For educators, career development and continuing education is important to stay up-to-date with your teaching skills and innovations. Instead of spending your summer break on-campus or at a workshop, enroll in an online class from USD. We offers quality courses at affordable rates that make it possible to advance your career.
Some programs are funded externally by non-university partnerships as projects or classes. You may earn college credits for the courses, however, the funding to offer the course is provided by the external source or organization.
If you are interested in offering a course for educators through partnership with USD, please contact us.
Inquire About Offering Course(s)
SPED 592: Autism - Characteristics & Diagnostic Overview
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Instructor: Brittany Schmidt
Dates: May 5, 2025 - May 30, 2025
Location: Online
Credit Hours: 1
Fees: $40
*PLEASE NOTE: This course requires dual enrollment. After registering for USD credit and paying the tuition fee, you must also register through Canvas for the class.
Course Description: This course aims to provide information to educators, administrators, related professionals, and graduate students interested in learning more about Autism Spectrum Disorder. The focus of this course will be to introduce information about identification, characteristics, and diagnostic criteria for autistic students or those suspected of having autism. Students will be required to complete the modules listed below and submit proof of completion to the instructor.
Register Here with Canvas
SPED 592: Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Intervention Overview
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Instructor: Brittany Schmidt
Dates: May 5, 2025 - May 30, 2025
Location: Online
Credit Hours: 1-2 Credits
Fees: $40/Credit
*PLEASE NOTE: This course requires dual enrollment. After registering for USD credit and paying the tuition fee, you must also register through Canvas for the class.
Course Description: This course aims to provide training and assistance to South Dakota educators, administrators, other related professionals, and graduate students interested in learning more about intervention practices specific to autistic individuals.
Register Here with Canvas
SPED 592: Autism Spectrum Disorders - Behavior Basics
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Instructor: Brittany Schmidt
Dates: May 5, 2025 - May 30, 2025
Location: Online
Credit Hours: 1
Fees: $40/Credit
*PLEASE NOTE: This course requires dual enrollment. After registering for USD credit and paying the tuition fee, you must also register through Canvas for the class.
Course Description: This course aims to provide information to educators, administrators, related professionals, and graduate students interested in learning more about Autism Spectrum Disorder. The focus of this course will be to introduce information the behavioral principles often utilized in educational settings.
Register Here with Canvas
ELED 592: Differentiated Kindergarten: Practical Strategies for Engaging Kindergarten Classrooms
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Instructor: Tricia West
Dates: June 16, 2025 - June 17, 2025
Location: Canton PAC, 800 N Main St, Canton, SD 57013
Credit Hours: 1
Fees: $40
Course Description: This two-day intensive course is designed for kindergarten teachers but is also appropriate for those working with grades above or below, with adjustments for student age, skill and ability levels. The course focuses on practical, age-appropriate strategies to enhance classroom engagement, motor skills development, and academic success. Participants will explore topics such as Morning Work, Fine Motor Activities, Sensory Integration, Handwriting Help, Movement, and Math Stations. Emphasis will be placed on activities and tools specifically tailored to the needs of kindergarten learners while allowing flexibility for adaptation to other grades.
SPED 592: DR. Russell Barkley Professional Training Series
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Instructor:: Aimee Deliramich
Dates:: May 5, 2025 - May 30, 2025
Location:: Online
Credits:: 1
Tuition:: $40/Credit
* Please Note: You must register through Canvas first before you can enroll for USD graduate credits. Canvas Portal to access the course content.
Course Description:
This course aims to provide training and assistance to South Dakota educators, administrators, other related professionals, and graduate students interested in learning more about Executive Functioning and ADHD. Many of the cognitive deficits associated with ADHD lie in the domain of executive functioning in neuropsychology. The focus of this course will be to promote a better understanding of the nature of ADHD symptoms, the diagnostic criteria for ADHD, and the modifications necessary for its use with special populations.
EDFN 592: Family Engagement 101
Register Here for USD Credits
Instructor: Pamela Lange & Morgan VonHaden
Dates: July 16, 2025 - August 8, 2025
Location: Online
Credit Hours: 1
Fees: $40
*Please Note: You must register through Canvas first before you can enroll for USD transcribable credits.
Course Description: Research shows that when families and schools work together, everyone benefits. Most importantly, students feel safe to learn, to explore, and to grow. Family Engagement is a buzzword in education, but what does it really mean? In this course, participants will explore the answer to that question as they practice multiple strategies that can be used to build relationships with families while learning how to leverage their strengths in order to support their child, your classroom, and your school. In addition to strategies, participants will explore the latest research around family engagement and gain access to research-based tools for immediate use within classrooms.
Register Here through Canvas
EDFN 492: Family Engagement 101
Register Here for USD Credits
Instructor: Pamela Lange & Morgan VonHaden
Dates: August 25, 2025 - December 9, 2025
Location: Online
Credit Hours: 3
Fees: $120
*Please Note: You must register through Canvas first before you can enroll for USD transcribable credits.
