Welcome, Missouri educators! Upward courses are offered for official graduate-level semester credit hours by UMass Global, a regionally accredited university.
Our university courses provide a direct path to satisfy the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) credit requirements necessary for upgrading your initial certificate and are a key tool for advancing your position on your district's salary schedule.
MO Initial & Career Certificate Maintenance
Missouri educators follow a clear path from their first day in the classroom to lifetime certification. Upward courses are designed to support you at every stage of that journey.
- Initial Professional Certificate (IPC) Upgrade: To move from your initial 4-year certificate to the Career Continuous (CCPC) level, you must complete 30 contact hours of professional development. One Upward 3-credit course (providing 45 hours) fully satisfies this requirement.
- Career Continuous Professional Certificate (CCPC) Maintenance: Once you hold a Career Certificate, Missouri requires 15 contact hours of PD annually until you reach exemption status (typically achieved by having a Master's degree and 10 years of experience). One Upward 1-credit or 3-credit course keeps your license active and compliant year after year.
- Official Credit Conversion: The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) accepts graduate credit from regionally accredited universities like UMass Global at a rate of 1 semester credit = 15 contact hours.
- Documentation: Your official university transcript serves as the verified record for your district's Professional Development Plan (PDP) log.
MO Educator Salary Advancement
The best part of using Upward university credit for your license is that it can double as currency for permanently increasing your salary. While you satisfy your 15 or 30 annual hours for the state, the same credits help you move across your district’s salary lanes (e.g., Master's +15, Master's +30).
Confirm your course selections with your district administrator, and get started today!
Get Started
Course Selection & Approval
Confirm requirements and approval with your district administrator and select your courses.
Checkout & Earn Rewards
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!
Complete Coursework
We'll email you your welcome packet, and you're all set! Complete coursework between one and six months (not earlier or before) from the date of your registration.
Graduate Level Courses
Earning Credit
- Email your completed coursework to support@upwardteachers.com
- Upward evaluates your coursework within one week of your submission, and submits your grade to UMass Global (our accredited university partner)
- UMass Global posts your grade within five business days of receiving Upward's assessment
- You login to your UMass Global account to order your transcripts. Note that the university is an entirely separate organization from Upward, and any questions on your transcript or university account can be emailed to exed@umassglobal.edu
- Celebrate your achievement, and sign up for more Upward Rewards!