College of Education

by promoting the following: Building on a solid base of liberal arts and general studies, the College of Education (COE) seeks to produce thoughtful, skilled and humane educators. Numerous plans are available to help students develop into highly qualified professionals.

The COE offers an extensive choice of certification plans in graduate specializations. Many alumni find employment in a variety of educational settings, while others pursue careers in industry, government, independent practice or consulting. Plans in the COE are fully approved by the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC)/Texas Education Agency (TEA).

The COE believes that teaching, learning and educational leadership should be learner centered. Whether referring to university pre-service teachers, in-service teachers pursuing advanced studies, others in professional educator roles or the learners influenced by these educators, the focus of teaching and learning is on the learner. This conceptual framework guides the way in which the COE structures its courses and degree plans. This is reflected in the COE mission statement and is also the central theme reinforced in classes. The vision of the COE is of a learner-centered community in which success for all students is paramount.

Mission

The mission of the COE is to prepare outstanding educators and leaders in education through achievement of the highest standards of knowledge, skills and dispositions to assist all students in learning. The mission is accomplished by promoting the following:

• Excellence and innovation in learner-centered teaching and learning for all
• The value and understanding of all types of diversity
• Professional and personal integrity
• Effective use of technologies
• Partnerships with and service to the community
• Ongoing assessment for both candidate and program improvement
• Research to expand the knowledge base for teaching and learning

Although each of these is central to the goals and directions of the COE at UHCL, the first, promoting excellence and innovation in learner-centered teaching and learning for all, is the most succinct statement of what the faculty within the COE value.

Contact Us

Office of the Dean
Phone: 281-283-3501
Web: www.uhcl.edu/education
Bayou Building 1231

Office of the Associate Dean
Phone: 281-283-3620
Bayou Building 1231

Office of Academic Advising
Phone: 281-283-3600
Email: education@uhcl.edu
Web: www.uhcl.edu/education/advising
Bayou Building 1231

Center for Professional Development of Teachers
(CPDT)
Phone: 281-283-3612
Bayou Building 1231

Center for Educational Programs
(CEP)
Phone: 281-283-3529
Arbor Building 1300

Office of Educator Certification
Phone: 281-283-3618
Bayou Building 1231

Office of State Assessments
Phone: 281-283-3623
Bayou Building 1231

Research Center for Language and Culture
Phone: 281-283-3580
Bayou Building 1325

Learning Resources Review Center
Phone: 281-283-3900
Bayou Building 3402

New Teachers Online
(NTOL)

Accreditation and Accountability

University of Houston-Clear Lake is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Unique to education itself are other accrediting and accountability bodies with strict guidelines and standards that must be met for the College of Education to recommend educators for Texas educator certification.

Department of Education Accountability

In 1998, Congress reauthorized Title II of the Higher Education Act. The Act established a reporting system for the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) to collect information annually on the quality of the teacher training programs of states and institutions of higher education. Within Title II, the USDE mandates federal accountability measures to determine how well all higher education institutions prepare teachers, what states require of individuals before they are allowed to teach and how institutions and states are raising their standards to provide “highly qualified” educators.

For additional data about UHCL in relation to other EPPs in the nation, see the US Department of Education Title II, Institution Progress Report Card web page at Title II.

SBEC/TEA Accreditation

University of Houston-Clear Lake is one of 129 Educator Preparation Programs in the State of Texas accredited to recommend educators for certificates. The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC)/Texas Education Agency (TEA) implements stringent guidelines and standards for initial and advanced levels of educator certification. TEA did not rate/accredit EPPs during 2020 due to the COVID-19 Declared State of Disaster.

Read more information on State accreditation ratings on the TEA website.

Policy on Professional Dispositions

Students who are seeking teacher certification or who are enrolled in the College of Education (COE) are required to read “The Statement on Professional Dispositions, Disposition Expectations Checklist, and Disposition Resolution Process” which defines the behavioral standards the COE expects of its students. Just as students may be withdrawn from their program for not meeting the academic requirements, they may also be withdrawn for not meeting the professional disposition standards. The statement on Professional Dispositions is found at www.uhcl.edu/education/student-resources.

Field-Based Experience Courses

There are many COE courses that require field-based experiences. Students in these courses are required to spend part of their time off campus, in most cases in school classrooms. The State of Texas requires each of these students to pass a criminal background check before being allowed in the classroom for the field-based experience. It is the student’s responsibility to meet this requirement, as field-based experience is key to those designated courses.

