Pennsylvania State University

Established in 1961, the Penn State Department of Aerospace Engineering has been recognized consistently as one of the top aerospace departments in the US. It is estimated that one in 25 holders of Bachelors of Science (B.S.) in Aerospace engineers in the US graduated from Penn State. It's graduate and undergraduate courses are ranked 15th nationally by U.S. News and World Report. 

The department offers a four-year Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Aerospace Engineering. The master’s level programs offered by the department are a two-year Master of Science (M.S.) in Aerospace Engineering (thesis-based program) and a one-year non-thesis program which leads to a Master of Engineering (M. Eng.) in Aerospace Engineering.

The M.S program is ideal if you want to delve deeper into a specific area of research by enrolling into a Ph.D. program after the completion of the M.S. The M. Eng. on the other hand suits students who want to pursue a career in aerospace related fields.

Area of Expertise:

Aircraft Icing

Signal Processing/Optics

Rotorcraft Engineering

Aeroacoustics

Multifunctional Structures and Nanomaterials 

Architectural Acoustics

Aeroacoustics

Vibrations

Medical Ultrasonics

Psychoacoustics, and Speech

Space Propulsion and Plasmas

Structural Dynamics and Adaptive Structures

Flight Control and Software

Experimental and Computational Aerodynamics

Intelligent and Autonomous Systems and UAVs

Hydroacoustics/Wave Propagation

Human-Machine Interface

Aerospace Vehicle Systems Engineering

Software Engineering

Thermoacoustics

Noise Control

Turbomachinery Propulsion and Heat Transfer

Computational Acoustics

Astrodynamics

Wind Energy

Electroacoustic Transducers

Structural Acoustics/Vibro-Acoustics

Physical

Physiological

Basic Underwater Acoustics

List of Labs: Vertical Lift Research Center of Excellence

The Penn State Architectural Engineering Department offers the oldest and continually accredited architectural engineering program in the US. The department offers a 5-year program leading to a Bachelor of Architectural Engineering degree (B.A.E). There are four options available in this program as specializations which are as follows - Construction, Lighting/Electrical, Mechanical and Structural. The department also offers an integrated Bachelor and Master of Architecture and integrated Bachelor and Master of Science in Architecture programs.

There are three master’s level programs offered by the department - MS in Architecture, Master of Architecture and MS in Architecture and Human Dimensions of Natural Resources and the Environment (HDNRE).

MS in Architecture is research based and the major areas of focus are

a) Culture, Society, Space

b) Design Computing

c) Material Matters

d) Sustainability.

The professional masters/Master of Architecture covers principles, techniques, histories, theories, and technologies.

The course has a thesis option wherein a thesis needs to be submitted in the last semester. MS in Architecture + HDNRE degree caters to topics such as global climate change; sustainable energy, food, and fiber supplies; threats to biodiversity; water pollution and availability; genetic modification; and sustainable design. In addition, one can go for a doctoral program, that is, Ph.D. in Architectural Engineering after the completion of the Masters. The Ph.D. program in Architectural Engineering has the following areas as its key research interests - building construction, building illumination systems, building structural systems. The department boasts of having around 9 research laboratories and facilities.

Areas of Expertise:

Building Illumination and Electrical Systems

Building Structures

Building Mechanical and Energy Systems

Building Construction

Information Technology in Design and Construction

List of Labs:

Mid-Atlantic Combined Heat and Power Technical Assistance Partner Center

Computer Integrated Construction Research Program

Indoor Environment Center

Partnership for Achieving Construction Excellence

The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology offers Majors in Biotechnology.

The course offers two options – General (GEN) and Clinical Laboratory Science (specifically for students who want to work as Clinical Laboratory Scientists). The Huck Institute of Life Sciences at Penn State in collaboration with the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology offers a Master Degree in Biotechnology. There is also an option of pursuing the integrated B.S./M.S. in Biotechnology.
 
Areas of Expertise:

Particulate Mechanics

Neural, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Engineering

Regenerative Functional Tissue Engineering

Stem Cells and Biomanufacturing

Water and Soil Resource Engineering and Management

Biologically-Based Energy

Products and Materials

Bioproduct Business and Marketing

Biomedical Imaging

Biomaterials and Nanomedicine in Drug Delivery;

Multi-Scale Biomechanics

Nanocellulosics

Medical Devices

Mechanobiology

Computational Biology, System

Network Modeling and Large Data Analysis

Sustainable Livestock Systems

Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering

Agricultural Safety and Health

Agricultural Mechanization/Automation for Specialty Crops and Biomass

MEMS

Lab on a Chip and Nanotechnology

Synthetic Biology

Established in 1948, the Penn State Department of Chemical Engineering is ranked in the 19th and 23rd  slots for their undergraduate and graduate programs respectively. The department offers a BS in Chemical Engineering. The John R. and Jeanette Dachille McWhirter Graduate Program in Chemical Engineering is a one-year non- thesis program leading to M.S. in Chemical engineering.

