Full Breakdown
Penn State Recommends Closing 47 Undergraduate Programs
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Recommendation
Pennsylvania State University has finalized a recommendation to discontinue 47 low-enrollment undergraduate degree programs across its campuses. The proposal follows a university-wide review of all 403 associate and bachelor’s programs and will be forwarded to the Faculty Senate before Executive Vice President and Provost Fotis Sotiropoulos makes final decisions.
Scope and Numbers
- The 47 programs represent roughly 11.5 % of Penn State’s 403 undergraduate offerings.
- About 784 students—approximately 1.1 % of the university’s 68,390 undergraduates—are currently enrolled in the affected programs.
- Nine programs have no enrolled students; fifteen have already submitted teach-out plans or enrollment holds.
- Twenty-four of the slated closures will continue to be offered at another Penn State campus, while the remaining programs will be eliminated entirely.
Rationale and Review Process
University officials cite low enrollment, program duplication, limited employment prospects for graduates, and broader “program realignment” as primary factors. They emphasize that the review is a routine academic-portfolio assessment, not a financially driven cut. The institution plans to develop teach-out pathways for current students “over the coming semesters.” The recommendation arrives amid broader operational changes under President Neeli Bendapudi, including recent campus closures, staff buyouts, and the sale of the university-owned radio station WPSU.
Official Statements & Responses
University officials have denied that financial pressures are the primary motive, describing the review as a standard practice in higher education.
Verbatim Quote
“I am grateful to all who have helped to get us to this point,” — Provost Fotis Sotiropoulos