Penn State Altoona’s College 2 Career: Work-Based Learning Program is a structured initiative that bridges academic coursework with meaningful workplace experience by partnering with regional employers. Designed to span a student’s entire undergraduate journey, the program integrates classroom learning with career preparation training and up to three summer internships, helping students build professional skills, make industry connections, and graduate with both a degree and polished résumé; transfer and exploratory students are also eligible to participate. Employers in the program’s consortium collaborate with the campus by offering internship opportunities and providing feedback on student readiness, while Career Services supports recruiting, position posting, and internship management. The first cohort of the program is scheduled to launch in fall 2026.
Penn State Altoona’s ABET-accredited Rail Transportation Engineering bachelor’s degree is a nationally distinctive, industry-focused program that prepares students for engineering and technical careers across the railroad and transportation sectors. As the only undergraduate program of its kind in the United States, it blends a strong foundation in engineering, mathematics, and physics with specialized coursework in rail systems, track design, operations, signaling, and infrastructure. Students gain extensive hands-on experience through laboratories, fieldwork, industry-supported projects, and professional internships, and they benefit from close connections to railroad companies, consulting firms, and alumni working throughout the industry. Graduates are well prepared for careers in rail engineering, maintenance-of-way, operations, project management, and related transportation fields, as well as for professional licensure and continued graduate study.
Associate degree programs in forest technology and wildlife technology—currently located only at Penn State Mont Alto and DuBois, respectively, and offered through Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences—have been approved to open at Penn State Altoona, maintaining these unique and historic offerings at Penn State for a new generation of learners.
Students currently enrolled in the two-year programs will be able to remain at their current campuses until planned Mont Alto and DuBois closures following the spring 2027 semester, a timeline that will allow most enrolled students to complete their degree requirements without needing to transition to another Penn State campus.
Beginning in fall 2026, new students enrolling in forest technology will start at Mont Alto, and new students enrolling in wildlife technology will start at DuBois before transitioning to Altoona for their second year in 2027-28. Beginning in fall 2027, all incoming students will complete the entirety of both programs at Altoona.
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Following a recent $7.5 million renovation, Penn State Altoona's Cypress Building is now the home of laboratories, classrooms, and faculty offices in support of our Mechanical Engineering program (B.S.). The degree provides students with a strong, hands-on foundation in one of the broadest and most versatile engineering disciplines. The program combines rigorous coursework in mechanics, materials, thermodynamics, and design with extensive laboratory experiences and project-based learning, preparing students to solve real-world engineering challenges. Students benefit from small class sizes, close faculty mentorship, and opportunities to participate in undergraduate research, internships, and industry-connected projects, while following Penn State’s nationally recognized engineering curriculum. Graduates are well prepared for careers in manufacturing, energy, automation, product design, and related fields, as well as for graduate study and professional licensure.
