Is Penn State World Campus a Good Online School

Today, we will be discussing crucial information you need to know about this online school, from its college rankings to what it is known for. After reading this article, you will realize if applying to it is a wise move. Let’s get started!

Overview

Penn State World Campus is an online school of Pennsylvania State University. The University offers online degrees.

And now you may be wondering if it’s a good online school that can make your resume impress potential employers.

Penn State World Campus is ideal for non-traditional students who wish to obtain legitimate online degrees from an accredited institution rather than a diploma mill.

Because the degrees it offers can be completed purely online, the school is suited for students who cannot go to a physical campus.

Many students and their parents, too, are wary of online schools as they could be diploma mills in disguise.

If you are thinking about applying to Penn State World Campus, don’t stop reading now, in order to get all the necessary information that might be helpful to you.

What is Penn State World Campus Known For?

Penn State World Campus is known for being the online campus of Penn State University. The online school started in 1998, offering few online programs. But today, you can choose from more than 175 programs.

In 1855, Penn State University, the traditional school, was founded. When the Commonwealth chartered it as one of the nation’s first colleges of agricultural science, with a goal to apply scientific principles to farming.

Currently, the online school offers various associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees, all of which can be completed via the Internet.

According to the school’s website itself, its online certificate programs are designed for current or future professionals who wish to advance their knowledge and skills related to their respective careers or industries.

However, the available online certificate programs can also serve as a stepping stone for Penn State World Campus undergraduate degrees.

Some of the most popular majors at Penn State World Campus include:

• Business
• Psychology
• Information Science
• Nursing
• Computer and Information Systems Security
• Organizational Behavior Studies
• Criminal Justice and Safety Studies
• Economics
• Finance
• Public Relations

Is Penn State World Campus an Accredited School?

Besides the school itself, the online degrees Penn State World Campus offers are accredited, too. The accreditor responsible for it is the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), which is recognized by both the US Department of Education (USDE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

Prior to applying to an online school, there is one very important step students have to take beforehand. And it’s none other than checking whether or not the institution offering online degrees is accredited.

The absence of accreditation should make you look for another online school because it is most likely to be a diploma mill.

So, in other words, the degree you will earn from it is worthless and thus not accepted by employers.

Having no accreditation is just one of the various characteristics of a diploma mill. Fortunately, Penn State World Campus is not a diploma mill because it is an accredited school.

Its accreditor, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), is a regional accrediting agency that accredits institutions for higher education in 19 states in the North Central region.

Needless to say, Penn State World Campus has regional accreditation, which is widely considered more prestigious than national accreditation.

Here are some of the perks of attending a regionally accredited school like Penn State World Campus:

• Transfer of earned credits from college to college
• Recognition of an undergraduate degree by graduate schools
• Better financial aid options
• Increased value in the job market after graduation

Is Penn State World Campus a Diploma Mill?

Since it has regional accreditation from an accrediting agency recognized by both the USDE and CHEA, Penn State World Campus is far from being a diploma mill.

This means that the various online degrees students can earn from the institution are worth something and respected by employers, too.

Earlier, we mentioned that one of the telltale signs an online school is a diploma mill is that it’s not accredited. Still, even if it says it’s accredited, the accreditor is not a legitimate or recognized accrediting agency.

There is one more characteristic that diploma mills share: the absence of a physical campus or office.

It’s exactly because of this that Penn State World Campus should not be mistaken for a diploma mill. Besides being regionally accredited by a legit accrediting agency, the online school has an existing campus right in the heart of Pennsylvania, United States of America.

Needless to say, the school has both online and traditional students.

Due to the fact that it has a physical campus, Penn State World Campus offers hybrid or blended classes. As the name pretty much suggests, these are classes that combine virtual and face-to-face sessions.

So, in other words, if you have never experienced going to a traditional college, you may consider going for a degree from these online schools with hybrid classes.

This will allow you to become a well-rounded student, which could come in handy when it’s time for you to be a part of the workforce.

Penn State World Campus Rankings

Various degree programs offered by Penn State World Campus are highly ranked by US News. Most of them are graduate degrees.

Among undergraduate degree programs, Business and Psychology have the highest rankings. US News has also ranked Penn State World Campus’ online bachelor’s programs for veterans.

Prior to enrolling in a particular online program, oftentimes, you have no choice but to trust the word of the institution offering it and online reviews of individuals who have actually enrolled in it.

But there is something that you may include in the equation: college rankings by reliable college rankers.

When it comes to college rankings, US News is undeniably one of the most popular and trusted, especially among college-bound teens who are going through the college selection process.

Well, many of the programs offered by Penn State World Campus are ranked by US News, and the following are some of them:

#2 in Best Online Bachelor’s in Business Programs

#2 in Best Online Bachelor’s in Psychology Programs

#11 in Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans

#16 in Best Online Bachelor’s Programs

#2 in Best Online Master’s in Industrial Engineering Programs

#3 in Best Online Master’s in Engineering Programs

#7 in Best Online Master’s in Electrical Engineering Programs

#7 in Best Online Master’s in Special Education Programs

#8 in Best Online Master’s in Education Programs

#13 in Best Online Master’s in Computer Information Technology Programs

#15 in Best Online MBA Programs

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Penn State World Campus

As of 2021/2022, the cost of an online undergraduate program at Penn State World Campus is $590 per credit per hour.

On the other hand, the cost of an online Part-time program at the institution is $590 per credit hour and  $632 (if you have more than 60 credits) while degree programs available at Penn State World Campus cost more per credit or semester.

Completing an online program at Penn State World Campus is cheaper than completing a traditional program.

For financial aid purposes, Around 72% of Penn State World Campus students get aid. At most US colleges and universities, students take 12 to 18 credits per semester.

What’s really nice about attending an online school is that you can earn a degree at your own pace.

So, in other words, you can get your hands on a bachelor’s degree from Penn State World Campus faster or slower — it all depends on how many credits you will take per semester.

When deciding the right number of credits for you, take your everyday schedule into account to make sure that your college GPA won’t suffer.

Based on the cost per credit hour above, being a full-time undergraduate student at Penn State World Campus taking at least 12 credits per semester the cost amounts to $7,169 per semester(if you have less than 60 credits) or $7,738 per semester (if you have 60 or more credits).

Whether you are a busy individual or trying to stay within budget, earning a degree from Penn State World Campus is so much cheaper than earning it by attending its physical campus.

It’s true that the cost of earning a degree from Penn State World Campus is cheaper than earning a degree in the traditional manner.

However, the availability of scholarships for online students helps make the cost of college so much easier on the pocket.

Conclusion

Because Penn State World Campus is a legitimate and regionally accredited institution operating on the internet, ending up with a bogus online degree should be the least of your worries.

Above, we talked about an assortment of things interested students need to know about online school.

Make sure that you consider all important factors, from the available degrees to cost of attendance, before applying to Penn State World Campus.

By comparing it with some other online institutions worthy of being on your college list, too, you will have an idea of whether or not it’s the right school for you.

Last Updated on April 27, 2023 by Admin