Application deadline
Credits and costs
Gain Skills as an e-Learning Designer to Deliver Rich Learning Experiences
The 12-credit Postbaccalaureate Certificate in e-Learning Design program, delivered online by Penn State World Campus, can help you acquire the knowledge to use the elements of course design and innovative technology to create and deliver impactful online teaching and learning experiences. You can develop the qualifications necessary to advance within your field as an e-learning designer or pursue a career in a new field of education while meeting the needs of new generations of students.
Why an e-Learning Postbaccalaureate Certificate Online from Penn State?
This online program from Penn State World Campus prepares you to design and deliver e-learning experiences in fields ranging from K–12 and higher education to professional development in business, health care, the military, and government. As you learn about the instructional design process through a project-based approach, you can expand your understanding of how to create materials or modify existing ones to suit a particular audience.
In addition, you can develop an understanding of the best practices in distance education, including an exploration of emerging web technologies and their applications to learning and education. You can learn how to use e-learning software and the internal features of course management systems and gain an in-depth understanding of their capabilities and limitations.
Courses
The e-Learning design certificate comprises 4 courses totaling 12 credits. All courses in this certificate are transferable to the M.Ed. in Learning, Design, and Technology program.
Required Courses (12 credits)
Course Availability
If you're ready to see when your courses will be offered, visit our public LionPATH course search (opens in new window) to start planning ahead.
Costs and Financial Aid
Graduate Tuition
Graduate tuition is calculated based on the number of credits for which you register. Tuition is due shortly after each semester begins and rates are assessed every semester of enrollment.
| How many credits do you plan to take per semester? | Cost |
|---|---|
| 11 or fewer | $1,007 per credit |
| 12 or more | $12,082 per semester |
Financial Aid and Military Benefits
Some students may qualify for financial aid. Take the time to research financial aid, scholarships, and payment options as you prepare to apply. Military service members, veterans, and their spouses or dependents should explore these potential military education benefits and financial aid opportunities, as well.
Paying for Your Certificate
Students pursuing a certificate are considered "nondegree," a status that is not eligible for federal student aid, including the Federal Direct Stafford Loan program. A private alternative loan may be an option to consider.
Additionally, Penn State offers many ways to pay for your education, including an installment plan and third-party payments. Penn State World Campus also offers an Employer Reimbursement and Tuition Deferment Plan. Learn more about the options for paying for your education.
Students pursuing a degree and meeting all other eligibility requirements may qualify for financial aid.
How to Apply
Deadlines and Important Dates
Your degree application, including receipt of all transcripts, should be received by the following deadlines to be considered complete.
Admissions Help
If you have questions about the admissions process, contact our admissions counselors.
Admission Requirements
For admission to the Graduate School, an applicant must hold either (1) a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or (2) a tertiary (postsecondary) degree that is deemed comparable to a four-year bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution. This degree must be from an officially recognized degree-granting institution in the country in which it operates.
All applicants are expected to have earned a junior/senior grade-point average of 3.0 or higher.
To enroll in graduate-level courses, or to earn the certificate, you must have a baccalaureate degree.
What You Need
Applications are submitted electronically and include a nonrefundable application fee. You will need to upload the following items as part of your application:
Official transcripts from each institution attended, regardless of the number of credits or semesters completed — Transcripts not in English must be accompanied by a certified translation. Penn State alumni do not need to request transcripts for credits earned at Penn State but must list Penn State as part of your academic history. If you are admitted, you will be asked to send an additional official transcript. You will receive instructions at that time.
In addition, you must send an official transcript directly to the program office. Please mail to:
Whitney DeShong
Administrative Support Assistant
Learning and Performance Systems Department
303 Keller Building
University Park, PA 16802-1303
English Proficiency — The language of instruction at Penn State is English. With some exceptions, international applicants must take and submit scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Minimum test scores and exceptions are found in the English Proficiency section on the Graduate School's "Requirements for Graduate Admission" page. Visit the TOEFL website for testing information. Penn State's institutional code is 2660.
Program-Specific Questions/Materials
Vita or Résumé — Please upload a document that outlines your career experience and educational history, including the start and end dates of each job/experience, and a description of the work done as it relates to education.