Criminal Background Checks

As required by Texas Senate Bill 9, a school district will conduct a criminal background check on each student before the student is allowed in the school for a field-based experience. For the criminal background check to be conducted, each student must complete the required documentation. Part of the documentation will require that each student provide his/her social security number and driver’s license number. If a student does not have a driver’s license, then, at the discretion of the school district, other official numbers (visa, passport, etc.) may be substituted. The criminal background check is conducted for each field-based experience course each semester and for each district in which the student is completing a field-based experience. If a student is denied access to a district based on the criminal background check, the student cannot get credit for the course. The student will not be able to register for any further field-based experience course until the situation has been corrected. For information on the Code of Ethics for Texas educators, refer to the Texas Administrative Code web site.

The State of Texas (by House Bill 1508 in 2017), The Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) require that an educator preparation program inform all certification program applicants and candidates about the State’s rules on criminal background checks from the Texas Occupation Code Chapter 53, the Texas Education Code Chapter 22.0831 and the Texas Administrative Code, part VII, Chapter 227, Subchapter B.

Annually, the UHCL registrar sends out an email to all UHCL students enrolled in a certificate/license program at UHCL informing them of the state’s rules and requirements.

In addition, the College of Education (COE) requires all students entering a UHCL educator certificate program to confirm in writing that the candidate read and was informed by COE of the following:

1. An individual who has been convicted of an offense or received deferred adjudication may be ineligible for the issuance of an educator certificate upon completion of an educational program.
2. TEA will conduct a national criminal history check on the candidate when the candidate applies for an educator certificate and throughout the candidate’s educator career.
3. The candidate has read TEA’s National Criminal History Checks-FAQs at: https://tea.texas.gov/Texas_Educators/Investigations/National_Criminal_History_Checks-FAQs/
4. The candidate understands that the candidate may request a Preliminary Criminal History Evaluation from TEA if the candidate has any reason to believe that the candidate may be ineligible for educator certification due to a conviction or deferred adjudication for a felony or misdemeanor offense, per Texas Occupation Code Section 53.102, http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/OC/htm/OC.53.htm. The candidate has read TEA’s Preliminary Criminal History Evaluation-FAQs at https://tea.texas.gov/Texas_Educators/Investigations/Preliminary_Criminal_History_Evaluation-FAQs/
5. The candidate has read the current guidelines issued by SBEC on the following:
   1. Disciplinary Policy Guidelines - https://tea.texas.gov/Texas_Educators/Investigations/Disciplinary_Policy_and_Mission_Statement_-_State_Board_for_Educator_Certification/
   2. Educator Discipline- FAQs - https://tea.texas.gov/Texas_Educators/Investigations/Educator_Discipline_-_FAQs/

Centers and Offices

Center for Professional Development of Teachers (CPDT)

The College of Education (COE) has been designated as a Center for Professional Development of Teachers (CPDT). The teacher preparation plan has been restructured to provide extensive school-based experiences for prospective educators. These expanded experiences include a two-semester internship or student teaching, field-based experience courses and close cooperation with several schools that have been designated as Professional Development School (PDS) sites. These sites operate under the philosophy that every staff member is a mentor, providing a rich and supportive environment for the preparation of professional educators. The CPDT coordinates field-based experiences and collaborates with the Center for Educational Programs (CEP) in providing a wide array of professional development opportunities.

The CPDT also provides technological support and professional development for all Internship I and II/Clinical Teaching candidates.

Field-based experiences and graduate internships and practicums take place in a variety of settings in 35 local area school districts. Fifty-five schools have the designation of PDS and provide pre-service internships and professional mentoring. In addition, the COE has an additional 133 affiliation agreements with other businesses and other school districts to provide both graduate internship/practicum placement and field-based experiences. All placement sites must have an approved UHCL Agreement of Affiliation on record with the CPDT office prior to beginning the practicum.

Center for Educational Programs (CEP)

The Center for Educational Programs (CEP) provides academic and outreach services to students, faculty, schools, school districts, other educational entities and members of the community. The CEP coordinates the College of Education’s (COE’s) clinical services, provides facilities and coordination for laboratory experiences, supports a broad range of programs for children and youth, offers non-credit courses for area educators, assists local schools and school districts in emerging and ongoing professional development activities and promotes and supports various projects of the COE.

Office of Academic Advising

This office provides information about the College of Education (COE) degree requirements, advises all graduate and post-degree teacher certification students seeking initial teaching certificates, analyzes transcripts, performs student audits prior to admission and prepares students’ degree and certification plans. The office also advises prospective graduate students in the various COE plans and assigns them faculty advisers.

