Features

Graduating BAAS students share presentations about their individual journeys toward completing an online Ivy League bachelor's degree.

Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences students shine in the first annual Senior Colloquium

May 17, 2022

Graduating BAAS students share presentations about their individual journeys toward completing an online Ivy League bachelor's degree.

Penn LPS Online’s Certificate in Professional Writing

4 ways the Certificate in Professional Writing can help advance your career

May 16, 2022

Better job opportunities await! With Penn LPS Online’s Certificate in Professional Writing, you strengthen your writing skills and build confidence as you develop a strong professional portfolio. See 4 ways the certificate can help advance your career

Certificate in Global and Regional Studies

This is why global and regional studies are important—now more than ever

May 10, 2022

In the Certificate of Global and Regional Studies, the world is your classroom. Dive into these diverse courses to understand the most pressing and complex issues that face the world today.

Certificate or degree: 4 questions to help you make your choice

April 26, 2022

Penn LPS Online offers certificates and a bachelor’s degree, but which offering is the right one for you? Here are 4 questions to help you make your choice.

6 helpful steps to return to an academic mindset after a vacation

April 4, 2022

Getting back from a break or holiday? Penn LPS Online presents 6 strategies to help you successfully re-focus on your studies and get the most out of your coursework.

How to create an effective study strategy for your exams

March 30, 2022

Prepping for finals? Don’t stress—planning early, creating study guides, and practicing self-care are all ways to ace that test. Read about 9 effective study strategies Penn LPS Online students use to have successful test days.

earning a Certificate in Creative Writing at Penn LPS Online is an excellent way to upgrade your credentials to pursue—or advance—a career in writing or communications

Five rewarding careers related to creative writing

March 16, 2022

Dreaming of a career in creative writing? The Penn LPS Online Certificate in Creative Writing can help you make it a reality. Read about 5 exciting careers in creating writing that a certificate can prepare you for.

At Penn LPS Online, the concentrations for the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (BAAS) allow you to customize your undergraduate degree to align with your professional and intellectual ambitions.

5 steps to choosing a concentration that aligns with your goals

February 21, 2022

Need help choosing a concentration? Penn LPS Online’s Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences offers 8 to choose from that can advance your career.

What does it mean to study diversity and inclusion—and how do you apply what you learn?

February 14, 2022

Hear from the program team behind the new Certificate in Social Difference, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and learn how students can put this knowledge to work.

Penn LPS Online was created to make a high-quality Ivy League education accessible and affordable to working professionals

8 effective strategies for academic success

January 19, 2022

Adult learners can be challenged by adding academic commitments to their already busy family and professional life. Determination, discipline, and patience can effectively balance all these roles.

The power of the Penn LPS Online community

6 reasons bachelor’s degree graduates are glad they earned an Ivy League education

January 19, 2022

Is the Ivy League worth it? See 6 reasons why Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences graduates are glad they earned an education at Penn LPS Online.

Enhance your personal and professional development with multiple certificates

December 20, 2021

Here are 5 reasons why earning multiple certificates can help you reach your personal and professional goals—whether you’re climbing the corporate ladder or realizing your love of lifelong learning.

5 advantages of earning an online bachelor’s degree or certificate as a working adult

December 15, 2021

Designed to enhance your skills and knowledge for career advancement, job transition, or the pursuit of your intellectual interests, Penn LPS Online delivers for working adults.

9 spring courses to cultivate your skills and inspire your curiosity

November 2, 2021

What are your goals for 2022? Explore your intellectual curiosity, enhance your professional portfolio, or start a new course of study by enrolling in one of these spring courses.

The Individualized Studies concentration is just one more way the Bachelor of Applied Arts gives students the flexibility to make the most out of their experience at Penn.

Chart your own course through Individualized Studies

October 18, 2021

The Individualized Studies concentration is just one more way the Bachelor of Applied Arts gives students the flexibility to make the most out of their experience at Penn.

