Bachelor of Education and Public Policy at Pennsylvania State University
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    Bachelor of Education and Public Policy at Pennsylvania State University

    Pennsylvania State University
    Pennsylvania State University
    United States of America
    United States of America, University Park
    University Rank:#82
    Bachelor of Education and Public Policy at Pennsylvania State University

    The Education and Public Policy at Pennsylvania State University is a Full Time Bachelor program offered across its Abington, Altoona, Erie, Berks, University Park, Harrisburg, DuBois, Fayette, Greater Allegheny, Hazleton, Schuylkill, Wilkes-Barre, Beaver, New Kensington, Shenango, Brandywine, Lehigh Valley, Scranton, York, and Mont Alto campuses in United States of America. The program is delivered on campus in English and can be completed in 4 years. Students develop academic knowledge and practical skills that prepare them for future careers in this field. The next available intake starts on June 1, 2027.

    About Bachelor of Education and Public Policy

    Education and Public Policy is a multidisciplinary program that critically evaluates how society fosters equity and excellence through education. Courses explore the deep cultural meanings of concepts such as democracy and citizenship, and our faculty encourage active problem-solving skills by using real world examples of government-initiated policies and programs. Through readings, case studies and conversations with your peers, you will uncover the practical effects that policies have on students, teachers, school leaders, families, and the community as a whole. You will also have the opportunity to identify education policies and practices that matter to you and consider various strategies that could be effective in solving emerging problems.

    You Might Like This Program If...

    • You are interested in education and want to make a difference in the world.
    • You want to study the big questions related to education and society, such as "how can we improve schools?" "what causes inequality?" and "how do policies impact students and teachers?"
    • You want the benefits of a small program situated within a large university.
    • You want to pursue a career with policy-related non-profits in public service, government, law, or research.

    The Education and Public Policy major (EPP) offers an interdisciplinary program for students who want to make a difference in society by building democratic participation and improving civic capacity in and through educational institutions and communities. Students interested in politics and government, social reform and organizing, higher education, educational technology, museums and other non-traditional learning spaces, and equity can find meaningful pathways in EPP.

    The EPP major prepares students to work in political and economic global systems for the betterment of a diverse and democratic society. EPP students become discerning research consumers and policy analysts working toward socially just reforms in the education space and beyond. The EPP major blends core courses in educational policy with courses in sociology, political science, economics, business, race and class, and research methods. Elective courses within the major include policy problems, public systems, leadership, ethics, diversity, equality, and equity. In addition to academic studies, the EPP major includes a semester field experience culminating in a real-world, meaningful research project. Opportunities for internships include organizations in State College, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. Graduates of the EPP program will enter professional careers in educational organizations, government, community development, think tanks, educational technology and start-ups, business, law, public service, non-profits, consulting, and teaching.

    • Analysis of Evidence: Students will evaluate evidence to guide ethical policymaking.
    • Communicating Policy Briefs: Students will write high-quality policy briefs and present high-quality oral policy briefings that summarize policy issues.
    • Critical Thinking: Students will identify, interpret and critique research related to educational reform and social justice.
    • Developing professional skills and experience: Students will gain professional skills, including networking, resume building, and professional conduct, through EDTHP 394 and 395. Students will synthesize what they've learned and apply that knowledge to careers in educational organizations, government, community development, public service, non-profits, consulting, philanthropy, and interest groups for the betterment of a diverse and democratic society.
    • Exploring the policy world: Students will become well-versed in a concentration area of their choosing.
    • Knowledge Acquisition: Students will demonstrate a working knowledge of core concepts in the policy-making process and in policy analysis, using issues in American education as the focal point.
    • Knowledge Application: Students will arrange recent reforms and reform movements into the proper social, cultural, political, economic, and historical context.
    • Knowledge Outreach: Students will demonstrate a working knowledge of the range of organizations dedicated to the enhancement of, and research about, American public schools.

    Disciplines

    Education

    Requirements and Admission Criteria for Bachelor of Education and Public Policy at Pennsylvania State University

    Entry Requirements

    Penn State requires the submission of specific academic credentials to complete your application. Review the secondary and post-secondary requirements for your country below.