Office of Educator Certification

Questions about state educator certification policies and regulations should be directed to this office. It maintains all official certification records for the College of Education (COE). This office also approves applications for admission to the Teacher Education Program (TEP); audits for the master’s comprehensive examination and graduation; recommends students for educator certificates, and tracks data for Title II and the Accountability Standards for Educator Preparation (TEA Accreditation).

Office of State Assessments

The Office of State Assessments advises and disseminates information to students about the state educator certification exams, which are called Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES). Candidates must pass their required TExES to become public school educators in the state of Texas. The Office of State Assessments gives test approval to eligible students and keeps a record of students’ exam scores. It communicates information pertaining to state assessments, such as study resources, practice test information and registration instructions, and notification of any changes or updates from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) regarding the TExES. The COE State Assessments Coordinator networks with UHCL faculty and staff, as well as with the state testing coordinator association, Pearson and TEA, to maintain accurate testing procedures and requirements.

Research Center for Language and Culture

This center supports initiatives in the research and development of educational programs for students working with second-language learners and their families. Funded projects have included teacher training, bilingual counselor training and bilingual administrator training.

Learning Resources Review Center

This center is jointly sponsored by the Alfred R. Neumann Library and the College of Education (CoE) and houses current children’s books furnished by the generosity of publishers and producers of books and materials. The primary function of the center is to encourage review activities.

Certification

Alternative Certification Program (ACP)

The University of Houston-Clear Lake College of Education Alternative Certification Program (ACP), in cooperation with UHCL member school districts, is a training program that provides the opportunity for initial teacher certification students who have earned bachelor’s degrees to be employed as full-time teachers while they complete their certifications. The length of the program may be from one to three years depending on students’ qualifications. According to the USDE and NCLB, each school district must ensure that all teachers who teach core academic subjects funded by Title I funds are “highly qualified.” Uncertified educators can meet this highly qualified definition by:

• Holding a bachelor’s degree or higher from an approved institution
• Being admitted to a State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) approved ACP
• Passing the state assessments required for the certification area being sought

Admission Requirements for Alternative Certification Program (ACP)

Students must meet the following requirements:

• Admission to UHCL as a post-baccalaureate teacher certification or graduate teacher certification student.
• Thirty documented clock hours of K-12 experience observation.
• A bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution.
• Must apply and be admitted to the UHCL Teacher Education Program (TEP) prior to being permitted to enroll in the first semester.
  • Basic skills in reading, mathematics and writing requirements
  • Public speaking requirement
  • 2.750 GPA overall or over the 60 semester credit hours
  • Must take and pass the Pre-Admissions Content Test (PACT) that corresponds to the teacher certification being pursued.
  • $37 TEP Application Fee
• Apply to the UHCL Alternative Certification Program (ACP) ($60 application fee)
• Must pass the following state assessments before the end of the first summer semester enrolled in the program.
• Must pass the following state assessment by the end of the second spring semester enrolled in the program.
  • Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities EC-12 TExES #160

The teaching position must be with one of the UHCL CPDT Teacher Center Executive Board member districts listed below:

Qualified Alternative Certification Program (ACP) Students

Upon acceptance, qualified students will complete the following steps:

1. Apply for probationary or intern certificate at http://tea.texas.gov.
2. Pay a non-refundable fee of $1,500 or invoiced through CPDT. Students will pay additional fees if a second and/or third year is necessary.
3. Complete all requirements listed on the certification plan.

General Certification Information

In accordance with the rules of the State Board of Education, students applying for a standard teaching certificate in the State of Texas must meet the requirements for a bachelor’s degree with an academic major (other than education) or an interdisciplinary academic major. The major must be related to the public school curriculum as defined by Chapter 74 of the Texas Administrative Code.

Students seeking a teacher certification recommendation must have at least a 3.000 overall grade point average (GPA) in Pedagogy coursework and at least a 2.500 overall GPA in the content area for which their commendation is sought. Grades of C- or better are necessary for all University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL) course requirements. Pre-Service Internship I requires a grade of B- or better.

Advanced certificate students seeking certification recommendation must maintain a 3.000 overall grade point average (GPA). Some courses may have additional grade requirements.

A State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) rule (Title 19, Part 7, Chapter 249) gives the board the authority to suspend or revoke an educator certificate or refuse to issue an educator certificate to a person who has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor which directly relates to the duties and responsibilities of the education profession. For additional actions that may be taken by the board, see Rule 249.

