Online Teaching Endorsement Program

Master the strategies and skills required for effective teaching online.

Add an online teaching endorsement to your Pennsylvania teaching certification with California University of Pennsylvania’s 12-credit, fully online program.

Approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the online teaching endorsement is a highly valued credential. It attests to your ability to develop instructional material and provide an effective online education experience.

Cal U’s program builds proficiency in instructional design, instructional technology, online teaching strategies and assessment, then puts your learning into practice during a comprehensive field experience working with online instruction.

California University has been serving Pennsylvania’s teachers since 1852 — and we know educators have busy schedules. That’s why the Web-based courses in this endorsement program are offered asynchronously and entirely online, with no on-campus requirements.

The program is designed so you can complete your studies while continuing to meet your classroom obligations.

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PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Faculty Expertise: Students in this 100% online education program work closely with top professors who have experience in both traditional and online teaching. Faculty utilize best practices in every session they present, so students can experience exceptional online teaching and learning firsthand.

Professional Network: Cal U’s online teaching endorsement is a graduate-level program designed for certified teachers. Discussion boards and other online learning tools provide opportunities for interaction, so you can build a professional network of fellow educators from schools throughout Pennsylvania.

Top Accreditation: The online teaching endorsement is approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Cal U's education programs have been accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) since 1954, and we are continuing with the successor organization, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). See CAEP reporting measures of program impact and outcomes.

Learn more about applying

12

Credits required to add the online teaching endorsement to your Pennsylvania teaching certification.

33,000

Number of children enrolled in Pennsylvania cyber charter schools in 2016-2017, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Program Benefits

Benefits of earning your Cal U online teaching endorsement include:

All four courses required for the online teaching endorsement are built in to Cal U’s M.Ed. in Advanced Studies in Secondary Education and Administrative Leadership program. Students can earn the endorsement as part of the master’s degree program or complete the program separately and apply through the Teacher Information Management System (TIMS) to add the credential to an existing Pennsylvania teacher certification.

Graduate Outcomes

Online education continues to expand. Opportunities for certified teachers exist in cyber charter schools, as well as traditional schools that offer online options or hybrid courses. A growing number of classroom teachers incorporate online learning into their curricula; this helps to prepare their students to learn online in college and/or in their future workplaces.

Online Teaching Endorsement

A gifted education endorsement teacher speaks to class.

Capstone Experience:

During one of the last two semesters of the online teaching endorsement program, students will plan and help to teach a unit of instruction online. This experience can be customized to match each student’s teaching situation and interests.

A student uses a computer to learn online.

Recognized Leader:

California University of Pennsylvania is a recognized leader in online education. U.S. News & World Report has listed Cal U’s graduate education programs among its “Best Online Programs” annually since 2015, and BestColleges.com ranks Cal U among the top 10 Best Online Colleges in Pennsylvania.

Online Teaching Endorsement Courses

Curriculum

Course	Credits
MSE 740 Advanced Instructional Technology	3
MSE 750 Strategies in Teaching Online	3
MSE 761 Assessment	3
MSE 766 Instructional Design	3
Total	12

Note: As a capstone experience, students also complete a comprehensive field experience working with online instruction. This is completed during one of the student’s last two semesters.

Admission Requirements

Admission Requirements (Regular)

Bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate degree, with minimum 2.80 grade-point average (or 3.0 GPA in the last 48 credits) on a 4.00 scale, verified by official transcripts from every institution attended.
Pennsylvania teacher certification. (Individuals who are not certified teachers but who are interested in online teaching skills should contact the program coordinator to seek other options. Some courses in this program may be open to those with educational experience in other settings.)
Copies of all professional certificates held.
Current resume or curriculum vitae.
Cal U graduate school application.

How to Apply: