Graduate Credit

RIT offers graduate credit for select courses exclusively for teachers who attend PLTW Core Training. 

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Earn Graduate Credit

3 credit hours per course

This credit is available to teachers who attend Core Training at any of PLTW’s Training Hubs. Teachers are eligible to apply for graduate credit up to one year after completing the course.

Why pursue RIT graduate credit?

89% Savings

Off the RIT's graduate credit tuition cost

Graduate credit is offered at a discounted rate of $700 per course for PLTW teachers.
PLTW Graduate credit is offered at a fraction of the cost – $700 for 3 credits compared to the 2023-2024 rate of $2,370 cost per credit hour for traditional graduate students.

For PLTW Middle and High School Teachers, Counselors, and Administrators

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Eligible Courses and Credit Requirements

Teachers who attend the following PLTW Core Training classes at any of PLTW’s Training Hubs (both in-person or online) are eligible to apply for graduate credit. Teachers are eligible to apply for graduate credit up to one year after completing the course. Contact us for a listing of course descriptions.

In order to receive RIT graduate credit, you must submit the following completed items when you register for credit:

  1. Core Training Certificate of Completion
    The certificate is confirmation of when you completed Core Training and is used to establish your eligibility to receive graduate credit. The certificate holds no grade and thus does not a factor in your final grade. If you have not completed PLTW Core Training for your course, you are not eligible to register for graduate credit.

    Email us your certificate or mail it in with your registration form and payment.

  2. Final Exam – 70% of your final grade
    The final exam is 2 parts, including multiple choice and constructive response questions. The exam is administered at a time determined by RIT.

  3. Project – 30% of your final grade
    Project assignments vary by course. Select your course below to view the assignment and to find contact information if you have questions regarding your exam or project.

Project Assignments and Contact Person by Course

Project: Instructional Material Development, 30% of your final grade:

The topic for 2022-2023 is Reverse Engineering and how it is used in industry to create new product designs.

Activity/Project/Problem (APB) (20%)

  • Develop a UNIQUE APB to show students how Reverse Engineering is used in industry to create new product designs. No current or past PLTW materials may be used for the APB.
  • A document, (Word) or presentation (PPT) that fully describes how the APB can be used for delivery. The timeframe for the APB should encompass two, 40-min class periods. NOTE: this APB should reflect the application of the lesson in the PLTW curriculum. In other words, the lesson has been taught, now it is your task to come up with an APB.
  • Your APB must include answer key(s) and grading rubric(s)

Linkage to Industry (10%)

  • Research and identify a current product begin manufactured that you think a high school student would find appealing/interesting. Using that information, create a lesson preface that ties the APB to the industry.
  • A minimum of one page typed, single-spaced, Times New Roman, 12 pt.
  • Include all references in MLA format. Credible resources must be used, NO Wikipedia.

The development of this material should be completed outside of the scheduled training

Questions regarding the exam and project should be directed to:
Jason Urbanek
JUrbanek@ClarenceSchools.org

Project: Instructional Material Development, 30% of your final grade:

You must take an existing activity, project or problem, (APB) from the PLTW curriculum and develop a new APB that meets the same educational objectives. The pre-approved APB list is below:

The pre-Approved list for POE Instructional Material Development is as follows:

  • Lesson 1.3 – Energy Applications
    • Thermodynamics
  • Lesson 2.1 – Statics
    • Right Triangle Math
    • Vector Calculations
  • Lesson 3.1 – Machine Control
    • Using variables in RobotC
    • Void Statements
  • Lesson 3.2 – Fluid Power
    • Gas Laws
  • Lesson 4.1 – Statistical Data Collection

For the APB that you select, you must develop the following items

  • Instructional Resources (75%)
    • A document (Word) and associated presentation (PPT) that fully describes the APB.
    • Complete solution set and grading rubric(s). The solution set should contain (where appropriate) design work, sketches, formal drawings, schematics, flowcharts, source code listings, experimental data results, photographs, etc.
    • Description and delivery guidelines for the APB and associated presentation that could be included in the ‘Teacher’s Notes’ section of the curriculum.
  • Assessment (25%)
    • An assessment (quiz) that could be used to measure the understanding of the educational objectives that this APB was designed to deliver. This assessment must contain a minimum of (5) selective responses and (5) constructive response questions that cover the entire APB.

