In addition to the accreditation listed above, a program must either be in-field (i.e. related) to an educator’s existing certification or be approved to lead to a new field being added to their certificate.

Option 1, In-Field:

To determine if courses contained within an advanced degree are in-field to a field of certification, you may utilize CAPS to view courses your certification allows you to be assigned to. Should the content of a course align with a class you may teach, it would be considered in-field. You may also find course descriptions on the GaDOE Course Description Directory, or if CTAE, Career Clusters and Pathway Courses.

For fields that are intended to enhance competencies only, such as the Teacher Leader Endorsement, please see the in-field statement at the bottom of each individual Certification Rule.

In-field programs must meet the following:

• The program must contain a minimum of 18 semester hours of in-field coursework:
  • Coursework must be part of the degree program and not an unrelated embedded endorsement:
    • Example: A non-certification Curriculum and Instruction program with an embedded Gifted Endorsement would not be considered in-field regardless of the addition of the gifted field unless the educator also holds the Curriculum and Instruction field from a previous program.
  • Coursework completed outside of a degree program that was not applied as transfer credit will not be considered towards the 18 credit requirement. This includes coursework completed before or after the degree, and at the same or different institution.
  • The 18 credits must be in-field to a single field of certification.
    • Example: An educator holding Math and English certification may not complete an advanced degree with 9 mathematics, and 9 English credits to make 18 total.
  • Transfer credit accepted by an institution towards a program may be considered towards the 18 credit requirement should it be in-field.
• The certificate field must be currently offered by the GaPSC:
  • Example: An educator who continues to hold the obsolete field of Instructional Supervision may not upgrade their certificate by earning an advanced degree in Instructional Supervision.
• Programs that are not in-field to an educator’s current certification may be made in-field by the passing of GACE assessments for fields that may be added through testing alone:
  • Example: An educator professionally certified in Mathematics completes a master’s of education in Science Education meeting upgrade accreditation requirements. Once the educator passes the Science GACE, the field would be added to their certification and the MEd becomes in-field.
• Please use the GaPSC Certificate Upgrade Advisor to identify degrees that are in-field with your current certificate field(s). Both in-state and out-of-state in-field programs are listed.

Option 2, New Field:

New field programs must meet the following:

• The program must be state-approved to lead to certification in the new field by the DOE/approval body in the home state in which the institution is located.
• If Educational Leadership, the program must be GaPSC-approved. Out-of-state Educational Leadership programs are not acceptable towards the addition of Educational Leadership to existing Georgia certification.
• If School Counseling, the program must be accredited by CACREP.
• If the new field has an associated content test, the educator is required to pass the Georgia GACE assessment(s) to add the new field to their certificate in order to qualify for the upgrade.
• Duplicate initial preparation programs completed at a higher degree level do not qualify for an upgrade:
  • Example: An educator initially certified in Elementary Education through a bachelor’s program completes a master of arts in Elementary Education also leading to initial certification and is denied an upgrade.
• If the certificate field in which the educator completes an advanced degree is not a leadership field, the resulting level upgrade will apply to all fields held:
  • Example: A Mathematics educator adds School Counseling through a state-approved and CACREP-accredited master’s program and GACE testing. The resulting general level 5 applies to both Mathematics and School Counseling assignments.
  For more information about upgrading by completing advanced leadership degrees, please see the Advanced Leadership Degrees section below, and Educational Leadership.
• The Upgrade Advisor may be used to view GaPSC-approved Georgia programs leading to a new field of certification. For out-of-state programs leading to a new field, please consult the DOE/approval body in the home state in which the institution is located to verify state approval. Note this is due to our office being unable to maintain the current approval status of all programs leading to certification out-of-state.

Educators may complete advanced degrees online, in-person, or a hybrid of the two. Program format is not considered when determining approval for a level increase.

Educators may be awarded an alternate level 6 while working towards an approved in-field doctoral program should the following be met:

• Completion of a minimum of 36 semester hours of coursework required for a level 7 doctoral degree.
• Successful completion of oral and/or written comprehensive examinations or the institution’s determined equivalent.
• The doctoral degree must be recognized by the GaPSC for level 7 certification upon completion.

