Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend CollegeStudent Guide

Academic dates, campus language, housing, and student-life references for Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College. Free for students.

Public Research University in Erie, PA. Operating on a semester system.

Looking for dorms? Scroll for the dorm and housing breakdown below.

Free for all Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College students. No credit card required.

3K+

Total Enrollment

Research University

Institution Type

10

Housing Buildings

1,900

Housing Capacity

Student guide · Fall 2026 First 7-Week Session

The semester, explained for Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College

Dates from the active academic calendar, plus the campus language and local details students actually need. Every entry comes from DormWay's approved campus reference library.

Relevant term
Fall 2026 First 7-Week Session
Campus terms
17
Local details
14

Academic calendar

Fall 2026 First 7-Week Session runs Aug 17, 2026 – Dec 20, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.

17 entries
  1. Summer 2026 Sessions
  2. Fall 2026 First 7-Week SessionFall 2026 Regular SessionFall 2026 Second 7-Week SessionRelevant now
  3. Spring 2027 First 7-Week SessionSpring 2027 Regular SessionSpring 2027 Second 7-Week Session
  4. Summer 2027 First 6-Week SessionSummer 2027 MaymesterSummer 2027 Regular SessionSummer 2027 Second 6-Week Session
  5. Fall 2027 Regular Session
  6. Spring 2028 Regular Session
  7. Summer 2028 First 6-Week SessionSummer 2028 MaymesterSummer 2028 Regular SessionSummer 2028 Second 6-Week Session

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Campus language

Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.

17 terms

B

Behrend Birthday
A tradition where students are thrown into the fountain in front of the Reed Union Building on their birthday.
Bruno's
Bruno's Café, a popular retail dining location in the Reed Union Building.
BVZ
BVZ Radio, the student-run radio station (The Voice of Behrend).

C

Clark
The Clark Food Court, located in the Burke Center, primarily serving engineering and business students.

D

Dobbins
Dobbins Dining Hall, the main 'all-you-care-to-eat' buffet-style dining facility on campus.

L

LBA
Lion Ambassadors, student volunteers who give tours and represent the college at alumni events.

M

MAC
Multi-Cultural Council, an umbrella organization for various cultural and identity-based clubs.

P

Paws
Paws Coffee Shop, the on-campus cafe serving Starbucks products located in the Reed Union Building.

S

SAB
Student Activity Board, the group responsible for planning major campus events like concerts and comedians.
SGA
Student Government Association, the primary representative body for the student population.

T

The Apartments
Refers to the University Drive Apartments located on the edge of campus.
The Beacon
The Behrend Beacon, the official weekly student-run newspaper.
The Gorge
Wintergreen Gorge, a scenic natural area with hiking trails and waterfalls bordering the campus.
The Hill
The steep incline students must walk to get from the academic buildings to the residence halls.
The Honors House
Nickname for Ohio Hall, which traditionally houses the Schreyer Honors College students.
The Suites
Common reference to Senat Hall, which offers suite-style living arrangements.
Tri-Halls
The collective name for Almy, Lawrence, and Ohio Halls, which are traditional-style residence halls.

Places and practicalities

Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.

14 details
bruno_s_cafe
Bruno's Cafe
Burke
The Jack Burke Research and Economic Development Center, housing the Schools of Engineering and Business.
Canvas
The web-based learning management system used for all course assignments and grades.
clark_cafe
Clark Cafe
dobbins_dining_hall
Dobbins Dining Hall
EMTA
The Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority, the bus system students use to travel into the city of Erie.
Junker
The Junker Center, the primary athletics and recreation facility on campus.
Kochel
The Irvin Kochel Center, which houses the School of Humanities and Social Sciences.
LionCash
A prepaid account accessed via the student ID card used for laundry, printing, and off-campus dining.
paw_s_coffee_shop
Paw's Coffee Shop
Roche
The Otto Behrend Science Building, home to the School of Science labs and classrooms.
RUB
The Reed Union Building, the central hub for student activities, dining, and the bookstore.
Starfish
The online platform used for scheduling academic advising appointments and tracking course progress.
The 'e'
The specific EMTA bus route (Route 20) that services the Behrend campus and connects to local malls.

Quick answers

Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.

What academic term is relevant now?
Fall 2026 First 7-Week Session runs Aug 17, 2026 – Dec 20, 2026.
How much campus context is included?
17 approved campus terms and 14 local details are included in full.
Are all approved campus terms included?
Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
Where does this guide come from?
Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.

Get to know your university

Assisted

Find a few communities to try at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College

These are things we discovered from public campus sources. We are constantly looking for more.

