Featured Academic Programs

The accounting minor requires students to complete 16 additional credits in accounting beyond the 4 credits required in ACCTG 211. It is designed to introduce students to advanced topics in financial and cost accounting, as well as to the basics of income tax accounting for individuals. This minor can provide an enhanced understanding of accounting information flows, costing systems, and the general tax environment to students majoring in other business areas and it is a particularly good compliment to the finance and management information systems majors. On its own, it will not generally enable students to meet the requirements for professional licensing in accounting.

Accounting is more than bookkeeping or number crunching. With the Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Penn State Behrend, you’ll develop your talents as a strategic business adviser—one who can think critically, solve problems, and anticipate organizational challenges.

And since there isn’t an industry that doesn’t employ accountants, you’ll have a wide variety of career options. You can prepare for a traditional role of CPA or auditor, or use your Accounting degree as a foundation in fraud detection, forensic investigation, financial services, law, underwriting or actuarial science, and more.

Actuaries analyze the financial costs of risk and uncertainty. Actuaries are in high demand, with the job outlook expected to grow much faster than average in the next decade. This certificate program is designed to prepare current and returning students for a career as an actuary. Students completing the certificate are prepared to pass the P/1 (Probability) and FM/2 (Financial Mathematics) examinations, and would obtain VEE credit for economics, corporate finance, and applied statistical methods topics once a second actuarial examination is passed. The certificate requires a total of 31 or 32 credit hours and can be completed concurrently with a Penn State Behrend degree or via continuing education.

The Certificate in Advertising (ADVERT) offered at Penn State Behrend is designed for communication and business majors who wish to focus their supporting or non-business supporting coursework in a specific professional communication area. The certificate is also designed for working professionals interested in developing their skill-set in advertising. The foundation of the certificate is developed in the Media Writing, Introduction to Advertising, and Creative Strategies courses. Students are then allowed to choose one additional advanced course to complete the 12 required hours.

The Applied Economics minor is a strong complement to virtually any major, including those within, and outside of, the School of Business. (Note that most School of Business majors will, as part of their major, already have earned 6 to 9 credits toward the Applied Economics minor, making it particularly attractive.)

The minor can enhance the market value of a major and can provide students with options and opportunities beyond those offered by the major program of study.

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is rapidly changing human life as we know it—including the way we create, design, predict trends, and solve problems. Amid this societal transformation, there is a need for ethical leaders who can evaluate AI and establish protocols for its use.

We all make shortcuts as we process new information. But how do those shortcuts impact our everyday decisions—particularly about financial matters?

That’s what the Certificate in Behavioral Finance, offered jointly by the Black School of Business and the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, explores. You’ll learn to consider why financial managers make decisions to merge firms, pay dividends, or choose investments.

The certificate covers core content in social psychology, cognitive psychology, behavioral economics, and behavioral finance. The certificate requires a total of 18 credit hours and can be completed concurrently with a Penn State Behrend degree or via continuing education.

This 15-credit certificate will provide the core information and competencies for students interested in pursuing a position in behavioral health and clinical or counseling psychology. It will be useful to both psychology majors interested in pursuing clinical or counseling psychology and for returning students taking courses part-time for career advancement. The certificate may also serve as the gateway to a minor or major in psychology.

Human health is more than a matter of anatomy and biology. There is also a wealth of other factors—including behavioral, psychological, sociocultural, and environmental—that influence illness and wellness.

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology is the study of the molecular basis of life. Biochemistry uses the principles of chemistry and physics to understand biological molecules, structures, and reactions. Molecular biology focuses on how biological molecules interact to form cells, organisms, and behaviors.

Combining the biology minor with another area of study gives you valuable expertise in cross-disciplinary areas, as well as the opportunity to make your academic preparation distinctive. With a comprehensive, well-rounded education, you may become broader and more expert in your field and more competitive in the job market. There are some fields where the biology minor is particularly desirable. For example, a minor in biology can be beneficial to students in majors that prepare them for health care services, marketing biomedical products, or the management of a biologically based company. A minor in biology can be a good addition to majors like communications, political science, psychology, mathematics, chemistry, agriculture, or engineering.

Biology is the study of life in all its forms—so it’s no wonder that a biology degree can prepare you for any number of careers.

And the B.S. in Biology from Penn State Behrend is as versatile as the field itself. It can position you to enter the workforce or prepare you for further study—including in the high-demand health professions.

The Biomedical Engineering interdisciplinary minor is designed for students interested in the application of engineering principles to medical and biological problems. The minor is particularly suitable for students pursuing an undergraduate degree in a different engineering major, physics, or other applied science who are seeking careers in health-related professions.

Are you ready to be at the forefront of the AI revolution? Consider adding a specialty in designing, developing, and refining artificial intelligence systems to your computer science or software engineering degree.

