Curriculum

Online High School Diploma Curriculum

Your online high school diploma program consists of 17 core courses* and you choose 5 elective courses, ranging from academic electives like American literature and algebra to career pathway electives, like healthcare courses, or vet assistant. The core curriculum is made up of English, math, social studies, science, arts and humanities, and health and physical education classes. Find more information about the high school classes you will take at Penn Foster High School below. You can also view full program goals and outcomes.

Online High School Diploma for Adults Learners

Diploma

6 months

As low as $55/mo

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Online High School Diploma Curriculum

17 core courses
5 elective courses

Estimated completion time:

Fast track = 6 months
Average time = 14 months

With Penn Foster, you can learn at whatever pace works best for you. Some learners will be more comfortable moving faster, and dedicating more time, and the fast track estimate will apply to them. The average track will apply to most learners who can dedicate a few hours per week to completing their coursework. The estimated completion times are based on completion times for learners enrolled in this program from November 2019 - October 2020, excluding withdrawals.

Startup Courses

Every big journey begins with small, intentional steps. Whether you’re setting goals, managing your time, or making decisions about your future, personal growth is the key to unlocking your potential and navigating life’s challenges with confidence.

In this course, you’ll explore the skills for building a balanced and successful life, including self-discipline, time management, emotional well-being, and effective communication. Through nine engaging modules, you’ll identify your strengths, learn to make responsible choices, and develop strategies for working with others to solve problems and achieve your goals.

By the end of this course, you'll be able to:
- Recognize and apply learning strategies using technology to achieve educational goals
- Implement organizational strategies using technology to meet learning needs and to collaborate safely online
- Use collaborative technologies to gain diverse perspectives and engage with others in responsible, empathetic, and inclusive ways
- Apply digital tools in a responsible way to improve learning outcomes and ensure privacy protection in digital spaces
Technology is everywhere and it’s changing how we learn, connect, and grow. But using it effectively requires more than just knowing how to click and save. Learning how to use technology effectively is about turning into a powerful tool to help you achieve your goals, collaborate with others, and take charge of your learning journey.

Throughout this course, you’ll explore how to use digital tools to set and track personal goals, collaborate with others, and communicate effectively. You’ll also learn how to adapt technology to your learning needs, apply feedback to grow, and stay safe and ethical in the digital world.

By the end of this course, you'll be able to:
- Recognize and apply learning strategies using technology to achieve educational goals
- Implement organizational strategies using technology to meet learning needs and to collaborate safely online
- Use collaborative technologies to gain diverse perspectives and engage with others in responsible, empathetic, and inclusive ways
- Apply digital tools in a responsible way to improve learning outcomes and ensure privacy protection in digital space

Humanities

In today’s digital age, technology is a powerful tool that can influence how you learn, communicate, and solve problems. Every click, every comment, and every virtual connection shapes your opportunities and experiences. This course aims to equip you to navigate this world confidently, responsibly, and creatively.

Over the course’s nine modules, you’ll explore everything from safe and ethical online practices to using digital tools to research, collaborate, and tackle real-world challenges. You’ll learn how to make decisions about using technology, interacting with empathy in online spaces, and presenting ideas effectively.

By the end of this course, you'll be able to:
- Demonstrate a balanced approach to online learning by setting SMART goals that account for internal goals and external commitments
- Use collaborative technologies to gain diverse perspectives and engage with others in responsible, empathetic, and inclusive ways
- Recognize and apply learning strategies using technology to achieve educational goals
- Implement a design process using technology to gather, structure, and analyze data needed to solve real-world problems

English

In this course, you’ll learn how to adjust your speech for different audiences, improve presentations with visuals and sound, and write clearly using proper grammar and punctuation. You’ll also explore how to analyze texts, find key details, and understand an author’s purpose. Through practice, you’ll develop skills in writing informative, narrative, and opinion pieces while using revision to make your work stronger.