Doctoral degrees recognized by the GaPSC as equivalent to a level 6, or those that are initial preparation programs leading to a new field of certification, do not qualify for an alternate level 6:

Examples:

• A Business educator working towards an accredited Doctor of Business Administration applies for an alternate level 6 and is denied being that upon completion the DBA only results in a level 6.
• An Elementary Education educator is working towards an Ed.D that is GaPSC-approved to lead to Curriculum and Instruction certification upon completion. The educator must complete the degree and testing to add the field and receive a level 7 being that the program would not be in-field to Elementary Education, or eligible for an alternate level 6.

Please see Certification Levels and Corresponding Degrees for more information on the levels assigned to specific degree types.

For documentation required to apply for an alternate level 6 upgrade, please see Common Documents Required for Each Certification Transaction Type.

Curriculum and Instruction is designed to enhance an educator’s competencies when designing curriculum and promoting student learning.

Curriculum and Instruction is a new-field upgrade that requires the following for educators not previously certified in Curriculum and Instruction:

• The institution must hold the accreditation outlined on this page;
• The program must be state approved to lead to Curriculum and Instruction certification in the state in which the institution is based; and
• The educator must pass the associated GACE content assessment.

If you already hold the field of Curriculum and Instruction and wish to complete an additional in-field Curriculum and Instruction program at a higher degree level, please refer to the in-field section above for requirements.

Level increases based on approved Curriculum and Instruction programs apply to any position requiring certification.

If you are considering an out-of-state Curriculum and Instruction program, please ensure the institution holds the required accreditation and the program is approved by the home state DOE/approval body to lead to Curriculum and Instruction certification. Note that Curriculum and Instruction certification is extremely limited outside of Georgia, and out-of-state Curriculum and Instruction programs are unlikely to be approved.

To view Curriculum and Instruction programs leading to certification, please see Georgia Approved Programs.

Teacher Leadership is designed to enhance an educator’s competencies when constructing professional learning, collaborating with stakeholders, and mentoring fellow educators. Teacher Leadership does not allow an educator to be in a supervisory role and is a separate field from Educational Leadership.

Teacher Leadership is a new-field upgrade that requires the following for educators not previously certified in Teacher Leadership:

• The institution must hold the accreditation outlined on this page;
• The program must be state approved to lead to Teacher Leadership certification in the state in which the institution is based; and
• The educator must pass the associated GACE content assessment.

If you already hold the field of Teacher Leadership and wish to complete an additional in-field Teacher Leadership program at a higher degree level, please refer to the in-field section above for requirements.

Should an educator complete a state-approved Teacher Leadership program and be recommended for certification in the field by the program provider, a 1-Year Non-Renewable certificate and a temporary level increase may be awarded prior to the passing of the GACE Teacher Leadership content assessment. Deadlines for the passing of the Teacher Leadership content assessment are as follows: If the Teacher Leadership content assessment is not passed prior to the expiration of the Non-Renewable field, both the field and level increase will be rescinded. Once the assessment is passed, an educator may reapply for the field and level increase at that time.

Level increases based on approved Teacher Leadership programs apply to any position requiring certification.

If you are considering an out-of-state Teacher Leadership program, please ensure the institution holds the required accreditation and the program is approved by the home state DOE/approval body to lead to Teacher Leadership certification. Note that Teacher Leadership certification is extremely limited outside of Georgia, and out-of-state Teacher Leadership programs are unlikely to be approved.

To view Teacher Leadership programs leading to certification, please see Georgia Approved Programs.

Instructional Technology is designed to enhance an educator’s competencies when providing instruction, training, and resources to students, teachers and administrators in order to facilitate the use of technology in the classroom to promote student achievement.

Instructional Technology is a new field upgrade requiring the following for educators not previously certified in Instructional Technology:

• The institution must hold the accreditation outlined on this page;
• The program must be state approved to lead to Instructional Technology certification in the state in which the institution is based; and
• The educator must pass the associated GACE content assessment.

If you already hold the field of Instructional Technology and wish to complete an additional in-field Instructional Technology program at a higher degree level, please refer to the in-field section above for requirements.