Wondering what you can do with a major in business economics? The answer—practically anything and everything.

With the B.S. in Business Economics from Penn State Behrend, you’ll get the “big picture” skills needed to analyze and understand the world around you—making you a valuable asset for any industry.

Chemistry is the basis for many fields of engineering, biology, and other sciences. Therefore, it can give you insights into your field at broad and fundamental levels. That can strengthen your abilities to innovate and to see basic connections in your specialization or across disciplines.

Almost anyone can benefit from a minor in Chemistry, but there are some fields where a chemistry minor adds particular strengths. For example, biology-chemistry (major-minor) could prepare you for graduate school or a career in biochemistry or molecular biology. Math-chemistry could be an option for people in applied math. Chemical physics is an important field in physics. Engineering-chemistry could open new possibilities for you (note that this major-minor is not equivalent to chemical engineering).

If you’re naturally curious about the world around you, maybe Chemistry is the major for you. You’ll study why things are the way they are, what they’re made of, and why they react the way they do.

And there’s a reason chemistry is sometimes called “the central science”—it is an incredibly versatile field. That’s why Penn State Behrend’s B.S. in Chemistry gives you options for your future career path. You can tailor your Chemistry degree by selecting from the Biochemistry, Environmental, Pre-Health, or Professional Chemist concentrations.

This 15-credit certificate will provide the core information and competencies for students interested in pursuing the field of child development. Students will be provided with a broad overview of the developmental processes underlying child and adolescent development. It will be useful for psychology majors as well as for adult and traditional students taking courses part-time for career tracks working with children and adolescents. This certificate may also serve as the gateway to a minor or major in psychology.

Penn State Behrend offers the innovative Intercollege Penn State Minor in Civic and Community Engagement (CIVCM) to students in any major. The minor encourages students to move beyond traditional classroom work to creatively explore relevant community issues through research and service.

This 18-credit Communication Arts and Mass Media minor is designed to offer students the opportunity to balance a liberal arts foundation and orientation to communication with the media and production theory. This merger of technique will provide the skills necessary for supplementing career fields requiring effective oral, written and media production skills.

This minor is available to students in any major, but complements majors in management, marketing, education, sales, training and development, government, human resources, and development.

This program of study provides graduates with a strong background in computer engineering. Upon completion of the minor, graduates will have developed an understanding of the operation and design of computers, accomplished through a combination of classroom study, computer-related projects, and laboratory experience. Analysis and design of computer hardware and software systems are stressed. The program requires completion of mandatory courses in analog and digital circuits, microprocessors, transistor logic, and computer programming. Students complete the minor by selecting technical electives in computer hardware and software engineering.

If you enjoy math, science, and engineering, Computer Engineering is for you. As a Computer Engineering student, you’ll research, design, and test the systems and devices that improve our daily lives—smartphones and circuit boards, routers and wifi, even microprocessors and specialized medical devices.

The Computer Science minor is designed to allow students in any Behrend major to establish a strong conceptual framework in computer science, so they can apply computer science methods and techniques to their primary field of study. Computing has become a critical aspect of most disciplines. This minor provides students with the opportunity to develop computing expertise which can then be applied to their field of study, thus enhancing job placement opportunities after graduation or better preparing the student to pursue graduate work in computing intensive sub-disciplines of their major.

Wherever there are computers, there is a need for computer scientists. If you’re looking for a high-demand degree that lets you use your interests in math, science, coding, and technology, then the B.S. in Computer Science would be a good fit.

This 18-credit Creative Writing minor (CWRIT UMNR) offers students not majoring in Creative Writing the opportunity to explore different forms of creative writing—fiction, poetry, and nonfiction—or to focus primarily on one of them. Students receive instruction and practice the art and craft of writing in small workshop courses.

With Penn State Behrend’s B.F.A. in Creative Writing, you’ll do more than just read and write—you’ll find your authentic voice as a contemporary writer or poet. Thanks to a combination of a rigorous curriculum, experienced faculty, and opportunities for hands-on learning, you’ll gain plenty of insight into the field while also building up your own portfolio.

The fine arts degree in Creative Writing at the undergraduate level is an unusual opportunity—in fact, Behrend’s program is the only one of its kind in the Penn State system.

The Crime, Law, and Psychology minor explores both sociological and psychological causes of criminal behavior, the legal process, and the political process dealing with the creation of policies promoting prevention and controlling crime.

With this minor program, you’ll learn about criminal behavior, reasons for crime, how crime is investigated, and the legal system charged with processing offenders. The skills and knowledge gained from this minor will benefit students entering into careers in police, security, the correctional system, social work, law, psychology, and government or politics. This 18-credit minor integrates well with a political science or psychology major.

Data Visualization is one of the fastest growing professions. Creating a well-designed and well-structured story with data helps executives and non-technical individuals understand meaning in their numbers. This type of visual storytelling creates meaningful insights for decision makers in government, insurance, banking, health care, research, and education.

