Statement of Accreditation Status

Pennsylvania State University, The

  • CEO: Dr. Neeli Bendapudi, President and CEO
  • Accreditation Liaison Officer: Dr. Lance Kennedy-Phillips
  • Commission Staff Liaison: Terence Peavy, Vice President
  • Carnegie Classification: Mixed Undergraduate/Graduate-Doctorate Large » Research 1: Very High Spending and Doctorate Production
  • Control: Public
  • Phase: Accredited
  • Status: Accreditation Reaffirmed
  • Accreditation Granted: 1921
  • Last Reaffirmation: June 27, 2024
  • Next Self-Study Evaluation: 2031-2032

Contact Information

201 Old Main Building
University Park, PA 16802

(814) 865-4700

www.psu.edu

  • January 30, 2026
    Staff acted on behalf of the Commission to note the substantive change site visit occurred on November 17, 2025, to the Penn State Rehabilitation and Human Services Prison Education Program, 301 Institution Drive, Bellefonte, PA 16823 and the information provided in the substantive change request was verified. The next evaluation visit is scheduled for 2031-2032.
  • June 27, 2024
    To acknowledge receipt of the supplemental information report requested by the Commission action of January 18, 2024.
  • June 27, 2024
    To acknowledge receipt of the self-study report. To note the on-site evaluation visit by the Commission's representatives to the main campus at The Pennsylvania University at 201 Old Main Building, University Park, PA 16802 on March 24-27, 2024. To note the following additional locations were visited: (1) PO Box 7009, Tulpehocken Road, Reading, PA 19610; (2) 4701 College Drive, Erie, PA 16563; (3) 4000 University Drive, McKeesport, PA 15132; (4) 777 West Harrisburg Pike, Middletown, PA 17057; (5) 76 University Drive, Hazelton, PA 18202; (6) 150 South College Street, Carlisle, PA 17013; and (7) 2809 Saucon Valley Road, Center Valley, PA 18034. To note the self-study site visit to the Prison Education Program additional location at State Correctional Institution (SCI) Benner, 30l Institution Drive, Bellefonte, PA l6823. To reaffirm accreditation. The next evaluation visit is scheduled for 2031-2032.
  • April 25, 2024
    To acknowledge receipt of the substantive change request. To note the institution's decision to close the additional location at 1101 Kitty Hawk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19112 that ceased operations effective December 14, 2022. To remove the additional location from the institution's scope of accreditation. To note that the Commission reserves the right to rescind this action if any developments reveal additional information that might have affected the Commission's decision. The next evaluation visit is scheduled for 2023-2024.
  • March 14, 2024
    To acknowledge receipt of the supplemental information report requested by the Commission action of October 31, 2023. The next evaluation visit is scheduled for 2023-2024.
  • January 18, 2024
    Staff acted on behalf of the Commission to request a supplemental information report, due February 15, 2024, addressing the action taken by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education's (ACOTE) and providing additional information on Standard III: Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience, Standard IV: Support of the Student Experience, and Standard V: Educational Effectiveness Assessment. The next evaluation visit is scheduled for 2023-2024.
  • November 16, 2023
    To acknowledge receipt of the supplemental information report requested by the Commission action of April 27, 2023. To note the follow-up team visit by the Commission representatives to the main campus at 201 Old Main Building, University Park, PA 16802 on September 14-15, 2023. The next evaluation visit is scheduled for 2023-2024.
  • November 16, 2023
    To note that the Commission liaison guidance visit occurred on June 13, 2023. The next evaluation visit is scheduled for 2023-2024.
  • October 31, 2023
    Staff acted on behalf of the Commission to request a supplemental information report, due November 30, 2023, that provides additional information on Standard II: Ethics and Integrity and Standard VI: Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement. The next evaluation visit is scheduled for 2023-2024.
  • October 26, 2023
    To acknowledge receipt of the substantive change request. To include the prison education program (PEP) at the additional location at State Correctional Institution (SCI) Benner, 301 Institution Drive, Bellefonte, PA 16823 within the institution's scope of accreditation. To note the Commission has evaluated and approved the following PEP educational program to be offered at the location: Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation and Human Services - Prison Education Program. To note that the Commission reserves the right to rescind this action if any developments reveal additional information that might have affected the Commission's decision and/or the requested substantive change is not implemented within one calendar year from the date of this action.To require immediate notification of the date that instruction commenced at the additional location by emailing [email protected]. To require the institution to submit a supplemental information report, due April 1, 2026, providing: (1) an update on the implementation of the prison education program (PEP); (2) submission of the best interest determination required by federal regulation, including the methodology used by the oversight entity; and (3) the data indicators used in the best interest determination. To direct a substantive change site visit as soon as practicable but no later than six months after the date that instruction commences at the location. To note that the Commission may rescind this action if instruction does not commence within one calendar year from the date of this action. The next evaluation visit is scheduled for 2023-2024.
  • Distance Education
    Approved to offer programs by this delivery method
  • Correspondence Education
    Not approved for this delivery method

