Approved Semester Credits for Georgia Certificate Renewal

Earn Graduate-Level Semester Credits for Your Maryland Teaching License Renewal

Affordable, fully accredited, online semester credits for your Maryland license renewal.

  • Hundreds of Maryland teachers take Model Teaching courses every year to help them renew their teaching license, advance their salary, or simply to improve their instructional effectiveness.

  • Learn more below about Maryland teacher license renewal requirements, and how our courses can help.

Professional development courses
Home » PD Requirements By State » Maryland Teacher Professional Development

Professional Development for Maryland Teachers

Premium yet practical online courses for Maryland educators. Enhance your instruction, fulfill certification needs, and accelerate your professional growth.

  • Easy, Template-Based Course Format Built to Help You Earn Your Maryland Renewal Credits Quickly

  • High-Quality Courses, Full of Resources, Tools, & Templates

  • Access Your Courses Immediately, Any-Time, Anywhere & at Your Own Pace
Pay for Credits As You Go

Regionally Accredited Semester Credits

Model Teaching partners with accredited universities to offer semester credit courses (semester hours).  You’ll receive an official transcript suitable for submission to the Maryland State Department of Education for your renewal.

Credit Courses for Maryland Teacher License Renewal

Maryland educators are required to renew their 5-year professional license by either (A) presenting a current National Board Certification, or (B) completing an Individualized Professional Development Plan (IPDP) with at least 90 Professional Development Points (PDPs). PDPs can be earned through IACET providers, MD-approved coursework, and credit courses from accredited universities. 1 credit = 15 PDPs. See below for more information on credit types.

What’s Required for MD Teacher License Renewal

  • Complete 90 PDPs every 5 years.
  • Include at least one hour in each of the following four areas:
    • Content/pedagogy tied to a license area.
    • English as a second language (ESL)/sheltered English/bilingual education.
    • Strategies for teaching students with disabilities or differentiated instruction.
    • Culturally responsive teaching, or diverse student identities.
  • Some teachers may require topic-specific learning, and beginning July 1, 2025, certain early childhood/elementary/special education/ESOL roles must also demonstrate science-of-reading proficiency at renewal.

Acceptable Credits for Maryland License Renewal:

Maryland recognizes multiple continuing education credits and courses for renewing teacher certificates.

  • Accredited Semester Credits: Teachers may complete 6 semester credits from accredited colleges/universities related to teaching or teaching areas. This must include an official transcript and letter grade. 1 credit = 15 PDPs (what we recommend)
  • Clock Hours:  MSDE-approved courses and/or experiences. These can either be earned or taught.
  • IACET-Approved Courses: 1 clock hour = 1 PDP, 1 CEU = 10 PDPs.

Important Terminology:

Semester Hours = Semester Credits. 1 credit = 15 PDPs.
IACET = International Association for Continuing Education and Training
CEUs = Continuing education units. 1 CEU = 10 PDPs.

How Model Teaching Can Help

Model Teaching offers online, graduate-level courses designed for Maryland license renewal. Our partnered courses provide semester credits that you can use to meet the 6-credit MD requirement (equivalent to 90 PDPs). Model Teaching’s university partners are all regionally accredited, and all coursework will provide semester credits (semester hours), including access to an official transcript from that academic institution for submission to Maryland for your renewal. Pick courses from our diverse course menu in your teaching area to earn your required credits, or choose one of our build-your-own credit course bundles (6 credits) and pick any courses from our full menu at your own pace to earn your credits.

Model Teaching also offers courses that cover the MD content-area requirements. Here are a few examples:

Content/pedagogy:

Our course menu encompasses a wide range of content areas and pedagogical topics. View our full menu to find courses relevant to your content area.

English as a second language (ESL)

Strategies for teaching students with disabilities or differentiated instruction

Culturally responsive teaching, or diverse student identities

How Our Courses Work

Quick FAQs

All Model Teaching university partners are regionally-accredited universities that offer our courses in partnership for graduate-level, academic, and/or post-baccalaureate credit. Maryland accepts Model Teaching credit courses to fulfill the full 6-credit requirement.  You will not be required to complete CEUs or clock hours, only the required semester credits. Also, most states and school districts allow teachers to earn this type of credit as part of advancing in the salary scale. Please check with your district’s policies regarding continuing education for salary advancement prior to enrolling.

