Educational Psychology
Self-paced online Educational Psychology course (Psychology 120). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →ArizonaTeachers
Arizona's 12-year certificate: 180 hours the easy way
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
Arizona's 12-year certificate needs 180 clock hours of professional development to renew, 15 for each year. Each semester hour of a qualifying course from an accredited institution counts as 15 clock hours, so four three-credit courses cover the whole 180. Spread them across the term and ask ADE in writing before you rely on online credit.
The arithmetic
ADE asks for 15 clock hours for every year of the certificate term. A 12-year term means 180 hours. R7-2-619 counts each semester hour of a qualifying course as 15 clock hours, so the conversion is simple.
| Course load | Semester hours | Clock hours |
|---|---|---|
| 1 three-credit course | 3 | 45 |
| 2 three-credit courses | 6 | 90 |
| 3 three-credit courses | 9 | 135 |
| 4 three-credit courses | 12 | 180 |
A plan across twelve years
Nobody needs to cram 180 hours into the final year. A course every three years covers the term with room to spare, and district training adds hours along the way.
Many teachers prefer to do a little each year: district workshops in most years, plus one course in a year when they have time. Keep every record in one folder so the renewal takes an evening rather than a weekend.
- Years 1-3: district training plus one course (45 hours).
- Years 4-6: one course (45 hours).
- Years 7-9: one course (45 hours).
- Years 10-12: one course (45 hours) and renew.
Choosing courses that count
R7-2-619 counts courses related to education or to a subject taught in Arizona schools. Pick courses that fit your classroom: educational psychology or psychology of diversity for any teacher, history for social studies, statistics for math.
Avoid courses that are hard to link to education or your subject. If you are unsure, ask ADE before you start.
The accredited institution question
The rule asks for courses from an accredited institution. UPI Study is not accredited and is not a college. Its courses carry ACE or NCCRS recommendations, and partner colleges such as TESU, a regionally accredited college, consider that kind of credit and can list it on their own transcript.
Whether ADE counts that transcript under R7-2-619 is ADE's decision. Email Educator Certification with the course names, the partner college and the clock hours you expect, and keep the reply with your renewal records.
If ADE says no to the partner college route, you still have options: district professional development, conferences within the yearly cap, or courses taken directly at an accredited college such as a Maricopa community college. Asking first means you never pay for hours that cannot be used.
Cost compared
Maricopa Community Colleges charge county residents $97 per credit hour in 2026-27, so 12 semester hours cost about $1,164 before books, from an accredited institution. On UPI Study PRO at $99 a month, four self-paced courses in two to three months cost about $198-$297, plus the partner college's fee, if ADE agrees in writing.
Your renewal checklist
Before you submit, check that every item in your folder has a date, a title and an hour count, and that course hours are backed by a college transcript.
- Certificate term and expiry date from the ADE portal
- Written reply from ADE on any online course route
- College transcripts showing semester hours
- District and conference records within ADE's yearly caps
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask ADE Educator Certification in writing whether the partner college transcript would count under R7-2-619 before you enrol.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. ACE and NCCRS review our courses and recommend credit; a college decides whether to give that credit and records it on its own transcript.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
Questions people ask
Can I do all 180 Arizona renewal hours in the last year?
ADE says the hours may be built up in different amounts across the term, so finishing late is allowed as long as the total is in place before the certificate expires. Spreading courses across the term is less stressful and leaves time to fix any gaps.
Does a 3-credit course equal 45 hours in Arizona?
Yes. R7-2-619 counts each semester hour as 15 clock hours, so a three-credit qualifying course from an accredited institution equals 45 clock hours toward renewal. Four such courses make 180 hours, the full amount for a 12-year certificate, and two make 90, half of it.
Who do I ask about whether a course counts for Arizona renewal?
The Arizona Department of Education's Educator Certification unit. Ask by email, naming the course, the college transcript it will appear on and the clock hours you expect, and keep the written reply.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
Psychology of Diversity
Self-paced online Psychology of Diversity course (Psychology 112). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
US History 1
Self-paced online US History 1 course (HIST 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →Start when you have it in writing
Ask ADE in writing first, then take the courses that fit what you teach.
Sources
- Arizona Department of Education: Educator Certification, Renew Your Certification (official)15 clock hours per year of the certificate term: 180 hours for a 12-year certificate (all issued since August 2017), 120 for an 8-year certificate (issued 2016-2017); one semester hour equals 15 clock hours; conferences and workshops capped at 30 clock hours a year. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Ariz. Admin. Code R7-2-619, Renewal Requirements (Cornell LII copy)Courses related to education or a subject area taught in Arizona schools, taken from an accredited institution, count; each semester hour equals 15 clock hours of professional development. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Maricopa Community Colleges: Tuition and fees (official)Maricopa County residents pay $97 per credit hour for lower-division courses in 2026-27, unchanged for a fourth year. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.