how does penn state online course work

by Oleta Grady III 5 min read

Our online courses are presented through Canvas, a centralized learning management system. After logging in with your Penn State user credentials, you can access syllabi, assignments, course content, grades, discussion forums, and announcements.

Anywhere, Anytime, Online
Penn State World Campus courses are asynchronous — meaning you don't have to attend online classes at a specific time. Our students use a combination of self-study and peer-to-peer interaction through an online learning network to facilitate instruction.

Full Answer

How do Penn State World campus courses work?

Our online courses are presented through Canvas, a centralized learning management system. After logging in with your Penn State user credentials, you can access syllabi, assignments, course content, grades, discussion forums, and announcements.

What are online courses at Penn State called?

Our online courses all follow the same academic calendar as the rest of the university, with perhaps a few changes because it is online. And, all of our courses are cohort based. This means that all the students start at the same time and work through the lessons at the same time, the instructor opening and introducing perhaps a couple of lessons at a time. Our courses are not …

How do I earn a Penn State degree online?

Penn State World Campus courses are asynchronous — meaning you don't have to attend online classes at a specific time. Our students use a combination of self-study and peer-to-peer interaction through an online learning network to facilitate instruction. You'll complete weekly assignments, readings, discussions, and occasional group work, as well as exams and other …

What can I do with my Penn State account?

Jan 09, 2021 · In these courses, most of the assignments involve written analysis and discussion, but students do typically have one or two group assignments that involve participating in an interactive, synchronous group discussion using a video conference platform.

Is a Penn State online degree the same as Penn State?

Penn State is regionally accredited through the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The credits you earn with Penn State's online programs will be identical to those received on any Penn State campus.Mar 2, 2020

How hard is it to get into Penn State online?

editorial. Penn State Online is a public, online college. It is a small institution with an enrollment of 2,564 undergraduate students. Admissions is fairly competitive as the Penn State Online acceptance rate is 54%.Mar 15, 2021

Does Penn State online degree say online?

A credential that supports our “One Penn State” philosophy Every student — regardless of their campus — receives an identical diploma or certificate that signifies they have completed a Penn State program. There is nothing on the certificate to indicate whether courses were taken online or on campus.Aug 19, 2020

How do I access my Penn State Web classes?

To search for web courses offered at a particular campus (or at all campuses), click on Additional Search Criteria in Search for Classes and select Web as the Mode of Instruction. World Campus course selections are available in LionPATH Class Search by selecting World Campus under the “Campus” drop-down box.

Is Penn State online good?

The U.S. News & World Report's 2021 Best Online Programs rankings placed Penn State World Campus in the top 10 of five graduate degree disciplines and the overall bachelor's degree programs category. The six top-10 rankings were the most of any college or university nationwide.Jan 26, 2021

What GPA do you need to get into Penn State online?

a 2.0 or higherAdmission to most of our online programs requires a 2.0 or higher cumulative grade-point average (GPA). NOTE: Some programs do require slightly higher GPAs.May 22, 2020

What is Penn State acceptance rate?

Admissions Overview Penn State admissions is selective with an acceptance rate of 56%. Students that get into Penn State have an average SAT score between 1160-1360 or an average ACT score of 25-30. The regular admissions application deadline for Penn State is rolling.

Can I take online classes at Penn State?

Anywhere, Anytime, Online You can complete many of our degree programs at your own pace. Penn State World Campus courses are asynchronous — meaning you don't have to attend online classes at a specific time.

Is Penn State Ivy League?

Penn State, or PSU, is a large public university that is not part of the Ivy League, whereas UPenn, or Penn, is a prestigious private university that is in the Ivy League. While the two universities are often confused with each other due to their similar-sounding names, they couldn't be more different.Oct 14, 2021

Do online college courses have lectures?

Online classes are typically a mix of video recordings or live lectures supplemented with readings and assessments that students can complete on their own time.Jan 16, 2018

Can Penn State students take World Campus classes?

Any Penn State student may register for a World Campus course seven days before the start of classes if space is available (based on scheduling restrictions and considerations). Typically, additional students will not be added to the course if the class limit (as indicated in the Schedule of Courses) has been reached.Mar 2, 2022

What does Web class mean Penn State?

Hybrid: 25-50% Online: Class will meet in person and online. 25-50% of the class will be taught online synchronously or asynchronously. Hybrid: 51-74% Online: Class will meet in person and online.

What Does the Online Classroom Look Like?

Our online courses are presented through Canvas, a centralized learning management system. After logging in with your Penn State user credentials, you can access syllabi, assignments, course content, grades, discussion forums, and announcements.

What's the First Day of Classes Like?

We make sure students know what to expect before classes start and offer easy-to-navigate courses so you can dive in and start learning.

How Do I Know If I Am Ready to Learn Online?

To help you prepare for online course work, we offer a Student Orientation course hosted in Canvas, the same system you'll use in your courses. We also have a readiness-assessment tool that can measure how prepared you are for online learning and provides valuable resources to help you meet your academic goals.

How Do I Interact with My Classmates and Instructor?

Through the Canvas Dashboard, you’ll have access to numerous methods to interact with your peers and instructors. Each tool provides its own unique vehicle for communication. Communicate through Canvas by using:

How Flexible Is the Course Schedule?

Penn State World Campus courses are designed with your busy schedule in mind, providing the flexibility you need to study at the times most convenient to you.

What Is the Time Commitment?

Students enrolled in Penn State World Campus undergraduate courses have reported spending approximately 8 to 12 hours per week on readings and assignments for a 3-credit course. Plan to spend extra time when you have papers, projects, or exams. Graduate-level courses will likely require more time per week.

How Long Will It Take Me to Finish My Program?

