Semester Credit Option
Six semester credits of undergraduate or graduate level course work taken through a through a regionally accredited four-year bachelor degree granting institution may be used for renewal of a professional educator license (program completed prior to September 1, 2004). Course work taken for renewal must be directly and substantively related to one or more of the licenses currently held by the applicant and/or enhance professional competence (e.g. adding new license area); and course work must be completed in the five-year period PRECEDING the July 1 start date of the new license (e.g. if your new license will start on July 1, 2011, the six semester credits must be completed between July 1, 2006 and June 30, 2011).
Course work that is taken as independent study, correspondence, or online for semester credit through a regionally accredited four-year bachelor degree granting institution are acceptable. Prior DPI approval is not required for course work earned through Wisconsin or out-of-state regionally accredited four-year bachelor degree granting institutions that meet the about critera.
RECOGNIZED REGIONAL ACCREDITATION ASSOCIATIONS:
- Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools of Higher Education
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges
- North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
- Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges
NOTE: To verify that a specific institution is accredited by one of the six recognized regional accreditation associations listed above, look it up by name on the U.S. Department of Education's
Institutional Accreditation Search site.
College/University Quarter Credits:
For colleges and universities operating on a quarter credit system, 1 quarter credit equals 2/3 semester credit; therefore 9 quarter credits are equivalent to 6 semester credits. Semester credits earned from two-year UW System campuses are accepted.
Wisconsin Technical College System Credits:
Wisconsin Technical College System Schools are not baccalaureate degree granting institutions, therefore, credits from these institutions are not accepted unless acceptable for transfer to a regionally accredited four-year degree bachelor granting institution. For coursework taken at a technical college system campus, please provide written documentation of one of the following:
Online Courses:
Course work that is completed online will be accepted for renewal of a Wisconsin educator's license if the following criteria are met. The course work must:
- be taken through a regionally accredited four-year bachelor degree granting institution.
- be taken for semester credit and can either be undergraduate or graduate level courses.
- be directly and substantively related to one or more of the licenses currently held by the applicant and/or enhance professional competence (e.g. adding new license area).
- be completed in the five-year period PRECEDING the July 1 start date of the new license (e.g. if your new license will start on July 1, 2011, the six semester credits must be completed between July 1, 2006 and June 30, 2011).
Original Transcripts and Grade Reports:
Submit original transcripts or grade reports documenting successful completion of coursework with your license renewal application. All transcripts submitted must be original, but do not need to be in a sealed envelope. Do not use highlighter to indicate courses on your transcript as it makes the information unreadable on DPI's imaging system.
Grade reports and transcripts printed via the internet will be accepted with the following required information is printed on it:
- Student Name
- College Name
- Course Title and Course Number
- Date Course Completed
- Semester Credits Earned
- Passing Grade (including passing or similar designation verifying satisfactory completion of course)
Further questions about the professional growth requirement should be directed to Educator Licensing
Last updated on 7/25/2011 2:26:16 PM
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