Student Government Association board members Ryan Barton and Caitlyn Cody discuss upcoming SGA events. Barton is a Navy veteran and adult learner majoring in information sciences and technology.
Course offerings attractive to veterans and adult learners
There is still time to sign up for spring 2014 classes at Penn State New Kensington. The semester gets under way Monday, Jan. 13.
New Kensington offers nine bachelor’s degrees: Administration of Justice; Psychology (B.A and B.S.); Business; Communications; Electro-Mechanical Engineering Technology; Information Sciences and Technology; Nursing; Organizational Leadership; and five associate degrees: Biomedical Engineering Technology; Business; Information Sciences and Technology; Letters, Arts and Sciences; and Radiological Sciences. Prospective students can begin most of Penn State’s 160 bachelor’s degrees at the New Kensington campus and finish the degree at another Penn State campus. In addition to bachelor’s and associate degrees, the campus offers certificates and professional development programs through its Continuing Education office.
The ranks of adult learners, those classified as at least 24 years old, are expanding as veterans and displaced workers look for a career change or seek additional education. The Organizational Leadership (OLEAD) program is designed specifically as a degree completion program for adult learners. Students can earn a minimum of six credits (two 3-credit courses) per semester by attending classes one night a week in an accelerated fashion. The OLEAD major can be completed at the New Kensington campus or at the Regional Learning Alliance in Cranberry.
There are numerous academic options available to veterans and adults, including: selecting from more than 200 noncredit, certificate and degree programs; choosing full- or part-time status; and scheduling day or evening classes. Veterans and adult learners, who comprise approximately 31 percent of the Penn State New Kensington student population, have their own space on the campus at the Adult Learner Resource Center and Lounge, which is open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week. The lounge includes a small library of resource books, coffee maker, refrigerator, microwave, a computer and printer, white board, table and chairs for small group study and comfortable chairs for relaxation. Penn State New Kensington strives to support these students in reaching their academic goals while maintaining a healthy life balance.
For more information, call the Admissions office at 724-334-LION or 888-968-PAWS. For a schedule of spring classes, visit http://schedule.psu.edu/