Educator Programs
Continuing Education Courses for Teachers
Teacher Courses for Professional Growth and Salary Advancement
Welcome to the University of San Diego’s Educator Programs — designed by educators for educators! Choose from over 500 high-quality individual courses, each created to motivate teachers, enhance instruction and stimulate student learning.
Continuing education for teachers is very important to the field of education. Many teachers seek out our continuing education programs (offered online, on campus and in several Los Angeles locations) motivated by opportunities for professional growth and salary advancement.
Offered through the Division of Professional & Continuing Education (PCE) at the University of San Diego, a top-ranked university, each course can be taken individually or as part of an applicable certificate or professional program. Courses are geared to the K-12 education professional, and some can also be relevant for the community college-level instructor.
Students can choose to attend classes at our sunny San Diego campus with its panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean or at one of our convenient Los Angeles locations, or enroll in online courses designed to offer maximum convenience.
Features and Formats
- Graduate-level extension credit appropriate for a salary step
- Affordable tuition for high-quality programs
- Experienced practitioners in the education field who provide excellent instruction and support student learning
- Personalized, superior support from university instructors and staff
- Convenient and flexible course schedules and formats:
- Classroom: Work onsite at our beautiful San Diego campus or at a satellite site in Los Angeles
- Online: Fixed-date (term-based) and self-paced options
- Independent Study: Self-Paced
Enhance Your Classroom Capabilities
The desire to become a better teacher is a strong motivator when it comes to taking educator professional development courses — and our strong lineup of high-quality courses offers many opportunities for professional growth that align with your interests and passions as an educator.
Some educators prefer to participate in teacher professional development online, while others favor the on-campus classroom format. Either way, teacher professional development courses are a great way to keep up on new trends and teaching strategies. Popular subject areas include:
- Classroom Management
- Reading and Literacy
- Technology in Education
- Bullying Prevention
- And many, many more Interests Areas
Position Yourself for Salary Advancement
The opportunity to expand your earning potential is also an important motivator when it comes to continuing education courses for teachers. Many school districts offer incremental salary boosts for completing professional development courses, certificates and advanced degrees.
Such salary increases, and the requirements for obtaining them, vary widely from school district to school district and are detailed within each district’s teacher contract. Therefore, it is recommended that you seek pre-approval from your school district to ensure that the courses you are taking will fulfill district requirements for salary advancement.
Learn on Your Schedule with Flexible Course Formats
Designed to accommodate the varied needs of busy working professionals, our educator programs are offered in a number of convenient formats:
Courses are offered in traditional classroom settings in San Diego and Los Angeles to facilitate immediate feedback and to foster interaction with the instructor and classmates.
Complete all of your studying and assignments online, on your schedule, meeting deadlines as you go, with beginning and end dates that are helpful for planning your calendar. Enhance your learning experience by engaging in meaningful interaction with your instructor and your peers every step of the way.
In our online self-paced classes, you’ll connect to your coursework through an easy-to-use online learning portal. In this format, you’ll have up to 6 months to complete your coursework, receiving quality feedback from your instructor along your learning journey.
Self-Paced Courses
Working independently, you’ll have up to 6 months to complete your work; along with ongoing support from your instructor, who’ll be available to answer questions and offer feedback to assist in your learning. Many of our students take advantage of this option to accelerate their studies and complete the course more quickly.
If you have questions about any of our course format options, just contact an enrollment advisor for more information.
Affordability & High Quality
Teachers work extremely hard for their pay, so our continuing education and professional development courses are designed with maximum affordability in mind. The majority of our courses cost between $129 and $489, with the price of each course listed as part of the course description. USD has a proven track of providing high-quality courses taught by experienced subject matter experts using the most up-to-date materials and standards, and cutting-edge techniques.
Learn from Education Experts
Taught by dedicated, experienced, engaging instructors, including many from the USD faculty, all of the programs at the University of San Diego's Division of Professional and Continuing Education are designed to position you for success in achieving your professional goals.
We connect you with subject matter experts who are highly respected with deep experience in the field, many with master’s degrees.
Testimonials
“The courses I have taken thus far at USD have been flexible and wonderful. The professors are knowledgeable and courses are filled with depth and breadth. Look forward to enrolling in more!.”
— Veronica Tolentino, Educator, Long Beach Unified School District, California
"I liked how the course assignments allow me to apply what I have learned. It was a very “hands on” course, which directly targets the subject area that I teach, thus I find it practical and useful."
— Yien Ling (Karen) Mah, Educator, International Community School, Singapore
“I never want to be that teacher that has been teaching so long that I do the same things over and over and never change. I think teachers need to continue with education courses in order to meet the needs of our students.”
— Beth F., Teacher, Sacramento, California
View Our Educator Programs Catalog to See Course Offerings
Frequently Asked Questions
For More Information Check Out Our FAQs page
Official transcript requests for the University of San Diego’s Division of Professional and Continuing Education can be made online at our Student Transcript Request page. Payment for transcript requests is also processed online. The cost of each official transcript is $15.00. Please note that we only offer official transcripts at this time.
To request your transcript online, you will need to login to your account on our website. If you do not remember your login information, please do not create a new account; instead, please call Enrollment and Student Services (ESS) at (888) 321-6658 for assistance obtaining your login information.
If you prefer not to pay online, please send a written request including the following information:
Please send all written requests to:
University of San Diego
Professional and Continuing Education
5998 Alcala Park
San Diego, CA 92110-2492
Transcripts are mailed within three business days of receipt of the request.
- Your full name
- Student ID (begins with “USD-”)
- The address where you would like the transcript sent
- Your telephone number
- Payment information (Credit card number with expiration date, check or money order)
Online Fixed-Date courses offer a convenient, yet rigorous style of learning that allows you to structure your education to suit your schedule while keeping on pace toward achieving your educational goals. Online Fixed-Date courses have fixed start and finish dates similar to classroom courses, but as an online student you will have access to your classroom at any time and can view your assignments, syllabus and course resources from any computer with internet capability.
Online Fixed-Date courses offer the same high-quality content and expert instruction as the courses held on-campus at the University of San Diego. Instructors facilitate courses through engaging multimedia presentations and provide prompt feedback to questions within a 24–48 hour time frame. This online format allows students to interact with classmates worldwide and replicate in-classroom interactions through weekly discussion forums, chats and email communication.
Online Self-Paced courses are a perfect blend of accessibility, convenience and flexibility for you to control your learning pace. You will use course textbooks, manuals, assignments and exams to learn and earn credit. Depending on the course, you may also use streaming audio and video, CD-ROM and download embedded materials through the Internet. Communication with your instructor will take place online through your course site. Your instructor will provide feedback via written responses on your assignments and exams. Grades are based on completed projects, assignments and exams. You can register at any time and you will have six months from the time of registration to complete your course.