Pennsylvania - The Gateway to Education
Both for students who travel to the United States to study, and those who live at home while enrolling in programs by telecommunications instruction, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania institutions of postsecondary and higher education provide varied opportunities for international students to enhance their education. The impetus to reach out to students worldwide is shared by state government and public and private institutions state-wide.
Pennsylvania offers technical, practical education opportunities, and traditional, academic higher education instruction. The state holds more than 340,000 privately licensed schools offering postsecondary certificates, diplomas, or specialized associate degrees in all areas of study. At the higher education level, more than 150 authorized public, private and foreign degree granting institutions operate in the Commonwealth, by providing academic programs leading to degrees at the associate, baccalaureate, masters, first professional and doctoral levels.
The Department of Education monitors teacher education programs through the Teacher Certificate division, also working closely with the State Board of Nursing, the Department of State, the Department of Labor and industry, and professional accrediting and licensing agencies to assure students that the programs being offered will meet professional requirements.
Many public and private institutions have set up special 'sister' university or college relationships with institutions abroad. Students may travel to the sister institution with a predetermined understanding of credit transfers, study requirements, and completion expectations. Pennsylvania's postsecondary and higher education institutions welcome students from around the world, with most countries represented by students coming to study in Pennsylvania. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is usually required as a portion of the admission process.
Once here, the state offers unique opportunities for students to explore US history. Philadelphia was the site of the First Continental Congress, and where the Declaration of independence was framed. It is an excellent area to explore the historical buildings and objects of the late 1700s/Revolutionary War period. Pennsylvania was also integral to the Civil War period of the 1860s, with reenactions of battles that took place in historic parks, such as that at Gettysburg. In small communities dotted throughout the state, Amish people may be seen living a simple, old‑fashioned life, travelling by horse and buggy and tilling fields with horse and plow. Today, modern urban multicultural arts and musical events take place throughout the year in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and other smaller cities. Those are balanced by rural recreational activities available at many local, state and national parks and forests. Recreational activities include cross‑country and downhill skiing, boating and white‑water rafting, fishing and hunting, hiking, and tours to view the coloured leaves in the autumn. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh have professional football teams, and along with Harrisburg/Hershey, have professional baseball and ice hockey teams as well. Most cities and towns have shopping malls with nationwide chain department stores, and several parts of the state have larger discount‑priced outlet malls, such as in Reading and Lancaster. Via train, bus or highway, students also have easy access to famous cities along the eastern seaboard, such as New York and Washington, D.C. Most larger cities throughout the state also have airports for convenient travel.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary and Higher Education is a sponsor of the Global Alliance for Transnational Education (GATE), and a supporter of international educational relationships. The governor and legislature continue to increase funds yearly for schools at all levels to develop technological expertise and communications. In addition, six colleges and universities across the state currently offer one or more complete degree programs by telecommunications instruction. As the number of such programs at both the postsecondary and higher education levels rises dramatically, many others provide individual courses by telecommunications.
Author: Carol Derrickson, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Education
