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The Bachelor of Science in Communication Arts and Sciences fosters comprehension of core aspects of human interaction, equipping students with theoretical knowledge and research insights into communication dynamics, along with practical skills for applying these concepts across civic, cultural, familial, health-related, interpersonal, organizational, and societal settings. Effective communication in personal, social, professional, and multicultural environments stands as a crucial competency in today's world. Equally important is learning how to enhance communication approaches in these contexts—whether through humanistic or scientific lenses. Communication Arts and Sciences students develop abilities to craft compelling arguments, exercise critical thinking, collaborate on problem-solving, navigate conflicts, ethically influence others, build lasting relationships, and engage productively in community affairs. This adaptable program provides foundational training for diverse career paths spanning administration, corporate sectors, healthcare, academia, personnel management, legal professions, government work, activism, and beyond. Consequently, the Communication Arts and Sciences major serves as an outstanding dual-degree option: deep knowledge of human communication—beneficial across personal, social, and professional spheres—can substantially strengthen students' qualifications in numerous academic disciplines.
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.