SBEC and TEA require all educator preparation students, faculty, staff, field supervisors and advisory committee (TCC) members to be trained in and adhere to the Texas Educators’ Code of Ethics. See Texas Administrative Code, Title 19, Part 7, Chapter 228.50. Training may be provided online or in a classroom setting. Candidates will receive training prior to student teaching, internship or practicum.

State Assessments Information

Graduate students seeking Principal, Superintendent, Reading Specialist, School Librarian, and School Counselor certifications must pass their respective state exams (TExES) to be recommended for certification. Their degree or certification plan must match the state assessments for which they are registering.

Registration for the TExES is done online at www.tx.nesinc.com, unless the test taker has no way of paying the test fee electronically, in which case registration may be done by telephone at1-800-205-2626. After setting up a personal account with the Texas Educator Certification Program, students should follow the directions for registering for an exam.

Graduate certification candidates must pass their respective TExES to be eligible for practica/internships.

The Texas Educator Certification Program provides preparation materials for every certification at www.tx.nesinc.com. Students must pass a representative practice exam prior to TExES registration approval. Representative practice exams are completed online via programs accessed by the student candidate. More information about the representative practice exams can be found at https://www.uhcl.edu/education/certification/state-assessments/.

Texas Education Agency (TEA)

For additional information on State certification, contact the Texas Education Agency (TEA) through its website at http://tea.texas.gov, or its Information and Support Center number at 1-512-936-8400. Any changes made by the State and University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL) in interpreting the rulings on educator certification plans in Texas may supersede the requirements of existing certification plans, degree plans, alternative certification plans or deficiency plans.

Applying for Certification

All students completing requirements for certificates must apply for certification and pay the required fee at the “Educator Certification Online System” by logging into their TEAL login accounts. Verification of certification will automatically be issued to an educator electronically by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) as soon as all requirements have been completed.

Per TEA, a certification candidate cannot be recommended for certification by an Educator Preparation Program unless both the field supervisor and cooperating teacher (site supervisor for advanced certificates) agree that the candidate should be recommended for certification. The clinical teaching experience, internship or practicum may have to be repeated to ensure this success.

Complaint Resolution Procedures

For issues or complaints, contact the College of Education Office of Academic Advising by emailing education@uhcl.edu, or calling 281-283-3600. If the issue is not resolved, contact the College of Education, Office of the Associate Dean.

For further issues or complaints about this educator preparation program, see the UHCL COE “Complaint Procedures.”

For steps to follow in contacting the Texas Education Agency with a complaint about this EPP, see /About_TEA/Contact_Us/complaints/complaints/.

Post-Degree Teacher Certification Plans

Students seeking initial teacher certification who hold at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university may choose from two sets of programs. Students wishing to combine their pursuits of initial teacher certification with the pursuit of a master’s degree can follow a graduate teacher certification program. Students who do not wish to pursue a master’s degree can follow a post-baccalaureate teacher certification program (see UHCL undergraduate catalog). Students pursuing a second bachelor’s degree are also considered to be post-baccalaureate teacher certification program students and should consult the university undergraduate catalog.

Graduate Teacher Certification Plans

To be eligible for admission to a graduate teacher certification plan, students must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university and be pursuing a Master’s Degree (other than the Master of Arts in Teaching). Students must meet the graduate admissions requirements for both the university and the College of Education (COE).

Graduate teacher certification students are considered graduate students; therefore, they must maintain graduate academic standards and pay graduate tuition rates. Some courses listed on the graduate teacher certification plans can also be applied to the pursuit of a Master’s Degree.

At UHCL, graduate students may pursue the following graduate teacher certificates:

• Core Subjects EC-6
• Core Subjects EC-6 with Bilingual Education Supplemental
• Core Subjects EC-6 with ESL Supplemental
• Core Subjects EC-6 with Special Education EC-12
• English Language Arts and Reading 4-8
• English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4-8
• Core Subjects 4-8
• Mathematics 4-8
• Science 4-8
• Social Studies 4-8
• English Language Arts and Reading 7-12
• History 7-12
• Life Science 7-12
• Social Studies 7-12
• Mathematics 7-12

Admission to Pre-Service Internships I and II for Graduate Teacher Certification Students

TCED 4378 , Pre-Service Internship I, and TCED 4978 , Pre-Service Internship II/Clinical Teaching are the capstone experiences for the University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL)-approved Teacher Education Program (TEP), and students must enroll in consecutive long semesters (fall/spring or spring/fall) to complete these two experiences. Pre-Service Internship I is every Wednesday of the public school semester. Pre-Service Internship II/Clinical Teaching is every day of the public school semester. Enrollment in Pre-Service Internship I should not be considered until almost all courses have been successfully completed since the number of semester hours in the Pre-Service Internship II/Clinical Teaching semester is restricted to 12 hours. Specific requirements for Pre-Service Internships I and II are listed below.

