Act 48 and 45 Hour Information

Are you working toward your Act 48 or Act 45 professional development requirements? Whether you need to complete the 180-hour requirement during your current five-year PDE compliance cycle or are simply looking to expand your professional expertise, Slippery Rock University offers a wide variety of online graduate courses each fall, winter, spring, and summer terms. Our flexible offerings can help you stay compliant while strengthening your knowledge and advancing your career.

Act 48

All professional educators must obtain six credits of college study; six credits of continuing professional education courses; 180 hours (6/6/180) of continuing professional education programs, activities, or professional experiences; or any combination of credits or hours equivalent to 180 hours every five years to maintain active status. One credit equals 30 hours of professional experience.
Each professional educator has five years to complete and submit the required coursework to the PDE.
Coursework completed for a master’s degree program or Level II certification may be submitted to PDE for Act 48 requirements as well. Act 48 does not eliminate Level II certification.

For questions regarding Act 48, please review the information available on the PDE Act 48 website.

Act 45

SRU was granted approved provider status for certain doctoral-level courses for Act 45 hours on June 7, 2026. Eligible courses in progress on or after June 7, 2026, may be eligible for Act 45 credit, as designated by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). Contact the program coordinator for the doctoral program to determine if a course qualifies.

PDE requires 180 Act 45 hours every five years for education professionals in specific administrative positions.

For questions regarding Act 45, please review information available on the PDE Act 45 website.

Planning Your Enrollment

To view course offerings in any given term, use the Class Search on the Master Class Schedule.
Visit here for a clear picture of the costs associated with taking one or more 3-credit courses for Act 45 or Act 48 credit. For in-state students, a course typically costs just under $2000.
Once you have identified the course you would like to take, follow these steps to enroll as a student seeking coursework for enrichment.

SRU's graduate programs and certificates are designed to support your personal and professional goals. Whether you are seeking to advance your career, increase your earning potential, earn additional credentials, or transition into a new profession, graduate study can help you achieve your objectives.

Within the College of Education, most graduate courses are offered fully online, providing the flexibility to continue working while balancing your personal and professional commitments. Applying is quick and simple. Click here to apply now. Click on “Graduate Instructions” followed by the “Online Application”. When asked to choose your application type, consider the following information.

Graduate: Domestic and non-degree applicants (100% online, except for practicums)

hold a bachelor’s degree and are seeking a graduate degree
hold a bachelor’s degree and plan to take graduate coursework but not earn a graduate degree (i.e. Take a course mainly for Act 48 or 45 credit)

Post-Baccalaureate applicants (on-site courses)

hold a bachelor’s degree and are seeking another bachelor’s degree or certificate program.
hold a bachelor’s degree and are pursuing additional undergraduate coursework to prepare for graduate study; or for personal benefit, for Act 48 credits

If you have any questions, please contact Graduate Admissions at 724-738-2051 or graduate.admissions@sru.edu. Our graduate admissions team is happy to assist you throughout the application process.

Requesting Act 48 or Act 45 Credit

Upon successful completion and submission of a final grade of a credit-bearing course, professional Pennsylvania educators can electronically request SRU to submit their credits to the Pennsylvania Department of Education for Act 45 or Act 48 through the request form. Reporting to PDE is not automatic. You must include your Professional Personnel Identification (PPID) number. Once your request is received, the Office of Academic Records and Registration will verify the information before submitting it to the PDE.

Act 45 or Act 48 Request Form

Only SRU credit-bearing coursework may be submitted to the PDE using the Act 45 or Act 48 Credit Reporting Request. Credit reporting is not automatic. Students must request SRU to report specific courses. Each credit at SRU equals 30 hours.

For course titles and descriptions, please review the Academic Catalog for the year the course was completed.

You may go to the PDE website to check on courses submitted at any time. Refer to the PDE website for specific instructions on logging in and viewing your PDE records.

Note: Requests for non-credit hours from workshops attended through SRU should be directed to the individual hosting the workshop, who will then coordinate submission of hours with Academic Records through SRU’s College of Education.

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