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The Letters, Arts, and Sciences program offers a flexible, interdisciplinary Liberal Arts bachelor's degree where students craft their own academic path. Participants develop a distinctive focus area (a specific topic, concept, or question they want to examine) and, through research and guidance from program advisors, create a customized curriculum that approaches this theme through at least three academic disciplines. If Penn State's existing majors don't align with your educational aspirations, this program allows you to build a personalized course of study drawing from various departments. Successful Letters, Arts, and Sciences students demonstrate curiosity across multiple fields and dedicate themselves to designing a cohesive academic plan. Liberal Arts advisors stand ready to help you navigate the college's diverse opportunities. When traditional majors prove insufficient for your academic objectives, Letters, Arts, and Sciences might be your ideal educational solution.
The majority of Penn State’s applications come from traditional, first-year students. The following types of students are considered first-year applicants (or freshman applicants, as some refer to them): Current high school student in his or her senior year; Student who has earned a high school diploma or a GED and has no post-secondary coursework; Student who has attempted 17 or fewer credits (semester hours) of college coursework at a regionally accredited college/university before attending Penn State; Current high school student who may have enrolled in another institution(s) before graduating from high school (dual enrollment); Student who may have attended Penn State on a nondegree basis.
English Language Proficiency
The following are ways in which you can satisfy the language proficiency requirement: TOEFL: A minimum TOEFL score of 80 on the Internet-based TOEFL or 550 on the old paper exam and a minimum of 20 in each section of the new paper exam (code #2660); IELTS: A minimum IELTS score of 6.5 on the academic test.