This program helps students to explore areas of Thermodynamics, Transport, Reaction Kinetics, and so on. The department also offers a Ph.D. program where one can specialize in diverse fields such as nanotechnology, fuel and energy production, and bimolecular energy, to name just a few.

Some of the research areas include Biotechnology and synthetic biology, Materials, and nanotechnology and energy and environment.

Areas of Expertise:

Energy and Environment

Materials Synthesis and Characterization

Membranes and Separation Technology

Catalysis and Chemical Kinetics

Polymers and Advanced Materials

Computational Chemistry and Molecular Simulation

Bioprocessing and Cellular Engineering

Bimolecular and Metabolic Engineering

Fluid Mechanics and Tribology

List of Labs: Electrochemical Engine Center

Established in the year 1881, the Penn State Civil and Environmental Engineering Department is recognized as one of the top engineering departments at Penn State. In 2018, all the programs offered by the department were ranked in the top 20 in the US News and World Report rankings. In fact, its graduate program in Civil Engineering is ranked No 17, while its undergraduate program is ranked even higher at 14.

For civil engineering, the undergraduate department offers a four-year Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree and its courses include environmental, geotechnical and materials, structural, transportation and water resources engineering. The two-year Graduate Degree includes a Master of Science (M.S.) in Civil Engineering and Master of Engineering (M.Eng). The department also offers a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering. 

For Environmental Engineering, the department offers an M.S. in Environmental Engineering and a Master of Engineering (M.Eng) in Environmental Engineering which can be completed in a year. The school also offers a doctoral program, that is, a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering. There are no undergraduate offerings in Environmental Engineering in this department. The graduate programs in Environmental Engineering rank 17. 
 
Areas of Expertise:

Geotechnical Engineering

Environmental Engineering

Materials Engineering

Structural Engineering

Transportation Engineering

Water Resources Engineering

Energy Science and Engineering

Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering & Subsurface

Mining Engineering and Industrial Health and Safety

Energy Systems Engineering & Energy Economics

List of Labs:

Protective Technology Center

Pennsylvania Housing Research Center

Engineering Energy & Environmental Institute

Larson Transportation Institute

Hydrogen Energy Center

 
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

The School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science was created in the year 2015. The undergraduate department in Computer Engineering is ranked 23 nationwide, while the Graduate Department is at 21. The department offers a B.S. in Computer Engineering and a B.S. in Computer Science. In terms of graduate courses, the department offers a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Computer Science and Engineering as well as M.Eng. in Computer Science and Engineering. The latter is achieved after an intensive year of study.

Most students after a graduate degree go on for a Ph.D. program in Computer Science and Engineering. Exceptional students who have completed their B.S. can also apply for this program. Research areas in this department include Biomedical Devices and Systems, Computer Architecture and Data Science, and Artificial Intelligence. In addition to the courses in Computer Science as described above, this department offers a 4-year B.S. program in Electrical engineering. The Electrical Engineering Department has two courses in its graduate program leading to the M.S degree.

The first is a regular two-year M.S. in Electrical Engineering program. The second is a one-year program leading to the M.S. degree in electrical engineering which can be completed in one year by taking more courses during the fall and spring semesters and one course in the summer. The research areas under the Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering program include Biomedical Devices and Systems, Electronics Materials and Devices, and Integrated Circuits and Systems.
 
Areas of Expertise:

Design for Human Variability

Innovation Management

Design Innovation

Engineering Design Pedagogy

Design Automation and Optimization

Design Theory and Methodology

Data-Driven Design

Design for Additive Manufacturing

Engineering Leadership Development;Design Decision-Making

Systems Design

Design for the Developing World

Simulation-Based Design Under Uncertainty

Product-Service Systems Design

Design Cognitio

Quantum Computing

Operating Systems and Programming Languages

Mobile Computing; Signal and Imaging Processing

Optical and Photonic Materials and Devices

Power Systems

Remote Sensing and Space Systems

Bioinformatics

Computer Architecture and Embedded Systems

Communications

Electromagnetics

Algorithms

Networking and Distributed Systems

Computer Vision

Control Systems

Machine Learning and Intelligent Systems

Information Theory

Data Science

Electronic Materials and Devices\

Security

List of Labs:

Communications and Space Sciences Laboratory

Computational Electromagnetics and Antennas Research Lab

Photonics for Communication, Sensing, and Illumination Center

International Center for Actuators and Transducers

Center for Machine Learning and Applications

Institute of Networking and Security Research

The Harold and Inge Marcus Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering at Penn State University was established in 1908, and it boasts of being the first industrial engineering department in the world. Not surprisingly, its undergraduate program is ranked no. 9 nationwide, while the graduate program is at no. 7. This most sought-after department offers an undergraduate program leading to a B.S. in Industrial Engineering. The graduate school offers a regular two-year program leading to an M.S. degree in Industrial Engineering (thesis and non-thesis M.S. options). Further, this school offers a dual degree of M.S. in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research and a one-year Master's Degrees in Additive Manufacturing and Design. The Ph.D. program in Industrial Engineering offers the following areas as specializations - human factors and ergonomics, operations research, manufacturing, operations, services, and analytics.  

Areas of Expertise:  

Manufacturing Process Modeling

Diagnostics, Prognostics, and Control

Power Grids and Energy Modeling

Human Factors and Ergonomics

Human-Centered Design

Healthcare Systems Engineering

Operations Research and Data Analytics

Six Sigma

Additive Manufacturing

Service Systems Engineering

Supply Chain Engineering

List of Labs:

Center for Service Enterprise Engineering

Center for Health Organization Transformation

The Penn State Department of Material Sciences and Engineering is Ranked no. 12 and no. 11 for its graduate and undergraduate programs respectively in the US by US News. One of the premier research facilities in the nation, the Millennium Science Complex (MSC), is a 275,600 square-foot science building housing one of the university's top research organizations—the Materials Research Institute.

The department offers a B.S. in Material Science and Engineering. The master’s program, that is, M.S. in Material Science and Engineering is of two types - a two-year thesis-based program and an accelerated M.S. degree program which can be completed in one calendar year. The doctoral program called Penn State’s Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Materials Science and Engineering (iMatSE) gives students the opportunity to be mentored one-on-one by the professors. Also, it allows the research student to pursue core coursework taught by the department as well as electives offered by other departments. 
 
Areas of Expertise:

Ferroelectrics; 2D Materials

Polymers

Computational Materials Science

Glass Science and Engineering

Chemistry of Materials

Biomaterials; Electrochemistry

Materials for Energy

Metals

Physics of Materials

Semiconductors

Optical Materials

Composites

Ceramics

Nanomaterials

Additive Manufacturing

Materials for Sustainability

Analysis and Characterization of Materials

Piezoelectric Materials

List of Labs: Center for Dielectrics and PiezoElectrics; Materials Research Institute; Center for Computational Materials Design

Mechanical Engineering offered by the Penn State Department of Mechanical Engineering continues to be one of the most popular programs at Penn State. In 2018, US News & World Report ranked Penn State's Mechanical Engineering undergraduate program 17th in the country. In 2019, the graduate program was ranked 14th. The department offers a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and also a dual B.S. degree in mechanical and biomedical engineering.

The Graduate degrees in Mechanical Engineering include a two-year M.S. in Mechanical Engineering as well as a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering. Battery and Energy Storage Technology (BEST) Center and Energy Nanostructure Lab are few of the renowned research centers this department harbors. 
 
Areas of Expertise:

Advanced Manufacturing

Emerging Manufacturing Processes for Materials

Tissues and Devices

Controls and Optimization

Energy Storage and Energy Systems

Dynamic Systems, Acoustics and Vibrations

Mechatronics

Computational Fluid Dynamics

Smart Materials

Multi-Scale Computations

Turbomachinery

Biomechanics

Nanoscience and Engineering

Nature Inspired Engineering

Design and Optimization

Energy Infrastructure, Storage and Devices

Brain Science and Neural Engineering

Multiscale and Multiphysics Modeling

Multiphysics Modeling/Computational Analysis

Optoelectronics, Photonics and Lasers

Combustion and Propulsion

Advanced Materials and Devices

Thermal management

Applied Mechanics and Biomechanics

 Two-Phase Flows; Structural and Human Health Monitoring

List of Labs:

High-Pressure Combustion Laboratory

Center for Combustion, Power, and Propulsion

Turbine Heat Transfer and Aerodynamics Group

Battery and Energy Storage Technology Center

The Eberly College of Science at Penn State offers a plethora of courses in pure sciences.

The College has courses offers degrees at undergraduate and graduate levels in Astronomy and Astrophysics, Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics, and also a pre-medical program. Most of these programs are offered by the majority of colleges of Penn State spread across the state, though the main campus remains the most popular.

List of Labs:

Center for Nanotechnology Education and Utilization

Center for Neural Engineering

Radiation Science

Engineering Center