What it means to be Ivy League—and why it’s worth it

September 28, 2021

Selective admissions processes, academic excellence, and world-class programs: Read what it really means to be Ivy League and why it’s worth it to you.

Faculty spotlight: Clayton Colmon

September 14, 2021

Explore Afrofuturism, digital community-building, and critical futures with Dr. Colmon, Penn LPS Online instructor and instructional designer.

With four new skills-focused certificates in addition to our established programs, there are now even more options to earn an academic credential in less than one year.

Which Penn LPS Online certificate is right for you?

July 27, 2021

With four new skills-focused certificates in addition to our established programs, there are now even more options to earn an academic credential in less than one year.

Faculty spotlight: Yvette Bordeaux

July 12, 2021

Meet Dr. Bordeaux and learn about how she got interested in climate change, why hands-on learning matters, and what happened to Devonian-era brachiopods.

What do you want to accomplish next term? With these exciting fall courses, you can start a new certificate, try out a new skill, or cultivate new habits.

11 immersive online courses to dive into this fall

July 12, 2021

What do you want to accomplish next term? With these exciting fall courses, you can start a new certificate, try out a new skill, or cultivate new habits.

Look no further: 10 practical online courses to enhance your life skills

June 4, 2021

Simply put, practical life skills allow you to deal effectively with the increasing demands of everyday life.

embracing scientifically-sound strategies to enhance well-being, build resilience, and increase our ability to thrive in the face of adversity

Putting positive psychology into practice in challenging times

May 5, 2021

Attending to our own happiness during uncertainty and tragedy can be difficult, but Leona Brandwene, Director of the Certificate in Applied Positive Psychology, says that ideas emerging from the science of positive psychology can help.

Whether you are thinking about transferring or coming back to school after a hiatus, here are tips on how to make the most of your transfer credits.

What to consider if you're thinking about transferring colleges

May 4, 2021

Whether you are thinking about transferring or coming back to school after a hiatus, here are tips on how to make the most of your transfer credits.

2021 College of Liberal and Professional Studies Commencement Announcement

March 11, 2021

Following the University announcement about this year’s commencement ceremony, the College of Liberal and Professional Studies is pleased to announce that we will again host a virtual celebration to honor our graduates.

Certificate in Professional Writing courses

In the modern workplace, everyone employs professional writing skills

March 11, 2021

There are as many practical applications for professional writing skills as there are professions—but you can count on practice and support as you develop your abilities in five key objectives.

focus on topics such as logic, probability, and the history and philosophy of mathematics

Learn how to leverage the power of logic in Mathematics All Around You

March 3, 2021

With a focus on topics such as logic, probability, and the history and philosophy of mathematics and their relevance to contemporary life, this course pushes students to consider “why” math works rather than simply “how.”

Spring course registration is open now, and there’s still time to enroll as a certificate or course student

New year, new goals: 11 online courses to take this spring

December 15, 2020

Where would you like to be in 2021? A new year is often an opportunity to reflect on personal, professional, and academic goals—and to take action.

How to become a data-oriented thinker and problem-solver in the Certificate in Data Analytics

November 19, 2020

The Data Analytics team walks through the structure, applications, and benefits of this practical certificate program.

To succeed in the course, Frei emphasizes that students need to pace themselves and schedule themselves plenty of time to think, reflect, and feel as they go through the coursework.

Why cross-cultural communication is important—and how to practice it effectively

October 29, 2020

ICOM 100: Intercultural Communication helps Penn LPS Online students develop effective communication skills and cultural understanding globally as well as within diverse communities.

To complete a Literature, Culture, and Tradition degree concentration, students take at least four courses from at least two of those subject areas

Literature, Culture, and Tradition: an online degree concentration for students of humanity

October 27, 2020

Learn how this cross-disciplinary humanities degree concentration can sharpen critical skills for work—and for life.

