Earn Graduate-Level Credit for Your Professional Development
The University of San Diego’s Division of Professional & Continuing Education (PCE) partners with leading organizations to provide graduate-level extension units for professional development programs. These online credit validation courses recognize the valuable learning that takes place in trainings, conferences, and workshops, allowing educators to earn official academic credit for their professional growth.
On this page, educators can explore all currently available online credit validation courses offered through USD’s partnerships. Each course is designed to support teacher development, expand professional skill sets, and strengthen instructional practices, while providing flexibility for busy educators.
This course provides continuing education for teachers in the public and private schools (general education, special education, specialists), administrators, psychologists, private practitioners (academic language therapists, tutors, speech & language pathologists, parents, and lifetime scholars).
Audience: Teachers in public and private schools (general education, special education, specialists), administrators, psychologists, private practitioners (academic language therapists, tutors, speech and language pathologists), parents, and lifetime learners.
Refund Policy: All Credit Validation enrollments are refundable, less a $25 fee, if requested within 30 days of enrollment date. There will be no refunds for Credit Validation after the allotted 30 days.
Enrollment Open Through: December 31, 2025 (11:59pm PST)
This course equips educators with innovative, evidence-based strategies to create inclusive, engaging, and effective learning environments. Participants will develop practical skills in goal setting, scaffolding, and critical thinking to enhance lesson design and improve student outcomes.
Audience: College Advisors, College Mentors, Student Success Coaches, Teachers, Tutors, Facilitators, Paraprofessionals
Enrollment Open Through: December 31, 2025 (11:59pm PT)
This course offers educators and professionals the opportunity to earn graduate credit while advancing their knowledge of laboratory safety through The Laboratory Safety Institute (LSI). Participants will explore key topics such as chemical handling, emergency planning, OSHA standards, and safety program development through intensive, hands-on training.
Audience: Intended for industrial, government, and medical professionals, as well as teachers and staff at secondary and postsecondary academic institutions.
Earn one unit with this course from Study Smart Tutors.
Audience: Educational leaders, college advisors, mentors, student success coaches, teachers, and program coordinators
Enrollment Open Through: March 1 – December 31, 2025 (11:59pm PT)
This course introduces educators to the key concepts and practices of Shared Inquiry™, the Great Books Foundation’s collaborative approach to teaching and learning. Participants will learn to lead discussions, prepare interpretive questions, and use follow-up questions effectively to foster deeper student engagement and critical thinking.
Audience: K-12 Educators
Refund Policy: All Credit Validation enrollments are refundable, less a $25 fee, if requested within 30 days of enrollment date. There will be no refunds for Credit Validation courses after the allotted 30 days.
Earn your environmental educator certificate from AEOE with this online program.
Earn one unit with this course from FEA.
Audience: FEA/NEA members
Enrollment Open: January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025 (11:59pm PT)
Earn one unit with this course from NEA.
Audience: NEA/FEA members
Earn one unit with this course from DoDEA.
Earn one unit with this course from Your Classroom Academy.
Participants will learn key terminology and techniques used in the Orton-Gillingham (O-G) approach, including V/A/TK strategies and the use of multisensory teaching for phoneme isolation. They will also explore the seven syllable types, syllable division, word patterns, and the use of real and nonsense words to strengthen reading and language skills.
Investigate words along with your students (dyslexic and non-dyslexic) to learn the true underlying structure
Audience: K–12 educators (general education, special education, reading specialists), administrators, psychologists, counselors, and education professionals/private practitioners (academic language therapists, tutors, speech-language pathologists), parents, and lifelong learners.
Enrollment Open: October 27, 2025 – November 6, 2025 (11:59pm PT)
Earn 1 unit of credit for completing this course with MARIO education.
Audience: Participants completing the course before December 31, 2024.
Educators can earn one graduate unit for completing this online self-paced course with MARIO education.
Private school educators will benefit from a wide range of inclusive strategies for student support.
Directions to Enrolled Participants for University Credit: Submit your Certificate of Completion by email to [email protected] after enrolling for credit and completing the course.
K-2 reading teachers will broaden their foundational reading strategies.
Step 1: Browse Available CoursesExplore all eligible online courses on this page offered in partnership with USD.
Step 2: Select a CourseClick on the course title and View Course to view full details. In the course details section, you will find the partner organization’s website link or contact information to complete enrollment for the course.
Step 3: Register with the Partner OrganizationComplete your registration directly with the partner organization. Follow their instructions to begin the course and pay any required enrollment fees.
Step 4: Register for University CreditAfter confirming your registration with the partner organization, return to USD’s website.
Step 5: Complete the CourseParticipate fully in the online course through the partner organization and complete all required assignments, activities, and assessments.
Step 6: Partner Organization Submits GradesAfter you finish, the partner organization will submit your final grade to USD or you will be required to submit a certificate of completion to [email protected].
Step 7: Receive Your TranscriptOnce your grade has been processed, USD will issue an official transcript reflecting your earned credit. Transcripts are mailed to the address listed in your USD student account.
The curriculum varies by course and partner organization but is united by a shared focus on professional growth and instructional excellence. Educators engage with high-quality online learning experiences that may include interactive modules, readings, projects, and collaborative discussions.
