The University of Texas at Dallas
School of General Studies
Teacher Development Center


Program Admission
 

 

  • Post baccalaureate students must adhere to The University of Texas at Dallas Teacher Development Center Policies in place at the time the student actually enrolls in classes at UTD. When a student has a Certification Plan on file, but has not started taking classes for a semester, a year, or even longer, s/he must realize that the requirements may have changed. UTD is not bound by a certification plan that has not been "activated". (This would be like a student who said, "I got advised three years ago so I want to enter UTD under that catalogue, not the one in effect when I am actually admitted and enroll in classes at the University.")

  • A student who previously took classes toward fulfilling a Certification Plan, but who has not been enrolled in UTD classes for two semesters or more, must meet the UTD requirements for Certification Plans at the time the student reenrolls at UTD. Students who have not taken courses related to their teaching field for three or more years may be required to take a content related and/or professional practices refresher course.

  • When a student requests a REVISED Certification Plan, s/he also must meet any additional requirements that have been put into place at that time. A REVISED plan will be held to the same standards as a NEW plan and the student will be required to meet any new sequence of courses, standards for entering the program or other requirements. If the student is not enrolled at UTD, s/he must also pay the fee assessed for Certification Plans.

  • Students must maintain a GPA of 2.75 in classes taken at UTD in order to proceed with the certification program. GPA's will be monitored and participation in education courses suspended if students do not have the required GPA to be officially admitted into the teacher certification program.

  • Students must be OFFICIALLY ADMITTED to the Teacher Certification Program before they can receive permission to take any professional development TExES or PPR TExES test. This means a student must meet all GPA, THEA, and course requirements to be eligible.

  • UTD will offer highly qualified students an opportunity to substitute a paid graduate internship for student teaching if they meet the requirements and the school hiring them is willing to sign an agreement with the University that allows this.

  • UT Dallas students who receive a bachelor's degree and return to complete teacher certification will be subject to all requirements for post baccalaureate admission.

GUIDELINES FOR ADMISSION INTO
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS
TEACHER CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

Guidelines are in compliance with Chapter 227 of the Texas Administrative Code and the HEA Title II accountability requirements.

Students seeking Texas teaching credentials at UT Dallas must meet the following requirements:

Provisional Admission - entitles a prospective student who has applied for admission to UT Dallas to be advised for a certification plan and/or to take the initial courses related to certification:

  • GPA of 2.75 over-all or on last 60 semester hours of coursework.
  • Undergraduate students must have 60 semester hours of undergraduate coursework.  This should include 12 semester hours at UTD with no grade below a “C.”
  • Post-Baccalaureate students must have an undergraduate or graduate degree from an accredited university. If you hold a degree from an accredited college of university and have never enrolled in an Educator Preparation Program (EPP), you might qualify to register for a Pre-Admission Content Test (PACT). Detailed PACT information is available at the ETS website www.texes.ets.org. Taking PACT does not ensure admittance into an Educator Preparation Program. Programs may have additional admission requirements.
  • TASP/THEA – Unless exempt, a candidate must pass the TASP/THEA with the following minimum scores: 260 in Reading, 240 in Math, and 240 in Writing.

Exemption from TASP/THEA:  You are exempt from TASP/THEA if you meet the qualifying standards for GRE, ACT, or SAT:

GRE:   A minimum Verbal score of 450 and a minimum Quantitative score of 450 for a combined Verbal/Quantitative minimum score of 900 and a writing score of 3 or higher. Revised 2012 GRE Scoring: Minimum Verbal score of 135 and a minimum Quantitative score of 135 for a combined Verbal/Quantitative minimum score of 270 and a writing score of 3 or higher.

ACT:    A composite score of 26 with English and Mathematics sub scores of at least 22.  (ACT scores can be no more than five years old).

SAT:    A total score of 1650 with 550 minimum scores in each of the mathematics, critical reading, and writing sections of the test. (SAT scores can be no more than five years old).

Appropriate documentation is required to qualify for the exemptions from TASP/THEA.  The Official THEA Test Study Guide may be purchased in the UTD Bookstore.  THEA registration information is available in the Teacher Development Center, Hoblitzelle Hall (HH2.9), or in the Office of Student Success and Assessment located in the Clark Center, Room 1.126 (CN on the campus map).

Undergraduate students should meet with an academic advisor in their academic major to develop a degree plan no later than the end of the second regular semester following the semester in which the student earned 45 or more semester hours, per Texas Education Code, Section 51.9685, indicating to the advisor their interest in pursuing teacher certification.  Students can then make an appointment for certification plan advising with the Teacher Development Center when they are ready to take upper division courses.  Freshmen should not register for education courses.

Post-Baccalaureate students interested in teacher certification at UT Dallas are advised in the Teacher Development Center.

