Short answer
What is University of the Pacific professional-development credit?
Semester units of non-degree, graduate-level credit, numbered 9000 to 9999 and awarded through Pacific's Benerd College. The units appear on a Pacific transcript but do not apply to a Pacific degree, and Pacific advises teachers to get district approval first.
Source: Professional Development: unit types and FAQ, University of the Pacific. Checked .
- Institution
- University of the PacificStockton, California
- Accreditor
- WASCSenior colleges and universities commission
- Unit type
- Semester unitsNon-degree, graduate-level
- Course numbers
- 9000–9999Subject codes begin with P
What kind of units does Pacific award?
Pacific awards Professional Development Units to teachers: semester units of non-degree, graduate-level credit, numbered 9000 to 9999 with subject codes beginning in P. Its continuing-education office describes two other kinds of units on the same page, and teachers sometimes confuse them. Extended Education Units are undergraduate semester units with subject codes beginning in X. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) measure contact hours, one CEU for every ten hours, and carry codes beginning in U. Professional Development Units are the ones aimed at teachers: post-baccalaureate coursework at the 9000 to 9999 level, "designed specifically for graduate level educators and administrators," awarded as semester units of non-degree graduate-level credit with codes beginning in P.
The distinction matters at HR. A district whose schedule counts graduate-level semester units is looking for the third kind. A CEU is a different measure entirely, closer to a clock hour than to a credit. Clock hours, CEUs and semester credits explains how districts convert between them.
Can Pacific units count toward a master's degree?
Not at Pacific. The educator-course page states plainly that the courses are not applicable to a degree at Pacific, and that any transfer into another institution's program is at that institution's discretion. That is the defining trait of non-degree graduate-level credit: it sits on a graduate-level transcript and can move a salary column where a district allows it, but it was never part of a degree program. If you are weighing a degree against loose units, read master's degree vs. graduate-level credits; the difference in wording is covered in graduate-level credit vs. graduate credit.
Will my district accept Pacific professional-development units?
Pacific does not promise that it will, and says so. Its course page states that it does not provide assurance that any state licensing board or school district will accept the credits, and advises teachers to check with the appropriate agencies and gain approval before registering. Many districts publish a pre-approval form for exactly this step; how pre-approval forms work walks through one.
What districts usually check is whether the issuing university is regionally or institutionally accredited, whether the course is graduate level, whether it is graded, and whether the subject relates to your assignment. Pacific's accreditation is with the WASC Senior College and University Commission, which its pages state, and which you can confirm in the U.S. Department of Education's accreditation database. Your district's own wording decides the rest; here is how to get a written answer.
How do you get a Pacific transcript, and how long does it take?
Pacific's general guidance is that professional development grades take four to six weeks from completion to be processed, after which the student receives an unofficial transcript and an official transcript request form. Some partner providers publish faster grading and posting times for their own courses; the turnaround table lists what each states.
Official transcripts are ordered from Pacific's Office of the Registrar through Parchment. Pacific's instruction for professional-development students is specific: choose "Yes, currently attending" for the enrollment-status question. Send the transcript straight to your district's HR address if the district requires sealed or electronic delivery from the university, and check the district's filing deadline before you order.
Which providers offer Pacific units?
Pacific lists 19 partners and programs, ranging from self-paced online catalogs to week-long structured-literacy training, Project GLAD certificate courses and national-park geology field courses. Two of its own courses, on mental health in schools and financial literacy for California educators, are run by Pacific directly. Each is listed below, grouped by format; providers that use other universities are in the provider directory.
Online providers
Teacher Friendly
Self-paced online courses for any subject and grade, plus credit for documented professional work: self-designed courses, curriculum projects, workshops you attend and travel study.
For K-12 teachers, specialists and induction teachers in any state
Credits for Educators
Self-paced online courses worth 1 to 5 credits each, with prepaid bundles that lock a lower per-credit rate for a year.