The minor in Data Visualization is open to students in any Behrend major. It requires 22 credits of coursework; some courses fulfill Penn State General Education Requirements.

A growing number of fields require both digital fluency and insight into the human condition. The minor in Digital Humanities helps you bridge that gap, preparing you with critical thinking skills of a liberal arts education as well as high-demand technical skills like data analysis and text encoding, helping to make you competitive in fields like tech, publishing, museums, libraries, academia, and more.

If you often find yourself thinking about digital media—how it’s changed our world, what the future holds, and how the technology can be applied and improved—consider pursuing a B.A. in Digital Media, Arts, and Technology.

The B.A. in Digital Media, Arts, and Technology—or DIGIT, as we call it—meets exploding demand by employers for professionals capable of both critical analysis and creative production of digital media. You’ll be the employee who knows why, when, and how to use emerging digital tools.

Looking for a business degree with the flexibility to accommodate your wide-ranging interests? You found it. The B.A. in Economics from Penn State Behrend examines economics relationships from the perspectives of both business and public policy. That means you’ll take courses in business and also in arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social and behavioral sciences.

The decision-making skills that Economics majors learn are needed across all sectors and segments of our economy, so you’ll find employment opportunities in government, business, manufacturing, finance, banking, labor organizations, and academia.

With a B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology, you’ll study the theories of engineering and develop the skills to analyze, design, and implement electrical and computer systems—giving you a deep understanding of both how and why systems work, and opening a world of career opportunities.

The associate degree in Electrical Engineering Technology gives you options: You can use it as a valuable academic credential to develop skills to analyze, design, and implement electrical systems. Or you can choose to make it a foundation for further studies in engineering or another field.

Electrical engineers are essential to designing, developing, and testing the good stuff in our lives—from the smartwatches on our wrists to the appliances in our homes to the lunar explorers on the surface of the moon. With a B.S. in Electrical Engineering, you’ll be prepared to join the ranks of the creative problem-solvers who power our world.

America’s classrooms are changing in many ways, but there are constants, too. Regardless of economic, technological, and demographic shifts, our youngest learners need teachers who are able to design and deliver high-quality instruction in a thoughtful, age-appropriate, and caring manner.

Penn State Behrend’s B.S. in Elementary and Early Childhood Education degree and teacher certification program prepare you to teach children in preschool through fourth grade. The degree meets or exceeds all requirements of the Pennsylvania Department of Education for Pennsylvania Level I instructional certification. (It also meets or exceeds certification requirements for any state that requires a bachelor’s degree.)

Energy is a vital sector of our economy—both traditional resources and emerging renewable markets.

The Certificate in Energy Finance is designed to combine an interest in the engineering aspects of energy systems with the financial expertise gained through courses in financial analysis and risk management.

The program prepares you for the Global Association of Risk Professionals’ Sustainability and Climate Risk certification and Financial Risk Manager certification.

The 18-credit English minor encourages students to take courses from each of the areas within the major: The Canon and Its Critics, Globality and Literature, and Cultural Studies, as well as courses in Creative Writing. By doing so, students will develop skills in writing and critical thinking that will prove valuable in their later work experiences.

What can you do with an English degree? Everything! It is among the most versatile of college degrees.

With the B.A. in English from Penn State Behrend, you’ll learn to reason critically, write cogently, construct and deconstruct ideas and arguments, and verbalize opinions and judgments—meaning you’ll develop a diverse set of skills that will prepare you for almost any career field.

The Certificate in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) with Oracle will instruct you in Oracle Enterprise Resource Planning software, an integrated multi-module application software that supports business processes. Oracle is one of the top ERP vendors and the skills gained by learning this software will allow you to become more valuable in the current marketplace. Oracle certification is valuable to hiring managers who want to distinguish among candidates for critical IT positions.

This program enables students to become proficient in Oracle Supply Chain and prepares them for the Oracle Supply Chain Certified Professional Consultant exams. Students who complete this certification will have the ability to implement and support eBusiness Supply Chain applications.

SAP is the world’s largest enterprise application software company, with more than 170,000 customers in more than 120 countries. The certificate program in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) with SAP helps set our graduates apart from other business and management information systems graduates when gaining successful employment. Based on a Central Michigan University study, the average starting salary of SAP graduates was $5,250 greater than non-SAP graduates.

The goal of this program is to use SAP technology as a tool to help teach business concepts. Instead of studying “cold” textbook exercises at the end of a given textbook chapter, students directly interact with a real business, executing real functions and transactions in a life-like business-to-business simulation.

Penn State Behrend offers the innovative interdisciplinary-based Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ENTI) minor to students in any major.

