Career and Technical Teaching in Practice (CTTP) Certification Program

As new Career and Technical educators progress to transferring their knowledge and practice in the field to their students in the classroom, this certification program focuses initial coursework on the immediate needs of the Career and Technical classroom educator.

Course content, as well as required assignments and assessments, are designed to be applicable to the classroom environment and reflect “practice in action.” 

Career and Technical educators work to obtain proficiency of PDE competencies and course objectives in a “learn by doing” model, with specific feedback for improvement from faculty. Career and Technical educators continue to resubmit required summative assessments, during each eight-week course term, until required levels of proficiency are achieved, thus maximizing the learning experience.

The program is designed as an asynchronous cohort model, thus enabling new Career and Technical educators from across the Commonwealth to enroll and learn during times agreeable to their personal schedules.

The model allows Career and Technical educators to meet and engage with colleagues in Career and Technical Centers throughout Pennsylvania and provides the opportunity to meet weekly in a one-hour synchronous session with faculty and colleagues. Sessions will be recorded for those unable to attend, or for those desiring information from the session.

Objectives for the courses in the Career and Technical Instructional I Certification Program are aligned to PDE competencies, as required; however, specific course content and activities and assessments are designed in collaboration with an advisory board of Career and Technical Center Directors. This collaboration provides assurance that new Career and Technical educators gain knowledge and can demonstrate proficiency in both competencies required by PDE and practical classroom applications required for quality teaching in a Career and Technical setting.

The School of Education will offer one course each eight-week term beginning January 2025. The sequence for the January 2025 cohort, leading to Career Technical Instructional I Certification, will be offered as follows:

• Course I: EDUC 105 CTE – Introduction to Teaching – Jan. 5–Feb. 28, 2025
• Course II: EDUC 106 CTE – Classroom Management – March 2–April 25, 2025
• Course III: EDUC 107 CTE – Differentiated Instructional Methods– May 4–June 27, 2025
• Course IV: EDUC 108 CTE – Assessment Strategies – June 29–Aug. 22, 2025
• Course V: EDUC 109 CTE – Instructional Planning – Aug. 24–Oct. 17, 2025
• Course VI: EDUC 110 CTE – Content Literacy – Oct. 19–Dec. 12, 2025

The program is designed as a cohort model, as students benefit from continuous learning, applicable to their growth as an educators. In addition, developing relationships with other colleagues in their cohort will provide further peer support in their endeavor to become high-quality Career and Technical classroom educators.

In consultation with Career and Technical Center directors, Point Park is aware that due to challenges with teacher shortages, new staff are not always in place by mid-August; therefore, a January start allows the new Career and Technical educator to become acclimated to the new environment during the first semester and then begin coursework for certification in January. Start dates in the future will be addressed to meet the needs of students and the Career and Technical Centers.

Note: To the extent possible, Point Park and the School of Education will work to accommodate individual student needs in course scheduling, including but not limited to appropriate course transfers from other universities and assessment of prior learning.

Although the content of a single course is not dependent on specific knowledge from a previous course in the sequence, the Point Park University School of Education faculty has recognized the educational benefit of student learning in a cohort environment, thus the intentional design of the program considered the University experience with this model of learning. 

When personal/professional situations arise, which lead to a student being unable to fulfill the obligations associated with the cohort model, Point Park University will strive to accommodate the student and provide a mutually agreed upon delivery of the program and course schedule.

• A photo of your government ID (driver's license or passport)
• A selfie or headshot photo
• Official transcripts for any post-secondary schools attended. Otherwise, high school transcripts or GED are required. Please request official transcripts from all schools attended and have them sent directly to Point Park at online@pointpark.edu or physical address: 

Students who desire to transfer to Point Park University from another approved University Career and Technical Instructional I certification program will be entitled to receive a transcript and course review.

To be eligible for transfer to the Point Park University School of Education, Career and Technical Teaching in Practice Certification Program (CTTP), a course taken at another university must be aligned with the objectives and competencies of one or more of the required courses in the Point Park University approved program.

Students may request such review prior to enrolling in the Career and Technical Teaching in Practice (CTTP) Certification Program at Point Park University.

Since Point Park's CTTP Instructional I Certification was approved by PDE, the University is collaborating with Career and Technical Center directors to develop a program for the required additional 42 credits needed for Career and Technical Instructional II Certification.

The 2024-2025 cost per course credit for the CTTP program is $514 per credit, plus a technology fee of $40 per credit.

Point Park's Office of Student Accounts works directly with schools that provide reimbursement for tuition. In addition, payment plans and financial aid counseling is available for students who hold responsibility for partial or full payment of their tuition.

Apply for free on our website.

• Scroll down and select the Non-degree Application.
• Before starting your application, you will need to set up an account (provide name, valid email address, create password, etc.).
• After retrieving your activation email, return to the login page and sign in to the application portal.
• Choose Start New Application.
• When asked for type of program, select Undergraduate.
• When asked for student type, select Non-degree.
• When asked for your academic major, select your program: Career and Technical Teaching in Practice Online.
• When asked for desired enrollment status, select Part Time.
• When asked for citizenship status, select Citizen of U.S.
• When asked for start term, select Spring 2025.
• Tab through and complete all required fields.
• If you wish, you may upload your photos. All online applicants must submit two photos:
  • a personal (selfie) photo and
  • a picture of a gov't-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license or passport
• Click Submit. You should receive a confirmation that your submission has been received.

• Transcripts: Official transcripts are required. To be official, the transcript must come directly from the issuing institution (or their credentialing agency) to us. 
  • If you did not attend beyond high school, request an official high school or GED transcript be sent to Point Park University.
  • If you attended any post-secondary institutions, request an official transcript from each one. If your post-secondary transcripts reflect a minimum of 12 earned credits or six months of training, you do not need to request high school transcripts.
• Photos: If you did not upload the two required photos with your application, please email them to us.
• All documents should be sent to online@pointpark.edu.

Students must request official transcripts be sent to Point Park University from all prior institutions attended.  Electronic transcripts are preferred as mailed documents will be processed more slowly.

1. Click on the National Clearinghouse link and follow the directions to order your official transcripts - https://tsorder.studentclearinghouse.org/school/select

If you are unable to find your school on the National Clearinghouse site, please continue with Step 2.

2. Click on the Parchment link and follow the directions to order your official transcripts https://www.parchment.com/students/order-status/            

If you are not able to find your school(s) on either National Clearinghouse or Parchment, please continue with Step 3.

3. Please search your previous school's website for contact information for the Office of the Registrar. Once connected with them, you can request that your official transcript be sent directly from their school to Point Park University - you should not receive the file first.

• If your school has since closed, transcripts may be available in a Closed School Repository - https://www.education.pa.gov/Postsecondary-Adult/CollegeCareer/pls/Pages/ClosedSchools.aspx.
• If you attended a closed institution outside of Pennsylvania, please check your state’s department of education website for transcript information.

If an electronic transcript is not available, you may use this address for mailing:

Point Park University

Graduate and Online Admissions

201 Wood Street

Pittsburgh, PA  15222