Office of the Vice Provost for Online Education
Online Education at Penn State is more than an office. We are the vision, the framework, and the online education community of the University. We look forward to opportunities to partner as we transform 125+ years of distance education experience into the future of online learning.
Online Education at Penn State is responsible for all aspects of Penn State World Campus as well as the development, evaluation, and coordination of the shared vision, strategies, implementation, policies, and practices for online education offered by Penn State.
Penn State World Campus’ mission is to engage learners across the Commonwealth, the nation, and the world with access to affordable, high-quality educational programs that leverage the talent, knowledge, diversity, and creativity of our faculty, our staff, and our students in order to provide robust learning experiences at a distance. We create educational opportunities that stand apart in the breadth of our program options, in our commitment to academic ownership and research excellence, in the availability of engagement opportunities, and in the support of our learners. We support the success of all Penn State students by helping create pathways for them to begin their educational journeys or to continue their learning and complete their degrees.
Online Education Leadership
Dr. Karen Pollack Links to an external site., Associate Vice Provost for Online Programs, kiw1@psu.edu
Primary Strategic Goals
- Pursue the World Campus strategies identified in 2016 to improve application admissions by 7%, yield rates to enroll by 2% and graduation rates by 5% for graduate students and 10% for undergraduate students by 2026.
- Use our resources of time, expertise, and finances at the highest level of effectiveness in order to decrease or redeploy effort or expense.
- Leverage the assets of the World Campus across the university to assist in meeting the university’s goals of access, affordability, and learner success.
- Advance inclusion, equity, and diversity in our workplaces, and with the audiences whom we support, through fostering belonging, open discourse, mutual respect, genuine care, equal opportunity, and different perspectives.
New faculty may want to contact the Office of the Vice Provost for Online Education to:
- Learn about academic advising and academic support for World Campus students.
- Learn more about how online students receive mental health support and student conduct processes.
- Learn more about online course design and development for World Campus courses.
- Learn about online teaching support and development.
- Learn more about Penn State online programs offered through the World Campus.
Top 5 Items Faculty Should Know About Online Education
Relevant Programming for New Faculty
Online Education Fun Facts
Thousands of residential students each year take World Campus courses to assist them make progress, or to augment their education with courses that are not available on their campus.
Penn State offers over 200 fully online degree programs and certificates.
World Campus staff and the faculty who teach World Campus programs take great pride supporting 20,000 plus learners, who would otherwise not attend a residential campus, access the breadth and depth of Penn State’s academic offerings.
Degrees earned through Penn State’s World Campus are the degrees of the University’s Colleges, and annually 3,500 degrees are award to those students who have earned their degree online.
The World Campus Chaiken Center for Student Success Links to an external site. strives to empower World Campus undergraduate and graduate students to achieve their academic and professional goals by fostering an inclusive learning environment with personalized pathways, resources, support, and opportunities for engagement and community impact.
Penn State World Campus offers equal access to integrated, student-centered resources that promote full participation, the development of a sound educational plan, and the advocacy needed to meet their academic objectives and requirements.
Additional Resources and Contact Information
Resources
- The Office of the Vice Provost for Online Education Links to an external site.
- World Campus Learning Design Links to an external site.
- World Campus Online Faculty Development Links to an external site.
- World Campus Student Academic Support Links to an external site.
- World Campus Academic Advising Links to an external site.
- World Campus Student Affairs Links to an external site.
- World Campus Student Mental Health Services Links to an external site.
- Benefits for Military Students Links to an external site.
- World Campus Technical Support Links to an external site.
Online Education Contact Information
405 Old Main
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-7581
Email Contact Form
Links to an external site.