Professional Licensure Information

Some programs at Community College of Philadelphia lead to a license and/or certification in Pennsylvania. The U.S. Department of Education regulations now require disclosures for all programs leading to a license or certification. Disclosures will be provided for all states and will indicate whether the program meets licensure requirements, does not meet licensure requirements or has not yet been determined for each state.

Community College of Philadelphia strives to ensure state licensure or certification information is current; however, state requirements may change. If you are planning to pursue professional licensure or certification in another state, it is strongly recommended that you contact the appropriate licensing entity in that state to seek information and guidance regarding licensure or certification requirements before beginning an academic program.

For more information about the College’s programs, please visit: https://ccp.edu/academic-offerings/all-offerings

Click on the program below for additional licensure and/or certification information. 

Dental Hygiene AAS

The Dental Hygiene program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association, a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council on Post-Secondary Accreditation and the U.S. Department of Education. Graduating Dental Hygiene students are eligible to take the Northeast Regional Board Examination and the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE), which is recognized by all 50 states; the CDCA (ADEX and Clinical) is currently accepted by 44 states. The application and requirements for Dental Hygienist licensure vary across states. The following is a link to a webpage that shows the requirements for all states: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commission_on_Dental_Competency_Assessments

  • This program meets the requirements for Pennsylvania and states not listed below.
  • The program does not meet requirements for the following states: Alaska, Delaware, Georgia, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and South Dakota

Diagnostic Medical Imaging AAS

The Diagnostic Medical Imaging program is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT) (20 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 2850, Chicago, Il 60606; phone: 312-704-5300; email: mail@jrcert.org; website: www.jrcert.org). The program prepares graduates to complete the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) certification examination or an unrestricted state licensing examination and to apply for a state licensure as an entry-level Radiologic Technologist.

Some – but not all – states require you to be certified and registered through ARRT before you can obtain a state license.  The application and requirements for Radiologic Technologist licensure may differ across states. 

  • This program meets the requirements for Pennsylvania.
  • It has not yet been determined if the program meets requirements for the other states.

Education - Birth Through Grade 4 Curriculum AA

The Birth to Grade 4 program provides a foundation for study towards a four-year degree in education and is intended for preparation to teach Infants, Toddlers, Pre-K to grade four. The application and requirements for teaching licensure are unique to each state. The below information is meant to provide a resource for students interested in seeking teacher certification through transfer to a bachelor’s degree teacher education program. This is not a definitive list of the requirements for teacher certification. Please refer to each State Department of Education for full requirements for application.
Students who transfer to four-year colleges work towards Pre-K to fourth grade teacher certification for employment in early childhood or elementary school settings must meet these criteria:

  1. Maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher
  2. Successfully take the PAPA exam or the English and/or Math alternative required route provided by PDE in order to transfer.
  3. Maintain an e-portfolio which includes clearances such as child abuse, state police, FBI, mandated reporter, and health clearances

Positions and Roles- Birth-Grade 4 Program
Director, Lead Teacher, or Group Supervisor for a child or school-age care program
Assistant Teacher in Private Academic School

Requirements
Associate of Arts (AA) degree in Early Childhood Education (ECE)

Contact Information
The Pennsylvania Key
200 North 3rdStreet, 3rd Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17101
https://www.pakeys.org/

Education - Middle Level (4th to 8th Grades), Secondary Humanities/Social Studies Education Option, and Secondary Math/Science Option AA

The Middle and Secondary level programs provides a foundation for study towards a four-year degree in education and is intended for preparation to teach Grade 4 through Grade 12. The application and requirements for teaching licensure are unique to each state. The below information is meant to provide a resource for students interested in seeking teacher certification through transfer to a bachelor’s degree teacher education program. This is not a definitive list of the requirements for teacher certification. Please refer to each State Department of Education for full requirements for application.
Students who transfer to four-year colleges work towards Middle Level (Grades 4-8) or Secondary Level (Grades 9-12) teacher certification for employment in elementary, middle or secondary school settings must meet these criteria:

