Dean Eva J. Pell

Welcome! Whether you aspire to conduct cutting-edge research that will contribute to global knowledge or to hold a leadership position in your field with government or industry, we invite you to consider graduate study at Penn State. Graduate education and research are among the University’s foremost missions.

Penn State offers more than 150 graduate degree programs, including 122 doctorate, 110 academic master’s and 74 professional master’s degree programs, and is one of the leading research universities in the United States.

Our graduate programs attract students from diverse cultural and educational backgrounds and from 105 countries all over the world. More than 2,400 graduate students are enrolled from China, India, Korea, Taiwan, Turkey and a host of other countries, and one out of four students is an international student. Our graduate programs also attract significant enrollments by underrepresented, domestic students.

An important component in our success is the quality of our research program. According to National Science Foundation data for 2007, the latest year available, Penn State ranked 11th overall among major U.S. universities in research expenditures in science and engineering fields. Importantly, this ranking was earned in part by 11 distinct research fields at Penn State being ranked among the top ten of the nation. Our total research expenditures in fiscal year 2008 were $717 million. Included in this total is funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including the National Institutes of Health, as well as from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Defense, Department of Energy, National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Science Foundation.

Nationally, Penn State ranks third in industry-sponsored research, with $105.8 million in expenditures for 2008. In that same year, the University conducted 1,234 research projects with over 626 companies nationwide. These industry contacts provide valuable networks for graduate students seeking nonacademic career opportunities.

With the globalization of knowledge and substantial interest in graduate education growing internationally, this is an excellent time to consider a graduate degree program. At Penn State, domestic and international students are afforded the opportunity to conduct high-quality research and to gain vital experiences that will increase their access to success in the highly competitive U.S. and international employment markets. Explore our programs that interest you and see why we think Penn State should be your first choice for graduate study.