These courses are designed to build knowledge, strengthen skills, and promote the application of best practices in real educational contexts, giving educators flexible opportunities to advance their professional practice.
Participants in the Online Credit Validation Courses can expect the following benefits:
USD’s Division of Professional and Continuing Education is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges – Senior College and University Commission (WASC). Additionally, University of San Diego is ranked among the Top 100 U.S. colleges and universities by U.S. News and World Report.
The Professional and Continuing Education program nurtures key partnerships on the local, national, and international level. The goal is to better serve working professionals who seek to enhance or build their careers and help achieve their highest value and potential. Contact us today to learn more.
High-quality, career-building courses to choose from
In-depth, innovative, and relevant topics
Career advancing certificates
Yes. Participants will receive an official transcript from USD’s Division of Professional & Continuing Education, mailed to the address on file in their USD student account.
For enrollment or technical support, contact our Enrollment and Student Services team at [email protected]. For course-specific questions, reach out to the instructor or program contact listed on the course page.
$79 per unit (transcript included). Tuition is based on the number of units assigned to the course. Fees are listed on the individual course pages.
This depends on the course. Some are fully self-paced, while others may include scheduled online sessions, peer collaboration, or assignment deadlines. Details are provided on each course page.
Each course page provides registration details and instructions. You’ll select your course, complete enrollment, and receive confirmation via email.
In most districts, yes, many educators use these courses to meet continuing education requirements or move up on the salary schedule. We recommend confirming with your district or state licensing agency before enrolling.
K–12 teachers, instructional leaders, administrators, and education professionals seeking professional growth, continuing education, or pay scale advancement.
These are professional development courses created by partner organizations and offered online through USD’s Division of Professional & Continuing Education. They allow educators to expand their knowledge and skills while earning graduate-level extension credit.
One common denominator among the most successful organizations is that they prioritize educational and professional development opportunities for their members, and one way to accomplish this is to support training programs and courses that will help them excel in their jobs and careers.
Such professional growth opportunities can occur through established third-party programs or, in some cases, organizations will create their own customized, in-house training programs to boost specific knowledge and skill sets. Many organizations also find it beneficial to partner with an academic institution or an industry advocacy organization to be able to offer official credit to successful participants.
1. Submit New Course or New Section Form(s) 2. Confirmation of form(s) receipt 3. Review / Modify enrollment page(s) from Credit Validation Coordinator 4. Upon course completion, request grade roster and return grades 5. Credit Validator enters grades 6. Complimentary transcripts are emailed to students
Some organizations may use the term “course accreditation” to mean providing accreditation (or “credit validation”) services for the types of training programs described above. Additionally, organizations seeking such services may use one or both terms interchangeably (“credit validation” and/or “course accreditation”) to search for an education partner/provider.
This can cause confusion because the term “accreditation” more commonly refers to the system of third-party quality control long used to ensure that institutions of higher education satisfy certain standards (for example, the University of San Diego is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges).
Sponsoring businesses and organizations that partner with USD for credit validation receive:
-Added value to your program, by offering credit options -Competitive and affordable fees -Flexibility to tailor and update your courses as required -Personalized white-glove service from your USD program coordinator -Support from a dedicated enrollment and student services team -Affiliation with an accredited, nationally recognized university -Over 25 years of credit validation expertise -In addition to earning credit while developing new knowledge and skills, each successful participant receives a free printed transcript from USD.
Organizations that partner with USD in these offerings include private companies, nonprofits, public agencies such as school districts or county education offices, and professional organizations. Some of the organizations that partner with USD for credit validation services include:
AVID Path to Schoolwide and AVID ElevateXP National Geographic Society Montessori Institute of San Diego Dyslexia Training Institute National Council of Teachers of English San Diego Zoo Mathematics Vision Project Great Books Foundation Museum of Tolerance
12.5 hours are required per 1.0 unit.
$79 per 1 unit.
Email [email protected]. Fill out the Course Approval Request form and the Instructor Approval Request form and return to your person of contact at USD.
Credit validation units can be classroom, online, or a combination of both. Assignments and readings can count towards the time requirement. Credit can also be earned for attending a conference.
DoDEA representative completes their own regional form and gets it approved by the school principal, area supervisor, subject specialist, or area superintendent. Then the form is emailed to [email protected] for approval.
15.0 hours are required per 1.0 unit.
Graduate Level Extension Credit.
It is the responsibility of the participant to confirm with their school district/organization if our units will be accepted before registering for credit.
Participants typically have 10 days from the start date of the course to register unless otherwise specified by the DoDEA POC. Registration can open any time before the course actually begins but registration typically closes 10 days after the start date (DoDEA policy).
Participants requesting an INC have 60 days from the end date of the course to complete it. If they do not complete the course within that time frame, they will be issued an NG. If the DoDEA POC would like more time for the student, this is acceptable.
No, they are not. They are instructors on a volunteer basis and are not USD PCE staff.
No, they do not. They usually use their own learning system such as Schoology. Since DoDEA courses are not USD developed courses, they do not have the option of using Canvas.