Educational Psychology
Bears on professional practice for most teaching certificates.
Self-paced online Educational Psychology course (Psychology 120). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →PennsylvaniaTeachers
Pennsylvania teaching certificate Level II: what the 24 credits can be
Checked 15 Nov 2026 by the team. Sources are listed at the end of the page.
The short answer
To move a Pennsylvania teaching certificate from Level I to Level II, PDE asks for 24 semester credits earned after your bachelor's degree, at least 6 in your certificate area or professional practice, plus 3 years of satisfactory service, induction and the PDE 427 assessment, all within 6 service years. Undergraduate credits can count. Act 48 hours do not.
The rule
Under CSPG 7, a Pennsylvania Level I certificate holder needs 24 semester-hour credits earned after the bachelor's degree, at least 6 of them in the certificate content area or improving professional practice, plus 3 years of satisfactory Pennsylvania service, a PDE-approved induction programme and the PDE 427 assessment, before 6 years of actual service.
The rule asks for 24 semester credits after the bachelor's; at least 6 in the content area or professional practice. The legal source is CSPG 7.
| Requirement | What PDE says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Credits | 24 semester credits earned after the bachelor's degree | [1] |
| Relevance | At least 6 in the Level I content area or improving professional practice | [1] |
| Where from | Graduate or undergraduate credits from an accredited or state-approved degree-granting institution; PDE-approved IU credits | [1] |
| Act 48 hours | Do not count toward the 24 credits | [1] |
| Service and induction | 3 years of satisfactory Pennsylvania service; PDE-approved induction with mentoring | [1] |
| Time limit | Level I is valid for 6 years of actual service; apply before then | [1] |
Who decides
Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), educator certification decides how this rule applies to you. We read its published rule and the pages below; each was checked on 15 Nov 2026.
Which credits count
What counts
- Graduate or undergraduate credits earned after your bachelor's at a regionally or nationally accredited institution.
- Credits from a state-approved associate, baccalaureate or graduate degree-granting institution.
- PDE-approved credits (not Act 48 hours) from intermediate units, on IU letterhead with a raised seal or an official IU transcript.
- Credits used for initial certification, if earned after the bachelor's was conferred.
What does not count
- Act 48 hours.
- Credits earned before your bachelor's degree was conferred.
- Credits in medicine, law, theology or real estate, unless you show relevance to your certificate and assignment.
- A recommendation alone: the credit must appear on a transcript from an eligible institution.
Courses that fit
Each course below is ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended for college credit. Whether it counts here is the decision of the college and of Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), educator certification.
Psychology of Diversity
Relevant to classroom practice with diverse learners.
Self-paced online Psychology of Diversity course (Psychology 112). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Abnormal Psychology
Useful background for teachers working with students with needs.
Self-paced online Abnormal Psychology course (Psychology 180). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →Research Methods in Psychology
Supports data-based teaching and action research.
Self-paced online Research Methods in Psychology course (Psychology 111). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Principles of Statistics
Content-area fit for maths certificates; practice fit for assessment work.
Self-paced online Principles of Statistics course (Statistics 101). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Ethics in Technology
Relevant to technology and digital citizenship teaching.
Self-paced online Ethics in Technology course (Computer Science 195). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →The path via a college transcript
- Count your service yearsPDE does not track them; Level II must be applied for before 6 years of actual Pennsylvania service.
- List the credits you already haveAny credits earned after your bachelor's, including those used for initial certification, may already count.
- Ask PDE in writing about a course and its transcriptName the course, its ACE or NCCRS recommendation and the college whose transcript would show it, and ask if PDE would count it.
- Plan the 6 relevant creditsChoose at least 6 credits tied to your certificate area or that improve professional practice.
- Finish induction and the PDE 427Complete district induction and have the PDE 427 verified in TIMS, then apply in TIMS.
Thomas Edison State University (TESU), University of the People and Newlane University are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit. Whether PDE counts a given transcript for Level II is PDE's decision.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
What it costs
| Option | Price | For this rule | Price checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPI Study PRO | $99 a month, every course | $99 for each month you are subscribed; take as many courses as you finish in that time | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Westmoreland County Community College, county resident | $149 per credit plus $75 per credit general fee | 24 credits: about $5,376 | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Westmoreland County Community College, out of county | $292 per credit plus $79 per credit in fees | 24 credits: about $8,904 | 15 Nov 2026 |
Prices checked 15 Nov 2026. Intermediate unit credits are often the cheapest route; ask your IU for its price. Community college credit arrives on that college's own transcript.
What UPI Study cannot do here
- UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. PDE looks for credit on a transcript from an accredited or state-approved degree-granting institution. A UPI Study course helps only if such a college reviews it and posts the credit.
- We cannot tell you PDE will count a particular transcript; PDE decides when it reviews your Level II application.
- Our courses are not Act 48 hours and do not replace induction, service years or the PDE 427.
- We do not file anything in TIMS for you.
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.
Confirm in writing first
Before you enrol, email PDE certification and ask, in writing, whether credit for the named course posted on the named college's transcript would count toward your 24 Level II credits.