Course Description: Family Engagement is key to the success of students, especially your hard-to-reach students and families. With over 50 years of research, family and community engagement in education is foundational for child development, student achievement, school improvement, and family and community well-being. This class will provide guidance to pre-service educators, practicing educators, educational leaders, and/or administrators through the research and best practices of family engagement.
Register Here through Canvas
EDFN 592: Family Engagement 101
Register Here for USD Credits
Instructor: Pamela Lange & Morgan VonHaden
Dates: August 25, 2025 - December 9, 2025
Location: Online
Credit Hours: 3
Fees: $120
*Please Note: You must register through Canvas first before you can enroll for USD transcribable credits.
Course Description: Family Engagement is key to the success of students, especially your hard-to-reach students and families. With over 50 years of research, family and community engagement in education is foundational for child development, student achievement, school improvement, and family and community well-being. This class will provide guidance to pre-service educators, practicing educators, educational leaders, and/or administrators through the research and best practices of family engagement.
Register Here through Canvas
ELED 492: Kindergarten Academy: Differentiated Kindergarten: Practical Strategies for Engaging Kindergarten Classrooms
Register Here
Instructor: Tricia West
Dates: June 16, 2025 - June 17, 2025
Location: Canton PAC, 800 N Main St, Canton, SD 57013
Credit Hours: 1
Fees: $40
Course Description: This two-day intensive course is designed for kindergarten teachers but is also appropriate for those working with grades above or below, with adjustments for student age, skill and ability levels. The course focuses on practical, age-appropriate strategies to enhance classroom engagement, motor skills development, and academic success. Participants will explore topics such as Morning Work, Fine Motor Activities, Sensory Integration, Handwriting Help, Movement, and Math Stations. Emphasis will be placed on activities and tools specifically tailored to the needs of kindergarten learners while allowing flexibility for adaptation to other grades.
AHED 790: LERN Contract Training Institute
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Instructor: William Draves
Dates: March 3, 2025 - May 9, 2025
Location: Online
Credit Hours: 3
Fees: $120
*This course requires dual enrollment. After registering for USD credit and paying the tuition fee, you must also register with LERN. LERN link is below.
Course Description: This is an online offering in a how to format where students will learn the practical and proven skills in Contract Training from proven best practices and skilled practitioners. After attending the Contract Institute, students will be prepared to boost contracts, increase Operating Margin as well as net, and price contracts for the highest return. This training can lead to a Contract Training Certificate by passing the Certification Exam.
Register Here with LERN
AHED 790: LERN Operations Institute Online
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Instructor: Travette Webster
Dates: March 3, 2025 - May 9, 2025
Location: Online
Credit Hours: 3
Fees: $120
*This course requires dual enrollment. After registering for USD credit and paying the tuition fee, you must also register with LERN. LERN link is below.
Course Description: This course is designed to explore the best practices and strategies that maximize the effectiveness of a lifelong learning operations department. It provides an overview of theory-based techniques for operations management, including business principles, staffing structure, finances and benchmarks, job standards and competencies, and data collection and analysis. Participants will discuss suggested strategies and be prepared to take an Operations Institute exam after nine weeks of course participation.
Register Here with LERN
AHED 790: LERN Program Management Institute (4CR)
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Instructor: Julie Coates
Dates: March 3, 2025 - May 23, 2025
Location: Online
Credit Hours: 4
Fees: $160
*This course requires dual enrollment. After registering for USD credit and paying the tuition fee, you must also register with LERN. LERN link is below.
Course Description: This course is designed to train to analyze data to make the best decisions. Learn key financial formulas as well as design a winning brochure. You will learn how to increase registrations and start successful new programs. This training ends with the Certified Program Planner exam and eventual certification upon passing the exam.
Register Here with LERN
ELED 592: PBL Summer Institute Introduction and Application
Instructor: Melissa Hittner
Dates: July 28, 2025 - July 31, 2025
Location: In person in Jefferson High School, Sioux Falls, SD and Online
Credit Hours: 2
Fees: $80
* Please Note: You must first Register Here before you can enroll Here for graduate credits.
Course Description: Participants will plan a project-based learning (PBL) unit utilizing a project snapshot based on the model of PBL used in the Jefferson HS Project Based Learning Academy. The Project Based Learning Academy has worked in conjunction with the New Tech Network and the Buck Institute for Education. Participants will gain an understanding of the fundamental principles and classroom management strategies of a PBL classroom, and will work with experienced instructors and students immersed daily in the project based learning model.
SEED 592: PBL Summer Institute Introduction and Application
Instructor: Melissa Hittner
Dates: July 28, 2025 - July 31, 2025
Location: In person in Jefferson High School, Sioux Falls, SD and Online
Credit Hours: 2
Fees: $80
* Please Note: You must first Register Here before you can enroll Here for graduate credits.
Course Description: Participants will plan a project-based learning (PBL) unit utilizing a project snapshot based on the model of PBL used in the Jefferson HS Project Based Learning Academy. The Project Based Learning Academy has worked in conjunction with the New Tech Network and the Buck Institute for Education. Participants will gain an understanding of the fundamental principles and classroom management strategies of a PBL classroom, and will work with experienced instructors and students immersed daily in the project based learning model.