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Post-Baccalaureate & Alternative Certification Checklist

First Steps for Alternative & Post Baccalaureates

  • Must have an undergraduate degree and/or graduate degree from an accredited university.
  • Call 972-883-2730 to schedule an appointment with a TDC Certification Advisor.
  • Meet with a TDC Certification Advisor to develop your certification plan and discuss your options.
  • Bring a copy of your degree(s) and transcripts to the TDC meeting.
  • You must have at least a cumulative 3.0 GPA or a 3.0 GPA in the last 60 hours.
  • Students must complete a minimum of 15 hours of content field course work for those students pursuing Math or Science(s) Certifications (4-8, 6-12, and 7-12). Complete a minimum of 12 hours of content field coursework for those students pursing teaching fields in Arts and Humanities.
  • Students will also need a Social Security number. A Social Security number is later required for Teacher Certification to complete the fingerprinting process.
  • Students are required to adhere to the Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators, Fitness to Teach Policy and the TDC Student Handbook.
  • After your initial meeting then apply to UT Dallas (even if you have graduated from here you will need to reapply). You will apply as a “non-degree seeking graduate student”. You will also be asked to submit a resume and an essay. Apply to the university immediately, do not wait. It may take a few weeks to be accepted.
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Here are the UT Dallas links for applying as an Alternative Certification or Post Baccalaureate:

International Students

  • TOEFL – Students from non-English speaking countries whose primary language is NOT English are required to take all four sections of the TOEFL (the only approved test). Texas Education Agency requires applicants to score a 24 on Speaking, 22 for Listening, 22 for Reading and 21 for Writing. To register for the TOEFL, please log in to the ETS website.
  • If an undergraduate or graduate degree was earned at an institution of higher education in a country outside the United States, please reference the list countries that have been approved by the State Board of Education Certification (SBEC) to satisfy the English language proficiency requirement.
  • Students must provide official transcripts when they apply to UT Dallas Admissions along with a detailed evaluation completed by the Foreign Credentials Service of America.

Official Admission for Alternative Certification and Post Baccalaureates

The following are critical to being Officially Admitted into the Teacher Development Program.

  • You will be required to take the Pre-Admission Content Test (PACT) to be admitted into the TDC. This will be discussed in your meeting with the TDC Certification Advisor. When you are ready to take the PACT Test, make sure you are taking the correct test for your desired certification. This exam covers only subject matter in your content area. do not be concerned about teaching methods or pedagogy…only on the subject content. PACT Test information.
  • Taking the PACT Test does not ensure admittance into an Educator Preparation Program. Programs may have additional admission requirements.
  • Once you have passed the PACT Test, applied online, and been admitted into the TDC then immediately schedule an appointment with the TDC Certification Advisor again to complete the required paperwork for TEA. It takes about an hour.
  • If you do not pass the PACT Test and need to take courses to complete the requirements for the certification you desire, we will work together on the courses you will need prior to taking the Education classes.
  • After the previous steps are completed, you will receive an email from the TDC Certification Officer for your Official Admission.  Student must reply to the email immediately (within 7 days) to accept their admittance to the program.
  • Students will be told in the email to set up their TEAL (Texas Education Agency Login), ECOS (Educator Certification Online System) and NES (Texas Educator Certification Examination Program) accounts for their Official Admission.

Next Steps for Alternative Certification and Post Baccalaureates

  • After you have been Officially Accepted into the program and all previous steps are completed, then you may register for Education courses.  See Registration Procedure in Student Handbook.
  • Visit the NES (Texas Educator Certification Examination Program) website for information about the TExES Certification Exams.
    • Select Preparation Materials to view the Content and PPR Test Manuals.
    • Print the Test Frameworks for both of your required TExES certification exams.
  • Plan ahead for Clinical Teaching or Residency (formerly known as student teaching) and your TExES certification exams:
    • You are required to pass all TExES certification exams for your teacher certification to be eligible for Clinical Teaching  or the two semester Residency Program.
    • Make sure you have the opportunity to retake each test if necessary. You may need to wait 30 days to retest.
  • Suggested Testing Timeline for TExES certification exams:
    • Take the PPR exam midway through or upon completion of Classroom Management.
    • Take the Content exam and STR (EC-6 Core Subjects) after you complete most or all of your content (subject area) courses.
  • Make an appointment with the TDC to take TExES practice tests – free of charge to TDC students – before taking the official TExES certification exams.
  • Make a reservation for the TExES review workshops for the PPR and Content exams. TDC offers workshops each semester at no cost to you.
  • Pass all necessary exams for your certification including: Content, PPR and the STR exam when needed.
  • Make an appointment in the TDC office to attend a Clinical Teacher or Residency Sign-Up meeting the semester before you intend to student teach. These meetings usually occur within the first 4 weeks of each semester. 

Contact us for more information.