By the end of this course, you'll be able to:
- Communicate effectively about a text by asking and answering questions, using visual aids, and expressing points clearly
- Analyze the structure of an informative text, focusing on argument evaluation and opinion development
- Compose an opinion piece with reasons, key details, text features, and strategies for understanding words
- Identify the structural features of a narrative text by analyzing character, event, and idea connections and recognizing figurative language nuances
- Organize ideas clearly, focusing on narrative structure, effective outlining, clarity, and word choice
In this course, you’ll learn how to analyze texts, find key themes, and draw conclusions based on evidence. You’ll also improve your writing by organizing your ideas, adding details, and editing for clarity. Grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary will help you strengthen your communication.

By the end of this course, you'll be able to:
- Apply context clues to determine word meanings while using proper grammar and punctuation
- Analyze an author’s choices, use textual evidence to identify themes, and compare arguments across texts
- Paraphrase discussions by organizing sources and aligning writing with purpose and themes
In this course, you’ll learn how to analyze and understand texts, structure arguments, and enhance your spoken and written communication. You will also develop strategies for conducting research, citing sources, supporting claims with evidence, and improving your writing through revision. By practicing these skills, you’ll be better equipped to communicate effectively in various contexts.

By the end of this course, you'll be able to:
- Analyze a text by explaining how its theme is supported and how the author connects or distinguishes key components
- Use domain-specific vocabulary and nuanced figurative language to adapt information for different audiences
- Identify key elements of writing and discussions, including analysis and communication strategies.
- Use peer review to refine writing, focusing on style, purpose, and audience
- Compare competing texts on the same topic to evaluate the relevance and sufficiency of their evidence
- Explain how to gather research using effective search terms, source linking, and proper citations
In this course, you’ll continue to build upon these abilities, focusing on analyzing complex texts, evaluating sources, and structuring your ideas effectively. You’ll learn to synthesize information from diverse formats, refine your ability to argue with evidence, and use digital tools to enhance your work. Through continuous practice, you’ll develop the skills to communicate clearly and persuasively in written and spoken forms tailored to different audiences and contexts.

By the end of this course, you'll be able to:
- Assess themes, language, and structure across texts by analyzing key ideas, technical terms, satire, and reasoning
- Adapt tone and structure in writing while conducting research using authoritative sources
- Engage in discussions and integrate digital media in presentations to ensure information is clear and logical

Math

In this course, you'll learn about foundational concepts in math that will help you succeed in your studies and everyday life. You'll begin by exploring place values in single and multi-digit numbers and then use place value strategies to understand, compare, and order numbers. You'll also learn to use place values to add, subtract, multiply, and divide numbers with ease. Then, you'll learn about operations with whole numbers, decimals, and fractions and use them to solve real-world word problems. You'll discover how multiplication and division relate to each other and use this knowledge to solve word problems. Then, you'll explore using a number line to learn about rational numbers and understand ratios and proportions. You'll learn to solve real-world problems with operations involving rational numbers. You'll learn about interpreting and representing ratios, rates, and proportional relationships, using tables, graphs, and equations to solve multi-step problems. Finally, you'll use measurements and data to answer basic questions about quantity, duration, and space.

By the end of this course you’ll be able to:
- Apply critical thinking skills to solve real-world problems, including ratio and proportion, that require an understanding of place value, operations, and mathematical algorithm
- Demonstrate the ability to solve addition, subtraction, and multiplication problems using a method that consistently leads to an accurate solution
- Use whole numbers, fractions, measurements, and data to solve basic problems involving multiplication, division, parts of a whole, and real-world questions about quantity, duration, and space in an independent way
- Use rational numbers to answer basic questions about quantity, order, and relationships
Personal finance is an essential life skill that helps you make smart financial decisions now and in the future. In this course, you’ll explore key financial topics, including setting goals, earning income, budgeting, saving, investing, using credit, and managing financial risks. Through interactive lessons, real-world scenarios, and hands-on problem-solving, you’ll learn how to create a financial plan, make informed spending choices, and understand the impact of financial decisions. By the end of the course, you’ll have the knowledge and skills to manage money responsibly and work toward financial security.