    If you are a first year student applying to Penn State:

    Click Apply to start your Penn State application. Before starting, you can also review the Applying Online Worksheet for more details and helpful hints about the application.

    Your application work can be saved at each step of the process by clicking the Save and Continue button at the bottom of the page. This feature will allow you to move back and forth within the application or log off and return to complete your application at a later time.

    After completing your Academic History, you will need to provide your Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR). As you begin the SRAR process, a new window will open allowing you to complete your SRAR. SRAR will focus on your high school coursework. It is important that this step is a complete and accurate representation of your school record. Therefore, have a copy of your secondary school records available as you complete your SRAR. You will need to enter every class and every grade earned for the last three years, as well as those classes in progress.

    After completing your SRAR, you will be directed back to the Penn State application in order to complete the Program of Study portion of the application. Here, you will indicate your desired starting semester, your intended program of study, and your starting and ending campus. For further details on how to complete this portion based on your applicant type, please see the steps to apply for first-year students.

    After completing this section of the application, you will provide some additional information, an activities resume, and a personal statement. You will be able to paste in this information from other sources, but note that the formatting may not always paste in as intended.

    If you are a transfer student applying to Penn State:

    All international transfer students will be required to submit official high school transcripts in order to complete the application. International transfer students will not complete the Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR) for either their high school or college coursework.

    If you have accepted your offer of admission to Penn State:

    If you completed SRAR and are accepted to Penn State, please provide the following for grade verification:

    • Official transcript from years 9, 10, 11, and 12. If the transcript is issued in a language other than English, it must be accompanied by a separate line-by-line English translation.
    • Official copy of the Tawjihi, accompanied by a separate line-by-line English translation.

    English Requirements

    • IELTSMin 6.5
    • TOEFLMin 80

    Career Opportunities after Completing Bachelor of Education and Public Policy

    Penn State students with a B.S. in Education and Public Policy have been successful in establishing careers in a wide variety of fields. We encourage majors to develop a concentration in another field to match your career goals. Students have pursued EPP concentrations in museum studies, women's and gender studies, sports education, music and art education, sustainability, and human development and family studies. We welcome new areas of concentration and will help you tailor the program to match your career goals.

    The Education and Public Policy degree prepares students to enter careers in educational organizations, government, public service, non-profits, philanthropy, advocacy, and research. Graduates have worked both domestically and internationally and pursued education- and policy-related paths. Alternative careers include educational journalism and educational entrepreneurship.

    Opportunities for Graduate Studies

    Many EPP students have gone on to pursue graduate degrees in Law, as well as Education Policy, Educational Leadership, Student Affairs, and Higher Education administration. All of these can be pursued at Penn State with the same faculty you have been taking classes with as an undergraduate. Other related fields include economics, political science, sociology, and social work. The Education and Public Policy program also offers an Integrated Undergraduate-Graduate Program in Education and Public Policy (B.S.) and Educational Theory and Policy (M.A.) through the Schreyer Honors College.

    Tuition and Fee Information for Bachelor of Education and Public Policy at Pennsylvania State University

    Application Fee 75

    How to Apply for Bachelor of Education and Public Policy at Pennsylvania State University

    Step 1: Choose Your Application Method

    Apply through MyPennState

    The first step of the application process is to create a Penn State account, if you do not have one already. MyPennState is where future students can access the online application.

    If you are new to MyPennState, you will need to establish a Penn State User ID and password, which you will access during the MyPennState profile creation process. Once you have your log in information, you can sign in to begin work on your application.

    When creating the profile, please use the name that is on your passport. Because materials are filed alphabetically under the family name on the application, it is important that all correspondence and records consistently use the same name (family and given) and spelling. If this name does not match your academic records, please notify us of the difference. Please note: In the U.S., the family name is usually referred to as the last name, and the given name is referred to as the first name.

    Additionally, Penn State requires a current, valid email address, as that is our primary means of communication with international students. To ensure deliverability, please make Penn State (psu.edu) an eligible sender to the account.

    Applying through the Common App

    Applying to Penn State via the Common App is available to first-year (freshman) international students. If applying through the Common App, Penn State will create a MyPennState profile when the application is submitted and you will receive instructions on how to access your profile. If you intend to apply with the Common App, you do not need create a MyPennState profile prior to submitting your application.