Students must apply for Pre-Service Internship I through the COE Advising office. Applications must be received by March 1 for fall internship and by October 1 for spring internship.

Pre-Service Internships I and II are not offered during the summer. Students complete the application found here https://www.uhcl.edu/education/student-resources/.

Current Internship I candidates do not need to apply for Pre-Service Internship II/Clinical Teaching. The COE advising staff will automatically conduct an audit of all Internship I candidates’ academic records at the end of each semester to determine candidates’ eligibility for Internship II. If a Pre-Service Internship I candidate elects to sit out the semester following Pre-Service Internship I, it will be necessary for the candidate to contact his or her adviser and the CPDT office at least one month prior to the semester in which he or she intends to return as a Pre-Service Internship II/Clinical Teaching candidate.

Pedagogy courses must be taken prior to or concurrently with Pre-Service Internship I. The Office of Academic Advising will perform audits to establish students’ eligibility for these experiences. Audits are work copies only. The degree and/or certification Candidate Plan of Study (CPS) is the official documentation of requirements.

Pre-Service Internship I (TCED 4378)

All students must meet the following requirements for admission to Pre-Service Internship I:

• Formal admission to the Teacher Education Program. (See above.)
• Field-based experience courses must be satisfactorily completed prior to or taken concurrently with Pre-Service Internship I. Students may not take more than two courses that include field-based experience concurrently with Internship I.
• Any Wednesday courses taken concurrently with Pre-Service Internship I cannot be scheduled earlier than 7 p.m.
• For those certifications requiring TCED 4323 /TCED 5233  or TCED 4333 /TCED 5333 , successful completion of MATH 1351  is a prerequisite. See catalog prerequisites for all pedagogy courses.
• TCED 4100 /TCED 4102  must be taken prior to consideration for TCED 4378  unless all required state assessments have been passed.
• Applications for Pre-Service Internship I must be received in the COE advising office before the close of business on March 1 for fall internship and by October 1 for spring internship. If the application deadline falls on a weekend or a university holiday, applications will be accepted before the close of business on the following working day.
• Upon acceptance into TCED 4378 , students will be placed on the district’s substitute list. As required by Texas Senate Bill 9, the district will conduct a criminal background check on each student. For the criminal background check to be conducted, each student will be required to complete all required documentation. Part of the documentation will require that each student provide his/her social security number and his/her driver’s license number. If a student does not have a driver’s license number, the state identification number must be provided.

Admission to Pre-Service Internship I is contingent upon eligibility for entering Pre-Service Internship II/Clinical Teaching the following consecutive long semester. If the student has not passed the required state certification exams prior to the following consecutive long semester, the student will enter Internship II/Clinical Teaching the following semester after the required state certification exams have been passed. Students will be informed of their public school internship assignments before Pre-Service Internship I begins.

Intern I participants must pass all Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES) to be eligible for Internship II/Clinical Teaching.

Pre-Service Internship II/Clinical Teaching (TCED 4978)

Students must meet the following requirements for admission to Pre-Service Internship II/Clinical Teaching:

1. All Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES) exams must be passed to be eligible for Internship II/Clinical Teaching. Scores must be submitted and students registered for Internship II/Clinical Teaching prior to the close of late registration in fall and/or spring semesters.
2. Successful completion of Pre-Service Internship I with a grade of B- or better.
3. Successful completion of all field-based experience courses.
4. It is strongly recommended that Internship II/Clinical Teaching be taken alone in the final semester. No more than three additional semester hours may be taken during Pre-Service Internship II/Clinical Teaching (TCED 4978  ). Any additional courses must meet no earlier than 7 p.m., as they may interfere with Internship II/Clinical Teaching course requirements. See adviser for acceptable coursework.

Students denied admission to Pre-Service Internships I or II/Clinical Teaching may reapply but must do so by stated deadlines for subsequent semesters.

