UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – During the week of July 29 through August 2, students in the joint Doctor of Education (D.Ed.) program of Penn State World Campus and the College of Education were welcomed to the University Park campus for a week where they were able to not only meet and interact with their D.Ed. classmates but also immerse themselves in the unique Penn State experience.

“Although students in our World Campus/College of Education Doctor of Education program are already full-fledged Penn Staters, their experience is made even more valuable by the opportunity to bring them to our wonderful campus and give them the chance to get to know each other and our world-class faculty,” said Joe Polizzi, director of the World Campus D.Ed. program.

The World Campus D.Ed. program is a 37-credit, research-intensive, practice-oriented interdisciplinary degree program for careers in education, counseling, government, and human services. Offered in a flexible, asynchronous format, this degree provides students with the opportunity to pursue advanced research-oriented professional learning and practical application beyond the master’s degree. The program draws on multiple disciplines and allows students to customize their curriculum by choosing from a range of focus areas, including adult education, organizational development and change, higher education, learning, design and technology, educational leadership, and special education.

Throughout the week, D.Ed. students participated in academic workshops, social activities, and cultural events, including a tour of the College of Education and the University Park campus, presentations from several of the college’s faculty members on topics such as artificial intelligence (AI) in school, bullying in the classroom, accessing and using the resources of the world-class Pattee and Paterno Libraries, and participation in several group discussions and activities to develop their research skills and final projects.