Student Classification for Distance Education: Degree or Non-degree

Degree students are applicants who have applied and been admitted to graduate degree status by the J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School. Students in this category must satisfy all Fox Graduate School and Acoustics Program requirements for the degree they are seeking.

Nondegree and Certificate students must have an undergraduate degree along with the required prerequisite math and physics courses before applying for nondegree status with the Fox Graduate School. 

The required prerequisite courses are:

• Calculus 1 (derivatives)
• Calculus 2 (integrals)
• Calculus 3 (multi-variable calculus)
•       Calculus 4 (differential equations and linear algebra)
• Physics 1 (Mechanics, Newton’s laws of force and motion, energy, momentum, vibration)
• Physics 2 (Electricity, Magnetism, circuits, waves)
• anything else beyond this minimum is highly recommended . . . complex numbers, circuit analysis, vibration, etc.

Any of the missing prerequisite courses can be taken locally to the student.

Nondegree students

Students who have applied to and been accepted by the Fox Graduate School into nondegree status are permitted to take courses but are not considered to be pursuing a degree at Penn State. Nondegree students with a grade point 3.0 or higher in courses taken as a nondegree student may apply at any time for admission to degree student status. Upon acceptance, the student may transfer a maximum of 15 credits, earned within five years prior to admission, into the degree program.

Certificate students

Students who have applied to and have been accepted by the Fox Graduate School into a certificate program are permitted to take courses but are not considered to be pursuing a degree at Penn State. Certificate students must maintain a grade point 2.0 or higher to obtain the certificate. 

Certificate students with a grade point 3.0 or higher in courses taken as a certificate student may apply at any time for admission to degree student status. Upon acceptance, the student may transfer a maximum of 15 credits, earned within five years prior to admission, into the degree program.