Penn Foster High School

Program Outline

Your program includes the learning materials and instructional support you need to earn your High School Diploma. All learning materials are provided at no additional cost and are yours to use and keep.

Courses
Your complete program consists of a total of 21 credits. The courses take you step-by-step through the lessons you need to earn your diploma.

Here's how it works
Your first course will be sent immediately after your enrollment has been accepted. Other courses will follow as you complete your exams, so that you will always have learning materials to work with.

Computer Specifications
As you know this is an online academic program. This means you will need access to high-speed internet to begin your program. In addition, you will need access to a Microsoft® Windows® based computer running Windows 10® or later or an Apple® Mac® computer running macOS® or later, access to a word processing program to complete written assignments, and an email account to complete this program with Penn Foster.

Transfer Credits
Penn Foster gives financial and academic credit for High School transfer credits.  To receive transfer credits, an official transcript from an accredited institution recognized by Penn Foster must be submitted for evaluation. Transfer credits will be awarded for comparable High School subjects where a full credit has been earned. Since High School programs vary, only an evaluation by Penn Foster will determine the actual number of transfer credits to be awarded. The maximum number of transfer credits allowed is 15.

Here is an overview of what you'll learn and the order in which you'll access your lessons:

Program Goal and Outcomes

Program Goal: Students will be able to demonstrate they possess the necessary knowledge and skills to enter the workforce or to continue their education at a college.

Program Outcomes:
Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate 21st century skills such as the ability to use technology to complete learning tasks and to communicate effectively
  • Use critical thinking and reasoning skills to complete learning tasks in English Language Art courses
  • Use declarative knowledge and demonstrate understanding to complete learning tasks in English Language Art courses
  • Use critical thinking and reasoning skills to complete learning tasks in science courses
  • Use declarative knowledge and demonstrate understanding to complete learning tasks in science courses
  • Use critical thinking and reasoning skills to complete learning tasks in math courses
  • Use declarative knowledge and demonstrate understanding to complete learning tasks in math courses
  • Use critical thinking and reasoning skills to complete learning tasks in social studies courses
  • Use declarative knowledge and demonstrate understanding to complete learning tasks in social studies courses
  • Apply fundamental mathematical skills to solve real world problems
  • Utilize writing skills to complete writing assessments
  • Demonstrate the ability to complete entry level lessons from Penn Foster career modules, academic level electives, or general level electives

Introduction to Personality Types: Your Own Genius (.5 credit)
In this course, you’ll explore the amazing potential of your personality. The course begins by defining personality and showing its effects on your life. You’ll learn some famous theories about personality and the possible ways that personality is formed. After taking a personality test, you’ll reflect on your results to understand more about yourself and your traits. Finally, you’ll decide how your personality can help you to build better relationships, excel as a leader, benefit your community, and succeed in your High School program and beyond.

Digital Citizenship (.5 credit)
In this course, you’ll learn how to become a strong Digital Citizen. You’ll learn to use technology to find information in ways that are ethical and effective. You’ll be able to describe why it’s important for everyone to have access to technology. By the end of this course, you’ll recognize how to protect your digital privacy during online activities.

Reading Skills (1 credit)
A study of techniques applicable to any type of reading. Includes reviewing, predicting, scanning, finding the main idea, and drawing conclusions. Discusses how to determine word meanings by examining context clues, and differentiating fact from opinion to identify bias. Also covers poetry and fiction.

Civics (1 credit)
Covers the rights, freedoms, and responsibilities of American citizens. Reviews the roots of American government and studies the modern U.S. government — its branches; the Constitution and Bill of Rights; the roles of federal, state, and local governments; political parties and elections.

Basic English (1 credit)
Fundamentals of English for effective communication. Capitalization, punctuation, grammar, and spelling are covered with an air toward writing clearer sentences.

General Math (1 credit)
A study of the fundamental operations with whole numbers, fractions, and decimals, preceding the more advanced topics of weights, measures, ratios, proportions, and percents.

Fitness and Nutrition (1 credit)
This course covers a wide variety of topics to help students understand the principles of physical fitness. Topics included are nutrition basics, developing healthy eating habits, the functioning of muscles, posture, the heart and lungs, strengthening body parts, flexibility training, preventing injury, and stress management.