The minor equips students to develop an entrepreneurial mindset; think critically and “outside the box” to sense opportunities; develop value propositions; and create sustainable value in fast-paced socio-technological environments. The minor at Penn State Behrend currently offers the New Ventures Cluster, although additional clusters will be made available.

How does the environment affect humans—and how do we affect our environment? With Penn State Behrend’s B.S. in Environmental Science, you’ll apply interdisciplinary knowledge to research those questions and prepare to join an in-demand field.

The Finance minor offers students an introduction to principles of finance and its major areas: financial management, investments, and financial markets. Accounting and Economics majors, in particular, would benefit from the additional exposure to finance.

Finance is among the most versatile of majors—what organization wouldn’t benefit from optimizing the investment of its monetary resources?

The B.S. in Finance from Penn State Behrend prepares you for careers in every segment of our economy. So no matter what your interests—private corporations, government, financial services, banking, academia, or nonprofits—there’s a financial role to fill.

Looking to make yourself more valuable in the workplace? The graduate certificate in Financial Analysis from Penn State Behrend could give you the competitive edge you need to advance your career.

In this 12-credit program, you’ll study foundational business topics like financial theory and risk management, hone your skills in analysis and critical thinking, and apply your lessons through hands-on coursework and real-world case studies.

The Financial Controllership Certificate is designed to provide students with the skill sets to succeed in becoming a corporate accounting and financial management professional. Required coursework is aligned with topics covered by the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) examination. CMA certification demonstrates expertise in financial planning, analysis, control, decision support, and professional ethics. To earn an undergraduate certificate in Financial Controllership, a minimum of 15 credits is required.

This online financial engineering certificate can help you apply knowledge of finance, economics, statistics, and data analysis to make sound financial decisions and design innovative financial instruments and risk management strategies.

The Certificate in Financial Planning is a Registered Program with the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards (CFP Board). This program provides an introduction to personal financial planning and includes the areas of insurance, taxes, investments, retirement planning, and estate planning.

This certificate indicates completion of the educational coursework component of the CFP Board’s CFP® certification program. To be authorized to use the CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and certification marks, individuals must complete additional requirements, including an examination, experience, and ethics.

This certificate program is designed to prepare both current and returning students for a career in risk management; and, for those interested, to gain exposure to topics that constitute the first part of the Financial Risk Manager (FRM) exam, sponsored by the Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP). The FRM exam is the primary industry designation, with over 20,000 candidates taking the exam twice a year. Students completing the certificate are prepared to pass the first part of this two-part exam. The certificate requires a total of 22 credit hours and can be completed concurrently with a Penn State Behrend degree or via continuing education.

The French and Francophone Studies minor is designed to give students the opportunity to improve their knowledge of French language and culture (literature, civilization, film). Courses taken for the minor may also be counted for Basic Degree and major requirements.

Our world runs on data, and the people who best understand it—and who can explain it—are essential to any organization. With the B.S. in Functional Data Analytics, you’ll learn to analyze and interpret the numbers, but also discover how to clearly convey that information to others.

The United States and global games industry continues to be one of the most diverse and healthy available for job-seekers. In the United States alone, the games industry employs more than 32,000 people across 34 states, reaching a total compensation of over three billion dollars annually.

As one of a growing number of interdisciplinary programs at Penn State Behrend, students can now opt to enroll in a minor in Game Development.

Maybe you’re looking to get ahead in your current job. Maybe you want to start a business and want to make sure you have the right foundation. Or maybe you want a college degree but aren’t ready to commit to four years. The two-year associate degree in General Business might be your next step.

With a deeper understanding of the hows and whys of an organization’s operations, you’ll be better positioned for advancement as a supervisor, manager, customer relations administrator, or sales leader.

The School of Humanities and Social Sciences offers an interdisciplinary German Studies Certificate (GERSC BC) available to all Penn State Behrend students. The German Studies Certificate, which requires 16-17 credits, may serve as a “bridge” to Penn State’s German Minor.

The School of Humanities and Social Sciences offers an interdisciplinary Global Awareness Certificate (GLBLBC). Open to all Penn State Behrend students, the 12-credit certificate program equips students to deal more effectively with the globalizing world in which they will live and work.

The 18-credit History minor is designed to complement a wide range of social studies and humanities majors by affording students the opportunity to examine change and development in human societies over time. Students are free to select courses in the topics, geographical areas, and time periods that most suit their needs and interests.

At the heart of our History major is the idea that stories—those of individuals, communities, and societies—matter. In exploring these stories, you’ll gain an understanding of how and why the past has shaped the present and build a foundation for becoming an engaged, empathic citizen in a global society.

With Penn State Behrend’s B.A. in History, you’ll develop expertise in research, critical analysis, documentation and writing, cultural awareness, and effective communication—precisely the competencies that employers want in new hires and those necessary to advance in leadership and executive positions.

