Undergraduate Certificate in General Studies
Penn Foster

Program Details

Designed to allow students to earn a certificate without the need for a classroom, this program is completed entirely online. Penn Foster College’s Undergraduate Certificate in General Studies consists of 15 credits. This certificate program aims to prepare students for entering into a major discipline. Students must pass the required skills assessment to be allowed to complete this program with Penn Foster. After the assessment has been completed and enrollment has been accepted, students receive their first course materials.

The first course students take is Computer Applications, where students learn file management, applications in word processing, presentation software, and spreadsheets. In English Composition, students are able to develop better writing skills by learning how to write more clearly and coherently. The remainder of the courses are chosen by the student based on personal interest. One course must be taken from the following categories: science, social science, and arts and humanities. Suggested courses include Earth Science, Nutrition, Foundations of Political Science, Introduction to Sociology, or Introduction to Literature.

The Undergraduate Certificate in General Studies program through Penn Foster provides students the fundamental knowledge of general education courses.

% Online

100% Online

School Accreditation & Licensing

Penn Foster is accredited by:

Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC)

Penn Foster High School, Penn Foster Career School, and Penn Foster College have all met the high standards of integrity and performance set by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). 

Penn Foster Career School is regionally accredited for non-degree granting postsecondary programs, and Penn Foster High School is accredited for grades 9 through adult, by the Commission on Secondary Schools of the Middle States Association for Colleges and Schools.

Penn Foster Career School has been accredited as an Authorized Provider by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET)

All Penn Foster programs are affiliated with DANTES, which qualifies U.S. military personnel for tuition reimbursement.

Program Requirements & Restrictions

Minimum Education

High School or Equivalent

Application Requirements

Official High School Transcript/GED Score