American History (1 credit)
Discussion of people, events, and sociopolitical forces that have shaped America, from its discovery to the present. Shows how American history affects today’s events and global conditions.

Practical English (1 credit)
Develops writing skills by emphasizing sentence structure, paragraphs, letters, and compositions. Opens with a study of grammar, including the parts of speech, punctuation, spelling, and word usage. Explains the writing process and emphasizes an individual approach.

Consumer Math (1 credit)
Study simple ways to apply mathematics to the everyday areas of life, most of them involving money; employment, purchases, home, car, insurance, savings, and investments.

Earth Science (1 credit)
A study of the scientific method, the formation of the solar system, the moon’s phases, the movement of the birth, plate tectonics, the formation of the oceans, and erosion. Also looks at chemical principles, rock and mineral analysis, soil formation, and weather patterns.

Written Communication (1 credit)
This course will refresh your understanding of the basic parts of speech and will focus on the importance of organizing your time effectively to create a document from the first draft stage to the final draft stage.

Biology (1 credit)
This biology course begins with a presentation on the topic of ecology. The cell and its processes are examined in detail. A discussion of genetics and evolution follows. The course provides a detailed description of the biology involved in the structure and function of both plants and animals. The course ends with a lesson on human body systems and disease.

General Math II (1 credit)
A review of basic mathematical skills provides the foundation for more advanced topics such as order of operations, factors, multiples, powers, roots, equations, and inequalities. Introduces geometry by covering the study of points, lines, surfaces, and solids.

World History (1 credit)
This course will provide a broad survey of the history of the world, from the earliest humans who emerged from Africa to the modern peoples and nations that exist today. You’ll learn how people adapted to live in different environments, developed tools and technology, created political institutions to govern, and spread ideas as they interacted with one another. By following the stories of different peoples and cultures through time, you’ll observe how key developments and events that took place over thousands of years have shaped the world today.

Physical Science (1 credit)
A study of matter and energy: their nature and the relationships between them. Explains the role of atomic structure in chemical and nuclear reactions. Emphasizes problem solving skills and discusses the relationship between science, technology, and the environment. Covers topics such as water, the chemistry of building materials, fuels, natural and synthetic rubbers and plastics, energy in relation to motion and force, machines, sound, light, electricity, and magnetism.

Literature (1 credit)
Covers the reading of short stories, nonfiction, poetry, and drama. Intended to give a deeper appreciation of the relationship between literature and life, and of the pleasures and benefits of reading

Textbooks:
• Great American Short Stories
• The Call of the Wild
• Great Short Poems
• Songs for the Open Road: Poems of Travel & Adventure
• Civil Disobedience and Other Essays
• Great Speeches by Native Americans
• Narrative of Sojourner Truth
• A Midsummer Night's Dream

Here are just a few of the electives you can choose from:

Music Appreciation (1 credit)
Psychology (1 credit)
Art Appreciation (1 credit)
Economics (1 credit)
General Science (1 credit)
Auto Repair Technician (1 credit)
Child Care Professional (1 credit)
Medical Administrative Assistant (1 credit)
Chemistry (1 credit)
Spanish (1 credit)
Geometry (1 credit)
American Literature (1 credit)
Algebra I (1 credit)
Algebra II (1 credit)
English Communication (1 credit)
Small Business Management (1 credit)

The Elective Selection Package, featuring over 35 electives, will be sent to you following Instruction Set 15. You are required to take five credits in electives.

 

Online Library and Librarian
Students in Penn Foster Career School have access to an online library for use during their studies. Students can use this library to do the required research in the courses they complete or can use it for general reference and links to valuable resources. The library contains helpful research assistance, articles, databases, books, and Web links. A librarian is available to answer questions on general research-related topics via email and to assist students in research activities during their studies with Penn Foster Career School International.

We reserve the right to change program content and materials when it becomes necessary.

Microsoft and Windows are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation registered in the United States of America and/or other jurisdictions.

Apple, Mac, and macOS are trademarks of Apple, Inc. registered in the United States of America and/or other jurisdictions.