Postbaccalaureate Credit Courses in Education

Does your school district require you to pursue professional development? Are you looking for Act 48 credits in your specialization? Penn State is an approved Act 48 provider, and our online post-baccalaureate courses cover a wide range of current topics in education. With courses delivered remotely through classes held via Zoom and online assignments, this is the perfect time to upgrade your professional qualifications from the comfort and convenience of your own home.

Also, many of our education courses transfer into Penn State Harrisburg’s 30-credit online Master of Education in Teaching and Curriculum program. Why not sign up for one today and get a jump on your Master’s degree?

Read about our upcoming offerings below.

Late Spring 2024 Session

EDUC 484: School Law for Teachers

March 11–April 26, 2024. Meeting dates/time: 3/12, 3/19, 3/26, 4/2, 4/9, and 4/16 (6:00–8:00 p.m.)

This course will focus on federal and state school law for educators, addressing legal issues that affect the operation of public schools K-12. (3 credits)

EDUC 400: Diversity and Cultural Awareness Practices in the K-12 Classroom

March 11–April 26, 2026. Meeting dates/time: 3/13, 3/20, 3/27, 4/3, 4/10, and 4/17 (6:00–8:00 p.m.)

Examination of diverse cultures, stereotypes, concepts, and issues that impact the way individuals interact with one another in society. Develop sensitivity and awareness of cultural influences in America and the public school systems. Analyze methods of teaching multicultural education and its various camps, including: culturally responsive pedagogy, critical multiculturalism, and anti-racist pedagogy. (3 credits)

Summer 2024 Session

CI 492: Identities, Power and Perceptual Pedagogies in Teaching and Learning

July 1–July 20, 2024. Meeting dates/time: 7/3, 7/10, and 7/17 (6:00–7:00 p.m.)

Students will take part in inquiries into the intersections of identities, power, and perceptual pedagogies, particularly as these phenomena pertain to methods of teaching and learning in urban contexts. Learn the perceptual and conceptual frameworks that assist deep engagements with youth- and teacher-centered case studies. (3 credits)

EDUC 470W: Higher-Order Thinking for Educators

July 1–July 20, 2024. Meeting dates/time: 7/2, 7/9, and 7/16 (6:00–7:00 p.m.)

Presentation of strategies, techniques, and principles of higher-order thinking which are grounded in relevant research and practice will be presented. Develop critical- and creative-thinking, decision-making, problem-solving, and reflection skills. Become aware of ways to increase the higher-order thinking of children in the elementary classroom. Improve students’ ability to write critical thinking/reflection papers on educational problems and issues. (3 credits)

CI 400: Introduction to Research Literature

July 21–August 10, 2024. Meeting dates/time: 7/23, 7/30, and 8/6 (6:00–7:00 p.m.)

Introduction to research literature and methodology with an emphasis on interpretation, sources, and research reporting. (3 credits)

CI 497: Special Topics–Authentic Instruction in the Classroom & Facilitating Learning in the Classroom

July 21–August 10, 2024. Meeting dates/time: 7/24, 7/31, and 8/7 (6:00–7:00 p.m.)

This course will focus on the underlying principles rather than on teaching tips, so that any teaching strategy we define will be grounded in a strong pedagogical rationale and portable to various contexts, given the necessary adaptations. (3 credits)

ESL Specialist Certificate Course (Spring 2024)

WLED 483: Evaluating Schools Performances and Programs with English Language Learners

February 23–25, 2024 and March 15–17, 2024. Meeting dates: 2/23, 2/24, 2/25, 3/15, 3/16, and 3/17

The course will highlight school support services for ESL students such as intake or initial screening; Local Educational Agency (LEA) systems for ESL students at risk of learning difficulties; Instructional Support Teams (IST); school support policies for the protection of ESL students in IST/staffing; and LEA models for providing instruction in inclusive settings. (3 credits)

ESL Specialist Certificate Courses (Summer 2024)

WELD 444: Language, Culture, and the Classroom

June 24–June 28, 2024. Meeting dates: 6/24, 6/25, 6/26, 6/27, and 6/28

This course will examine issues of language and culture in the classroom. Focus will be placed on developing cross-cultural competence (in the classroom, with families, etc.). This course is intended to provide participants with the opportunity to reflect on the mutual impact of language and culture in the learning experiences of language minority students. It will explore culturally and linguistically diverse students' assets as educators begin to critically reflect upon how to extract such rich knowledge possessed by their students. (3 credits)

APLNG 484: Functional Discourse Grammar

July 22–July 26, 2024. Meeting dates: 7/22, 7/23, 7/24, 7/25, and 7/26

This course is designed to provide an overview of the structure of the English language through a functional/discourse analytical approach to linguistic analysis. Grammar is viewed as holistic and dynamic in the sense that grammar and grammatical forms are intricately related to speaker stance, cognition, and interaction. That is, when speakers use certain forms of grammar (in any language), they are generally making choices over other possible forms. In addition, this course examines what types of motivations might underlie such choices and will investigate how this approach to grammar can be applied in teaching/learning of English (and other languages) as a second or foreign language. (3 credits)

ESL Specialist Certificate Class Times
Fall and spring classes run on a weekend format:
Friday, 5:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m.
Saturday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Sunday, 8:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.

Summer classes run during the week:
Monday–Thursday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Friday, 8:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.