About the Program
The Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) certificate program is offered at the Penn State Berks in an evening study program. Classes are hands on and provide students with the skills needed to become experts in automation design.
Certificate Requirements
Students seeking to be awarded the PLC for Industry Certificate must complete the courses in the following order and earn a final minimal grade of “C”:
- PLC Basics – EE 7320
- PLC Intermediate: Drives – EE 7318
- PLC Intermediate: ControlLogix - EE 7010
- PLC Intermediate: PanelView – EE 7319
- PLC Intermediate: Loop Control – EE 7321
- PLC Advanced – EE 7317
Career Potential
Multiple manufacturing companies throughout the Reading, PA area are looking for applicants with PLC skills. Job titles include Mechanical Technician, Maintenance Technician, and Controls Engineer.
Source: Burning Glass Technologies’ Labor Insight™ Real-time Labor Market Information tool.
Meet the Instructor
Frank Kaczmarcyzk earned a M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Lehigh University and has worked as an Electrical Engineer for over 25 years. He is the lead instructor for the PLC classes at Penn State Berks for over 20 years.
Course Offerings
PLC Basics – EE 7320
This introductory course will teach basics involved with Allen-Bradley PLCs and Programmable Logic Controllers with RSLogic software, but the concepts taught apply to the PLCs of other manufacturers.
Dates: Tuesdays, September 2 - October 21, 2025
Time: 6:30-9:30pm
Room: Gaige 114
Cost: $650
Register
PLC Intermediate: Drives – EE 7318
The introduction to digital drives will teach students configuration and set-up, downloading and uploading, choosing a drive, communications and control for remote I/O and Device Net.
Dates: Tuesdays, October 28 - November 18, 2024
Times: 6:30-9:30pm
Room: Gaige 114
Cost: $325
REGISTER
PLC Intermediate: ControlLogix – EE 7010
This introduction to ControlLogix is for users already familiar with RSLogix500 or RSLogix5 and need to understand the basics of the ControlLogix processor. Students will have hands on practice with a Compact and will be introduced to all programming modes along with Data Structures, aliasing, and I/O.
Dates: Coming Soon!
Times: 6:00-9:00pm
Room: 114 Gaige
Cost: $325
Register
PLC Intermediate: PanelView – EE 7319
The introduction to PanelView will teach students communications, creating screens, downloading, uploading, tag organization, pushbuttons, message displays, alarm messages, alarm banners, and importing user-developed objects.
Dates: Coming Soon!
Time: 6:00-9:00 pm
Room: Gaige 114
Cost: $325
PLC Intermediate: Loop Control – EE 7321
This course is designed to introduce students to the PID algorithm with emphasis on tuning the loop. Students will gain knowledge and practice on the methods of tuning.
Dates: Tuesdays, November 25 - December 16, 2025
Time: 6:30-9:30pm
Room: Gaige 114
Cost: $325
REGISTER
PLC Advanced – EE 7317
This course is designed to expose students to the next level of understanding with the Allen-Bradley PLCs, SLC-500 Programmable Logic Controllers and CompactLogix Controllers. Students will concentrate on Ethernet communications, structure programming, file organization techniques, data table organization techniques, indirect addressing, maximizing scan time, SLC-500 block transfers, PIDs, STIs, sequences, alarming annunciation shortcuts, and serial communications.
Dates: Coming Soon!
Time: 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Room: Gaige 114
Cost: $650
Contact Erica Kunkel to register in PLC Advance: els5014@psu.edu or 610-396-6221