This 15-credit interdisciplinary certificate program is designed to prepare students with in-depth knowledge of the capabilities and limitations of people and the application of psychological concepts to the design and safety of products and services; including consumer goods, military products, interactive websites and games, and assistive technologies. This certificate requires that students take introductory psychology as well as the two human factors courses (9 credits). Students will also need to take 1 additional psychology course (3 credits), and one course (3 credits) outside of their major of study in order to foster the interdisciplinary nature of this certificate.

Like all engineers, industrial engineers are problem-solvers. Their specific task? They bring people, resources, and technology together to find ways to improve processes and increase efficiency. Every industry wants to save time and money, so the opportunities for industrial engineers are wide-ranging. Maybe your career will lead you to health care or information systems. Or maybe utilities, transportation, or the financial world appeal to you. You are limited only by your interests and goals.

Do you have a brain for business as well as an interest in engineering? With Penn State Behrend’s B.S. in Interdisciplinary Business with Engineering Studies (IBE), you don’t have to choose.

The program combines studies in both disciplines to create strategic thinkers who can recognize and resolve operational and technical challenges—making our IBE graduates valuable employees who can speak to both sides of an organization.

Science-related companies don’t just hire scientists—they need business-minded employees, too, to manage money, monitor supply chains, handle sales, interpret consumer behavior, and manage marketing.

With the B.S. in Interdisciplinary Science and Business (ISB) from Penn State Behrend, you’ll be uniquely qualified for positions on the business side of science, technology, and healthcare organizations—prepared with a deep understanding of what the company does along with the know-how to help lead it to future success.

In our increasingly interdependent world, events happening halfway around the globe can affect our communities here at home. That means decision-makers with global knowledge are in demand to conduct business that can cross borders.

With the B.S. in International Business from Penn State Behrend, you’ll develop a broad intercultural competence to go along with your business knowledge, positioning you to flourish no matter where your business happens to be.

The 18-credit minor in Latin American Studies offers students in any degree program the opportunity to enhance their education with a foundation of knowledge about Latin America. The program explores disciplines like history, political science, and anthropology, examining them through the lens of Latin American experiences.

This minor can provide an essential knowledge base for students interested in pursuing careers with global companies or organizations, or for students interested in pursuing graduate studies.

The Latin American Studies minor might also be of particular interest to students interested in a study-abroad experience.

Laws affect all of us daily—how we live and what we do, and how our communities, businesses, and governments operate. The 18-credit minor in Legal Studies gives students a background in our legal system, the basic structure of our rights and responsibilities, while also introducing them to perspectives on the law, its operation, and its effects in different contexts.

The Legal Studies minor can complement nearly any field of study, including engineering, business, criminal justice, communication, history, and environmental science. It should be of particular interest to students outside of liberal arts who are interested in law.

The management information systems minor can open new career options for students, increase their market value, and improve their chances for advancement.

One of the most valuable resources in today’s world? Data. With the B.S. in Management Information Systems, or MIS, from Penn State Behrend, you’ll learn to collect, store, organize, extract, analyze, and interpret data—making you an essential member of any organization.

Many MIS majors have interests in both the business world and technology—which makes sense, given that you’ll take core courses in both business and programming while studying how to save an organization time, money, and frustration by harnessing the power of big data.

A marketing minor offers a general marketing background to give students an understanding of core marketing principles, including marketing research and consumer behavior issues. In addition, students must take upper-level courses (at least 6 credits) in MKTG to get a more comprehensive understanding of marketing.

Simply put, marketers create demand for a product or service. That means they need to have both creative thinking and business savvy, so they can use data to understand consumer behavior and drive decision making.

With the B.S. in Marketing from Penn State Behrend, you’ll combine foundational marketing theory with data-science education to prepare you for every step of the marketing process—design, pricing, promotion, and point of sale—for all manner of organizations.

The Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology is a research-based degree with practical applications—and employment flexibility. A Penn State graduate degree in clinical psychology is attractive to employers and doctoral programs alike, and offers you more opportunity than a degree solely focused on counseling. Preparation for the Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) designation is an option for our M.A. graduates, as are doctoral study, teaching, research, and mental-health administration.

An M.A. in Clinical Psychology makes it possible for you to work in outpatient settings, inpatient settings, partial hospitalization programs, clinics, mental health agencies, human service agencies, community service agencies, colleges and universities, schools, prisons, consultancies, drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs, and research laboratories.

Take your career to the next level with an MBA from Penn State Behrend.

Our MBA program draws students from a wide range of fields, including management, banking, insurance, engineering, nursing, the sciences, and the liberal arts. Whether you’re looking to change careers, get ahead at your current job, or be more attractive to prospective employers, you can get ahead with our MBA.

