Why Penn State?
Students choose Penn State for their graduate education for many reasons, including its broad array of programs; opportunities for professional development; access to high-quality facilities; a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment; and countless mentorship and support options.
Broad Array of Graduate Programs
“Penn State stands out as a premier destination for graduate education due to its exceptional academic programs, renowned faculty, and vibrant campus community. With a diverse range of graduate programs spanning various disciplines, Penn State offers students the opportunity to pursue advanced studies in fields at the forefront of innovation and discovery. The university's commitment to research is evident through its state-of-the-art facilities and collaborative research initiatives, providing students with invaluable hands-on experience and opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration.”
— Mohammadreza Abbasi
Doctoral student in Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering
“One aspect that struck me initially about Penn State was the variety of majors it offers. The wide spectrum of available majors facilitates in-depth research within specific fields. More importantly, it enables seamless and broad multidisciplinary collaborations. As engineering is highly application-oriented, these collaborations not only allow for applications to benefit from new insights using cutting-edge techniques, but they also enhance engineering design through valuable feedback from users.”
— Haoyang Chen
Doctoral candidate in Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering
Opportunities for Professional Development
“My Ph.D. studies have been transformative to my personal life, my academic goals, and my career trajectory. The skills I developed in research and writing led to the publication of my first peer-reviewed journal article, a long-time goal. In the teaching experience I received as part of my graduate assistantship, I both grew as an instructor in new subject areas and honed my existing pedagogy. Put simply, the skills and experience I earned in my graduate studies at Penn State University have opened doors to exciting, life-changing opportunities, and I look forward to seeing what’s next.”
— Timothy D. Smith
Doctoral candidate in American Studies, Penn State Harrisburg
“Penn State has a wide array of graduate courses that allowed me to gain specialized knowledge and skills in my field. Additionally, faculty members at Penn State encourage students to pursue their interests through out-of-class experiences such as teaching and contributing to interdisciplinary research teams. The graduate student body is ambitious and collaborative. Penn State offers a world-class graduate education that prepares students to be leaders in their field.”
— Gavin Rackoff
Psychology doctoral student, College of Liberal Arts
“I selected Penn State for my graduate education because of the great mix of qualities it offers including the campus size, location, its diverse community, and strong support for graduate students. I have discovered that Penn State is deeply committed to the professional development of its graduate students. Throughout my time here, I have been surprised by the wealth of both academic and non-academic resources available to all students. The lively campus life at Penn State has made my experience even more enjoyable. Moreover, the graduate program I am part of has created a sense of competition among peers, which has inspired me to conduct high-quality research and secure publications in journals.”
— Dima Abu-Aridah
Doctoral student in Architecture, College of Arts and Architecture
“Penn State has incredible opportunities built into its graduate infrastructure that allow graduate students to receive top of the line training for a variety of career paths. A few of the many opportunities that are available for (but not limited to) physiology students are NIH T32 training fellowships, a graduate teaching certificate, grant workshops to help students write more competitive grants, and certificates in more specialized areas of research, like clinical and translational sciences. At every step of my graduate education, I was encouraged to explore the variety of career paths that you can pursue after your PhD, and the means to make myself a competitive candidate for these different paths.”
— Allison Carothers
Doctoral candidate in Integrative and Biomedical Physiology, Huck Institute of Life Sciences
“Penn State is ideal for graduate education due to its blend of academic excellence, vast research opportunities, and strong support systems. The university's faculty members are experts in their field, offer mentorship, and provide invaluable opportunities for academic and professional growth. Graduate students are empowered to engage in research, teaching, and learning that paves the way to meaningfully contributing to their fields. Penn State not only fosters academic excellence but also prepares graduate students for successful careers.”
— Abigail Stebbins
Doctoral Candidate in Curriculum and Instruction, College of Education
Access to High-Quality Facilities
“By completing my Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. at Penn state, I have had access to many great faculty and facilities the university has to offer. As my focus is in biomaterials, the Millennium Science Complex has been an integral part of my success. The University houses many experts in materials science and biomaterials and the facilities provide a variety of equipment that can’t be found at most universities.”
— Tyus Yeingst
Doctoral student in Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering
“The support at Penn State is phenomenal not only within research, but also in places most students do not realize they need. Because of the vast resources at a large university like Penn State, we have experts working in dedicated centers that are available to students, faculty, and staff. Penn State is also a place where graduate students can grow personally as well. I have been lucky enough to find time to continue my hobbies from my younger years, such as run on the club cross country team and play slow pitch co-ed softball. Additionally, I found new hobbies where I was able to join the local community to learn from others! These experiences have helped me keep a work-life balance, and I always seem to be doing something I enjoy.”
— Morgan Vincent
Doctoral Candidate in Chemistry, Eberly College of Science
“Penn State offers exceptional graduate programs providing great opportunities to learn and develop technical and interpersonal skills. Penn State has world-class laboratories equipped with cutting-edge technologies, providing students with unparalleled research opportunities. Renowned professors, who are pioneers in their respective fields, mentor and guide students, fostering a culture of academic excellence and innovation. The university prioritizes the development of students' skills and offers numerous avenues to showcase their work, ensuring they receive recognition and support for their contributions. Additionally, Penn State boasts a vibrant and inclusive culture, supported by dedicated departmental staff who provide invaluable assistance and guidance throughout students' academic journey.”
