Student Resources

Whether you are taking individual courses or enrolling in a certificate or degree program, your academic advisor can help you define and meet your academic goals. Your advisor is also available to assist you with selecting and registering for courses, clarifying university policies and procedures, addressing academic questions and problems, identifying resources and support services, and navigating certificate requirements, general degree requirements, or the transfer credit process.

Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (BAAS) students will have access to a general academic advisor with Penn LPS Online as well as a faculty contact in their program concentration. The name of the BAAS program director and the student’s assigned academic advisor will appear in Path@Penn, the University’s online student gateway to academic, financial, and profile information under Advisors. If no advisor name appears in Path@Penn, students should contact LPS Records by calling (215) 746-7040.

Current Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences students can prepare for professional success with the guidance of a dedicated career services professional. With career readiness at the forefront, the Penn LPS Online career advisor connects BAAS students to career development and transition resources, as well as personal branding and portfolio-building tools to succeed in today’s workplace.

Some resources available to students include:

Employer spotlights: Looking to learn from industry professionals? BAAS degree students and Penn LPS Online Certificate students can visit the Events tab in MyPennLPS to learn more about virtual sessions being held. RSVPs may be required, and sessions are added by request, so make sure you check back frequently for the latest information. 

Discussion board connections: Interested in learning more about career-related topics from your peers? All Penn LPS Online Students can access the Career Connections Discussion Board via our Penn LPS Online Student Information Site. Ask a question, answer a question, and meet other talented, career focused students.

On-demand career content: For on-demand career content, all Penn LPS Online students can visit the Career Design Page on the Canvas Student Information site.  

Ask Me Anything with Kristen Sowden: All Penn LPS Online students are invited to attend office hours to discuss brief, solution-focused career questions. Office hours are held on Tuesdays from 1-2 p.m. EDT with Kristin Sowden, Associate Director of Career Advising. Email Kristin at ksowden@sas.upenn.edu for a Zoom session link. 

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is the counseling center for the University of Pennsylvania. CAPS offers free and confidential services to all Penn undergraduate, graduate, and professional students*. Their goal is to assist students as they adjust to University life, manage personal and situational challenges, develop coping strategies, and grow personally and professionally. CAPS’ hope is that students will develop self-awareness, resilience, and skills for life-long learning.

To access CAPS services, call (215) 898-7021 and select Option 1. This service is available 24/7/365.

Visit our website for additional information and online resources.

*Penn employees do not have access to CAPS. Instead, please contact Penn's Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for mental health and other support services.

Online Resources for Students

• American Association of Suicidology
• American Psychological Association (APA)
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
• National Eating Disorders Association
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
• The Steve Fund
• Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Network
• PsychCentral
• The Jed Foundation

Remote counseling options:

• Better Help
• Break Through
• Talk Space
• The Truman Group (video streaming)

This handbook is for students enrolled in certificate programs and individual courses. The handbook provides details about the University and other information that will help you plan your course of study with Penn LPS Online: curriculum requirements, policies and procedures, and more.

Penn LPS Online Certificate and Course-Taker Handbook 2022-2023 (PDF)

Founded in 1995 by a group of students, faculty, staff and alumni, the Kelly Writers House is a 13-room house at 3805 Locust Walk on Penn's campus that serves as a center for writers of all kinds, from both Penn and the Philadelphia region at large. Kelly Writers House also has a strong virtual presence with ongoing interactive webcasts. Via dozens of listservs and email discussion groups, they link writers and readers from across the country and around the world. Through its many programs and projects, Kelly Writers House promotes the full range of contemporary literature, addressing writing both as a practice and as an object of study.

The Penn Bookstore offers a range of options for purchasing course materials, including new, used, digital and rental versions, depending on the textbook. They also carry merchandise, school supplies, regular books, and magazines.

Since 1750, the Penn Libraries have served the teaching, research and learning needs of scholars. Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences degree students, certificate students, and course takers will have online access to library resources, including online databases and e-journals. Those in the Philadelphia area can access the University of Pennsylvania Libraries in person.

There is 24/7 technical support available for your course. If you encounter technical difficulties and need immediate assistance, please call (toll-free) 1-833-283-2987. You can access our Knowledge Base Penn LPS Online Helpdesk to try troubleshooting on your own or live chat with a technical support staff member. In addition, you can reach out to us via email at online-learning-help@sas.upenn.edu and we will respond to you within 24 hours.

Students in Penn LPS Online courses have access to Brainfuse via Canvas course sites. Brainfuse tutoring and writing support services are available to students free of charge, though students must be currently enrolled in a course to access them.

Brainfuse offers live tutoring via a synchronous whiteboard-and-chat platform in the following subject areas:

• Business: accounting, economics and finance
• Computers and tech: Excel, PowerPoint, Windows, Word
• English: college-level reading and writing
• Math: calculus, college algebra, geometry, liberal arts math, pre-algebra, pre-calculus, statistics, trigonometry
• Science: anatomy and physiology, biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, physics

The Brainfuse Writing Lab helps students become better writers by providing constructive feedback on writing assignments within 24 hours. Students submit their papers via the Brainfuse extension in Canvas.