University Resources
GRADUATE SCHOOL TEACHING CERTIFICATE
Penn State graduate students wanting recognition of their commitment to college teaching may now earn the Graduate School Teaching Certificate. The Graduate School Teaching Certificate was developed to provide graduate students with an avenue to enhance their teaching skills. The certificate is self-directed and available to all Penn State graduate students who fulfill the following requirements:
Attend the Schreyer Institute New Instructor Orientation or an equivalent teaching orientation that includes lesson planning, teaching methods and strategies to encourage student participation.
Complete one semester of NURS 602 Supervised Experience in College Teaching under the direction of a mentor. A grade of B or higher is required.
Complete the Schreyer Institute Penn State Course in College Teaching or HI ED 546 College Teaching.
Complete another semester of NURS 602, to include either a block of lectures prepared and presented by the student, or total responsibility for a lab or recitation section. A grade of B or higher is required.
Develop a Web site that includes a statement of teaching philosophy and demonstration of the ability to develop a PowerPoint presentation. To help students complete this requirement, Quick Skills courses are available through Information Technology Services' Web-Based Training Web site. These free courses are not required for the Teaching Certificate but are available if needed.
It is recommended that the Penn State Course in College Teaching precede the second semester of NURS 602.
In order for the certificate to be issued, the program chair or department head, in consultation with the student's adviser, must verify completion of the requirements in a letter, along with a completed checklist. Please send documents to the Dean's Office, Graduate School, 114 Kern. Notice of completion of the Graduate School Teaching Certificate will not appear on the student's transcript.
Graduate students wanting recognition of their commitment to college teaching are encouraged to speak to their advisers about this opportunity. Questions about the program should be directed to gesdirector@psu.edu. Please note that this is not a teacher certification program.
CERTIFICATE FOR ONLINE TEACHING
The Certificate for Online Teaching is a professional development program to prepare for online teaching success. This five, fully online course, series provides faculty an “online student experience” while exploring a rich variety of critical topics necessary for mastery in the online classroom. Anyone interested in learning more about excellence in online teaching and learning are welcome to participate in the certificate. The Certificate for Online Teaching is comprised of both self-directed and instructor led online courses.
LIBRARIES
All Penn State campuses provide full service libraries on site. The Penn State ID card serves as the library card and provides access to the electronic and print media needed to support your graduate studies.
Complete information on all University Library locations may be found at: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/home.html.
A series of FAQ’s and useful “how to” instructions may be found at: https://psu.libanswers.com/search/.
Campus-specific libraries often host basic seminars to help navigate the system. Please consult the campus library for further information.
Most importantly, if you have difficulty locating or retrieving information, please discuss the issue with your course instructor as soon as possible so that you may be guided toward appropriate resources.
Important Notes regarding the Library include:
All changes to your postal and/or email address must be reported directly to the University Libraries. The Libraries are not notified of any address changes reported to the Registrar, Bursar, or any other Penn State office.
Notices for materials on hold, recalled and overdue materials, overdue and replacement fees, will be sent by email, unless requested otherwise.
The University Libraries remain open through all semester breaks and intersessions, with the exception of official University holidays. Please consult http://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/hours.html for the Libraries schedule during these times.
Librarians are available to assist you in navigating the system or in locating specific materials. Use the ASK! Page to contact a librarian in real time or via email: http://ask.libraries.psu.edu/?stream=8.
CANVAS
Penn State uses a cloud-based learning management system called Canvas. Faculty use the course management system to distribute course information and provide opportunities for students to engage with the material. You will use your Penn State Access Account to access Canvas and log in by the first day of class (https://canvas.psu.edu/).
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES
In order to access the necessary information technology services needed in graduate studies, students must first secure a Penn State ID (questions should be directed to the Graduate Staff Assistant at UP).
Information Technology Services (ITS) located at 2 Willard Building, 814.863.1035, Toll-free 1.888.778.4010 within PA) ensures that faculty, students, and staff have the information technology tools and infrastructure necessary to carry out the University's mission. ITS provides the infrastructure that enables members of the Penn State family to make maximum use of the appropriate information technology tools in their learning, teaching, research, outreach, administration, and support activities, and the cost-effective information technology resources required to support continuous improvement in the University's ability to fulfill its diverse mission. For more information on ITS go to http://its.psu.edu.
PENN STATE ACCESS ACCOUNT
It is required that all students activate their access account. An Access Account is a user ID (xxx123) and password that enables Penn State students, faculty, and staff to use the full range of Internet services on or off campus, at computer labs or on personal computers. In order to access the necessary information technology services needed in for your graduate studies, students must first activate their Penn State Access Account.
To activate your Access account, you can activate electronically or in person. You will receive an email, addressed to the email you used to apply for graduate school, with links and directions on Access account activation. If you did not receive this email, check your spam or junk mail folders to make sure it wasn’t filtered. If you are on campus you can activate your account at a signature station. If you need support in getting your access account working, refer to this webpage https://accounts.psu.edu/.
When you applied to our program, you also applied for a Friends of Penn State account. This is the account you used to fill out and check on the application. Your access account may look similar to your Friends of Penn State account but is not linked in any way. MAKE SURE TO USE A COMPLETELY NEW PASSWORD when setting up access account to ensure you do not have any trouble with login.
Also, when verifying your information to complete the Access account process, you will be asked your birthday and zip code. USE THE ZIP CODE YOU USED WHEN FILLING OUT YOUR APPLICATION.
Please make sure you have read and understand Penn State Policies regarding computer and network security: https://policy.psu.edu/policies/ad95. This includes important information such as not sharing your account and/or password with anyone.
PENN STATE EMAIL (OFFICE365)
All students should check their Penn State email accounts regularly for bursar account notifications, course information, campus events and more. Once your Penn State Access Account has been activated, use Penn State Office365 (http://office365.psu.edu/) to login and view your email. Students can also find a link to Office365 at the top. You can set up preferences to have your Penn State email forwarded to a personal email account. Faculty and Staff will use the Penn State (@psu.edu) email account address for communications to students throughout the academic program. It is the student responsibility to routinely monitor this account and not use personal email accounts for communications related to academic activities.
You can find more information about your Penn State email accounts by visiting the IT electronic mail website (https://accounts.psu.edu/).
Email in Canvas can be created in Canvas using the Inbox, but responded to with your PSU email. You can also receive notifications as a text message. Refer to the Canvas Support page for students (http://canvas.psu.edu) for more information and setting up your devices.
PENN STATE ID+ CARD
The Penn State ID+ Card is the official University identification card. It provides easy access to Penn State resources including student discounts and library materials. All students should obtain an id+ card. Hours and office locations vary by campus.
PARKING
University Park
All graduate students must register their motor vehicle with the University Parking Office. Information on parking permits and student lots at UP is available at https://transportation.psu.edu/student-parking.
There are several city-owned parking lots and garages within walking distance of the University:
1. Beaver Avenue, just West of Allen Street
2. Frazer Street, 3/4 of a block South of College Avenue
3. Pugh Street, 126 Pugh Street
3. Garner Street, 1/2 block South of College Avenue
4. McAllister Street, ½ block South of College Avenue
Hershey Medical Center and other campuses: consult Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing office staff.
WORLD CAMPUS STUDENT RESOURCES
The Penn State World Campus provides distance education learners with high-quality academic resources. For more information go to: http://student.worldcampus.psu.edu/academic-support-resources/graduate-writing-center. In addition, faculty may refer you for writing support through tutor.com.