The Level II rule in plain words
A Pennsylvania Level I certificate is valid for 6 years of actual service in Pennsylvania, not calendar years, and PDE does not count them for you. Before those 6 service years run out, you apply for Level II in TIMS. The rule is set out in PDE's Certification and Staffing Policy Guidelines, CSPG 7, with CSPG 3 on validity and CSPG 20 on induction.
Level II has four parts: 24 semester credits earned after your bachelor's degree, 3 years of satisfactory Pennsylvania service, a PDE-approved induction programme with mentoring, and the PDE 427 assessment (427 A for instructional, 427 B for educational specialists), which is verified electronically in TIMS.
- 24 credits after the bachelor's, at least 6 in your area or professional practice.
- 3 years of satisfactory, full-time Pennsylvania service.
- PDE-approved induction with mentoring; out-of-state induction does not substitute.
- PDE 427 verified in TIMS; do not mail the forms.
What kinds of credits count
PDE's page is unusually clear. Graduate or undergraduate credits count if they were earned at a regionally or nationally accredited institution or at a state-approved associate, baccalaureate or graduate degree-granting institution. PDE-approved credits from intermediate units also count, on IU letterhead with a raised seal or an official IU transcript. Credits you used for initial certification count if you earned them after your bachelor's was conferred.
Credits in medicine, law, theology or real estate do not count unless you show they are relevant to your certificate and assignment. And Act 48 hours, the professional development hours that keep a certificate active, do not count toward the 24.
Where online, recommended credit may fit
Because PDE looks for a transcript from an eligible institution, an ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended course helps only if a college reviews it and posts the credit on its own transcript. Then PDE reviews that transcript like any other. Ask PDE in writing before you enrol: name the course, the recommendation and the college whose transcript would show it.
Undergraduate credit counting toward Level II is what makes this route worth asking about. Courses such as Educational Psychology, Psychology of Diversity and Research Methods bear on professional practice for most teachers; statistics or a subject course may fit your content area. Compare the route with your intermediate unit's PDE-approved credits, which are often the simplest option.
Questions people ask
How many credits do I need for Level II in Pennsylvania?
PDE asks for 24 semester-hour credits earned after your bachelor's degree was conferred, at least 6 of them in your Level I content area or in something that improves professional practice. You also need 3 years of service, induction and the PDE 427.
Do undergraduate credits count toward Level II?
Yes. PDE says graduate or undergraduate credits earned at a regionally or nationally accredited institution, or at a state-approved degree-granting institution, count, as long as they were earned after your bachelor's degree was conferred.
Do Act 48 hours count toward the 24 Level II credits?
No. PDE says Act 48 hours do not count toward the 24 credits. PDE-approved intermediate unit credits do count, and PDE treats Act 48 and Level II as separate requirements.
How long do I have to get Level II in Pennsylvania?
Level I is valid for 6 years of actual service in Pennsylvania, not calendar years. You must complete the requirements and apply before those 6 service years end. PDE does not track your service years for you.
Can online courses count toward Level II?
Online courses from an accredited or state-approved college count like any other college credit. A course with an ACE or NCCRS recommendation helps only if a college posts the credit on its transcript. Ask PDE in writing about the exact transcript first.
What is the PDE 427 for Level II?
It is the assessment of your teaching completed by your employer: Form PDE 427 A for instructional certificates and 427 B for educational specialists. PDE says it is verified electronically through TIMS and you should not submit the forms yourself.
Read next
- Act 48 hours vs Level II credits: not the same thingAct 48 hours and Level II credits are two separate Pennsylvania rules. Act 48 keeps any certificate active with 6 collegiate credits, 6 CPE credits...
- Can undergraduate credits count toward Level II in Pennsylvania?Yes. PDE says graduate or undergraduate credits count toward Level II if they were earned after your bachelor's degree at a regionally or nationally...
The same topic in nearby states
Ready when you have it in writing
Ask PDE in writing about the course and the transcript before you enrol.
Sources
- PDE: Level I to Level II (official)24 semester-hour credits after the bachelor's; at least 6 in the Level I content area or improving professional practice; graduate or undergraduate credits from a regionally or nationally accredited or state-approved degree-granting institution; PDE-approved IU credits; Act 48 hours do not count; 3 years' service; induction; PDE 427; Level I valid 6 service years; CSPG 3, 7, 20. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- PDE: General Act 48 FAQ (official)Act 48: 6 collegiate credits, 6 CPE credits, 180 hours or a combination every 5 years; Act 48 and Level I to Level II conversion are separate issues. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Westmoreland County Community College: Tuition and fees 2026-27 (official)2026-27 tuition $149 per credit for county residents plus a $75 per credit general fee; $292 out of county plus $73 and $6 fees. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Westmoreland: Tuition and feesPrice for Westmoreland County Community College, county resident, checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Westmoreland: Tuition and feesPrice for Westmoreland County Community College, out of county, checked on 15 Nov 2026.