By the end of of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Set financial goals and make smart financial decisions by planning for short- and long-term needs.
- Build good financial habits by understanding different types of income, creating a budget, and making wise spending decisions.
- Analyze financial institutions, saving and investment strategies, and the factors influencing financial choices to make informed and responsible decisions.
- Explore how credit, investments, and financial protections can help you build a secure future while avoiding common mistakes.
In this course, you’ll develop confidence in working with numbers, equations, and geometric concepts. From multi-digit operations to algebra and geometry, you’ll explore key mathematical principles that help make sense of the world around you. Through interactive lessons, real-world scenarios, and hands-on problem-solving, you’ll sharpen your analytical skills and learn to apply math effectively in different contexts.

By the end of of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Use whole numbers, integers, and rational numbers to understand, compare, and solve real-world problems involving quantities, duration, and relationships through base-ten operations and algebraic expressions.
- Use whole numbers, equations, and inequalities to solve problems and analyze relationships involving quantity.
- Interpret mathematical relationships and solve problems involving shapes, measurements, and spatial relationships using expressions and geometric concepts.
- Use operations with integers and rational numbers, along with measurement concepts, to solve problems and describe relationships involving quantity, area, and volume in real-world contexts.

Science

The course covers topics in geology, oceanography, meteorology, environmental science, and astronomy.

By the end of this course, you'll be able to:
- Explain the basic principles and methods of Earth Science
- Discuss the various surface processes on Earth
- Identify features of Earth's atmosphere and oceans
- Explain the causes of geologic activity
- Describe the impact of human activity on natural resources
- Explain the formation and properties of the solar system and universe
In this course you’ll gain insight into the origin of life, the relationships among all living organisms, and discover how your own body works.

By the end of this course, you'll be able to:
- Describe the characteristics, chemistry, and ecology of living things
- Analyze cells and their processes for obtaining energy and reproducing
- Explain how traits are passed on from one generation to the next
- Explain how different species of living things have evolved and are classified
- Identify the characteristics and behavior of plants and animals
- Summarize the anatomy and physiology of the major systems in the human body
This course covers a variety of topics in modern science that affect everyday life, from energy and heat to sound and electricity.

By the end of this course, you'll be able to:
- Explain how objects move when forces are applied
- Describe the role of energy transformation in daily life
- Explain how changes in matter can be measured and manipulated
- Analyze waves and radiation
- Apply the principles of chemistry
- Apply the principles of electricity and magnetism in various situations

Social Studies

Many historians date the start of modern American history with the explosive growth of industry in the years after the Civil War. This growth, while providing the foundation for American power and economic prosperity, was not without conflict. The divide between rich and poor widened, and people in urban and rural areas faced new challenges. This resulted in political movements that caused social division within the nation. During this time, the United States expressed its growing power overseas, ultimately becoming the world’s most powerful country after a series of global conflicts in the 20th century. You’ll examine these conflicts and events occurring within the country and internationally to analyze how America became the nation it is today. Understanding the past tells you about the present, helps you understand the world, and supports your journeys through academics and life.

By the end of this course, you'll be able to:
- Summarize economic development in the Gilded Age and conflicts in the West
- Analyze how the events leading up to World War I shaped the United States
- Recognize expansion and industrialization in the United States during the early 18th century
- Discuss the effects of the Great Depression and World War II on the United States
- Describe the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War
- Explain social and political changes between 1960 and the end of the Cold War
- Identify changes in America from the end of the twentieth century to today
This course covers what the basic purposes of government are and how modern governments differ from one another.

By the end of this course, you'll be able to:
- Describe the different types of government and give examples of each
- Summarize the process used to ratify the Constitution
- Describe the three main parts of the Constitution and explain what each part includes
- Describe the process for amending the Constitution
- Describe the powers and responsibilities of the three branches of the federal government
- Outline the process by which laws are made
- Summarize some of the landmark cases handled by the Supreme Court
- Briefly describe the ways in which state and local governments operate
- Explain the rights and responsibilities of citizens in a democratic nation
- Summarize the process for electing a president of the United States
Step into the story of humanity—from early hunter-gatherers to the rise of powerful empires, world-changing ideas, and modern global challenges. In this course, you’ll journey across continents and centuries to discover how people built civilizations, exchanged goods and beliefs, sparked revolutions, and fought for change. Through the lives of real people and the movements that shaped their worlds, you’ll explore how the past continues to shape the present in surprising ways.