Official Admission

  • Meet all requirements for “Provisional Admission.”
  • Complete an application for admission to the Teacher Development Program. 
  • Complete American Public School (ED 3314) and Educational Psychology (PSY/ED 3339).
  • Undergraduate students must successfully complete 12 semester hours of approved courses at UT Dallas and have a 2.75 GPA or higher.
  • A committee of faculty, administrators and field placement educators will review all applications for admittance to the UTD Teacher Certification Program.
  • Teacher certification applicants must have exhibited professional maturity, acceptable class attendance and agree to adhere to the Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators to be officially admitted to teacher certification.

Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES)
All candidates for initial Texas teacher certification must pass two TExES certification examinations:

  1. Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities (PPR) test, EC-12.
  2. Content specialization test at the appropriate grade level.

(The current cost of each test is $120. You may take a practice test for $10 in the Teacher Development Center. Please call 972-883-2730 to schedule a test time.)

Students must be officially admitted to the Teacher Development Program to take the TExES certification examinations. For information on TExES registration and eligibility, please review the Teacher Development Center web site – www.utdallas.edu/teach or contact the Teacher Development Center.  TExES preparation manuals are available can be downloaded from the web at www.texes.ets.org.  Students should access this information before or during the first semester of enrollment at UT Dallas.  Students are encouraged to prepare early for the content related specialization TExES examination and to take theTExES PPR EC-12 exam during or immediately after completing Classroom Management.  Content and PPR EC-12 practice tests are available through the Teacher Development Center. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) website is www.tea.state.tx.us.

Requirements for Student Teaching

Student teaching is the capstone course in the professional education sequence at UTD. Students complete 13 weeks of supervised student teaching in a local school district during the fall or spring semester. This is a cooperative venture between the University and the public schools and represents the practical application of the teaching/learning process.

Applications for student teaching will be accepted at one of several information sessions held early in each long semester (before October 15 in the fall and before March 15 in the spring).  For further information contact the Teacher Development Center.

A committee of faculty, administrators, and field placement educators will review all applications for supervised student teaching or post-baccalaureate internships.  All candidates must have exhibited professional maturity, acceptable class attendance, and meet the following requirements:

  • Adhere to the Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators as listed in Appendix III in the student teacher handbook. (page 50)
  • Be officially admitted to the UTD Teacher Certification Program. Transfer students must have completed a minimum of 9 semester hours of professional development coursework at UTD in order to register for the student teaching capstone course.
  • Pass both required TExES exams.
  • Complete all required professional development courses with a 2.75 or higher GPA.
  • Complete all required course work in teaching field with a 2.75 or higher GPA.
  • Have no grade lower than a “B” in Classroom Management, C&I or Methods courses.
  • Have no grade lower than “C” in other required certification courses.
  • Request a student teaching assignment where no family member works or attends.
  • Clear district criminal background check.
  • Register for student teaching (6 semester hours).  A student teaching fee ($250) is included in the total registration charges.
  • Pay tuition expenses before beginning official student teaching assignment.

Supervised Post-Baccalaureate Internships are available only to certification candidates who have a degree from an accredited college or university, a signed contract from an accredited school in an authorized area, a 3.0 or higher GPA in required courses, and who meet all other requirements for student teaching.

Additional Requirements for Teacher Certification

  • Professional education coursework taken at UT Dallas.
  • Online Educational Technology course, ED 4372.
  • Appropriate documentation of effective public speaking.
  • 12 semester hours of English with no grade lower than a “C.”
  • 40 clock hours of early field experience.
  • Grade of “A” or “B” in Student Teaching.

Application for Certification

After the Field Supervisors have completed the final student teacher observations, students who have successfully fulfiledl all requirements for Texas teacher certification (GPA, course work, TASP/THEA or ACT. SAT, GRE and TExES examinations and student teaching.) should apply for certification on the TEA website www.tea.state.tx.us.  Click on Educator Certification, select Certification Information then click on Apply for Certification. (Current Fees: $77 application fee and $39.50 background check)

When the graudation date is posted on your UTD transcript the Certification Officer will access your online application and, upon verification of all certification requirements, will recommend you for Texas Certification. You will immediately receive an automated e-mail message from the certifying agency as soon as you have been recommended. However, you will not be able to immediately view your online teaching certificate. When TEA posts the certificate online you will be able to view and print a copy. Be sure to remember your TEA ID so that you can retrieve a copy of your certificate. You will probably want to print a copy of the certificate on paper suitable for framing; however, the online certificate is the official teaching credential.

Contact Information

UT Dallas Teacher Development Center

Hoblitzelle Hall 2.900

(972) 883-2730 phone (972) 883-4330 fax

www.utdallas.edu/teach

 

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