  1. Maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher
  2. Successfully take the PAPA exam or the English and/or Math alternative required route provided by PDE in order to transfer.
  3. Maintain an e-portfolio which includes clearances such as child abuse, state police, FBI, mandated reporter, and health clearances

In Pennsylvania these are the requirements for Certificate Licensing from 4-year Teacher Education Programs for; Prek-4, Middle Level, and Secondary Education Certificates

Clearances
The following clearances must be maintained for clinical experience in a PA classroom:
PA State Police Request for Criminal Records Check (Act 34)
Department of Public Welfare Child Abuse History Clearance (Act 151)
Federal criminal History Record Information (CHRI) through the Department of Education
Immunizations: vary by School District

Exams
Basic Skills Exam is recommended to be completed by the end of the A.A. program in order to transfer into a 4-year Education program.
PAPA or Praxis Core Academic Skills for Education
Content Knowledge Exam is specific to a candidate’s core content area and will be completed as part of a 4-year Education program.
Pennsylvania Educator Certification Tests (Elementary)
Praxis Subject Assessment (Middle Grades, Secondary)

Requirements

  • Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above
  • Course content consistent with a major in the licensure area.

Clinical/Field Experiences
By the end of Bachelor’s degree program:
Minimum of 100 hours verified clinical experience
Student teaching 12-week clinical setting approved by district.

License Application
Pennsylvania Initial License Application

Contact Information
Pennsylvania Dept. of Education
333 Market Street
Harrisburg, PA 17126
https://www.education.pa.gov/Pages/default.aspx

Medical Laboratory Technology AAS

The Medical Laboratory Technician program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). The Medical Laboratory Technician curriculum prepares students for positions as technicians in hospital laboratories, physician offices, pharmaceutical companies, private laboratories or other types of clinical laboratory facilities. Graduates of the MLT curriculum are eligible to take the "MLT" ASCP Board of Certification Exam. In order to become licensed or certified, the Medical Laboratory Technicians must complete coursework from an accredited program.

  • This program meets the requirements for Pennsylvania (and other states that do not require a national certification).
  • The program does not meet the requirements for California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Tennessee and West Virginia. These require that MLTs be licensed, according to the American Society for Clinical Pathology.
  • It has not yet been determined if the program meets requirements for the other states.

Nursing AAS

The Nursing curriculum is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, 3343 Peachtree Road, NE Suite 850, Atlanta, GA 30326, 404-975-5000, www.acenursing.org and is approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing. Upon completion of the program, students will complete the NCLEX and can apply for state licensure as a registered nurse (R.N.).  The NCLEX exam is valid in all 50 states. If an individual passed the NCLEX exam they could apply for licensure in another state. They may be required to provide verification that the completed the pre-licensure Nursing program at Community College of Philadelphia. 

  • This program meets the requirements for all states.

Phlebotomy

The Medical Laboratory Technology program (see above) also prepares graduates to be phlebotomists. Some states require certification, while others do not.

  • This program meets the requirements for Pennsylvania (and other states that do not require certification).
  • The program does not meet the requirements for California, Louisiana, Nevada, and Washington
  • It has not yet been determined if the program meets requirements for the other states.

Respiratory Care Technology AAS

The Respiratory Care Technology program is fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care. The program's graduates are eligible to sit for all credentialing examinations administered by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC), including the entry-level examination, the written registry and clinical simulation examinations and specialty exams in pulmonary function technology and neonatal/pediatric respiratory care. In addition, graduates are eligible for Pennsylvania state licensure, a requirement for practicing in the state, and licensure in all states. Students will also become student members of the American Association for Respiratory Care. The application and requirements for Respiratory Therapists/Respiratory Therapy Technicians do vary across states. The NBRC Credentials are national and transfer between all states as long as the graduate remains a member of the NBRC.  An applicant's license does not automatically transfer to each state; the applicant can apply for a license in many states if they have a minimum A.S. in an accredited Respiratory Program and has passed their CRT credential.

  • This program meets the requirements for Pennsylvania and all other states but those listed below.
  • The program does not meet the requirements for California, Ohio, Arizona, Oregon, New Jersey, and New Mexico, where one must be an RRT to apply for a license.