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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Act 48 hours vs Level II credits: not the same thing
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
Act 48 hours and Level II credits are two separate Pennsylvania rules. Act 48 keeps any certificate active with 6 collegiate credits, 6 CPE credits or 180 hours every 5 years. Level II needs 24 semester credits after your bachelor's. PDE says Act 48 hours do not count toward the 24, so plan each one on its own.
Two rules, two purposes
Act 48 of 1999 is about keeping a certificate active. Every certificate holder, Level I or Level II, employed or not, must earn six semester credits of collegiate study, six CPE credits of PDE-approved continuing professional education, 180 hours of continuing professional education through a PDE-approved provider, or a combination, every five years.
Level II is about converting a provisional Level I certificate into a permanent one. It needs 24 semester credits earned after your bachelor's degree, 3 years of service, induction and the PDE 427, all before 6 years of actual service. PDE's own FAQ says Act 48 and the Level I to Level II conversion are separate issues.
| Act 48 | Level II | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Keep certificate active | Convert Level I to permanent |
| Amount | 6 credits, 6 CPE credits or 180 hours | 24 semester credits |
| Time | Every 5 years | Before 6 years of actual service |
| Act 48 hours count? | Yes | No |
Why the confusion happens
Both rules involve professional learning, both are tracked by PDE, and many workshops advertise Act 48 hours. A teacher can finish 180 hours of district workshops and still have zero Level II credits, because hours are not semester credits. The reverse is less of a problem: collegiate credits can also be part of Act 48 compliance, because collegiate study is one of the Act 48 options.
So the safe planning rule is to treat semester credits as the scarce item. Hours are for Act 48 only; credits can serve Level II and may also be reported for Act 48.
What counts for Level II
PDE lists what counts toward the 24 credits.
- Graduate or undergraduate credits earned after the bachelor's at a regionally or nationally accredited institution.
- Credits from a state-approved associate, baccalaureate or graduate degree-granting institution.
- PDE-approved intermediate unit credits, not Act 48 hours, on IU letterhead with a raised seal or an official IU transcript.
- At least 6 of the 24 in your content area or improving professional practice.
Planning one course to help with both
If a semester-credit course meets Level II, ask whether it can also be reported toward your Act 48 period. PDE's Act 48 FAQ lists six semester credits of collegiate study as one option, and its Options to Earn Act 48 FAQ explains acceptable sources. Ask PDE before assuming one course does both jobs.
Keep a simple log with two columns, Level II credits and Act 48 hours or credits, and add the transcript or certificate for each item as you finish it. That makes the TIMS application faster and avoids gaps.
Where recommended credit fits
An ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended course is not an Act 48 hour and is not a Level II credit by itself. It becomes semester credit only when a college reviews it and posts the credit on its transcript. If the college is accredited or state-approved and PDE agrees, that transcript can be part of your 24 credits. UPI Study is not accredited, so ask PDE in writing about the specific course and college first.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
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.
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 use Act 48 hours for my Level II?
No. PDE says Act 48 hours do not count toward the 24 Level II credits. You need semester credits from an eligible institution or PDE-approved intermediate unit credits, earned after your bachelor's degree was conferred.
Do Level II teachers still need Act 48?
Yes. PDE says all educators must comply with Act 48 regardless of Level I or Level II status, earning 6 collegiate credits, 6 CPE credits, 180 hours or a combination every five years to keep the certificate active.
Are intermediate unit credits the same as Act 48 hours?
Not always. PDE counts PDE-approved IU credits toward Level II, but says Act 48 hours from an IU do not count. Ask your IU whether a course carries credits or hours before you sign up.
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 →Start 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.