We recommend choosing any of our regionally-accredited university-partnered courses or course bundle packs. These courses are offered in partnership with regionally accredited universities and include an official transcript.

We highly recommend any of our Build Your Own Credit Bundles, as this is the most cost-effective way to earn credits in bulk.

The most cost-effective way to earn credits is by enrolling in one of our course bundle packs (see below).

Model Teaching believes that teachers should be provided with affordable, high-quality opportunities for professional development, whether they are seeking salary advancement, renewing their teaching license, or simply improving their instructional effectiveness.  Our streamlined, standardized course structure enables us to deliver high-quality, evaluated courses to teachers at costs far below the industry standard.  Additionally, by bundling our courses, we can significantly reduce our overall costs—passing these savings on to our valued teachers.  LiveChat with us if you have any questions about how the courses work.

Once you have completed your courses and processed your credits, our university partner will notify you via email that your transcripts are ready, and you may request them. When requesting them, you can choose to have the transcripts sent directly to the MD SDE, to yourself, or both.

Please refer to our course menu for a listing of graduate-level courses. Within each course page, you will have access to a syllabus that you may download.

To read a live list of running reviews from teachers currently taking our courses, please visit: https://www.modelteaching.com/latest-course-reviews

HELPFUL LINKS FOR MARYLAND TEACHERS

Maryland Teacher Professional Development

Maryland State Department of Education – Professional Development Points

Additional Information for Renewal

PDP math and equivalencies (1 hour = 1 PDP; 1 semester hour/CPD = 15 PDPs; 1 CEU = 10 PDPs); MSDE’s PDP page & FAQ reiterate these conversions.

Science-of-reading requirement effective July 1, 2025, for specific roles; acceptable ways to demonstrate proficiency.

School Counselor: at least 1 semester hour, 1 MSDE-approved CPD (Continuing Professional Development) credit, or equivalent CEUs covering topics including depression, trauma, violence, youth suicide, substance abuse, and parent/guardian resource practices.

Admin I/II (in admin/supervisor roles): learning on teacher retention and teacher leadership.

Elem/Early Childhood/Generic Special Ed/ESOL (employed in MD): show science-of-reading proficiency for renewals on/after July 1, 2025 via an approved test, MSDE-approved coursework/PL, or other MSDE-recognized option.

Reference: Maryland State Department of Education

*Please refer to the MDSDE for the most up-to-date and accurate information (https://marylandpublicschools.org/about/Pages/DEE/Certification/Professional-Development-Points.aspx) on Maryland teacher recertification requirements.

What we recommend for Ohio teacher license renewal

What We Recommend For Maryland Teachers

Build Your Own Graduate-Level Bundle

Everything You Need for Your MD Teaching License Renewal

Access Our Full Course Menu to Earn Your Required Number of Credits

  • Includes full access to all graduate-level courses from any of our university partners

  • Choose our 6-credit bundle if you need the full six credits for your renewal

  • All university-partnered courses are regionally-accredited & include an official transcript & letter grade ready for MD SDE submission

  • Great for salary advancement or Maryland license renewal

Build your own credit bundle pack
Learn About The Bundle

Salary Advancement Courses For Maryland Teachers

Model Teaching partners with regionally-accredited universities across the country to provide graduate-level courses to thousands of K-12 teachers and educators every year. Generally, school districts across the country provide various salary scale advancement opportunities to teachers that often includes participation in graduate-level professional development. Our university-partnered, graduate-level courses are an excellent and cost-effective way for you to earn the continuing education academic credit you need.

Salary Advancement Credits

Accredited University Credits with Official Transcripts

Receive an official transcript and letter-grade with every graduate-level course. All of our university partners are regionally-accredited and courses are designed primarily for teacher salary-advancement and license-renewal.