Effective projects don’t just happen; they are coordinated by effective project managers. The ability to bring in large, multifunctional projects on time and on budget requires a unique set of skills in leadership, resource planning, and management. This 30-credit graduate program helps working professionals to develop the tools needed to carry out these complex organizational activities.

Mathematics is one of the oldest and most basic sciences, the foundation on which many other disciplines rely. Mathematical knowledge increases problem-solving skills in many fields.

You’re good with numbers—how can you make that a career? With the B.S. in Mathematics from Penn State Behrend, you can specialize in a variety of fields, including statistics, economics, actuarial science, computer science, modeling, and data analysis.

The associate degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology is flexible. It can prepare you for a career in any number of industrial operations, including applied product design, tool and die design, quality control, and technical sales. Or, it can be the foundation for further studies—whether in our B.S. in Mechanical Engineering Technology or another field.

Mechanical Engineering is the most diverse engineering degree program offered by the college. The problem-solving versatility of mechanical engineers means you’ll enjoy tremendous career flexibility. With a foundation in physics, chemistry, and mathematics and a mastery of mechanical and fluid/thermal systems, you can find a future in research, manufacturing, health care, energy, systems design, the military, and more. A mechanical engineering degree is also an advantage for some careers in business, law, or technical sales!

Every organization seeks competent and confident communicators—professionals who craft and deliver meaningful messages that reach the right audience at the right time. This universal need makes Penn State Behrend’s B.A. in Media and Communication a versatile, valuable degree.

If you enjoy working with people, welcome the opportunity to brainstorm and develop creative ideas, and embrace new technology, Media and Communication might be the major for you.

The 18-credit minor in Media Production helps Penn State Behrend students develop competencies in writing, photography, videography, audio and sound production, and graphic design. These skills add value to a major—preparing students to create content that gets results.

The minor in Media Production is open to students in most Behrend majors. It requires 18 credits of coursework; some courses also will fulfill Penn State General Education requirements.

Plastics devices and materials play a critical role in the growing healthcare industry. A great number of prosthetics, implants, tools, devices, and packaging could not exist without advanced plastics and materials. Furthermore, the use of plastics in medical applications is growing rapidly and the medical plastics market is expected to increase. We offer a Medical Plastics Certificate, taken in conjunction with the Plastics Engineering Technology baccalaureate degree, for students who are interested in careers in medical product development. Topics include advanced materials, new product design, manufacturing, and FDA regulatory issues. All are necessary to have an understanding of how to design and bring new medical products to the market.

Penn State Behrend has forty-plus degree programs. But if one isn’t the perfect fit for you, you can plan your own path with the B.A. in General Arts and Sciences.

As Penn State’s most flexible degree program, the B.A. in General Arts and Sciences is a choose-your-own-adventure major. You’ll work closely with advisers to assemble a curriculum that meets your personal interests and career goals.

Are you ready for higher education but unsure if you want to commit to a four-year degree? Consider pursuing the two-year associate degree in Multidisciplinary Studies (formerly called Letters, Arts, and Sciences) from Penn State Behrend.

A Multidisciplinary Studies degree can also help establish you in a better career than you’d find yourself without a college degree. Organizations want employees who are effective communicators, can adapt to change, and enjoy learning. Earning the associate degree in Multidisciplinary Studies demonstrates not only that you have the skills to bring value to an organization, but also the ability to set a goal and stick with it to completion.

If you have a caring nature, enjoy working with people, and are an adaptable, quick thinker, nursing might be the field for you.

A four-year bachelor’s degree has become the desired academic credential for nurses—and the B.S.N. in Nursing will help you enjoy higher pay scales and greater career opportunities.

The Operations and Supply Chain Management minor is designed primarily for students enrolled in non-business majors, especially those in engineering and engineering technology and in science, who wish to augment their majors with further studies in operations. The objective of the minor is to acquaint these students with the issues and methods associated with managing operations within manufacturing or service industries. Relevant studies include principles of management, operations management, logistics systems, procurement, planning and control, enterprise resource planning (ERP), and project management.

Every organization needs a strong leader—maybe that leader is you. With the graduate certificate in Organizational Leadership from Penn State Behrend, you can build a foundation in the essential skills needed to navigate challenges, adapt to change, and lead a team to success.

In this 12-credit program, you’ll study the fundamentals of management theory, learning to make effective decisions and improve your critical thinking skills. You’ll also develop technical skills to analyze problems through hands-on coursework and real-world case studies.

Physics is the fundamental science from which many fields of science and engineering developed. Understanding it gives you insights into your field at broad and fundamental levels. This strengthens your abilities to innovate and to see basic connections in your specialization or across disciplines.

A physics minor can provide you with a cross-disciplinary background that is highly valued by industry and academics.

The fundamental laws of physics govern all matter—from the largest galaxy to the smallest subatomic particle. Does that make physicists masters of the universe? We like to think so. With the B.S. in Physics from Penn State Behrend, you’ll explore energy, motion, and matter in preparation for any number of career fields in the sciences, engineering, research, education, or health care.