Explore everyday biology and think like a scientist in Foundations of Life Science

September 1, 2020

Basic biology and scientific reason skills give adult students the power to make decisions about their daily lives in this foundational course.

Director of Undergraduate Programs at the College of Liberal and Professional Studies (LPS) at Penn, Kathy Urban

For Kathy Urban, a high-quality education means putting students first

July 30, 2020

The LPS Director of Undergraduate Programs discusses the importance of agile thinking and adapting to student needs.

Scholars of digital culture say technical proficiency is now required to participate in society

To thrive in the new digital landscape, you need to be more than just a user

July 29, 2020

Scholars of digital culture say technical proficiency is now required to participate in society—and that we need to know much more about technology tools than we realize to harness their potential.

Meet three of our recent BAAS graduates and learn how their Ivy League education helped them achieve their career goals, ignite new academic passions, and enrich their personal lives.

How our recent graduates put their applied bachelor's degrees to work

July 8, 2020

Meet three of our recent BAAS graduates and learn how their Ivy League education helped them achieve their career goals, ignite new academic passions, and enrich their personal lives.

Informative, introspective, and inspiring: 12 interesting Ivy League courses you can take online this fall

June 18, 2020

Whether you want to learn more about the world, get on top of your game at work, or unlock your creativity, Penn LPS Online has a fall course for you.

Achieve your unique goals with flexible degree requirements and a custom Penn experience

June 8, 2020

The Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences is structured for students to build individualized pathways to academic excellence and professional growth.

Penn LPS Online staff and students offer tips on how to prepare for online classes and become a successful online learner.

Tips on how to succeed in an online class

May 20, 2020

For those new to online learning, the virtual classroom may feel like uncharted territory. Penn LPS Online staff and students offer tips on how to prepare for online classes and become a successful online learner.

a certificate program offers the best opportunity to specialize in a particular area of expertise without a steep investment of time.

What are certificates—and why do working professionals increasingly find them worthwhile?

May 13, 2020

For some students, a certificate program offers the best opportunity to specialize in a particular area of expertise without a steep investment of time.

Remote work offers flexibility for employees and cost savings and increased productivity for employers—a win-win.

We’re all virtual collaborators now… but do we know how to be?

May 6, 2020

Collaborating successfully in the virtual space is harder than it may seem. Learn what remote teams need to do their best work together.

Learning from Penn faculty in an immersive multimedia platform

Online learning isn’t a replacement for the campus classroom. For some students, it’s better.

April 22, 2020

For the many Penn LPS Online students with professional and family responsibilities, the most obvious benefit of taking college classes online is flexibility.

Tips for remote working and learning

April 9, 2020

This spring, more and more people find themselves learning and working remotely—in many cases for the first time.

The importance of lifelong learning

April 8, 2020

Professional success is just one of the many benefits of lifelong learning. Others include building confidence through mastery, staying intellectually stimulated, and discovering new passions and perhaps your life purpose.

Penn LPS Online’s Certificate in Creative Writing student

Skill, style, and substance: How creative writing workshops fuel personal and professional growth

March 12, 2020

Human beings have a fundamental desire to connect through expression. For both experienced writers and those new to the craft, that desire is often confounded by what's missing: support, structure, and accountability.

What is climate change, and what should we do about it?

March 5, 2020

The conversation around climate change has taken on new urgency in the last few years. As we see more superstorms, floods, droughts, and fires in the news and our own lives, more people than ever before feel drawn to understand this complex topic.

Julia is the Faculty Director of Penn LPS Online’s Certificate in Creative Writing

With ‘The Sacramento of Desire,’ creative writing professor Julia Bloch completes a personal trilogy

March 4, 2020

Penn LPS Online’s Creative Writing Faculty Director’s most recent book of poetry focuses on her desire for making a family as a member of the queer community.

The ePortfolio component is designed to fulfill that very purpose.