Convenient & Cost-Effective Online Courses Built for Simplicity

We make earning your academic credits easy and cost-effective by bundling our courses into packages so you can earn the maximum number of credits for a lower cost.  All Model Teaching courses provide you with relevant, implementation-focused training along with dozens of templates & tools to help you put your new skills into action.

All Model Teaching university partners are regionally-accredited universities who offer our courses in partnership for graduate-level, academic and/or post-bachelorette credit.  Most states and school districts allow teachers to earn this type of credit as part of advancing in the salary scale.  Please check with your district’s policies regarding continuing education for salary advancement prior to enrolling.

The most cost-effective way to earn credits is by enrolling in one of our course bundle packs.

Please refer to our course menu for a listing of graduate-level courses. Within each course page, you will have access to a syllabus that you may download.

Yes, all university-partnered graduate-level courses will include access to an official transcript from the university.

Yes! You may apply up to 9 credits towards an M.Ed. program through our university partner, Augustana University. Read more here >

To read a live list of running reviews from teachers currently taking our courses, please visit: https://www.modelteaching.com/latest-course-reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

Maryland Teacher License Renewal & Professional Development Requirements

You need 90 Professional Development Points (PDPs) every five years. Your renewal must include at least one hour in each of four areas: content or pedagogy for your license area, ESL or bilingual education, strategies for students with disabilities or differentiated instruction, and culturally responsive teaching. Since one semester credit equals 15 PDPs, six credits cover the full requirement. Model Teaching's 6-credit bundle is built for exactly this -- you pick courses from the full menu and earn all 90 PDPs in one package.
Maryland accepts accredited semester credits (1 credit = 15 PDPs), MSDE-approved Continuing Professional Development credits (1 CPD = 15 PDPs), and IACET-approved courses (1 clock hour = 1 PDP, 1 CEU = 10 PDPs). Semester credits require an official transcript and letter grade. Model Teaching courses are offered through regionally accredited university partners and include an official transcript, making them a straightforward option for the semester credit pathway.
The conversions are: 1 semester credit = 15 PDPs, 1 CEU = 10 PDPs, and 1 clock hour = 1 PDP. Six semester credits equal 90 PDPs and satisfy the full renewal requirement. Most Maryland teachers go the semester credit route because the math is clean and the credits also work for salary advancement.
You need at least one hour in each of these four areas: content or pedagogy related to your license area, ESL or sheltered English or bilingual education, strategies for students with disabilities or differentiated instruction, and culturally responsive teaching or diverse student identities. Model Teaching offers courses that map to each area, including ELL Writing Strategies, Differentiation for Students with Disabilities, and Educating Diverse Student Populations in Your Classroom, so you can cover all four while earning your credits.
Starting July 1, 2025, educators in early childhood, elementary, generic special education, and ESOL roles must show science-of-reading proficiency when they renew. You can meet this through an approved test like the Praxis 5205, MSDE-approved coursework, or another MSDE-recognized option. Check with MSDE for the latest list of approved courses and tests.
Yes. Online semester credit courses from regionally accredited universities are fully accepted. Model Teaching offers self-paced, graduate-level courses through accredited university partners, and each course comes with an official transcript you can submit to MSDE. You can start right after enrolling and work at your own pace, which is helpful if you are fitting renewal around a full teaching schedule.
Yes. All Model Teaching courses are offered through regionally accredited university partners for graduate-level or post-baccalaureate credit. Maryland accepts these semester credits to fulfill the full 6-credit renewal requirement. You do not need to complete CEUs or clock hours separately -- the semester credits alone satisfy your 90-PDP obligation. Each course includes an official transcript with a letter grade, ready to submit to MSDE.
After you finish your courses and process your credits, the university partner will email you when transcripts are ready. You can then request they be sent directly to the Maryland State Department of Education, to yourself, or both. No middleman paperwork between the university and MSDE -- you just choose where the transcripts go and the university handles it.
They can. Most Maryland school districts offer salary scale advancement for teachers who complete graduate-level professional development, and Model Teaching's accredited semester credits qualify. On top of that, you can apply up to 9 credits toward a Master of Education (M.Ed.) program through our university partner, Augustana University. Check with your district's HR office for their specific salary advancement policies before enrolling.
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