Approved Credential Levels

The following represents credential levels included in the scope of the institution’s accreditation:

  • Postsecondary award (< 1 year) Included within the scope
  • Postsecondary award (1-2 years) Included within the scope
  • Associate's Degree or Equivalent Included within the scope
  • Bachelor's Degree or Equivalent Included within the scope
  • Post-baccalaureate Certificate Included within the scope
  • Master's Degree or Equivalent Included within the scope
  • Doctor's Degree - Professional Practice Included within the scope
  • Doctor's Degree- Research/Scholarship Included within the scope
  • Main Campus
    Pennsylvania State University, The
    201 Old Main Building
    University Park, PA 16802
  • Additional Location
    Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies
    30 E. Swedesford Road
    Malvern, PA 19355-1488
  • Additional Location
    Penn State Abington
    1600 Woodland Road
    Abington, PA 19001
  • Additional Location
    Penn State Altoona
    3000 Ivyside Park
    Altoona, PA 16601
  • Additional Location
    Penn State Beaver
    100 University Drive
    Monaca, PA 15061
  • Additional Location
    Penn State Berks
    PO Box 7009 Tulpehocken Road
    Reading, PA 19610
  • Additional Location
    Penn State Brandywine
    25 Yearsley Mill Road
    Media, PA 19063
  • Additional Location
    Penn State College of Medicine
    The Milton S. Hershey Med. Center PO Box 850, 500 University Dr
    Hershey, PA 17033
    Opened: 01/08/2021
  • Additional Location
    Penn State Dickinson Law
    150 South College Street
    Carlisle, PA 17013
    Opened: 08/31/2020
  • Additional Location
    Penn State DuBois
    1 College Place
    DuBois, PA 15801
  • Additional Location
    Penn State Erie, The Behrend College
    4701 College Drive
    Erie, PA 16563
  • Additional Location
    Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus
    2201 University Drive
    Lemont Furnace, PA 15456
  • Additional Location
    Penn State Greater Allegheny
    4000 University Drive
    McKeesport, PA 15132
  • Additional Location
    Penn State Harrisburg
    777 West Harrisburg Pike
    Middletown, PA 17057
  • Additional Location
    Penn State Hazleton
    76 University Drive
    Hazleton, PA 18202
  • Additional Location
    Penn State Lehigh Valley
    2809 Saucon Valley Road
    Center Valley, PA 18034
  • Additional Location
    Penn State Mont Alto
    1 Campus Drive
    Mont Alto, PA 17237
  • Additional Location
    Penn State New Kensington
    3550 Seventh Street Road
    New Kensington, PA 15068
  • Additional Location
    Penn State Rehabilitation and Human Services Prison Education Program
    301 Institution Drive
    Bellefonte, PA 16823
    Opened: 01/12/2026
  • Additional Location
    Penn State Schuylkill
    200 University Drive
    Schuylkill Haven, PA 17972
  • Additional Location
    Penn State Scranton
    120 Ridge View Drive
    Dunmore, PA 18512
  • Additional Location
    Penn State Shenango
    147 Shenango Avenue
    Sharon, PA 16146
  • Additional Location
    Penn State Wilkes-Barre
    Old Route 115 PO Box PSU
    Lehman, PA 18627
  • Additional Location
    Penn State York
    1031 Edgecomb Avenue
    York, PA 17403-3326
  • Other Instructional Site
    Cranberry Township (RLA)
    850 Cranberry Woods Drive Suite 2236
    Cranberry Township, PA 16066
  • Other Instructional Site
    Hershey Medical Center
    500 University Drive
    Hershey, PA 17033
  • Other Instructional Site
    HMC Institute for Healthcare Professions
    860 Thurston Road
    Meadville, PA 16335
  • Other Instructional Site
    Shady Grove
    1565 Buchanan Drive
    Shady Grove, PA 17256
  • Other Instructional Site
    Shaver's Creek
    3400 Discovery Road
    Petersburg, PA 16669
  • Other Instructional Site
    St. Vincent Health Center
    232 W. 25th St.
    Erie, PA 16544
  • Other Instructional Site
    West Chester
    700 S. High Street
    West Chester, PA 19383

The following are links to sites that are not maintained by the MSCHE. These are provided as additional external resources about each institution that the MSCHE accredits.