For K-12 teachers planning a lane change or renewal
Courses4Teachers
Credit for after-school professional work such as curriculum and lesson development, research and reading, plus units for teacher induction training. Pacific says the program has run for more than 25 years.
For Pre-K to 12 teachers nationwide
Model Teaching
Fully online courses built from Model Teaching's intervention-specialist training; Pacific is one of several universities a learner can choose.
For Teachers renewing a license or moving lanes
VESi
Open-enrollment online courses on teaching students with behavioral and learning needs, with an instructor available for questions.
For General and special education teachers
Creative Teacher Education Institute
A large catalog of independent-study courses on classroom management, differentiation, family engagement and similar topics, listed with Pacific credit on the provider's site.
For K-12 teachers
Idioma Education
Six-week instructor-facilitated courses in Spanish, French, Italian, Latin, German, Portuguese, Mandarin and world-language pedagogy, plus self-paced options. All online and asynchronous.
For World-language teachers
Professional Inspiration
Self-paced courses on teacher wellness, burnout prevention, trauma and growth mindset; Pacific lists each course at 3 units, about 45 hours of coursework.
For Teachers and school staff
Mirror Start
Asynchronous courses in school leadership, from aspiring principalship to school improvement.
For Teacher leaders, aspiring principals and administrators
SpeechPathology.com
Graduate-level credit on top of a SpeechPathology.com membership; 15 hours of coursework per credit, finished within six months.
For School-based speech-language pathologists
Speech Therapy PD
Speech-therapy continuing education with an option to earn graduate-level semester credit for salary advancement and recertification.
For SLPs, SLPAs and educators
In-person, live and travel courses
Chartwell Teaching Institute
A week-long structured-literacy course accredited by the International Dyslexia Association, plus workshops on executive function and assistive technology.
For Elementary and secondary teachers working with students with dyslexia
Be GLAD certificate
A three-course sequence in Project GLAD language-acquisition and literacy strategies, taken in order.
For Teachers of English learners
Classroom Organization and Management Program (COMP)
COMP workshops on classroom conditions for learning; Pacific awards 3 semester units of professional development credit.
For Teachers attending a COMP workshop
Summer Institutes for Educators
Week-long summer workshops with guest speakers, breakout sessions and hands-on applications.
For K-12 teachers who want a summer workshop
Outdoor Excursions
Geology and natural-history courses built around a field trip to a western national park; attendance on the trip is required.
For Science teachers
Courses and programs run by Pacific
Fostering Mental Health in Education
A course on mental-health awareness, stigma and school climate.
For Anyone who works in a school
Financial Literacy for Educators
Personal finance for California educators: CalSTRS, retirement, benefits, taxes and credit, with ideas for teaching personal finance.
For California educators
Add-on Credential pathway
A route for credentialed California teachers to add a Special Education, Multiple Subject or Single Subject credential without a new degree.
For California teachers adding an authorization
Partner list read from Pacific's Professional Development for Educators page. Descriptions summarize each program's own page. TeacherPayGuide has commercial relationships with some providers it lists; how listings work.
Questions about University of the Pacific credit
Is University of the Pacific accredited?
Yes. Pacific is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), which Pacific's pages call the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Are Pacific professional-development units semester or quarter units?
Semester units. Pacific lists Professional Development Units as semester units of non-degree graduate-level credit.
How long does a Pacific grade take to post?
Pacific's general guidance is four to six weeks from completion. Some partner providers state shorter grading and posting times for their own courses.
Who do I call about a Pacific professional-development grade?
Pacific's professional-development page lists Benerd College at 209.946.2424 for questions.
Sources
- Professional Development: unit types and FAQ, University of the Pacific, Benerd College. Checked
- Professional Development for Educators, University of the Pacific. Checked
- Academic transcripts, Office of the Registrar, University of the Pacific. Checked
Reviewed November 11, 2026 by TeacherPayGuide editors.Report an error