All material developed must be in the same format and quality as the current PLTW curriculum materials.

Questions regarding the exam and project should be directed to:
David Marshall
585-820-7459
Marshall_525@hotmail.com

Project: Term Paper, 30% of your final grade:

Write a 10-page paper on one of the topics listed below or on a topic you select related to the Digital Electronics curriculum that is approved by the graduate credit coordinator.

Pre-Approved list for DE Instructional Material Development is as follows:

  • Embedded Systems in Automobiles
  • Internet of Things (IOT)
  • History and Evolution of Logic Families
  • Systems on a Chip
  • Printable RFID Circuits
  • Surface Mount Technology
  • Zigbee Networks

The term paper must be in the format of APA-6 (Times New Roman – 12 pt. double spaced.) The development of the term paper should be completed outside of the scheduled training.

Questions regarding the exam and term paper should be directed to:
George Zion
585-475-6106
george.zion@rit.edu

Project: Term Paper, 30% of your final grade:

Write a 10-page paper on one of the topics listed below or a topic that you select related to the Civil Engineering and Architecture curriculum approved by the graduate credit coordinator.

Pre-approved list for CEA term paper:

  • Sustainability in Residential Design
  • Methods/Materials of Construction in Residential Design
  • BIM (Building Information Modeling) design
  • Stormwater Runoff Causes and Management
  • Methods of Potable Water Distribution
  • ADA (American with Disabilities Act) and Universal Design
  • LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) in Residential and Commercial Construction
  • HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) Systems in Residential and Commercial Facilities
  • Career Opportunities in Civil and Architecture
  • Educational programs and opportunities at colleges and universities for high school students interested in careers related to civil engineering and architecture.
  • Evolution of Building Codes Related to Advancements in Technology and Materials
  • Proposed idea of CEA-related topic approved by graduate credit coordinator.

The term paper must be in the format of APA-6 (Times New Roman – 12 pt. double spaced). The development of the term paper must be completed outside of the scheduled training.

Questions regarding the exam and term paper should be directed to:
Jason Urbanek
JUrbanek@ClarenceSchools.org

Project: Instructional Material Development, 30% of your final grade:

You must take an existing activity, project, or problem, (APB) from the PLTW curriculum and develop a new APB that meets the same educational objectives. This new APB could be used to supplement, replace or expand upon the existing one. The APB will be selected from the pre-approved list below.

Pre-Approved list for CIM Instructional Material Development is as follows:

  • Lesson 1.2 – Control Systems
  • Lesson 1.3 – The Cost of Manufacturing
  • Lesson 2.2 – How We Make Things
  • Lesson 2.3 – Product Development
  • Lesson 3.1 – Introduction to Automation
  • Lesson 3.2 – Elements of Power
  • Lesson 3.3 – Robotic Programming and Usage
  • Lesson 4.2 – Integration of Manufacturing

For the APB that you select, you must develop the following items, 40 points total

  • Instructional Materials
    • APB Word document (8 pts): As would be provided to the students completing the project.
    • Lesson PowerPoint presentation, (8 pts): As would be delivered to students.
    • Complete exemplar solution set (4 pts): To include appropriate design work, sketches, formal drawings, schematics, flowcharts, source code listings, experimental data results, photographs.
    • Grading Rubric (4 pts)
    • Assessment (Quiz) (4 pts): To be used to measure the understanding of the educational objectives that this APP was designed to deliver. This assessment must containing a minimum of (5) selective response and (5) constructive response questions that cover the entire APP.
  • Supporting Resources
    • Video Description (8 pts): A YouTube quality video describing the delivery of this APP. This should be a voice-over description of the documents, procedure, software (as needed), and activity. Describe where the APB fits in the course, how you would deliver the information, and how you would evaluate it. Highlight the appropriate documents as you do so.
    • Teacher Notes (4 pts): Description and delivery guidelines for the APB and associated presentation that would be suitable to include in the Teacher’s Notes section of the curriculum All material developed must be in the same format and quality of the current PLTW curriculum materials. The development of this material should be completed outside of the scheduled training.