By the end of this course, you'll be able to:
- Explain how early humans adapted to their environments and how the shift to agriculture transformed human societies.
- Compare the features and contributions of early civilizations across world regions, including their political systems, technologies, and cultural legacies.
- Analyze how cultural change, exploration, and expanding ideas shaped societies in Europe and the Americas.
- Analyze how global contact during the Early Modern Era shaped political systems, societies, and trade across Africa, Asia, the Americas, and the Islamic world.
- Describe how Enlightenment ideas and industrialization transformed political and economic systems in Europe, the Americas, and beyond.
- Analyze the causes and consequences of the Great War, including its impact on global power and colonial systems.
- Analyze the causes, global impact, and aftermath of World War II, including its effects on civilians and international recovery efforts.
- Explain how World War II, the Cold War, and globalization have shaped modern international relations and global challenges.

Health & Physical Education

In this course you’ll learn the key components of nutrition, cardiorespiratory exercise, safety issues, and stress management techniques.

By the end of this course, you'll be able to:
- Describe techniques for managing stress and developing healthy habits
- Explain healthy nutrition and digestive processes
- Identify the principles of weight management
- Outline a comprehensive cardiorespiratory fitness routine
- Describe the elements and benefits of resistance training
- Develop personal fitness and nutritional goals

Electives: Academic/College Preparation

In the Statistics and Probability course, you’ll learn how to make and understand charts and graphs that show data. You'll find out how to look at data from one or more sources and learn about things like straight-line graphs, and checking if studies are good. This course makes learning statistics useful, giving you important skills to understand and work with data.

By the end of this course, your learners will be able to:
- Use data interpretation on a single measurable variable
- Represent data on two categorical and quantitative variables
- Interpret linear models
- Evaluate statistical studies
- Compare probabilities of compound events
- Interpret data using independence and conditional probability
American Literature is designed to help you navigate the works that helped to shape America, particularly some of history's most notable texts and writing. The speeches, poems, and prose that you'll read in these pages helped to shape not only American writing, but also the way we read and think today. As you read through your assignments, consider how these texts are still having an impact on us, from literature to pop culture.
Microsoft^® Office allows people to create documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and databases. This course will teach you how to use three popular tools from the Microsoft^® Office Suite — Word™, Excel^®, and PowerPoint^®. In this course, you'll learn how to use Word™ to create and edit text documents, insert figures and tables, and format pages for a variety of uses. You'll then learn how to use Excel^® to organize and format data, including charts, formulas, and more complex tables. Next, you'll learn how to use PowerPoint^® to create and deliver slide shows. Finally, you'll complete a graded project, which will test the skills acquired in Word™, Excel^®, and PowerPoint^®.
This course teaches the skills and techniques of effectively developing, drafting, and revising college-level essays toward a specific purpose and audience: active reading, prewriting strategies, sentence and paragraph structure, thesis statements, varied patterns of development (such as illustration, comparison and contrast, and classification), critical reading toward revision of structure and organization, editing for standard written conventions, and use and documentation of outside sources. Students submit two prewriting assignments and three essays (process analysis, comparison and contrast, and argumentation).
Like Spanish I, Spanish II will help you develop all modalities of the language — listening, speaking, reading, and writing — with a heavy emphasis on grammatical structures and verb tenses to help you achieve a more advanced level of proficiency in the language. You'll engage in vocabulary presentations and activities, grammar, conversations, readings about culture and other topics, real-life applications, and review sections.

Electives: General

Note: Reproductions of paintings in the text and online supplements include nudes; these pictures may be offensive to some students. An introduction to various forms of art throughout history, from prehistoric to modern; also discusses elements of design, symbolism, and purposes of art to enable students to evaluate the meaning and quality of individual works. Learn about the most important artists of each era, as well as the cultural influences that shaped their approaches to painting, sculpture, or architecture.

* Learners who reside in Tennessee must complete 18 core courses and 5 elective courses.