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 →PennsylvaniaTeachers
Can undergraduate credits count toward Level II in Pennsylvania?
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
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 accredited institution or a state-approved degree-granting institution. At least 6 of the 24 must relate to your certificate area or professional practice. Confirm a specific course with PDE in writing first.
What PDE's page says
PDE's Level I to Level II page lists graduate or undergraduate credits earned at a regionally or nationally accredited institution as acceptable, and adds state-approved associate, baccalaureate or graduate degree-granting institutions. The credits must be earned after your bachelor's degree was conferred. Credits used for your initial certificate also count if they came after the bachelor's.
This makes Pennsylvania unusual: many states ask for graduate credit for a permanent certificate. In Pennsylvania, a community college course can count, which can make Level II far cheaper.
Before planning new courses, list every credit you have earned since your bachelor's: a graduate course, a community college class or IU credits may already cover part of the 24. Your college transcripts show the dates, which is what PDE checks.
The 6 relevant credits
At least 6 of the 24 must be in the content area of your Level I certificate or in something that improves professional practice. The other 18 are more flexible, but PDE excludes medicine, law, theology and real estate unless you show relevance to your certificate and assignment.
For an elementary teacher, professional practice courses such as Educational Psychology or Psychology of Diversity are a natural fit. A secondary maths teacher might use Principles of Statistics as a content course. Ask PDE if you are unsure.
- Educational Psychology: professional practice.
- Psychology of Diversity: professional practice.
- Research Methods in Psychology: professional practice, data use.
- Principles of Statistics: content area for maths.
Cost of undergraduate routes
Prices checked 15 Nov 2026. A community college posts credit on its own transcript; an online recommended course needs a college to review it first.
| Route | Price | 24 credits |
|---|---|---|
| Westmoreland CCC, county resident | $149 + $75 fee per credit | about $5,376 |
| Westmoreland CCC, out of county | $292 + $79 fees per credit | about $8,904 |
| UPI Study PRO | $99 a month | about $495-$792 plus any college transcript fee |
| Intermediate unit credits | Ask your IU | Varies |
How recommended credit could reach PDE
PDE reviews transcripts, not recommendations. An ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended course becomes undergraduate credit only when a college reviews it and posts the credit on its own transcript. If that college is accredited or state-approved, PDE then decides on that transcript as it would any other.
Thomas Edison State University, University of the People and Newlane University are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit. Ask the college how it would post the credit and when the credit date would show, because PDE checks that credits were earned after your bachelor's.
The email to PDE
Send this before you enrol and keep the reply.
A reply that names the course and the college is the record you want. If PDE says it cannot pre-approve, ask what it looks for on the transcript so you can check that before you pay.
- Your name, certificate area and Level I issue date.
- The course name and its ACE or NCCRS recommendation.
- The college whose transcript would show the credit, and whether it is accredited or state-approved.
- Ask: would this credit count toward my 24 Level II credits, and toward the 6 relevant credits?
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
Do Level II credits have to be graduate level in Pennsylvania?
No. PDE says graduate or undergraduate credits count, if earned after your bachelor's at an accredited or state-approved degree-granting institution. Graduate credits may also help with a master's or salary step, so check your district's pay scale.
Do community college credits count toward Level II?
PDE lists state-approved associate degree-granting institutions, so community college credits earned after your bachelor's can count. Check that the course fits your 6 relevant credits if you need them. Ask the college for an official transcript once grades post, because PDE reviews the transcript in TIMS.
Can I use credits from before my bachelor's degree?
No. PDE says the 24 credits must be earned after your bachelor's degree was conferred. Credits used for initial certification count only if they were also earned after that date.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
Research Methods in Psychology
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
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 →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.
- 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.