Local Colleges & Universities

Berks County’s five local colleges and universities have A LOT to offer – and that includes some unique and exceptional major programs. Learn about a few highlights here.

Penn State Berks has a long and renowned history of providing engineering education in Berks County, dating back to 1927.

Today, Penn State Berks is the only institution of higher education in the county to offer not one but two accredited engineering baccalaureate degrees, and both degrees can be completed in their entirety on campus. Electro-Mechanical Engineering Technology and Mechanical Engineering are both accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), the global leader in accreditation of engineering, engineering technology and related programs. ABET accreditation is recognized by employers worldwide.

The B.S. in Electro-Mechanical Engineering Technology program is offered in response to a growing demand from industrial and consulting companies for engineers with a wide range of technical knowledge. The interdisciplinary training, along with in-depth study of modern instrumentation, process control and quality control concepts, gives students the broad range of skills that are needed in today’s workforce.

Mechanical Engineering is one of the largest and broadest engineering disciplines, involving the study of mechanics, fluid/ thermal systems and system dynamics. The B.S. in Mechanical Engineering program includes both a strong design emphasis and hands-on laboratory experience. Students learn to use scientific and engineering methods to devise useful products that are safe, reliable and cost-effective.

Both degrees are housed in the college’s Gaige Technology and Business Innovation Building, which includes the latest state-ofthe-art technology and laboratory space. The facility also includes a Fluid Discovery Lab created by an engineering professor with her research students. The result is the only open water channel research facility within the entire Penn State University system.

Students have a world of opportunities, from conducting research alongside faculty members to working on multidisciplinary design projects sponsored by local companies through the Berks Learning Factory.

Penn State Berks engineering degrees are further enhanced by partnerships with local business and industry. These industry partners attend college career fairs, participate in research projects, serve on advisory boards and hire engineering students as interns and employees.

Students complete hundreds of internships, and many establish their careers in the Greater Reading area. For those who choose to leave Berks County, they find that a Penn State degree is recognized worldwide.

With a commitment to making the dream of earning an engineering degree attainable for all students, Penn State Berks offers the LION STEM Scholars program, which provides support in the form of scholarships to qualified engineering students with demonstrated financial need. The college also offers the Engineering Ahead program, a four-week summer bridge program to increase retention rates among a diverse group of students by enhancing their academic preparedness.

In addition, Penn State offers more than a dozen undergraduate engineering majors at University Park — along with additional options at other Penn State campuses — providing students with rich educational possibilities to lay the groundwork for lifetime career success.

Penn State Berks is providing the big university degree close to home and preparing the engineering students of today for the indemand careers of tomorrow.

For more info visit berks.psu.edu