Courses

You are required to continuously register for PSU INSYS (Instructional Systems) World Campus coursework from the time that you are admitted into the program until the time you earn and receive our recommendation to PDE for ITS certification. Penn State's ITSC program offers a variety of courses to help you to successfully meet this obligation. Of the courses that are offered within the ITSC program, three courses are required, four courses are optional, and opportunities for independent study courses are also available. These courses will prove valuable as you work within our competency-based program to develop and then demonstrate the skills needed by successful IT specialists in today's schools.

PSU's Instructional Systems (INSYS) faculty identified instructional technology specialist skills and abilities and then, developed and aligned related competencies to support PDE program specific guidelines and AECT standards, as well. The identified skills and abilities together form a comprehensive set of competencies that total 62. The purpose for completing the set of required courses is to address specific competency criteria and/or create products for a sub set of the program's 62 competencies during each course. The purpose for electing to complete optional coursework is to acquire and develop knowledge that can then be used, after the course is completed, to create products for sub sets of competencies that are not addressed in the required courses. And the purpose for scheduling independent study coursework is to narrowly focus on developing products for an identified sub set of competencies that are not addressed in the required courses. Independent study coursework is an option for candidates who believe that they already possess the related content knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to complete products for a sub set of competencies that are not addressed in the required courses.

To view a list of the three required courses, please click here.

To view a list of the four optional courses, please click here.

To view information related to independent study opportunities, please click here.

It is worth noting that the Graduate School at Penn State views a grade of "C" as "substandard achievement." Therefore, candidates wishing to earn PSU's recommendation to PDE for IT certification must clearly demonstrate the ability to maintain a grade of "B" or better in all INSYS graduate level coursework.