Tell a compelling career story with the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences ePortfolio

March 2, 2020

The online degree is designed to integrate the traditional methods and values of an Ivy League liberal arts education with opportunities to develop career-enhancing practical and professional skills.

Penn LPS Online student studying before work

Penn LPS Online students on how to balance school, work, and family

January 28, 2020

According to a 2019 report from the McKinsey Global Institute, lifelong learning programs play a key role in connecting workers with new opportunities, supporting career changers, and helping specialized practitioners adapt to evolving technologies.

The liberal arts major is “about to make a major rebound.”

Demand is growing for liberal arts majors

January 27, 2020

Whenever a new decade rolls around, we tend to reflect on the social, economic, and other forces that shaped the world over the last ten years.

After a US drone strike killed Iran’s most powerful military commander this month, both nations braced for the possibility of war. How did we get to this point, and what is the path forward?

A history of US-Iran relations

January 10, 2020

After a US drone strike killed Iran’s most powerful military commander this month, both nations braced for the possibility of war. How did we get to this point, and what is the path forward?

How to be a leader in the workplace

January 6, 2020

Interest in the study of leadership has exploded in recent decades within academia and beyond.

The individualized concentration is designed to give students the flexibility to be academically expansive.

The Individualized Studies concentration: How it works and if it makes sense for you

December 11, 2019

Students in the Penn LPS Online Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (BAAS) program explore a variety of subjects...

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Frederick Douglass

5 Historical must-reads

December 9, 2019

Looking for the best world history books or historical novels to read? Ask a professor.

Climate change is one subject that everyone can benefit from understanding more deeply. (GETTY IMAGES)

Want to safeguard your future and make a difference? Study climate change.

November 13, 2019

You don’t have to be a scientist to help tackle climate change. We will need informed action from every field...

Penn LPS Online Certificate in Neuroscience

Your mind at work: Applying neuroscience in the classroom and outside of the lab

October 11, 2019

Like many lifelong learners and intellectually curious online students, you may think of your brain as...

7 things you can do at Penn Libraries—online!

September 6, 2019

As a Penn LPS Online student, you can enrich your online learning experience with library databases, digital media...

Learning to understand and assess organizational culture

March 11, 2019

With the launch of the new Certificate in Organizational Anthropology, Penn LPS Online aims...

Using positive psychology to improve your personal and professional well-being

February 27, 2019

Positive psychology is the scientific study of what creates flourishing, what enables us to thrive as humans...

What Is Organizational Anthropology?

February 14, 2019

What’s the first thing you think of when you see the word “anthropology?” Perhaps all the National Geographic...

Portfolium to Support University of Pennsylvania Online Bachelor’s Degree Program

December 12, 2018

The University of Pennsylvania’s College of Liberal and Professional Studies (LPS) has selected Portfolium’s Student...

Behind the scenes of election night projections

November 5, 2018

John Lapinski, faculty director the Certificate in Data Analytics, discusses election data and exit polls.

Do I need to go back to college? Conducting a career self-assessment

October 23, 2018

Remember when the end of August signaled back-to school-time and taking young children shopping for new clothes...

Penn Provost Wendell Pritchett, panel moderator, said Penn’s work in online learning extends the University’s resources “beyond traditional boundaries of age and geography.” Photo: Katherine Veri, Veri Productions

Educational leaders examine the ‘University of the Future’

October 18, 2018

At Perry World House, global thought leaders, scholars, administrators, and technology experts discussed...

The online option: College for adults who work

October 15, 2018

Technology, automation, and shifting personal and workplace expectations have all redefined how we look at jobs...

What is a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences Degree?

October 10, 2018

An Ivy League undergraduate education that can be pursued online—that’s not a phrase you see very often. Until now.

The College of Liberal and Professional Studies launches online bachelor’s degree

September 18, 2018

Beginning in the fall of 2019, the Penn LPS Online platform will offer a fully-accredited, online education.