Level increases based on approved Instructional Technology programs apply to any position requiring certification.

If you are considering an out-of-state Instructional Technology program, please ensure the institution holds the required accreditation and the program is approved by the home state DOE/approval body to lead to Instructional Technology certification. Note that Instructional Technology certification is extremely limited outside of Georgia, and out-of-state Instructional Technology programs are unlikely to be approved.

To view Instructional Technology programs leading to certification, please see Georgia Approved Programs.

Below are common reasons an educator may be denied an upgrade. All examples are based on the criteria outlined on this page.

• The institution did not hold acceptable accreditation at the time of an educator’s enrollment.
• The program was not in-field to an educator’s certification, and was not approved to lead to the addition of a new field to their certificate.
• An educator does not hold a Professional certificate type eligible for an upgrade. Only Performance-based, Lead Professional, Advanced Professional, Standard Professional, and 5-Year Induction certificates are eligible for an upgrade.
• An educator applies for an alternate level 6, yet the program leads to new-field certification at the doctoral level. An educator must complete all requirements to add the corresponding field being that the specialist equivalent is not in-field to their current certification.
• The program is approved to lead to initial certification at the degree level attained; however, the educator previously completed an initial certification program in the field. A duplicate initial certification program at a higher degree level cannot be applied towards a level increase.
• An Educational Leadership program was not GaPSC-approved. In order to qualify for a professional certificate in Educational Leadership, Georgia educators must complete a GaPSC-approved Educational Leadership program and associated testing. Please see the Educational Leadership Rule for more information.
• The institution indicated an educator did not met alternate level 6 requirements. In order to qualify for a level 6 upgrade, an educator must complete 36 semester hours and pass an oral and/or written examination or an institution’s determined equivalent.
• The program only results in level 6 certification upon completion and therefore is ineligible for an alternate level 6 prior to all degree requirements being met. Please see Certification Levels and Corresponding Degrees for more information on the levels assigned to specific degree types.

Georgia educators who actively participate in coursework and then complete an advanced degree program at the same institution with the same concentration by certain dates, may qualify for a legacy upgrade regardless of the program’s state approval status. Institutions must only be accredited by an agency recognized by CHEA or the U.S. DOE.


Any Major:

Georgia educators enrolled in advanced degree programs with any major by July 15, 2011, may qualify for a legacy upgrade as long as they complete the program by the date specified for each degree level:

• Master's or Specialist degree programs must be completed by December 15, 2014.
• Doctoral degree programs must be completed by December 15, 2016.

Curriculum and Instruction, Instructional Technology, and Teacher Leadership:

Georgia educators enrolled in advanced degree programs in Curriculum and Instruction, Instructional Technology, and Teacher Leadership by January 15, 2013, may qualify for a legacy upgrade as long as they complete the program by the date specified for each degree level:

• Master's or Specialist degree programs must be completed by September 1, 2015.
• Doctoral degree programs must be completed by September 1, 2017.

Curriculum and Instruction, Instructional Technology, and Teacher Leadership programs may offered with alternative titles:

• Instructional Technology: Specialization in Classroom Integration of Technology, Educational Technology, Technology in Education, Technology Integration, Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, Technology in Schools;
• Curriculum and Instruction: Teaching and Learning, Accomplished Teaching, Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment, Curriculum and Teaching, Curriculum Instruction Management and Administration;
• Teacher Leadership: Instructional Leadership.

However, course content must align with the field in question, and the degree title alone cannot be relied upon to determine legacy eligibility.


Georgia educators who began a program prior to receiving upgradeable certification and employment in Georgia:

Georgia educators enrolled in a program prior to becoming both professionally certified and employed in Georgia may qualify for legacy upgrade as long as they complete the program by the date specified for each degree level:

• Master's and Specialist degree programs must be completed within 3 years of becoming a Georgia educator.
• Doctoral degree programs must be completed within 5 years of becoming a Georgia educator.

Georgia educators who began a program while holding non-upgradable certification:

Georgia educators who enroll in a program while holding certification that is ineligible for an upgrade (Permits, Provisional certificates, International Exchange Certificates) may qualify for a legacy upgrade once they achieve an upgradable certificate if the degree is completed within the following:

• Master's and Specialist degree programs must be completed within 3 years of achieving upgradeable certification.
• Doctoral degree programs must be completed within 5 years of achieving upgradeable certification.