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Interest filters
  • Major-aligned clubs, pre-professional groups, and research communities.
  • Performing arts, visual arts, student publications, film, and music.
  • Cultural orgs, identity communities, and faith-based groups.
  • Volunteer groups, civic engagement, mutual aid, and student government.
  • Outdoor clubs, intramural sports, club sports, and rec center programs.
  • Entrepreneurship, hackathon teams, makerspaces, and engineering project teams.
  • Casual hangouts, interest groups, and open events without applications.

DormWay is still mapping student communities at this campus.

We only show recommendations once we have enough public sources for Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College.

These are things we discovered. We are constantly looking for more.

Tell us what we missed

Recommendations are based on public campus sources. We do not endorse student organizations.

Using DormWay at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College

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Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College on DormWay

Current DormWay activity for this campus

3

Active Students

6

Syllabi Analyzed

6

Courses on DormWay

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Popular Courses

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Calculus with Engineering Technology ApplicationsEffective SpeechElectrical Circuits Laboratory IIntroductory Macroeconomic Analysis and PolicyME 380Rhetoric & Composition

Life in Erie for Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College Students

Everything you need to know about living and studying in Erie.

Timezone

Eastern Time (ET)

Median Rent

$850

Cost of Living Index

88

Student Population

20,000

City Transportation

Walkability

57

Bikeability

50

Public Transit

EMTA bus system

Nearest Airports

Erie International Airport (Tom Ridge Field)

Climate Averages

Climate

Humid continental

Avg Annual Temp

47.5°F

Avg Snowfall

100 in

Campus Operations Snapshot

Parking and Transit

AMIC Lot

surface_lot

Visitor parking in green and purple sections only.

Parking Deck

garage

Visitor parking available on the upper level.

Junker Lot

surface_lot

Designated visitor parking available.

Campus News

Latest updates from Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College

Pennsylvania adopts performance-based funding for Penn State

The Pennsylvania General Assembly approved a 2026-27 state budget that includes over $4 million in new performance-based funding for Penn State, the first increase in state education funding since 2019.

Aug 31, 2026

Read More

Yung Gravy to headline Behrend's fall concert

Rapper Yung Gravy is set to perform at the soccer complex as part of the college's Welcome Week programming, a highlight for the student community.

Aug 25, 2026

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Biology professor Michael Campbell ends 32-year career at Penn State Behrend

Longtime faculty member Michael Campbell retired after over three decades of service and research in biology at the Erie campus.

Aug 25, 2026

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Medical emergency reported at the Hammermill Zurn Building on August 26, 2026; University Police assisted ambulance services (Incident 26ER00192).

Medical emergency reported at the Hammermill Zurn Building on August 26, 2026; University Police assisted ambulance services (Incident 26ER00192).

Read More

University Police and Public Safety released a comprehensive guide for staying safe at Penn State for the Fall 2026 semester on August 21, 2026.

University Police and Public Safety released a comprehensive guide for staying safe at Penn State for the Fall 2026 semester on August 21, 2026.

Read More

Upcoming Events

What's happening at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College

Welcome Back Carnival

September 4, 2026

Bruno's Cafe

A welcome carnival dinner featuring chicken corn dogs, elote, deep fried Oreos, turkey legs, and loaded waffle fries to kick off the new academic year.

Conquer the Career Fair Workshop

September 8, 2026

113 Reed

A workshop to help students gain essential skills and strategies to confidently navigate and excel at upcoming career fairs.

Crushing Your Interview Workshop

September 9, 2026

113 Reed

Students will learn valuable techniques to showcase strengths and articulate goals through effective communication in various interview methods.

Fall Career and Internship Fair

September 24, 2026

Erie Hall & McGarvey Commons, Reed Union Building

A major networking event connecting students with a wide range of employers for job and internship opportunities.

Wisconsin Homecoming Tailgate

September 25, 2026

Bruno's Cafe

A themed lunch event featuring Kielbasa Cheddar Soup, Pork Loins, and Buffalo Chicken Bierocks to fuel up for the big game.

Graduate & Professional School Fair

September 30, 2026

Penn State Behrend Campus

An event connecting students with representatives from various graduate and professional programs.

Dorms & On-Campus Housing at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College

First-year students who are not from Erie County or live more than 30 miles away are required to live on campus and guaranteed housing.

4 known dorm and housing options. Every known option is shown below.

Senat Hall

Capacity: 400

Room types: single, double

Tiffany Hall

Capacity: 300

Room types: suite, double

Niagara Hall

Capacity: 350

Room types: single, double, suite

Ohio Hall

Capacity: 250

Room types: single, double

Campus Details

Academic System

Semester

Control

Public

Email Domain

@behrend.psu.edu

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