Penn State has launched a new course to help guide students at its seven commonwealth campuses that will close in a year.
The Degree Completion and Transition Support course will automatically appear on eligible students’ online dashboards, Penn State officials announced this week.
According to Penn State, the course will include guidance on academic advising and degree planning, financial planning, housing, student engagement and university resources. It will complement existing support students receive from faculty and staff at their campuses, officials said.
Penn State will close its New Kensington, Fayette, Shenango, Wilkes-Barre, DuBois, York and Mont Alto campuses at the end of the spring 2027 semester.
In the fall 2025 semester, 2,821 students were enrolled total across those seven campuses, according to Penn State data.
The additional course is the latest move Penn State officials have made to support students at closing campuses.
In December, the university announced it would waive the tuition surcharge fee, effectively allowing students at closing campuses to take more classes than normal in their remaining semesters and not be charged extra for doing so.
Officials also dropped the student-initiated fees at closing campuses, effective next school year. The fee applies to activities and services such as on-campus programs, shows or events, but students still have access to those events although the fee is waived.
Waiving the student-initiated fees result in a per-semester savings of $315 per student, according to Penn State.
“Supporting our students through this transition is a top priority,” said Andrea Dowhower, vice president for student affairs. “Students will continue to work closely with the faculty and staff at their campuses who know them best. This resource adds another way to find information, understand options and connect with the right resources across the university.”
