Online Colleges Without Proctored Exams in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania has one of the highest concentrations of small private colleges in the country, and that density matters when you're hunting for online programs without proctored exams. Rather than a single dominant public system setting the tone statewide, assessment practices here vary widely from one campus to the next, often coming down to an individual college's philosophy about adult learners rather than any shared policy.

That variation cuts both ways. Some of Pennsylvania's private universities and Penn State-affiliated colleges have built online programs specifically around written work and applied projects, while plenty of others, public and private alike, lean on tools like Respondus or Honorlock for at least part of their coursework. This article covers what proctored exams involve, the assessment styles colleges use instead, and the Pennsylvania schools, along with several nationally available ones, worth adding to your list.

What Is a Proctored Exam?

A proctored exam is a test administered under supervision meant to confirm your identity and prevent unauthorized help while you work. On a physical campus, that supervision traditionally came from an instructor or teaching assistant walking the room. In an online course, it's usually handled through software such as Respondus or Honorlock, which uses your webcam and microphone to scan your surroundings, verify your photo ID, and flag anything that looks like it might be a violation.

That kind of monitoring can turn a manageable test into a stressful ordeal, even for students who know the material well. Finding a private, quiet space at the exact scheduled time, worrying that an ordinary glance away from the screen will get flagged, and sometimes paying a proctoring fee on top of tuition all add friction unrelated to actual learning. Programs built around other kinds of assessment let students focus their energy on the coursework itself rather than the logistics of being watched.

Alternative Assessment Methods Used by Online Colleges

Rather than concentrating everything into a single, high-stakes monitored exam, many programs spread assessment across formats you complete independently. Here's what shows up most often.

• Projects: Project-based learning asks you to apply what you've studied to a real or simulated challenge, such as a marketing plan or a case analysis, so instructors can evaluate applied thinking rather than memorized facts.
• Research papers: Written assignments require you to investigate a topic, build an argument, and support it with sources, giving faculty insight into your reasoning and writing ability.
• Open-book exams: These allow you to reference notes, textbooks, or course materials while testing, shifting emphasis from recall toward interpretation and application.
• Discussion boards: Many courses grade the depth and consistency of your participation in online forums, rewarding sustained engagement with classmates and course material.
• Presentations: Delivered live over video or submitted as a recording, presentations require you to explain your understanding in your own words, which is difficult to fake.
• Portfolios: Common in education, design, and health-related fields, portfolios collect your work across a term as visible evidence of skill growth.
• Competency-based assessments: These measure whether you can perform a task or apply a concept correctly, often through posttests, case scenarios, or hands-on demonstrations tied to real job requirements.

Best Online Colleges Without Proctored Exams in Pennsylvania

The two schools below approach assessment differently, but both build their online coursework around written work and applied assignments rather than monitored testing.

1. Pennsylvania College of Technology

A special mission affiliate of Penn State, Pennsylvania College of Technology has offered online bachelor's degrees since the early 2000s and reports no proctored exams as part of its typical assessment approach. Instead, the college relies on plagiarism-screening software for written assignments, along with course design standards meant to preserve integrity without requiring webcam monitoring.

Known for its applied, technical bent, Penn College offers online programs in fields like business, health sciences, and technology management, charging the same in-state tuition rate to all online students regardless of where they live. The college holds accreditation through the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), and its Penn State affiliation gives graduates a recognizable name attached to a smaller, career-focused learning environment. For students who want technical rigor without a proctor watching over their shoulder, Penn College is worth a close look.

2. DeSales University

Located in Center Valley, DeSales University offers online bachelor's and graduate programs and reports no proctored exams across its online bachelor's, graduate education, and criminal justice programs. Assessment leans on written coursework, discussion-based engagement, and prior learning credit for adult students bringing in relevant work experience.

DeSales offers accelerated formats of 3, 6, and 8 weeks through its Adult Studies program, with a generous transfer policy that accepts up to 75 credits toward a degree. The university carries accreditation through MSCHE, and its Salesian mission emphasizes personal attention alongside flexibility, though some individual courses may still use Respondus tools at an instructor's discretion. For working adults in the Lehigh Valley and beyond, DeSales offers a faith-affiliated option with a strong track record of serving nontraditional students.

Nationally Available Online Colleges Without Proctored Exams

Pennsylvania's own list runs short, but several nationally available universities enroll Pennsylvania residents just as readily as anyone else and follow the same paper-and-project approach to assessment.

University of Maryland Global Campus

University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) was built more than 75 years ago to serve working adults and military families, and that mission carries through into how courses are assessed. Exams tend to be untimed multiple-choice tests students can take on their own schedule, research papers, or projects, rather than anything requiring a webcam or live monitor.

With more than 135 degrees and certificates and no SAT or ACT required for admission, UMGC stays accessible to a wide range of students, including those with significant prior coursework or military training. Out-of-state students, Pennsylvanians included, pay a flat rate that remains competitive with many private options, and the university carries accreditation through MSCHE.

Post University

Post University keeps its online courses assessment-light by design, relying on discussion boards, case study reviews, papers, and group projects instead of exams across most degree programs. Small class sizes let instructors get familiar with each student's writing style, supporting academic integrity checks without a webcam involved.

Based in Connecticut but enrolling students from every state, Post offers career-focused bachelor's and master's degrees taught by faculty with real-world industry backgrounds. Courses run in accelerated eight-week terms, and the university's reliance on electronic course materials in most classes helps keep costs manageable for working students.

