Flexible time and location for coursework
• Be responsible to complete coursework
• As rigorous as a traditional course
• Need a reliable computer and internet access
• May need a textbook
• Avoid distractions from assignments
• Online tutoring may be available
• Coursework format varies by instructor
• Students average 8-12 hours of work per week for a three-credit course
• Submit assignments online; may have proctored tests
• May cost less

Take a Survey to help you assess your characteristics for success in an online course

To view web classes on the schedule of courses, select "Web" as the mode of instruction in the Additional Search Criteria area. Some web courses have requirements to be eligible to take the course. Look at the course details and description in the schedule of courses for more details.

Penn State Altoona has two campus locations: the Ivyside Campus and the Downtown Campus.

If you are taking classes at both locations, allow at least thirty minutes of travel time. It takes ten minutes to travel to the other campus, plus time to get to class. A bus goes between the campuses, and parking is available downtown near the buildings.

View the campus map

Take a Virtual Tour

Map of University Park

Penn State Altoona's Student Success Center helps students succeed in learning. All services are free to Penn State Altoona students.

Located on the lower level of the Eiche Library, the Center directs students to offices and resources to best serve their needs and provides services to take education further. Resources available in the Center include the following:

• Student Disability Resources
• Tutoring
• Writing Commons
• Academic Advising
• Lion Guidez (Peer Mentoring)
• Campus Connections

Tutoring is handled primarily by professional tutors or by instructors from the discipline. In some subjects, peer tutoring is also available.

Please remember that tutoring is not intended to replace your class but to add more detail to what you have learned in class or during your instructor’s office hours.

Student Disability Resources is responsible for coordinating support services, reasonable academic accommodations, and promoting disability awareness in the university community.

It is the student's responsibility to self-identify as a student with a disability. The student may also be referred by staff, faculty, parents or others at any time throughout the student's educational experience.

Register with Student Disability Resources

The iStudy tutorials are designed to advance students' knowledge and skills in studying, communicating, and career planning.

Many tutorials are available. Some examples of topics include:

• Note-taking
• Test anxiety
• Time management
• Active listening
• Resume writing

DUSuccess information about Study Skills and Time Management, including a video on how to take notes.

Spoiler Alert: don't try to write down everything the instructor says! Listen and write the main ideas and conclusions.

Use Update Academics on LionPATH to change into a major.

• Tutorial for Update Academics
• Video for Update Academics

Entrance to major requirements (specific courses, GPA, credits completed, portfolio) are listed in the Undergraduate Bulletin. Use the bulletin for the year that you begin taking classes. Archived bulletins are available.

Use Update Campus on LionPATH to change to a different campus:

• After completing Update Academics to change into a major that is offered at University Park or another location
• After receiving conditional approval into a major
• To change to a campus (other than University Park) for a personal reason, such as being closer to home

Completing Update Campus after the drop/add deadline at the beginning of the semester is recommended. Completing it before the drop/add deadline will result in tuition recalculation for the current semester.

If a student is able to get a full-time schedule at the current location, early change of campus requests to University Park are usually not approved. There needs to be an academic reason to go to University Park earlier than the fifth semester,

A change of campus can be temporary, for one semester, or permanent.

Change of campus requests are reviewed by the Penn State Altoona Registrar's office and the campus that you would like to attend.

If 44.5 credits or more have been completed when Update Campus was submitted, it is an automatic approval. If less than 44.5 credits have been completed at the time of the request, the change of campus request will be reviewed. An email is sent regarding the outcome of the request.

Students can attend any Penn State location for summer courses without completing Update Campus.

Change of Campus Tutorial​​​​​​​

Predict your semester and cumulative GPA using the GPA calculator on LionPATH.

On LionPATH:

1. Click on "Degree Planning and Progress" in the upper right corner of the home page.
2. Click on "GPA Calculator" in the options on the left side of the page.
3. Click on the + button to add a line for each class on your current schedule.
4. Enter credits and predicted grades for each course.
5. Click on the "Calculate" button.
6. Click on the "Clear" button to reset the calculator

GPA Calculator guide

A What-if Report from LionPATH shows how your completed and current courses apply toward requirements of any major or minor.

It is a useful tool for schedule planning and to discuss academic progress with your adviser.

The report shows the requirements for:

• Entrance to major
• Graduation
• General Education
• Major courses
• Option/supporting courses
• Electives
• Courses not used toward the degree

What-if report tutorial

Videos for LionPATH degree audits from the Smeal College of Business

Click on "Planning and Degree Progress" from the LionPATH homepage. Click on "What-if Report" in the left column. Use the default dates that appear. Use pull down menus to select the college, major, option of your choice. Click on "Submit Report".

