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Streamline your professional growth with PDPs accepted by MA DESE for license renewal, and graduate-level credits from UMass Global for salary lane advancement.
Only $240 per 3-Credit Graduate Level Course
Renew your 5-year Professional License with 150 PDPs. Every 3-credit course converts to 67.5 PDPs.
Professional Development for the busy Massachusetts Teacher.
Accepted by many Massachusetts school districts for salary lane advancement.
Browse our catalog of graduate-level courses and select the ones that fit your goals. Syllabi available Upon Request if required by your school district.
Complete the checkout process on this website and you will immediately be enrolled in our loyalty program. Refer friends and take multiple courses to earn Upward Rewards!
Check your inbox for your welcome packet and dive right in. Complete your coursework 100% online anytime between one and six months from registration.
Maximize Your Massachusetts Teacher Salary & Simplify Your License Renewal
Satisfy Your Cycle: Just 3 of our courses meet the full 150 Professional Development Point (PDP) requirement to renew your 5-year Massachusetts Professional License.
Streamline Your Categories: Easily check off the mandatory DESE distribution requirements, including the 15 PDPs required in Special Education/Students with Disabilities and 15 PDPs in SEI/ESL.
Hassle-Free ELAR Documentation: Because your official transcript comes directly from a regionally accredited university (UMass Global), it serves as the primary verification accepted by the Massachusetts DESE. Skip the stress of tracking dozens of individual vendor certificates.
Note: Because Massachusetts school districts negotiate local collective bargaining agreements independently, we always recommend confirming your course selections with your district administrator or union rep first. Syllabi are available Upon Request if required by your district.
Email your completed coursework to support@upwardteachers.com. We evaluate your coursework within 7 days.
Order your Graduate-Credit course transcripts through UMass Global.
Note: UMass Global is a separate organization from Upward. For questions regarding transcripts or your university account, please email exed@umassglobal.edu
Every referral and course registration helps you earn larger and larger gift cards through our Upward Rewards program, usable at hundreds of retailers!
To renew a five-year Professional License, Massachusetts educators must complete 150 Professional Development Points (PDPs).
Most teachers opt to satisfy this 150 PDP requirement by completing three Upward 3-credit graduate courses.
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) accepts graduate-level credits at an official conversion rate of 1 semester credit hour to 22.5 Professional Development Points (PDPs).
This means a single 3-credit course from Upward provides 67.5 PDPs.
Your 150 PDPs must include a minimum of 15 PDPs in each of the following four areas:
The remaining 90 PDPs can be fulfilled through any combination of elective courses that improve student learning.
For courses taken through Upward, your official university transcript from UMass Global serves as the primary documentation required by DESE to verify your PDPs.
Very often, YES. Because these are graduate-level credits from a regionally accredited partner (UMass Global), they are designed to meet district requirements for salary lane movement (such as M+15 or M+30).
Educators should confirm prior approval with their specific district office.