Colorado State University Global

Colorado State University Global (CSU Global) holds the distinction of being the first fully online, independent public university in the country, and its curriculum leans on discussions, critical thinking assignments, and portfolio projects rather than exams. Where tests do appear, they're uncommon enough that many students finish an entire degree without encountering one.

Tuition is transparent and locked in from a student's first course to the last, with no student fees regardless of home state. CSU Global operates within the Colorado State University System, giving graduates a recognizable institutional name, and it accepts a generous number of transfer credits for students arriving with prior coursework.

Capella University

Capella University's FlexPath format lets students move through material at their own speed, proving competency through hands-on projects and assignments rather than sitting for a scheduled exam. A more structured GuidedPath track exists for students who prefer set deadlines, and both formats minimize traditional proctored testing.

Popular fields include nursing, psychology, social work, and information technology, with pricing that tends to undercut many private university rates. Capella carries Higher Learning Commission (HLC) accreditation, and its ability to switch between FlexPath and GuidedPath mid-program is useful if your schedule changes unexpectedly.

Western Governors University

Western Governors University’s (WGU) entire model runs on competency-based education, meaning you advance by demonstrating mastery through projects, papers, and performance tasks rather than moving through a fixed semester calendar. Most courses skip the proctored exam altogether in favor of this project-driven structure.

Tuition is billed by six-month term instead of by credit hour, so students who move quickly through material can complete more without paying more. WGU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) and offers programs in business, IT, teaching, and health professions built around this same self-paced format.

Southern New Hampshire University

Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) has grown into one of the largest online universities in the country on the back of an asynchronous model that rarely calls for a proctored exam. Most degrees rely on quizzes, projects, and open-book assignments instead, letting students work whenever fits their schedule rather than around a fixed testing window.

With more than 200 online degree programs and undergraduate tuition around $330 per credit hour, SNHU spans a wide range of fields, from business to healthcare to the humanities. The university holds accreditation through the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), and its scale means most students find a program that matches their goals without much searching.

Walden University

Walden University has spent decades building programs specifically for working adults, and its courses generally assess students through ongoing papers and assignments rather than monitored testing. When exams do appear, they tend to be open-book rather than locked down by proctoring software.

Fields of study include health sciences, communications, and criminal justice, with tuition charged by quarter credit hour. Walden holds accreditation through HLC, worth checking against your transfer or licensure plans if you're comparing it to a Pennsylvania-based option.

Liberty University

Liberty University runs one of the largest online programs among faith-based universities, and its assessment style favors open-book exams, projects, and homework assignments over proctored testing. Students aren't required to sit for placement exams either, keeping the entry process as low-friction as the coursework itself.

Popular majors span aviation, nursing, communications, and human services, reflecting a breadth well beyond Liberty's religious studies foundation. Tuition runs around $390 per credit hour, and the university holds accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), giving Pennsylvania students a faith-based option without the usual proctoring requirements.

How We Rank Schools

To create this list, we review data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), along with program-level details published by each university.

Rankings are based on factors such as:

• Assessment flexibility: We prioritize schools where projects, papers, and competency checkpoints replace proctored testing across most or all coursework.
• Online program availability: We look at how many degree levels and fields of study a school offers in a fully online format.
• Accreditation: We confirm that each school holds regional or national accreditation recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
• Student support: We consider the advising, technical support, and career resources available to distance learners.
• Value: We weigh tuition against the flexibility, transfer policies, and outcomes each program delivers.

Learn more about our ranking methodology.

FAQs About Online Colleges Without Proctored Exams in Pennsylvania

A few practical questions tend to come up once you start narrowing down programs. Here are answers to some of the ones we hear most often.

How Do I Verify a Pennsylvania School's Accreditation Before Enrolling?

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education publishes a searchable directory of accredited institutions in Pennsylvania and several neighboring states, which is the most direct way to confirm a school's standing before applying. It's also worth checking whether any specific program you're interested in, such as nursing or education, carries additional field-specific accreditation beyond the university's regional status.

Can I Combine Credits From a Community College With One of These Programs?

Most private Pennsylvania universities on this list, including DeSales, accept a substantial number of transfer credits from community colleges, though the exact number varies by program and institution. Requesting a transcript evaluation before you commit to a school gives you a clear picture of how much prior coursework will actually count toward your new degree.

Do Small Private Colleges Offer the Same Career Services as Larger Universities?

Smaller Pennsylvania colleges often provide more individualized career coaching precisely because of their size, even if their career services offices have fewer staff overall than a large public university's. It's worth asking directly about employer connections and internship placement rates in your specific field rather than assuming a smaller school offers less support.

What Happens If I Move Out of Pennsylvania Mid-Program?

Since the schools on this list are either already structured for nationwide enrollment or hold reciprocity agreements through NC-SARA, most students can continue their coursework uninterrupted after a move, though it's smart to notify your school's registrar of any address change. State-specific financial aid tied to Pennsylvania residency may be affected by an out-of-state move, so it's worth checking with a financial aid office before relocating.

How Much Does Pennsylvania's PHEAA Grant Cover for Online Students?

Pennsylvania's State Grant Program, administered by PHEAA, is generally available to students enrolled at least half-time in an approved online program, though award amounts depend on financial need and can change from year to year. Contacting PHEAA directly or checking with a school's financial aid office is the most reliable way to confirm current eligibility and award amounts for a specific program.

Explore More Online Colleges in Pennsylvania

Skipping the proctor doesn't mean skipping rigor, just measuring progress through a different lens. Whichever program you land on, Learn.org's articles are built to help you keep comparing the fine print until you find the Pennsylvania option that actually fits your life.