Plastics are everywhere. That means a B.S. in Plastics Engineering Technology will put you in demand in nearly any industry sector that interests you: automotive, aerospace, electronics, medical, consumer products, computers—even toys!

This 16-17 credit program is designed to provide students with an understanding of the basics of the materials and processes used to produce plastic parts. Students learn modern processing techniques and testing methods for plastics.

If the workings and interactions of state, national, and international governments fascinate you, consider pursuing a degree in political science.

Behrend’s B.A. in Political Science emphasizes the development of key intellectual skills, ingraining the habits of questioning, debating, challenging, and shaping persuasive arguments. You’ll be expected to master effective writing, speaking, and reasoning skills—all of which will make you a desirable candidate to any number of employers.

This 18-credit Politics and Government minor allows students to develop research, writing and analytical skills in the many related fields in the study of politics, such as American Government, Public Policy and Administration, Comparative Politics or International Relations.

Because the policy making process and the processes of globalization affect us in virtually all areas of our lives, the minor is appropriate for supporting the study of any major. Similarly, the minor provides an invaluable understanding of the political world that is useful in any career that has an impact on or is affected by public life.

With the 18-credit Politics and Public Policy minor, students can develop a deep understanding of how the policies that affect our daily lives are formulated, funded, and implemented. The minor explores the political and governmental processes behind these decisions, and gives students a framework for how to analyze the impact and effectiveness of those policies.

This minor is useful to students pursuing any number of degree programs, giving them a background to bring expertise to their chosen major—particularly in how their field intersects with government regulation.

Our unique B.S. in Polymer Engineering and Science prepares you to analyze and design polymers—the fascinating materials that make up our world. You’ll learn to analyze the character and structure of materials, and then use that knowledge to design innovative new products for a variety of fields, including medicine, manufacturing, and sustainability.

If you’re passionate about using data to solve problems, then you might benefit from adding a certificate in Project and Supply Chain Analytics to your degree. This 12-credit certificate program takes an interdisciplinary approach, incorporating project management, supply chain management, and data analytics to build your skills in managing the flow of goods, services, and information.

The certificate program is designed to help you learn to apply analytical methods to find solutions and insights needed for key decision making within an organization. The certificate provides a foundation that can be used to boost your portfolio in a number of fields, including management, data analytics, or business intelligence, or to help prepare you for further graduate studies.

The Project and Supply Chain Management minor is designed to introduce students within the School of Business to advanced topics in supply chain and project management. The minor can provide options and opportunities beyond those offered by a major program of study.

Well over half of all activities in modern corporations are project-based—from developing the smallest products to constructing skyscrapers. On top of that, globalization is creating a growing need for professionals who can effectively manage complex supply chains as well as complicated projects.

That’s where Penn State Behrend’s B.S. in Project and Supply Chain Management comes in. You’ll learn how to plan, manage, and deliver projects while navigating the complex supply chains that can make or break an organization’s success.

The online Graduate Certificate in Project Management is an interdisciplinary, 12-credit program that uses problem-based learning to provide a strong foundation in project management theory and practice. The program is AACSB accredited, so your certificate will be a well-respected credential.

An 18-credit Psychological Science minor is available to students in any major, and it is a valuable addition if one’s career will involve interaction with other people.

This minor is designed to provide undergraduate students with a broad overview of topics and domains within psychology; knowledge and skills related to research methods in psychology; and a deeper knowledge of research, theory, and application in one or two specific content domains. Students completing this minor will find a flexible selection of coursework in psychology.

If you’re curious about the hows and whys of human behavior—how personality develops, how we interact with one another, why our thoughts affect our behaviors, why aggression exists—then a bachelor’s degree in Psychology might be the path for you.

Psychology is the scientific study of human behavior, making it a solid foundation for almost any career. A Psychology degree is particularly valued in the mental health and social services fields, but also in education, medicine, business, law, and research.

The Certificate in Public Relations (PR BC) offered at Penn State Behrend is designed for communication and business majors who wish to focus their supporting or non-business supporting coursework in a specific professional communication area. The certificate is also designed for working professionals interested in developing their skillset in public relations. The foundation of the certificate is developed in the Media Writing, Introduction to Public Relations, and Public Relations Media and Methods courses. Students are then allowed to choose one additional advanced course to complete the 12 required hours.

If you picture yourself in a science career but can’t find the right fit in any of the traditional majors, the flexible B.S. in Science program at Penn State Behrend might be for you. You’ll build a broad foundation in science and then choose an area of specialization that fits best with your unique goals.

Your degree will boost your career potential, whether you choose to work in a traditional science setting or choose to use your scientific knowledge to build a career in law, management, medicine, or more.

