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Certificate Class Levels

Eligible Degrees & Coursework

To be used toward meeting requirements for class level advancement, degrees must be conferred by and coursework must be earned through one of the following:

  • an institution accredited for general collegiate purposes by a Regional Accreditation Association; or
  • a South Carolina institution that has programs approved for teacher education by the SBE, or
  • an institution that has programs approved for teacher education by a national accreditation association with which the SCDE has a partnership agreement.

Graduate degrees acceptable for certificate advancement include academic or professional degrees in the field of education or in an academic field for which a corresponding or relevant certification field is authorized by the SBE. Professional education credit must be earned through an institution that has a teacher education program approved for initial certification.

Prior to enrollment, educators are encouraged to request verification that coursework or degree programs are approved for class level advancement. A listing of South Carolina programs approved for educator certification purposes is available on the Educator Preparation webpage.

Submitting a Request for Class Advancement

To request a class level change:

Requesting Pre-Enrollment Verification of Coursework and Programs

Seeking Coursework Pre-Approval

Prior to beginning online coursework, educators must request approval using My SC Educator Portal. Once a coursework approval request is submitted through the portal, educators must upload a PDF copy of course description information to the portal. This is generally available through the provider's website, course catalog, or academic bulletin; please contact the provider if you encounter difficulties locating their course description information.

Approval for online coursework cannot be given via phone or email.

Seeking Program Pre-Approval

Prior to beginning a program, educators must request approval using My SC Educator Portal. Once a program approval request is submitted through the portal, educators must upload a PDF copy of program description information to the portal. This is generally available through the provider's website or academic bulletin; please contact the provider if you encounter difficulties locating their program description information.

Approval for online programs cannot be given via phone or email.

Class Level Designations

The class or degree level issued on an educator certificate typically reflects the highest education level an individual has attained and determines, in part, the level at which an educator is compensated. Pursuant to State Board of Education (SBE) Regulation 43-53, Credential Classification, the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) issues certificates at the following class levels:
 
Bachelor’s degree. The educator must meet all criteria for an initial area of certification and have earned a bachelor’s degree that meets SBE regulations for teacher certification and program approval.
 
Bachelor’s degree plus 18 hours (BA +18). The educator must have earned 18 hours of graduate credit within seven years from the time the course work is started. Individuals who do not complete the requirements during the seven years must request that the college/university revalidate the course credits before the work can be submitted for credential advancement.
 
Master’s degree. The educator must have earned a master’s degree that meets SBE regulations for teacher certification and program approval.
 
Master’s degree plus 30 hours (MA+30). In order to advance to the level of master’s degree plus 30 hours, the educator must fulfill one of the following requirements:

  • The educator must earn 30 semester hours of graduate credit above the master’s degree with 21 hours of the graduate credit in one area of concentration. These hours may or may not be in the teacher’s initial area of certification. The coursework must be completed within seven years from the time it was started. Individuals who do not complete the coursework during the seven years must request that the college/university revalidate the course credits before the work can be submitted for credential advancement.

    OR
  • The educator must earn an additional master’s degree that meets SBE regulations for teacher certification and program approval.

    OR
  • The educator must earn a specialist’s degree that meets SBE regulations for teacher certification and program approval.

    OR
  • The educator must earn a single master’s degree with at least 60 graduate semester hours that meets SBE regulations for teacher certification and program approval.

    OR
  • If the educator has earned a single master’s degree containing 51 or more graduate semester hours, the educator must complete additional courses to equal at least 60 graduate semester hours in order to be eligible for the master’s degree plus 30 credential classification. The master’s degree must meet SBE regulations for teacher certification and program approval, and the additional hours must be earned in a single concentration area and completed within seven years of the conferral of the master’s degree. Individuals who do not complete the coursework during the seven years will not be eligible for this option.

Doctorate degree. The educator must have earned a doctoral degree that meets the SBE regulations for teacher certification and program approval.

Information on class levels for Career and Technical Education (CTE) Work-based certificates is available on the CTE certification webpage.

Submitting a Request for Class Level Advancement

To request a class level change:

Concentration Area Requirements for MA+30

If an educator is working toward adding the MA+30 through a series of courses and not by completing a specialist degree, a master's degree that includes 51 or more graduate semester credits, or an additional master's degree, the individual must earn at least 21 graduate semester hours in one area of concentration. Acceptable concentration areas include professional education areas and academic areas for which there is a corresponding certification field approved by the State Board of Education. These graduate courses are not required to be in the teacher’s initial certification field.
 
Once a concentration area is chosen, an educator must complete at least 21 semester hours of the required 30 graduate semester hours within the area of concentration through regionally accredited colleges or universities. Up to 9 of the 30 graduate semester hours may be taken in professional education electives or related fields
 
When requesting the class level change, the educator must stipulate the concentration area; the Office of Educator Services cannot make this determination.

Eligible Degrees and Coursework

To be used toward meeting requirements for class level advancement, degrees must be conferred by and coursework musts be earned through one of the following:

  • an institution accredited for general collegiate purposes by a Regional Accreditation Association; or
  • a South Carolina institution that has programs approved for teacher education by the SBE, or
  • an institution that has programs approved for teacher education by a national accreditation association with which the SCDE has a partnership agreement.

Graduate degrees acceptable for certificate advancement include academic or professional degrees in the field of education or in an academic field for which a corresponding or relevant certification field is authorized by the SBE. Professional education credit must be earned through an institution that has a teacher education program approved for initial certification.

Revalidating Coursework

In order to qualify for the BA+18 or the MA+30 class levels on a course-by-course basis, all applicable coursework must be earned within a seven-year time frame. Educators who did not complete all courses within a seven-year time frame may request course revalidation by the college or university that provided the courses. If revalidated as current, the coursework will be accepted toward meeting BA+18 or MA+30 requirements with an effective date that matches the revalidation date.

Please have the college's dean or an equivalent designated signee complete the Course Revalidation Form in order to verify a revalidated course; they may email the completed form to certification@ed.sc.gov or you may then upload the completed form using My SC Educator Portal.

Revalidation only applies toward meeting requirements for class level advancement and does not affect eligibility for renewal credit or for meeting certification field/endorsement add-on requirements.