Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Planned Parenthood University Questions
Time Commitment, Workload
What is the class schedule?
The courses are offered on a quarterly academic calendar and generally last 11-12 weeks, with weekly assignments, or assignments based on multi-week course units.
Are there specific times that a person has to be in front of a computer, or can they work at their own pace?
These online courses are self-paced, although there are specific due dates for completing assignments and posting contributions to interactive discussion boards.
Is there any residential requirement or travel involved?
All of the courses are offered online there is no in-person component.
Are there particular start dates for each class?
Yes, they will be offered on a quarterly academic calendar. Human Sexuality: Overview (Course I) is offered in the fall, and subsequent courses will be through the academic year.
What is the time commitment? Do you have an estimate of how many hours per week this will take a typical learner?
The feedback from our participants is that the workload ranges from 6-10 hours/week, including reading, writing and responding to assignments. The range of time may depend on reading speed, computer access, and relative familiarity with the material.
Credit, Grades
What credit is granted? By what institution?
Three credit hours are granted for each course by the Continuing Education department of Centralia College. The certificates in Sexuality Education and Patient Education each include 3 courses and a practicum quarter (for a total of 12 credit hours). These certificates are granted jointly by PPU and Centralia College.
Can I apply the credits toward a degree program?
Students matriculating in undergraduate or graduate degree programs can petition to use these continuing education course credits to satisfy elective or independent study requirements, as permitted by their institution. Transcripts and program descriptions can be provided for students as needed.
Undergraduate credit hours can be earned through Centralia College - additional steps are required and information will be supplied upon request.
How will grades be given?
Standard grading (A-F) will apply. Students can access the course gradebook online.
Students who do not complete all required work by the end of the academic quarter will receive a grade of Incomplete and are asked to submit outstanding assignments before the close of the following quarter. After three quarters an Incomplete will default to a grade of F.
Costs
What is tuition? Are there additional fees?
For the 2007-2008 academic year the tuition for each 3-credit course will be $400 for Planned Parenthood staff and $550 for those from outside Planned Parenthood. Tuition may be higher in subsequent years. Additional costs include all required texts.
Are there discounts for group registration? Are scholarships available?
Not at this time. The tuition for Planned Parenthood staff has been set as low as possible, to support affiliates with limited training budgets to access these programs. More than half of the tuition goes to the host college for the students enrollment in their continuing education credit program. Some affiliates are exploring finding local grants to support staff attendance.
Registration
Are there deadlines for registration?
Yes, to make sure students are registered through the host institution (Centralia College) and have timely access to the online course materials, registration must be completed several weeks prior to the beginning of each course.
Is there any limit to the number of people admitted into the program?
There is no registration limit for these courses, but where registration is greater than15 students for an online course, students will be grouped in virtual learning teams with separate instructor contacts.
Must I register for the entire certificate program?
The first course is open to anyone and can be taken as a stand-alone; it is the prerequisite to the subsequent courses of both programs. Since these certificate programs are working toward national standards (so that the understanding of what constitutes competencies in these areas are truly portable between Planned Parenthood affiliates and related family planning agencies) we hope participants will decide to complete the entire sequence.
How do I register?
Downloadable registration forms are available online.
Technical Requirements and Orientation
What kind of computer equipment do I need?
You will need a computer that gives you access to the Internet. In order to complete and submit assignments, you will need word-processing capability MS-Word is preferred, but other programs can work as well. You will probably want to print out many of the online resource materials.
PC Minimum configuration:
CPU: 600MHz Intel Celeron processor
Memory: 64MB RAM
Hard drive: 6.4GB hard drive
CD-ROM drive
Operating System: Windows XP (recommended), Windows 2000, Windows ME/98
Macintosh Minimum configuration:
CPU: 500MHz Power PC processor (Power Macintosh G3)
Memory: 64MB RAM
Hard drive: 20GB Hard drive
CD-ROM drive
Operating System: Macintosh OS, current versions (OS 9.2.2/10)
Windows XP - Mozilla FireFox or Internet Explorer 6.1
Macintosh Users, Blackboard recommends
Mac OS 9.2 - Netscape Navigator 7.0 or Internet Explorer 5.1
Mac OS X.1 - Netscape Navigator 7.0 or Internet Explorer 5.1 or 5.2
Mac OS X.2 - Netscape Navigator 7.0 or Internet Explorer 5.2
Note: Javascript and cookies must be enabled in order to log into Blackboard.
How will I learn to use the online program?
When you are first registered for these courses, you will receive a login and password for Blackboard, the online course management program. Orientation sessions for new students are scheduled by telephone conference it will be helpful to have access to a computer during this session so you can see how the program works. Ongoing technical support with the program is available throughout the course through instructor and PPWW support staff.
Program Content, Instructors, Outcomes
What level of sexuality educator is the Human Sexuality: Overview for?
Our students have included educators ranging from relatively new PP community education staff to extremely experienced Education Directors, and clinic staff with a range of experience. While the content was freshest for the more recent hires, there were a number of people with more experience who found that they received substantial new or in-depth information and material. The course might be very appropriate for someone whose training was generally on-the-job. If an educator has extensive academic training in human sexuality, it is possible for this prerequisite to be waived faculty will review the applicants background and determine whether this is possible.
How can clinic staff use the Patient Education certificate (i.e., pregnancy counseling)?
We use the term Patient Education rather than counseling, to be consistent with PPFAs preference for language that describes front-line patient support provided by staff who do not necessarily have professional counseling credentials. Our intention is that those who complete the Patient Education certificate will demonstrate
substantive knowledge and of human sexuality, birth control methods, pregnancy options, STDs and other topics relating to clinical services, and the ability to articulate this knowledge.
understanding of and practical skills in approaches such as Solution-Focused, Motivational Interviewing and other communication and problem-solving models. It is the goal of Planned Parenthood University that a person who has completed this program would have competencies recognized nationally as those necessary and appropriate for providing excellent one-on-one client-centered patient education.
Who are the instructors?
Courses are taught by experienced professional master teachers from the education and training departments of Planned Parenthood of Western Washington and other affiliates nationwide.
What other organizations recognize these certificates?
We have received formal endorsements from PPFA, AASECT and SIECUS.
AASECT accepts the Sexuality Educator certificate in partial completion of their credential in the area of sexuality education.
Updated 3/6/2007
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