Questions regarding the exam and project should be directed to:
Scott Banister
Pittsford Mendon High School
472 Mendon Road
Pittsford, NY 14534
585-267-3662
Scott_banister@pittsford.monroe.edu

Projects: 30% of your final grade

  1. Online Portfolio, 15 points: The Online Portfolio is used as documentation of the process you followed at Core Training to build a digital portfolio. Point distribution will follow the PLTW Juried Response Rubric.
  2. Engineering Notebook, 15 points: The Engineering Notebook is used as documentation of the process you followed at Core Training. The point distribution follows the PLTW Juried Response Rubric.
  3. Critical Review Paper, 30 points: Write a critical review and comparative analysis of the product development process using the Deep Dive video and the TED talk outlined in the Critical Review Guide below. Point distribution is outlined in the Critical Review Guide.

Critical Review Guide: As a component for EDD RIT Graduate Credit, you will complete a critical review. 

Outline and rubric:

  1. Watch all three parts of The Deep Dive on YouTube:
  2. Watch the TED Talk, Design for People, Not Awards on YouTube.
  3. Write a 3-part, critical review paper that contains the following elements:
    • Part One – Defining Product Development, 10 points
      • What is product development and why is it important? 4 points
      • What is the difference between innovation and invention, which is most prevalent in the market today, and what evidence to support your position? 6 points
    • Part Two – Compare and Contrast Two Premier Innovators, 14 points
      • Using the Deep Dive video as a reference, what are three major points of emphasis that David Kelly wants the viewer to understand about product design? 6 points
      • Using the TED Talk as a reference, what are two points of emphasis that Timothy Prestero wants the viewer to understand about product design? 4 points
      • What two differences are there between the methodologies discussed in the Deep Dive video and the TED Talk? 4 points
    • Part Three – Transfer of Skills, 6 points
      • How do the points of emphasis outlined in the two videos impact an incoming college freshman studying any technical field? 4 points
      • What is the significance of a college student being able to provide detailed documentation of the process during a team project or research project? 2 points

Paper format:

  • The format of the Critical Review paper must be submitted as a Microsoft Word Document
  • No more than 2,500 words, excluding Abstract and Reference
  • Written in APA format as outlined by the style guide found at the Online Writing Lab from Purdue University.
  • 8.5 x 11, 1 inch margins
  • Paragraphs double spaced, ½ inch indent, 12 pt. type, Times New Roman Font
  • Cover page with title, class, date, and name
  • Abstract – 150-200 words
  • Reference pages with proper citations in APA format

Questions regarding the exam and all other requirements should be directed to:
Bryan English
315-378-8472
BryanMEnglish@gmail.com

Project: Original Project or Problem Development, 30% of your final grade:

Develop an original project or problem for the Design and Modeling and/or Automation and Robotics courses that utilizes the design process and reinforces the content in the course(s). The project or problem must incorporate the following material:

  • All design requirements/problem statement
  • Rubric
  • Deliverables
  • Any additional material needed by students
  • Must utilize the design process

You may create a project/problem that utilizes both Automation and Robotics and Design and Modeling.

Questions regarding the exam and project should be directed to:
Steve Thering
steve_thering@pittsford.monroe.edu

Letter Grade Conversion

RIT Letter Grade Course Final Grade
A 90-100
B 80-89
C 70-79
D 60-69
F 0-59

Register for Credit

To register for course credit, you must:

  • Submit the Graduate Registration Form via mail.
  • Send payment and a copy of your PLTW Core Training Certificate of Completion to RIT.

Payment

The $700 per course tuition must be paid for by a check made payable to RIT.

Mail your payment, registration form, and training certificate copy to:
Sarah Pillittere
Rochester Institute of Technology
137 Lomb Memorial Drive
Rochester, NY 14623

Additional Information
  • If you are planning to use these credits towards your state teaching certification requirements, please ensure that the credits will qualify prior to registering. Once they are awarded credit cannot be refunded.
  • Only the PLTW courses are offered at the $700 per course tuition. Any other RIT courses needed for the degree are charged at the current RIT graduate rate.
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