This answer varies for each student. There are many factors (e.g., transfer credits, course load per semester) that influence how long it will take. Depending on the program, some students are able to complete 12 credits every year — others more than 20 credits. To find out more, contact an admissions counselor.

Registration

Students can select web and hybrid courses from offerings listed for their campus in LionPATH and schedule them in the same manner as any other course. Students in residence at any Penn State location can schedule World Campus courses according to course registration priorities.

Cost

Tuition rates listed on the Bursar's website apply to all credit-bearing resident instruction, Continuing Education, and World Campus courses. If World Campus (WD) is a student's primary campus, Tuition Tables are provided.

Anywhere, Anytime, Online

You can complete many of our degree programs at your own pace. Penn State World Campus courses are asynchronous — meaning you don't have to attend online classes at a specific time. Our students use a combination of self-study and peer-to-peer interaction through an online learning network to facilitate instruction.

What to Expect

As an online student, you will interact with people from different backgrounds and situations, providing opportunities to experience many perspectives and concepts throughout your studies.

What is speech course?

Some speech courses focus more on speaking techniques and studying the elements of an effective speech. In those cases, students mainly focus on analyzing rhetorical practices by studying famous or historically significant speeches, as opposed to actually giving speeches themselves.

What is public speaking class?

Public speaking courses (often referred to by students to as “speech classes”) are included in the basic degree completion requirements for many undergraduate programs at Penn State. They fall under the category of general education courses (or “gen eds”).

Farm Biosecurity Best Practices for Contractors, Vendors, and Visitors

If you visit farms, this online course will teach you best biosecurity practices and etiquette for keeping farms, animals, and people safe and productive.

Retail Farm Market School

This online course teaches the basics of handling, preparing, and selling produce. Learn hands-on strategies to apply at markets and roadside stands.

Teach for Forests: Forest Education for Teachers and Youth Leaders

Learn about trees, wildlife, water, and ecology. Learn to teach children and teens with activities and through curriculum recommendations. Earn Act 48 hours.

Getting Involved in Your Pennsylvania Local Government

This online course will help you understand how Pennsylvania local governments work, explore ways you can become involved, and explain how to run for office.

Beef Production and Management

This online course about raising beef cattle covers breeds, establishing facilities, nutrition and reproduction, and marketing and finances.

Beekeeping 101

This online course about the science and practice of beekeeping is for beginning beekeepers. It covers bee biology and behavior, hive management, equipment, bee products, and more.

Partial Budgeting

Partial budgeting is a tool that helps farm managers assess the possible financial impact of a change in resources, such as purchasing new equipment.

What is the course number system?

If any course cannot be located readily, refer to the index. Courses are numbered as follows: Undergraduate Courses (1 to 399): General courses accepted in fulfillment of requirements for the bachelor's degrees.

What is a prerequisite for a course?

Prerequisites are courses or other requirements that must be completed prior to the start of a given course. Concurrent Courses are similar to prerequisites except that they may be taken prior to, or in the same semester as, the given course.

How many hours of work is required to gain 1 credit?

In accordance with Senate Policy 42-23, for the typical student, a total of forty-five (45) hours of work planned and arranged by the University faculty is required to gain 1 credit. While the distribution of time varies from course to course, generally one-third of the time is devoted to formal instruction and two-thirds of the time to outside preparation. Course credit by instruction may be achieved by a variety of educational experiences that allow the student to work toward mastery of the course objectives. With the acknowledged goal of educational excellence, more than the minimum established here may be required for mastery of course objectives.

Can you take a course more than once?

Some courses are designated as repeatable; they may be taken more than once for credit.These courses may be repeated indefinitely unless the department stipulates a maximum number of credits allowed. These courses appear with the maximum number of credits allowed following the number of credits for the course--for example (1.5 credits/maximum of 3).

What is formal course?

Formal courses given infrequently to explore, in depth, a comparatively narrow subject that may be topical or of special interest. Several different topics may be taught in one year or semester. A specific title may be used in each instance and will be entered on the student's transcript.

What is attribute value?

Attributes and attribute values are course designations that are used to define specific characteristics for courses. The search for specific types of courses uses attributes and attributes are the most important notation for a course to satisfy a given requirement.

Transfer Student Credit

We are excited that you are interested in transferring to Penn State! We know that a major concern for transfer students is if and how their previous course work is going to transfer to Penn State.

Additional Information on Transferring Credit

Review the requirements for transferring credits to Penn State from another institution, as well as the other ways that you can earn Penn State credit.

image

Web / Online Courses

  • Web courses are offered through both the resident instruction and the World Campusdelivery systems. Web courses do not meet in traditional classrooms, with the possible exception of scheduled examinations. A Web course may be offered by both resident instruction and the World Campus with identical course content. However, a student enrolled in a re...
See more on advising.psu.edu

Blended Learning / Hybrid Courses

  • Blended learning/hybrid courses combine Web and traditional classroom instruction (also referred to as "face-to-face" instruction). These courses are offered through resident instruction. Identification of Blended Learning/Hybrid Courses In LionPATHclick on the Class or Section link. Class Details will indicate Hybrid – Online & In Person as the Instruction Mode. To search for hy…
See more on advising.psu.edu

Registration

  • Students can select web and hybrid courses from offerings listed for their campus in LionPATHand schedule them in the same manner as any other course. Students in residence at any Penn State location can schedule World Campus courses according to course registration priorities. Multiple Campus Registration – Watch for Link on Registrar’s Page Limitation Only on…
See more on advising.psu.edu

Cost

  • Tuition rates listed on the Bursar's website apply to all credit-bearing resident instruction, Continuing Education, and World Campus courses. If World Campus (WD) is a student's primary campus, Tuition Tables are provided. Students are not charged the facilities or activities feesfor a semester or session in which they are enrolled in only World Campus courses.
See more on advising.psu.edu