Penn State released final recommendations from its Academic Portfolio and Program Review on October 12, 2026. The university recommends closing 47 of its 403 bachelor’s and associate degree programs, joining a wave of universities cutting jobs and degrees in 2026.
The 47 programs enroll 784 students, about 1.1% of Penn State’s 68,390 undergraduates. That’s down from the preliminary list released in April, which flagged 49 programs and 906 students. Students deciding whether to stay or transfer to another college now have a final list to work from.
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Why It Matters
Most of the cuts land at Penn State’s Commonwealth Campuses rather than University Park. 36 of the 47 programs sit in campus colleges, led by Capital College (Harrisburg) and University College with nine each. The cuts also follow Penn State’s plan to close seven campuses after the spring 2027 semester, a pattern becoming more and more familiar as colleges try to reign in costs.
A closure recommendation doesn’t end a degree overnight. 9 of the 47 programs currently have no students enrolled, and 15 already have teach-out proposals or enrollment holds. Another 24 would still be offered through a different Penn State college.
Students in a program slated to close should get the teach-out timeline in writing before they plan for another year.
Which Programs Are Closing
The table below lists all 47 programs by college. Prospective students choosing a college major at Penn State can use it to check whether a program is on the list.
| College | Count | Programs |
|---|---|---|
| Capital College (Harrisburg) | 9 | American Studies (BA), Enterprise Technology Integration (BS), Information Sciences and Technology (BS), Information Systems (BS), Security and Risk Analysis (BS), Human Development and Family Studies (BS), Humanities (BA), Health Policy and Administration (BS), Project and Supply Chain Management (BS) |
| University College | 9 | Communication Arts and Sciences (BA), Integrative Science (BS), Administration of Justice (BA), Administration of Justice (BS), Arts Administration (BA), Corporate Communication (BA), American Studies (BA), Humanities (BA), Mining Technology (AS) |
| Altoona College | 7 | Environmental Studies (BS), Security and Risk Analysis (BS), Elementary and Kindergarten Education (BS), Criminal Justice (BA), History (BA), Human Development and Family Studies (AS), Science (AS) |
| Berks College | 4 | Security and Risk Analysis (BS), Elementary and Kindergarten Education (BS), Global Studies (BA), Hospitality Management (BS) |
| College Of Education | 3 | Elementary and Kindergarten Education (BS), Middle Level Education (BS), World Languages Education (BS) |
| Behrend College (Erie) | 3 | Secondary Education (BS), English (BA), Physics (BS) |
| College Of Earth And Mineral Sciences | 2 | Geobiology (BS), Geosciences (BA) |
| College Of Information Sciences And Technology | 2 | Information Sciences and Technology (BS), Security and Risk Analysis (BS) |
| College Of The Liberal Arts | 2 | Multidisciplinary Studies (BA), Multidisciplinary Studies (AA) |
| Abington College | 2 | Integrative Arts (BA), American Studies (BA) |
| Engineering At University College Campuses | 2 | Surveying Engineering (BS), Electrical Engineering Technology (AENGT) |
| College Of Arts And Architecture | 1 | Professional Photography (BDES) |
| Eberly College Of Science | 1 | Planetary Science and Astronomy (BS) |
| Total | 47 | 784 students enrolled as of spring 2026 |
Two majors are cut at more than one location. Elementary and Kindergarten Education (BS) closes at the College of Education, Altoona and Berks. Security and Risk Analysis (BS) closes at four: the College of IST, Altoona, Berks and Capital College. Students in either major should check which campus still offers it before transferring to another college.
What Changed Since The Spring List
- Three programs came off the closure list and moved to a one-year review: Recreation, Park and Tourism Management (BS) at Abington, Human Development and Family Studies (BS) at University College and Engineering (BS) at University College campuses.
- Professional Photography (BDES) in the College of Arts and Architecture was added, moving from a three-to-five-year review to closure.
- Another 71 programs now face a review within one year instead of three to five years, according to Penn State’s program review spreadsheet. Each must show progress on a plan to raise enrollment.
How This Connects
Penn State tied the cuts to “low student demand” and “program realignment.” Provost Fotis Sotiropoulos also pointed to “changing demographics, stagnant state support for our students, and rising costs.” Other schools are making similar moves, including the University of Denver, which eliminated five departments after projecting a deficit of up to $30 million.
Federal rule changes add more pressure. Under the Education Department’s new earnings test for college programs, programs with low graduate earnings could lose federal loan access as early as the 2028-29 award year. While the entire campus would not be impacted by this new rule, programs whose graduates are not meeting the earnings criteria could face loss of access to student loans in the future. This would effectively make some of those programs impossible for students to pay for.
What’s Next
The closure list now goes to Penn State’s Faculty Senate for review, and Provost Sotiropoulos makes the final decisions. Program-specific teach-out plans will roll out over the coming semesters.
High school seniors applying for fall 2027 should confirm their intended major is still on the books, since many colleges admit students by major.
Editor: Colin Graves
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