Educational Psychology
Self-paced online Educational Psychology course (Psychology 120). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
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From aide to teacher in Louisiana: making credits count twice
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
Going from paraprofessional to teacher in Louisiana takes two steps on one stack of credit. Bulletin 746 lets an aide qualify with 48 semester hours, and the same hours can count toward the bachelor's degree that teacher preparation needs. Alternate certification asks for a bachelor's from a 34 CFR 602 accredited college and a 2.20 GPA.
Why the credit route can pay off twice
A passing ETS ParaPathways score gets you into a paraprofessional job, but it does not count toward a degree. College credit does both. The 48 semester hours Bulletin 746 counts for a Title I paraprofessional are ordinary college hours, so a degree college may count them toward a bachelor's degree too.
That matters because almost every route to a Louisiana teaching certificate starts with a bachelor's degree.
What the teaching side asks for
Bulletin 746 section 528 sets the entry point for alternate certification. To get a pre-practitioner license while starting a practitioner teacher, certification-only or master's alternate program, you need:
- A non-education bachelor's degree from a college or university accredited under 34 CFR 602.
- A 2.20 or higher undergraduate GPA on a 4.00 scale to enter the program, or documented conditional admission.
- Content exams under section 303 of Bulletin 746; the program supports you while you work toward passing them.
- Mentoring by a school-based mentor teacher for each year on the pre-practitioner license.
Courses that fit both steps
Some courses do double duty. The paraprofessional rule fixes 15 hours of English composition, English/reading and mathematics, and almost every bachelor's degree has the same general education lines. The associate of arts pattern in Bulletin 746 also names teacher preparation choices such as educational psychology and child or adolescent development.
| Course | Paraprofessional (48 hours) | Bachelor's degree |
|---|---|---|
| English Composition 1 | English composition 3 hours | General education writing |
| English Composition 2 | English/reading, if the college counts it | General education writing |
| College Algebra | Mathematics 6 hours | General education maths |
| Educational Psychology | District-discretion hours | Elective or education course |
| Introduction to Psychology | District-discretion hours | Social science general education |
A plan that works while you earn
Step one is the paraprofessional job. Take the 15 set hours first and any courses the district names for the 33 others, or pass the ETS tests if that is faster and start taking credit once you are working.
Step two is the degree. Choose a degree college before you take more courses, so every hour fits its plan. TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit, and both hold the kind of accreditation the alternate certification rule names. ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
Step three is teacher preparation. With the degree and a 2.20 GPA, apply to a BESE-approved alternate program and work toward the content exams.
What to ask before you start
Put these questions in writing and keep the replies:
- District: which courses do you count for the 33 discretionary paraprofessional hours?
- Degree college: which of my planned courses will you count, and toward which requirements?
- Teacher preparation program: what GPA and content exams do you need for the subject I want to teach?
- Everyone: does the credit need to appear on a particular college's transcript?
Where UPI Study fits
UPI Study courses carry ACE or NCCRS credit recommendations and count only via a college transcript. On a $99 a month PRO plan you can take as many courses as you finish, so a working aide can take one or two a month. UPI Study is not a college, does not grant degrees and cannot issue a teaching license; the district, the college and the program decide.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask the hiring district in writing which route it will take and which courses it counts, and ask your college in writing which courses it will put on its transcript.
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 a paraprofessional become a teacher in louisiana
Yes, usually through a bachelor's degree and then a teacher preparation program. Bulletin 746 section 528 lets a candidate with a non-education bachelor's from a 34 CFR 602 accredited college and a 2.20 GPA start an alternate program on a pre-practitioner license.
do paraprofessional credits count toward a teaching degree
They can. The 48 hours are ordinary college credits, so a degree college may count them toward a bachelor's degree. Ask the college in writing which ones it counts before you take more courses.
what gpa do i need for alternate teacher certification in louisiana
Bulletin 746 section 528 asks for a 2.20 or higher undergraduate GPA on a 4.00 scale to enter a teacher preparation program, or documented conditional admission. Programs can set their own standards, so ask the program too.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
Introduction to Psychology
Self-paced online Introduction to Psychology course (Psychology 110). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
English Composition 2
Self-paced online English Composition 2 course (ENG 102). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →Start when you have it in writing
Already partway to 48 hours? Fill the English and maths hours your college and district have agreed to count.
Sources
- LAC 28:CXXXI.2103, Bulletin 746, Paraprofessional Qualifications (Louisiana Administrative Code, Office of the State Register) (official)Title I paraprofessionals hired after 8 January 2002 need a secondary school diploma or equivalent and one of: a state-approved assessment, an associate (or higher) degree, or two years of full-time study. Louisiana defines two years of full-time study as 48 semester credit hours from a state-approved institution or one accredited under 34 CFR 602: 15 hours of general education (English composition 3, English/reading 6, mathematics 6), and for the other 33 hours the credit shown on a transcript is at school district discretion. Districts should consider at least 3 hours of reading and 12 hours of paraprofessional courses; up to 12 hours may be developmental or remedial. An AA or AAS degree (60+ hours) also qualifies. Tests: ParaPro (1755), prior to August 31, 2026, score 450; ParaPathways (5758 Reading and Writing, score 332; 5759 Mathematics, score 334), effective June 1, 2026. Paraprofessionals not new to the profession may also use ACT WorkKeys plus on-the-job observation. Historical note: LR 48:474 (March 2022), amended LR 52:668 (May 2026). Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- LAC 28:CXXXI.528, Bulletin 746, Pre-Practitioner License (Louisiana Administrative Code) (official)Alternate certification entry: a non-education baccalaureate degree from a college or university accredited under 34 CFR 602 and a 2.20 or higher undergraduate GPA (or conditional admission) to enter a teacher preparation program; content exams per section 303. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.