If you have a caring nature, enjoy working with people, and are an adaptable, quick thinker, nursing might be the field for you.

A four-year bachelor’s degree has become the desired academic credential for nurses—and the Bachelor of Science in Nursing will help you enjoy higher pay scales and greater career opportunities.

To teach math, you must first know math. That’s why the B.S. in Secondary Education in Mathematics prepares you to teach content across the seventh- to twelfth-grade curriculum. The program emphasizes mathematics-specific content, including practical experiences in the field—giving you confidence to educate, challenge, and support your future students.

An 18-credit Sociology minor is available to students in any major, and it is a valuable addition to one’s personal ability to communicate in and outside of the workplace.

This minor is designed to allow undergraduate students to explore the wide range of topics, social groups, and social interactions studied by sociologists. From social inequities and social problems to the familiar institutions of family, school, religion, and government, the diversity of courses available allows sociology minors to explore courses relevant to their interests.

Without software engineers, there would be no internet, email, or apps, no Snapchat or streaming video. Penn State Behrend’s B.S. in Software Engineering can prepare you to become one of the creative tech wizards who put the functionality into our digital lives, as you learn to design, analyze, implement, and maintain complex software systems.

Software engineering is a relatively young profession, but it has great buzz—it regularly tops Money magazine’s annual Best Jobs list.

Currently, Behrend does not offer courses for the Spanish Minor. Students can pursue a Spanish Minor online via the Penn State Digital Learning Cooperative (DLC). Spanish Minor courses are offered by Penn State Berks either remote asynchronous or via Zoom.

Behind all sports—whether pro or youth leagues, competitive or just for fun—are business decisions that must be made. Administrators are needed to schedule games, manage facilities, plan events, market teams, order equipment, arrange rosters, and sign contracts.

The 15-credit interdisciplinary Certificate in Sports Administration from Penn State Behrend will introduce you to different aspects of sports administration, enhancing your portfolio and expanding your career opportunities.

Statistics originated from the simple study of games of chance and grew into one of the most important applications of human knowledge. One cannot read a newspaper or watch the evening news without being exposed to some sort of statistic or graphic used to describe everything from approval ratings to medical studies. A statistical background enables people to critically analyze and interpret this information.

The Intercollege Minor in Sustainability Leadership allows students in any major to incorporate sustainability as a significant theme in their undergraduate degree program. Through a combination of coursework and immersive experiences in sustainability, students develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to become sustainability leaders in their respective fields.

This minor is designed to accommodate undergraduates enrolled in engineering and engineering technology and in science who wish to augment their majors with further studies in industrial or technical sales. This minor is designed for non-business majors. The objective of the minor is to acquaint the technical students of these majors with the issues and methods associated with industrial or technical sales. Relevant studies include principles of management, operations management, supply chain management, marketing, logistics systems, procurement, personal selling or business-to-business marketing, and project management. Students who complete the minor will be positioned for career opportunities as direct sales engineers who play a key role in the selection, purchase, installation, and maintenance of technical products by selling technology and engineering solutions, or as manufacturing representatives who independently form contracts in exclusive marketing territories for multiple small manufacturers of compatible but not competing technical products.

As a collaborative art form, theatre brings together different disciplines, different senses, and different perspectives to create a story greater than the sum of its parts. That’s why Penn State Behrend’s Theatre minor is appealing to a variety of students—those who are already studying in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, as well as students from other majors across the college.

This 18-credit Trauma Studies certificate offered at Penn State Behrend provides the core information and competencies for students interested in pursuing research and applied experiences in trauma studies. The certificate is open to all majors; students will be provided with an interdisciplinary understanding of the psychological, historical, sociocultural, political, and physiological aspects of the effects of trauma. It will also provide students a greater understanding of the unique economic, occupational, physical, medical, and interpersonal needs of those recovering from trauma.

Women’s Studies & Gender Studies (WMNST) at Penn State Behrend asks students to think about the impact of gender in their lives and to interpret both their own experiences and social expectations. The WMNST minor is interdisciplinary; students take courses in a variety of fields, including communication, history, literature, political science, psychology, and more.

To obtain a minor in Women’s Studies, students are required to complete 18 credits of coursework, 6 prescribed and 12 supporting. The supporting credits, which students choose from a program-approved list, must include at least 3 credits each in arts and humanities and natural or social sciences, and 3 credits focusing on non-Western women or on women of color in the United States. A total of 6 credits must be at the 400 level.

When students complete the minor requirements, they receive a certificate, and the minor is noted on their official transcript.

In the digital world, language is central in almost everything we do—meaning the ability to use language to inform, instruct, or persuade is a valuable skill.

In the interdisciplinary Writing and Digital Media minor, you will learn how to write effectively for a variety of workplace and academic settings, making the minor a beneficial supplement to all bachelor’s degree programs.