Frequently Asked Advising Questions about BBH

If I plan on going to graduate school, what should I do?

Even if you will not be going to graduate school immediately after graduation, now may be the best time to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). General information on the GRE and graduate schools is available at the information desk in Kern Building.

If I plan to go to medical school, what should I do?

In addition to taking the courses required for admission (typically a full year each of biology, chemistry, organic chemistry and physics including labs) you will need to take the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT). The MCAT is usually taken spring of the junior year if admission is desired directly after graduation. The Health Professions Advising Office, 213 Whitmore Lab (865-7620), provides information and services to medical school applicants from any Penn State college.

Where can I find help in seeking an internship or job?

Since most searches take 6 to 12 months, it is critical to plan early. Career Services in the MBNA Career Services Building provides free copies of the Penn State Placement Manual, the Career Path Job Search Handbook, and Job Choices: Healthcare. At the University sponsored Pennsylvania Career Day in the spring, employers across the state are on campus to discuss internships and employment. 

Can BB H students study abroad for a semester?

There are not any education abroad programs that are designed specifically for BB H students, but there are several which with careful advance planning a student may fit into the curriculum and not delay graduation. If general education requirements have been "saved," they may be satisfied by courses in many programs. The supporting courses and basic sciences may also be available in some programs, notably the Health Studies program of the University of Wollongong in Australia. (Warning: this is an expensive program.) If a student is interested in health promotion and wants to work with a Spanish-speaking population, the San German, Puerto Rico program which emphasizes language and Caribbean culture may be a good choice.

The academic advisor, Dr. Treviņo, can assist you with course substitutions to have appropriate courses from your study abroad program be used in the supporting course ("university wide selections") area of the curriculum. The experience of living in another culture is likely to become increasingly important in future career paths.

The International Educational Programs and Studies (IEPS) office offers general information sessions every Monday at 1:30 PM in 221 Boucke Building to provide handouts and answer questions. The office also has a web site: http://www.international.psu.edu . 

What is a minor? What are the best minors for BB H students? How do I declare a minor? How do my minor credits count?

A departmental minor is a specialization of at least 18 credits from that department. Popular minors include Gerontology, Health Policy and Administration, Human Development and Family Studies, Psychology, and Neuroscience. The form to declare a minor is available at the department that administers that minor. Credits for minor courses that are listed on the BB H approved list of courses may be used to fulfill the 11 credits needed in Supporting Courses and Related Areas. Courses taken for a minor which are not listed on the approved list may be petitioned as course substitutions for Supporting Courses and Related Areas (although they may not be approved) or may meet general education credit requirements. The Academic Advisor, Dr. Treviņo, will assist you with selection of courses that will count toward both the BB H major and a minor.

How do I obtain an official copy of my transcript?

You may request a copy of your transcript in person at 112 Shields Building from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Students must submit the Request for Official Transcript form and a payment of $6.00 for each transcript. If you plan to take the transcript with you, you will need to provide a form of identification, such as your Penn State ID or driver's license. An unofficial copy of your transcript is available free from the Registrar's Office.

How do I request a course substitution in my degree audit?

A BB H student and the academic adviser may agree to a substitution of one course for another in the BB H curriculum. To get that substitution approved, please request the substitution on the Course Substitution Petition Form used by the College of HHD. Forms are available in 302 HHD East from Kathy Barefoot. Complete the top part of the form, write your reason for the request and sign it. Your adviser then writes whatever comments s/he desires, but indicates if s/he concurs and signs the form.

After the form has been completed by both student and adviser, it goes to Frank Ahern for approval or denial at the department level. For a course which is to substitute for a requirement in the BB H (non-Gen Ed) curriculum, department approval is all that is needed. Kathy Barefoot then enters the substitution into the degree audit system. Courses which are to be substituted for General Education classes need one further level of approval: "the HHD Dean's Office." If the approval is granted, the Gen Ed substitution will be entered into the degree audit system by the HHD Records Office. This process may take up to three weeks.

How do I petition the faculty senate for an exception to policy? (For example, to retroactively late-drop a course).

You must follow these steps:

  1. You must write a letter stating what you are requesting and the reason for the petition.
  2. Complete any appropriate forms (such as drop/add) and obtain your advisor's signature.
  3. Go to the Office of the Registrar and get a free unofficial transcript.
  4. If the petition involves a retroactive late/drop or add, pay the $6 fee at the Bursars office and get a receipt.
  5. Obtain any other relevant documents to support your petition.
  6. Take all the paperwork to the Student Services Center, 215 Henderson.
  7. Notification of Senate action will be by mail to the address you include on your letter of petition.

How do I take a course "pass-fail?"

The correct term is "Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory" and means you must earn the equivalent of a C grade to get satisfactory. Up to twelve (12) credits of electives may be earned on a SA/UN basis. Courses required for the major, including the general education credits, are not permitted for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grading. This means that any credits taken on a SA/UN basis are "surplus" credits that are above and beyond the credits needed to complete the BBH major. You must request this designation through the Student Services Center between the 11th and 21st calendar days of the semester you are enrolled in the course. SA/UN credits count towards graduation, but are not computed in your GPA.

If I take a course at another university, can it count in my BB H major?

Earning credits at a college or university other than Penn State is possible while you are a student enrolled at Penn State. Before enrolling in course work at another school, be sure to receive prior approval by: 1) checking with the Admissions Office in 201 Shields to see whether the credits earned at College "X" are transferable to Penn State and if they will come in with a specific Penn State title or just as "general credits" and 2) for any course not directly transferred as a specific PSU course, students must obtain the course description (contained in the catalog of the college or university to be attended) and discuss with the academic advisor the appropriateness of the course to be substituted for a course in the BB H curriculum or for a general education requirement. Only courses passed with a grade of C or higher will be accepted by Penn State. The Penn State transcript will only show credits added, not the grade.

Who gets into the university scholars program for BB H?

The University Scholars Program is a University-wide Honors program for academically superior students. The vast majority of University Scholars are admitted to the program as entering freshmen. A few BB H students are invited to join the University Scholars Program as juniors, at the discretion of the Department. These students must have a GPA in the BB H major of 3.80 or higher. University Scholars participate in scholarly research, culminating in an Honors Thesis, approved before graduation. For more information about the University Scholar's Program, contact the University Scholar's Office, located in 10 Schreyer Honors College (863-2635).

How do I verify I am okay to graduate? 

At the beginning of your last semester, make an appointment with the Dr. Treviņo, BB H Academic Advisor, in 302 E HH D. If you have been monitoring your degree audit each semester (and checking with your advisor), there should not be any bad surprises. If all needed courses are completed or are in progress, Dr. Treviņo will approve you for graduation. (If you have enough credits to be considered a senior, the telephone registration system may ask you if you plan to graduate at the end of the semester that you are scheduling. Do NOT say "yes" unless that is correct. Responding "yes" will prompt mail to you regarding graduation; it will not get you in a class that is closed.)

What is a "Leave of Absence" and how do I get one?

If you want to spend a semester or two not enrolled in Penn State courses at any campus you should request a "Leave of Absence." The University then knows to expect you back for the appropriate semester and you don't have to pay a $20 reenrollment fee. The Leave of Absence form is available from the Student Services Center in 215 Henderson. Remember to use your registration priority to advance register for your classes while you are still on your leave. You may take Independent Learning (correspondence) classes from PSU while on a Leave of Absence.