Areas with completed requirements will be condensed, clicking on the green triangle will expand the area. Courses with a yellow diamond are in progress.

To print a What-if report, click on the "View as a PDF" button at the top of the report. A pdf which can be printed will appear in another window with the requirements to be completed listed in red font.

An enrollment verification provides confirmation of enrollment status, dates of attendance, and degree(s) conferred. Verifications may be used to confirm enrollment to insurers and lenders and to confirm degree(s) to employers. If you believe you need a notarized copy of your enrollment verification, please review the information on Notary Services and follow the instructions provided there.

Official enrollment verifications are produced on special security paper containing the Penn State federal school code, Penn State seal, and the University Registrar's signature.

All official verifications are delivered via U.S. mail or Federal Express if special mailing services are requested. Enrollment verifications cannot be distributed by fax or email.

The Office of the University Registrar will not complete agency-supplied verification forms. Rather the official University enrollment verification statement will be attached to the original agency-supplied form.

Penn State's enrollment verification services are available to all currently enrolled and former students and to parents of currently enrolled students.

Accreditation and School Codes

The Pennsylvania State University is accredited by the Middle States Association.

• CEEB# (College Entrance Examination Board) - 2660
• Penn State Federal School Code - 003329

LionPATH Enrollment Verification tutorial

Additional information

An official transcript is a certified statement of your academic record. There are two versions of an official transcript: paper and electronic.

Requesting an official transcript:

1. Click on "Academic Records" on the LionPATH home page
2. Click on "Request Official Transcript" in the column of options on the left side of the page

The Penn State Transcript Ordering Service page will appear. Complete the steps to order the transcript. Processing time for a transcript is three to five days. There is a fee for an official transcript.

Additional information about transcripts

Use the academic calendar for the Intent to Graduate Activation Period dates at the beginning of each semester.

Apply for Graduation Tutorial

From the LionPATH student home page, click on "Degree Planning and Progress". From the left side column click on "Apply for Graduation".

If you encounter any problems or miss the deadline date, contact the Registrar's office for assistance.

Holds are found at the top of the LionPATH homebase.

Holds can be placed on a student’s record for multiple reasons. They are considered temporary and are removed as soon as the conditions for placing them are resolved.

A hold can prevent students from registering or adding classes for current or future semesters. Most holds will not stop a student from dropping or late dropping classes. A hold can also prevent the issuing of an official transcript or diploma.

The Major Preferences hold is used to list a pre-major student's preferred major or majors each semester.

Major Preferences help academic advisers to know a student’s intended major or majors for degree and course planning. Academic departments use Major Preferences to gauge interest in degree programs and provide resources for future courses.

The hold can be removed by completing the LionPATH “To Do List” item for Major Preferences. Up to three choices of majors can be listed. A number that you choose is also requested to show the amount of interest in each major selected.

Learn more about Major Preference Holds

Before course registration every semester, the Financial Responsibility Agreement hold will appear on LionPATH.

To remove the hold, complete the Pre-Registration Activity Guide in the LionPATH "To Do" list.

The Pre-Registration Activity Guide only takes a few minutes to complete. It contains the Financial Responsibility Agreement and an opportunity to update emergency contact information.

After the Pre-Registration Activity Guide has been completed the Financial Responsibility Agreement hold will be removed.

Financial Responsibility Tutorial

Important Immunization Requirements for All Incoming Students

All incoming Penn State students must provide proof of immunization against measles, mumps, and rubella. In accordance with Pennsylvania state law, students living in on-campus housing must also provide proof of the meningococcal conjugate vaccine (Menveo, Menactra, MenQuadfi, MCV4), which protects against infections caused by serogroups A, C, W, and Y. Visit the University Health Services website for details on required immunizations and the submission process.

To submit: log in to myUHS using your Penn State access credentials, enter your vaccines, and upload image files of your official immunization records and, if applicable, any positive antibody titer blood test results.

Immunization requirements are applicable to all undergraduate and graduate students at University Park and Commonwealth Campuses excluding World Campus and Great Valley.

The Financial Aid Office can assist you with any questions regarding financial holds on LionPATH.

Some holds may prevent course registration or schedule adjustments.

List of financial holds

The Financial Aid Office can assist you with any questions regarding financial holds on LionPATH.

Some holds may prevent course registration or schedule adjustments.

List of financial holds