Welcome, Washington educators! Upward courses are offered for official graduate-level semester credit hours by UMass Global, a regionally accredited university. In Washington, each of our university courses are directly converted to 45 clock hours (1 credit = 15 hours), making them the most flexible path for Residency or Professional Certificate renewal and essential for advancing your salary lane.
WA Residency & Professional Certificate Renewal
To renew your five-year Residency or Professional Certificate in Washington, you must complete 100 clock hours or their equivalent (credits or PGPs) within the renewal cycle.
- Official Conversion Rate: The Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) accepts graduate credit based on the official conversion rate of 1 semester credit = 15 clock hours.
- Total Requirement: To satisfy the full 100 clock hour requirement, you will need approximately three (3) Upward 3-credit courses.
- Documentation: Your official university transcript from UMass Global, an OSPI Approved Provider, provides the required documentation for the clock hours.
Mandatory Content Topics (Must Be Included in the 100 Hours)
Your course selections must strategically meet the following state-mandated content requirements, which are necessary for all renewals:
- Equity-Based Practices (CCDEI): 15 hours (1 semester credit) is mandatory. Select from Upward's equity focused-courses.
- STEM Integration: 15 hours (1 semester credit) is mandatory if you hold a STEM-related endorsement (Science, Math, Technology, CTE, etc.) Select Upward's EDDU 9861 course.
WA Educator Salary Advancement
Graduate credit from UMass Global is often the foundation for advancing across your district's salary lanes (e.g., BA+45, MA+90, or MA+135), leading to a permanent base pay increase.
Confirm with your district administrator to see if graduate-level credit can advance your base salary -- we're here to help!
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!