How do I find out who my adviser is?
Log into your Student Center in LionPATH and look in the bottom right hand side of the page for the Assigned Adviser box.
How can I get my final grades?
Log into LionPATH and select the Academics tab to view your grades.
How do I transfer a course from another college to Penn State?
Check that the course will transfer by using the Transfer Tool.
Check with your adviser to ensure the course is appropriate to your intended major. Request the institution send a transcript to Penn State Admissions office (must earn a C or higher to transfer) to transfer the credits. Transfer credits do not count toward your GPA.
How do I transition to University Park or another Penn State campus?
Almost all students stay at Hazleton for four semesters. Students can move to a different campus, but movement to University Park usually occurs after four semesters.
You may process the request to change your campus using the Update Campus module in your LionPATH Student Center, but you are strongly encouraged to meet with your academic adviser or to visit the Academic Advising and Career Center to make sure that the process can be completed.
When, and how, do I declare a major? A minor?
Students now have the ability to add or change their major, minor and certificates. This can be accomplished through the Update Academics module in LionPATH. Select the Update Academics tab and the system will walk you through the process. You must know the campus where you will complete your degree in order to successfully complete the request.
How can I learn more about internships?
See the college representative for your college, meet with the program coordinator of your major or schedule an appointment with Karen Beruck in the Career Services office.
How, and when, can I drop/add a course?
Courses may be added and/or dropped during the first six calendar days of the semester. The change can be made through LionPATH.
What do I have to to do to take a semester off (Leave of absence)?
Visit the Registrar’s Office in 204 Butler to process a Leave of Absence request. A leave of absence form should be filed by the last working day before classes start in the semester/session the leave will begin.
How do I withdraw from the University? Can I withdraw and come back?
Withdrawals are processed in the Registrar’s Office. Before deciding to withdraw from the University, consult with your academic adviser, instructors and financial aid coordinator to understand the impact withdrawing will have on you.
How can I learn more about studying abroad?
See our Study Abroad page and see Dr. Sherry Robinson in 301 Schiavo Hall.
What do I have to do to register to graduate?
Check the Registrar's website for the Academic Calendar to determine appropriate dates. You must indicate in LionPATH that you will be graduating. This must be done at the beginning of the semester in which you plan to graduate.
What is academic renewal?
Academic renewal is an academic forgiveness policy. If the request for academic renewal is approved, the student’s cumulative grade point average starts over. Students, including those who have been academically warned, suspended, or dismissed, may request approval for academic renewal and re-enrollment if:
- they have a cumulative grade-point average less than 2.00 and
- they have been absent from Penn State for at least four calendar years during which they have not been enrolled in any Penn State credit courses.
How do I get a degree audit for a different major?
There are two types of degree audits: Academic Requirements and What if.
Select the Academic Requirements option if you have already declared a major.
Select the What if option if you are trying to determine how completed credits will fit into a different degree program. This is also for students in pre-major (PMAJ) status and all first-year students. The audit selections are located in a drop down menu in the Student Center in LionPATH.
Once the What if option is selected, proceed to the Program Scenario section of the audit.
1) Select the Academic Program where you want to finish your degree.
2) Select the Plan (major/minor/certificate) option. There may or may not be a sub-plan to select. Submit the request. See the following page for the screen shot.
If you wish to run the Academic Requirements audit, select that option and it will return the degree audit. No other steps are required.
How do I change my major?
Contact your adviser or call the Advising and Career Center at 570-450-3194 to request an appointment to discuss your options. You may also schedule a meeting with Career Services to access a variety of interest and personality assessments to help you determine if the change is right for you.
Where can I get answers concerning financial aid?
Visit the Office of Student Aid in 222 Schiavo Hall.
What do I do if I find that I am failing in all my classes?
Contact your adviser or call the Advising and Career Center at 570-450-3194 to request an appointment.
What is an academic warning?
An academic warning serves as official notification that the student has failed to earn a 2.00 cumulative grade-point average. A student placed on academic warning will have a hold placed on registration and will be required to meet with an academic adviser for this registration hold to be removed.
A student in academic warning status may continue to enroll for classes as long as the semester grade-point average continues at a 2.00 or higher. To remove academic warning, the cumulative grade-point average must be 2.00 or higher. A student in academic warning who fails to maintain a semester grade-point average of 2.00 or higher will be academically suspended.
What is academic suspension?
Academic suspension is an official notification that a student has earned a semester grade-point average of less than 2.00 while on academic warning. A student who has been academically suspended may not schedule courses at the University for two consecutive semesters (Note: summer session is equal to one semester and includes all courses offered after spring semester and before fall semester). A student returning from academic suspension must apply for re-enrollment and returns to the University in warning status, with his/her former cumulative grade-point average, and with a hold placed on the registration. The student must receive written support obtained in the college/major (or DUS) the student intends to pursue.
A student can be academically suspended from the University two times. If, after two suspensions the student fails to achieve at least a 2.00 semester GPA, the student is subject to academic dismissal. A student may apply for academic renewal four years after academic dismissal.
What is academic dismissal?
A student who has been placed on academic suspension two times and fails to achieve at least a 2.00 semester GPA is subject to academic dismissal and is no longer permitted to take courses at the University.
After a period of four calendar years, a student who has been academically dismissed from the University may seek re-enrollment to the University by requesting academic renewal.
Do my cumulative credits include courses in which I've earned an F?
Yes, cumulative credits include the number of credits scheduled at Penn State for a letter grade even if an F is earned. Grades of F remain on a student's transcript. If the course is repeated, the higher grade will also appear on the transcript.
How many late drop credits do I get?
A student can late drop a course on LionPATH by following the step-by-step instructions for dropping a class. The process for dropping and late dropping courses are the same.
There is no limit to the number of times a student can late drop courses. However, when a course is late dropped it is counted toward the limit when repeating courses. View the 34-89 Course Drop information.
How many times may I repeat a course?
A student cannot attempt a course more than three times without the permission of the appropriate dean in their unit of enrollment. (It is important to note that it is the academic official of the student's unit of enrollment; not the unit offering the class.) Under no circumstances will approval be given for more than four attempts. Attempts are tracked in LionPATH; students will be denied enrollment after a third attempt in a given course. Read more about policy 47-80 Repeating Courses.
Attempts include all courses on a student's transcript with a letter grade or a symbol indicating satisfactory/unsatisfactory grading (SA/UN) or (LD, WN, WP or WF). Learn more about Penn State's grading system.