Notes about legacy upgrades:

• The award of a level increase based on an unapproved program qualifying as a legacy will not result in the addition of a new certification field (e.g. an unapproved Curriculum and Instruction program applied towards a level increase as a legacy will not qualify the educator for the Curriculum and Instruction certification field).
• Breaks in course completion are permitted as long as the program is completed by an above deadline, and is the same major/concentration at the same institution.

Georgia educators who complete an advanced degree leading to a new field upgrade in a leadership field (Educational Leadership Tier I or Tier II) will receive a leader level:

• Leader levels are applied to certification separately from a general level.
• A leader level will only be used to determine salary if an educator is working in a leadership position. Otherwise, the educator will be compensated according to their general level. Please refer to your local human resource department for more information on how a certificate level may impact your current assignment.
• Subsequent in-field upgrades earned by completing advanced degrees in a leadership field will upgrade the educator’s leader level, but will not affect the general level.
• Georgia educators who already hold certification in a leadership field but have not been issued a leader level may upgrade their general level by completing an advanced leadership degree leading to an in-field upgrade. These educators will not receive a leader level. Note this does not apply to educators holding Tier I who then complete a higher degree to add Tier II.

For more information on leader levels and qualifying for leadership certification, please see Educational Leadership.

For documentation required to apply for Educational Leadership upon program and testing completion, please see Common Documents Required for Each Certification Transaction Type.

Georgia educator salary is partly determined by the level listed on an educator’s certificate that is applicable to an assignment:

• General levels apply to any position requiring certification, while leader levels only apply to positions requiring leadership certification.
• Should an educator holding a separate leader level then achieve a higher general level through an approved, non-leadership degree, the higher general level would then supersede the leader level and apply to any position requiring certification.

Being that our office does not govern salary, and only determines if a level may be applied to a certificate, please refer to your local human resource department for more information on how a specific level increase will impact your compensation.

For more information about certificate levels in general, please see Understanding Your GA Certificate.

Upon completion of an advanced degree meeting criteria outlined above and the submission of a complete application, the begin date of a level increase depends on the more recent of the following:

• Date all requirements were met: degree award date, applicable testing, or date eligible upgradeable certification was achieved.
• July 1: our office cannot backdate a certificate level or field prior to the beginning of the fiscal year (July 1 - June 30) in which an educator submits a complete application:
  • Example: An educator completes an approved master’s degree leading to a general level 5 in May, yet does not submit all required documentation until August. The level increase would begin July 1 regardless of the degree award date.
  • Should an educator have met all requirements prior to July 1, the PSC may backdate a certificate validity date or level prior to July 1 should the superintendent of their employing school system submit a written statement verifying that all salary adjustments for the period prior to 7/1 will be paid using only local funds.

If you have completed an advanced degree and wish to view documentation required to apply for an upgrade to existing certification, please see Common Documents Required for Each Certification Transaction Type.

Educators may view pre-approved programs leading to an upgrade by using the Upgrade Advisor accessible through MyPSC:

• The Upgrade Advisor may be used to view in-state and out-of-state in-field programs, and GaPSC-approved in-state programs leading to a new field of certification.
• For out-of-state programs leading to a new field, please consult the DOE/approval body in the home state in which the institution is located while ensuring the degree meets the requirements outlined on this page.
• Approval or denial of a program may be saved to an educator’s MyPSC account and will remain visible through the View Submitted Documents link.
• Should an educator enroll in a program within 1 calendar year of saving approval confirmation, the level increase will be honored regardless of the loss of accreditation by the intuition.
• Approval confirmation may be re-saved at any time to extend the 1 calendar year window to enroll.

If you are considering a program that is not in the Upgrade Advisor, please first ensure the degree meets the criteria outlined on this page. After doing so, you may submit the program for review using the upgrade and leadership function of our Contact Form. Note that if courses are not present on the institution’s program page, you may be required to submit a plan of study outlined by the university.