Essay 1 — In 200 to 300 words, please describe how completion of the Postbaccalaureate Certificate in e-Learning Design will prepare you for your current or future (or aspirational) job responsibilities.
Short Responses — The online application will ask for brief responses to the following three questions:
- Have you already completed with Penn State University one or more of the courses required to earn the Postbaccalaureate Certificate in e-Learning Design?
- Describe how you currently utilize, or how you aim to utilize in the future, e-learning in your teaching practice. What role does digital/online courseware currently play in your work as a teacher or learning designer?
- Upon completion of the Postbaccalaureate Certificate in e-Learning Design, do you intend to apply for the Master of Education in Learning, Design, and Technology graduate degree program? If yes, discuss how studying for the M.Ed. degree would benefit you.
Start Your Application
You can begin your online application at any time. Your progress within the online application system will be saved as you go, allowing you to return at any point as you gather additional information and required materials.
Begin the graduate school application
- Choose Enrollment Type: "Certificate Admission"
- Choose "WORLD CAMPUS" as the campus
- Choose "e-Learning Design" as the certificate
Checking Your Status
You can check the status of your application by using the same login information established for the online application form.
Technical Requirements
Review the technical requirements for this program.
Get the resources you need to make informed decisions about your education. Request information on this program and other programs of interest by completing this form.
Start or Advance Your Career
Start or Advance Your Career
The demand is growing rapidly for e-learning designers who have the skills that are unique to the creation of rich learning activities. You can use the knowledge gained from this program and the support of Penn State career resources to pursue careers in a variety of fields, depending on your goals.
A Head Start toward a Master’s Degree
A Head Start toward a Master’s Degree
Not only can this program help create opportunities in your career, it can also give you a solid head start toward a full master’s degree.
Contact Us
To learn more about the Postbaccalaureate Certificate in e-Learning Design, offered in partnership with the Penn State College of Education, please contact:
World Campus Admissions Counselors
Phone: 814-863-5386
[email protected]
Darlene Glab
Administrative Support Assistant
Learning and Performance Systems Department
303 Keller Building
University Park PA 16802-1303
Phone: 814-863-2596
[email protected]
Faculty
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Roy B. Clariana
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DegreeEd.D., Curriculum and Instruction, University of Memphis
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DegreeM.S.Ed., Biology Education, University of Central Arkansas
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DegreeB.S., Biology, University of Central Arkansas
Dr. Roy B. Clariana is a professor of learning, design, and technology. He is an experienced researcher with deep practical experience in industry. He is widely recognized for work in developing new measures of knowledge structure to complement traditional test measures. As PI of a recent National Science Foundation project, his team applied knowledge structure measures to specify the fMRI neurocognitive signatures of naturalistic reading. He developed the online versions of LDT 415: Systematic Instructional Development and LDT 832: Designing e-Learning within Course Management Systems and teaches these courses regularly.
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Ty Hollett
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DegreePh.D., Language, Literacy, and Culture, Vanderbilt University
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DegreeM.EdT., Education, University of Hawaii
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DegreeM.A., English, Penn State
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DegreeB.A., English, DePauw University
Dr. Ty Hollett's research examines the intersection of out-of-school learning, youth culture, and digital media. Specifically, he studies and designs informal, media-rich learning settings for youth in order to support innovative teaching and learning. As an effort to disrupt container-like models of teaching and learning, his research responds to the ongoing development of interest-driven learning opportunities for youth within — and beyond — such settings as home, libraries, schools, and city streets.
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Gabriela T. Richard
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DegreePostdoctoral Training, Learning Sciences, University of Pennsylvania
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DegreePh.D., Educational Communication and Technology, New York University
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DegreeMPS, Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP), New York University
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DegreeB.S., Media, Culture, and Communication, New York University
Gabriela T. Richard is an assistant professor in the learning, design, and technology program, where she teaches about and conducts research on the design of media and technologies for formal or interest-driven learning and into how diverse youth and adults engage in learning, collaboration, identity formation, and career pursuits with contemporary and emerging media, computing, and information technologies. She has received fellowships and grants for her work from National Academy of Education, National Science Foundation, American Association of University Women, the ADL Center for Technology and Society, the University of Pennsylvania, and AERA.
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