ACIS tours educate students and they can help with your continuing education, too!
ACIS is pleased to offer the opportunity for teachers to earn up to three Professional Development Units (PDUs) for leading an ACIS tour. All because traveling on an ACIS tour makes you a better teacher. You can also earn PDUs when you travel on one of our Global Conferences!
ACIS is proud to have partnered with the University of the Pacific, one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in the state of California, to offer you this benefit. The Center for Professional and Continuing Education offers teachers the opportunity to earn Graduate Professional Development. These semester units are intended for graduate professional growth, not for pursuing an advanced degree. They are designed for salary advancement, may be applied toward the 150 hours of professional growth required to renew your Clear Credential and are accepted in all 50 states.
All courses are in accordance with guidelines set forth by California WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges). Participants are advised to verify acceptance of such credit with their school district or state licensing bureau prior to registration for unit credit.
Four Simple Steps to Earning PDUs with ACIS
Step 1: Obtain prior approval from your school district regarding graduate level university credit for leading an ACIS educational tour.
Step 2: Prior to your tour, submit a registration form (PDF) to ACIS’ Boston office. On the form, please indicate the number of semester units you’d like to receive (up to three). The cost for PDUs is $93 per unit, payable to the University of the Pacific. Be sure to read the detailed instructions on how to fill out the registration form.
You may receive one semester unit for every fifteen touring hours. A touring hour is an hour spent participating in an educational activity that acquaints you with the culture. Sightseeing, visiting museums and attending theater performances are all recognized as educational activities. You may also receive credit for educational research or curriculum development before or after the tour is over. To learn more about the University of the Pacific’s credit requirements and grading policy please download the University of the Pacific PDU Packet (PDF).
Step 3: Enjoy your ACIS tour! While abroad log your touring hours and keep track of all your educational activities.
Step 4: Within one month of returning from your ACIS tour you will be required to submit the following documents directly to the University of the Pacific, Center for Professional and Continuing Education, Professional Development Courses for Teachers, 696 San Ramon Valley Blvd, #518, Danville, CA 94526:
- Activity Log and Notes – You will be required to submit an activity log and notes to verify the number of hours you participated in educational activities.
- Reflection Page – You will need to submit a short essay reflecting on your ACIS tour and how your experiences abroad will help you in the classroom.
After following these steps, you will receive your grade from the University of the Pacific, Center for Professional and Continuing Education within four to six weeks after submitting your final work.
ACIS and the University of the Pacific are dedicated to helping teachers receive credit for all the work they do to improve their students’ education.