— Kiran Bhaskar
Doctoral candidate in Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering
“Penn State offers a myriad of resources that cater to every student’s needs. One of my favorite aspects is the university’s library system, which is remarkable for its ability to provide us with any book we need within days. The university also offers a diverse range of extracurricular activities, clubs, and events that contribute to a vibrant and engaging student experience. Overall, the combination of academic and professional resources, coupled with a supportive community and a beautiful campus, makes Penn State a great choice for graduate education.”
— Carolin Jolitz
Doctoral candidate in German with a dual-title in Applied Linguistics and Language Science, College of Liberal Arts
A Collaborative, Interdisciplinary Environment
“Penn state is a great school with diverse areas of research, amazing faculty that are great mentors, helpful and approachable staff, and ample of resources/opportunities for career development. High intercollege and campus collaboration makes Penn state a perfect place for graduate education. Additionally the programs and course structure is well-designed that prospers career growth and overall development of students. The professors and mentors here are very generous and approachable, always eager to help students. And with the close connection to the hospital and cancer institute, the Biomedical sciences graduate program offers an outstanding opportunity for basic as well as translational research.”
— Mayura Dhamdhere
Doctoral candidate in Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine
“Penn State is a strong institution with a long history and numerous ties with other academic institutions and organizations. In the collaborative environment of Penn State, it was as easy to network across departments as it was to form partnerships with different institutions and companies – paperwork aside. Because the scope of research activity is always growing at Penn State, there is fantastic support for traditional research as well as inter- and transdisciplinary projects. Part of what makes this possible – and fruitful – is the robust sense of community and the connections therein. On nearly every occasion that I reached out to fellow researchers at Penn State, I was met with an enthusiastic interest in working together, brainstorming research questions, and simply experiencing local opportunities.”
— Mason Breitzig
Doctoral candidate in Epidemiology, College of Medicine
Mentorship and Support
“The working atmosphere here has helped me a lot during these years. We can learn a lot of fields in many topic courses, and many faculty members are willing to help the students, no matter whether they are working in the same direction or not. For example, before I came to Penn State, I knew very little about statistics. But when I came here, I always had chances to talk with faculty members working on various areas. They are always willing to share with me their understanding as well as some interesting stories in their research, which helps me build the big picture of many fields in statistics. I think the atmosphere here is what I love most.”
— Yin Tang
Doctoral candidate in Statistics, Eberly College of Science
“In my opinion, Penn State is THE place to go for graduate education because of – the people! Not only do we work alongside some of the most brilliant minds of the nation, but the university’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belongingness makes it a welcoming environment for students from all backgrounds. In addition, Penn State has one of the largest and most supportive alumni networks in the world. The university's connection to leading industries provides invaluable resources and networking opportunities that can propel a graduate student's career.”
— Tanveer Ahmed
Doctoral candidate in Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering
“One of the main reasons I chose Penn State for graduate school was the exceptional network of professors and expertise available. The professors in my academic committee are not only renowned experts, but they have served as positive role models for balancing academia with a healthy lifestyle and work relationships, which was a priority for me coming into my program. Additionally, as a land-grant university and esteemed institution in agriculture, I knew Penn State would provide access to resources essential for my growth as an agricultural scientific expert.”
— Sarah Richards
Doctoral student in Ecology, College of Agricultural Sciences
“Penn State's graduate program is incredible from its stunning campus to the impeccably impressive labs. However, what makes Penn State standout the most for me are the faculty and staff. The professors continue to be awe-inspiring and their level of commitment to high-quality research has taught me how to be a better scientist. The staff at Penn State help make graduate school a brighter experience and they help create a positive and supportive environment. Collectively, the people at Penn State are what makes the graduate school a positive force for groundbreaking research.”
— Rebecca Welch
Doctoral student in Materials Science and Engineering, College of Earth and Mineral Science
“Penn State provided me with wonderful faculty mentors dedicated to guiding student research. My advisor and committee consistently supported my research and career goals, which has helped tremendously in the job market. My mentors also modeled ways to teach effectively in the college classroom, consistently demonstrating kindness toward students in need. These opportunities at Penn State allowed me to grow as an educator and a person.”
— Maria Rovito
Doctoral candidate in American Studies, Penn State Harrisburg
“A Penn State graduate education is a diverse experience in which your cohort comes from all different types of ethnic and cultural backgrounds. This gives a unique advantage, as various student and faculty backgrounds drastically influence your field of study. Penn State also gives you the opportunity to draw from their expansive global resources in order to advance your career.”
— Kimberly Cunningham
Master's student in Architecture, College of Arts and Architecture
“I majored in engineering for my bachelor's degree, and this master's program reflects my pursuit of study in computational biology. My major concern was how to receive a broad education covering computer science, mathematics, and biology. I soon realized that faculties in the bioinformatics or math departments were enthusiastic about supporting my education. Within a ten-minute walk on campus, I could visit any department across a variety of majors to meet with faculty members who could guide my research. It was a tremendous advantage to have such a supportive infrastructure. I do not know the culture of other universities, but I can definitely say professors in Penn State, regardless of majors, are in overall very helpful for even master's students once they are willing to do a serious research project.”
— Adam Park
Master's student in Computer Science and Engineering, College of Engineering