    Step 2: Access the Application and Review Important Dates

    While you can create a MyPennState profile at any time, the application for admission becomes available on the following dates:

    Fall/Summer Admission: August 1

    Spring Admission: June 1

    The application submission dates vary by applicant type and intended program of study. Some programs have specific deadlines or admissions requirements. Please refer to our Dates & Deadlines for more information about application deadlines, as well as our Admissions Requirements to review information about any additional materials required for your intended program of study.

    Step 3: Start Your Penn State Application

    If applying through MyPennState:

    Click Apply Online to start your Penn State application. 

    Your application work can be saved at each step of the process by clicking the "Save and Continue" button at the bottom of the page. This feature will allow you to move back and forth within the application or log off and return to complete your application at a later time.

    After completing your Academic History, you will need to provide your Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR), unless otherwise directed. You will be directed to enter information about your secondary school coursework. Please have a copy of your secondary school records as you complete SRAR. It is important that this step is a complete and accurate representation of your school record. You will need to enter every grade for every course you have taken in the last three years, as well as your current schedule of classes.

    Students educated in South Korea will not complete SRAR. The document requirements for South Korea can be found by reviewing our International Credential Requirements.

    After this section, you will be directed back to the Penn State application to complete the Program of Study portion. Here, you will indicate your desired starting semester, your intended program of study, and your starting and ending campus. For further details on how to complete this portion based on your applicant type, please see the steps to apply for either first-year students or transfer students.

    After this portion, you will provide some additional application information, an activities resume, and a personal statement. You will be able to paste in this information from other sources, but note that the formatting may not always paste in as intended.

    If applying through the Common App:

    Complete the Common App, which will then direct you to MyPennState to complete SRAR. Applicants using the Common App may feel that they provided their high school record via the Common App, but Penn State requires the completion of SRAR via MyPennState. We strongly encourage you to obtain an official copy of your high school transcript to ensure accurate entry of your coursework completed and grades earned. The SRAR will include all of your high school coursework from your last three years of work and your current year schedule. If your final year grades are available when you enter SRAR, you can enter them at that time.

    Step 4: Submit Your Application

    The application requires a nonrefundable application fee of $75 for international students. Be sure to complete the last step after Summary and Review, which finalizes payment of your fee, and be certain it is successfully submitted. Once the application is submitted, you can verify its completion by accessing your MyPennState profile.

    Step 5: Submit Required Application Materials

    In order to complete your Penn State application, we need the following materials:

    • Application
    • Secondary school record
    • Post-secondary school records (if applicable)
    • First-year applicants only: Official test scores: SAT (code #2660) or ACT (code #3656)

      Writing Component and Subject Tests

      Please note: The writing component of standardized tests (SAT or ACT) is not required. The writing component will not be used as part of our evaluation. If your test scores include the writing component, by all means, have those scores sent to Penn State. Additionally, we do not require SAT Subject Tests.

    • English language proficiency, if your native language is not English

    Please see the admissions requirements for international students to review the details about the required application materials. Some programs require additional items to complete your application. Please review our Admissions Requirements for those details.

    Penn State does not require letters of recommendation, nor are they used in a student’s evaluation (unless required for a specific program).

    Step 6: Check Your Application Status in MyPennState

    You can always check the status of your application in MyPennState. We will communicate with you via MyPennState and through a series of emails regarding the missing items for your application. When everything has arrived, you will see a status in MyPennState confirming the completion of your application.

    Please note: It is your responsibility to check on the status of your application and send us any missing materials.

    Step 7: Receive Your Admission Decision

    Once we have reached a decision regarding your application, we will update your status in MyPennState and provide a printable PDF of your decision letter. Review our Dates & Deadlines to see when you should expect your decision.

    If accepted, you can accept your offer of admission in MyPennState to begin the process of becoming a Penn State student. Visit our Accepted Students section to review the next steps in this process. Once you accept your offer of admission to Penn State, those students completing SRAR will submit their official records for validation purposes as soon as possible.

    Bachelor of Education and Public Policy at Pennsylvania State University
    Pennsylvania State University
    Pennsylvania State University
    United States of America

    United States of America, University Park

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