This page is designed to help you navigate important processes and procedures in the College of the Liberal Arts. Students should use this information as a reference, but should always schedule an appointment with their advisor prior to acting on these procedures.

Change of Campus

For students looking to change their Penn State campus.
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First Year Seminar Substitution

For students who did not complete their first year seminar requirement. 
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Concurrent Major

For students who want to declare an additional major.
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Credit by Examination

Penn State students may earn credit for a course to fulfill degree requirements by earning a grade of C or higher on a comprehensive examination made available through the academic unit that offers the course. This examination is a substitute for completing the usual requirements of a course.

For more information, please consult your academic adviser. 

Credit by Portfolio

For students who feel they have gained knowledge equivalent to what they would learn in a specific course, and wish to earn credit through the submission of a portfolio.
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Declaring or Changing Major

For students declaring a major for the first time, adding majors, or changing majors.
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Declaring or Changing a Minor

Students wishing to declare a minor can do so in LionPATH. Students wishing to cancel a minor should contact their minor office. To graduate with a minor, you must be accepted in the minor before the late drop deadline of your last semester.
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Exceptions to Degree Requirements

For students seeking permission to deviate in any way from academic program requirements. 
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Leave of Absence

For students considering a leave of absence from Penn State.
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Petitions

A student petition is a formal request for a waiver of a Faculty Senate Policy.
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Re-enrollment

For former students looking to resume a degree program.
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Academic Progress

Information for students whose GPA is currently—or is in danger of falling—below 2.0
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Withdrawal

For students who wish to withdraw from Penn State. This action has significant consequences and could impact your financial aid and health insurance, as well as your standing at Penn State; consult with your academic adviser before completing the withdrawal form.

Transfer Credits for graduating seniors

In order to be included on the College of the Liberal Arts graduation list and program, all credits from courses taken at institutions other than Penn State (transfer credits) must be taken prior to the semester of graduation. In addition, the credits must appear on the student’s Penn State record prior to the 1st day of the month preceding the month of graduation. For Spring graduation, transfer credits must post to the student’s record by no later than April 1st. The deadline is July 1st for summer graduation and November 1st for Fall graduation.

For more information, please consult your academic adviser. 

Walking at Commencement

Due to the forecasted number of graduating seniors expected for the Spring 2023 semester in the College of the Liberal Arts, we will be unable to accommodate “walkers” at the spring 2023 commencement ceremony.  We will be at capacity restrictions in the Bryce Jordan Center with our graduates, so only our students who are officially set to graduate will be permitted to participate in the ceremony.  If there is a change of venue, and assuming there are not COVID restrictions, we will do our best to accommodate walkers at that point if there is space at the new venue.  However, there is no plan to change venues at this time.