Admission to the Teacher Education Program (TEP) for Post-Degree Teacher Certification Students

Students must be formally admitted to the Teacher Education Program (TEP) to enroll in pedagogy coursework. Enrollment in the College of Education (COE) TEP is contingent on the following:

1. Meeting basic skills in reading, mathematics and writing by holding a baccalaureate degree or higher awarded by a regionally accredited U.S. institution of higher education.
2. Submitting the TEP application with all required documents to the Office of Educator Certification in B-1231. The application is available online at the College of Education - Student Resources page. See “Teacher Education Program Application.”
3. Achieving grades of C- or better in prerequisite courses EDUC 4310 , SILC 6030 /SILC 4315 , and TCED 6031 /INST 3313 . EDUC 4310  is waived for Master of Arts in Teaching degree students.
4. Completing a college-level public speaking course with a grade of C- or better or submitting a Speech Competency form signed by a University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL) instructor who has observed the English public speaking skills of the student.
5. Achieving a grade point average (GPA) of > 2.750 overall or in the last 60 semester credit hours. The GPA will be calculated by the COE after the application is submitted.
6. Achieving a passing score on the Texas Education Agency (TEA)-approved content exam (graduate/post-baccalaureate only). Register for the content exam(s) as a “Pre-Admission Content Test” (PACT). Those pursuing math or science certificates must have 15 semester credit hours completed in the content area; others must have 12 semester credit hours completed in the content area.
7. Being evaluated for certificate appropriateness by completing a written instrument of why the student wants to teach in this area of certification and what makes the student a good candidate.
8. Educator candidates who were educated in countries where English is not the native language must demonstrate English proficiency by passing the TOEFL-iBT test with scores of 24 on the speaking portion, 22 on listening, 22 on reading, and 21 on writing. No other English proficiency tests are accepted by TEA. Transcripts must be evaluated course by course by a TEA-approved foreign credential service.
9. Verify that you have read and understand the handout, “Seven Things to Know Before Becoming an Educator.”
10. Pay the $37 TEA Admission Fee (per certificate pursuing).
11. Receiving formal approval of the application for admission to the TEP. Candidate must “accept” admission to the program.
12. Confirming in writing that the student is aware that a person who has been convicted of an offense or received deferred adjudication may be ineligible for certification; that the student will be subject to a national criminal history check at the time of certification application; that the student may request a Preliminary Criminal History Evaluation from TEA; and, that the student has read the state’s disciplinary policy guidelines for educators. Complete the Educator’s Code of Ethics training and turn in a copy of the certificate of completion.

Upon acceptance to the TEP, the COE will establish an initial profile for each student with the TEA. All educator candidates in Texas are required to open a TEA account upon entering a program. Students will receive an e-mail message from the TEA prompting them to activate their accounts and complete their profiles.

Certification-seeking candidates who withdraw from the UHCL certification program or are discontinued by the university as certification-seeking and wish to re-enter must reapply to the university and to the COE certification program. Teacher certification candidates who were formerly admitted to TEP and want to re-enter it must reapply per TEA and meet all and any new admission requirements and pay the TEA admission fee again. Advanced certificate candidates who were formerly admitted to the certification program must reapply to COE, meet all and any new certification admission requirements and pay the TEA Admission fee again per TEA.

The final authority for admission and retention in the TEP resides with the dean of the COE.

Admission to the Teacher Education Program (TEP) for Master of Arts in Teaching Students

Students must be formally admitted to the Teacher Education Program (TEP) to enroll in pedagogy coursework. Enrollment in the College of Education (COE) TEP is contingent on the following:

1. Meeting basic skills in reading, mathematics and writing by holding a baccalaureate degree or higher awarded by a regionally accredited U.S. institution of higher education.
2. Submitting the TEP application with all required documents to the Office of Educator Certification in B-1231. The application is available online at the College of Education - Student Resources page. See “Teacher Education Program Application.”
3. Achieving grades of C- or better in prerequisite courses SILC 6030  and TCED 6031 .
4. Completing a college-level public speaking course with a grade of C- or better or submitting a Speech Competency form signed by a University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL) instructor who has observed the English public speaking skills of the student.
5. Achieving a grade point average (GPA) of > 2.750 overall or in the last 60 semester credit hours. The GPA will be calculated by the COE after the application is submitted.
6. Achieving a passing score on the Texas Education Agency (TEA)-approved content exam (graduate/post-baccalaureate only). Register for the content exam(s) as a “Pre-Admission Content Test” (PACT). Those pursuing math or science certificates must have 15 semester credit hours completed in the content area; others must have 12 semester credit hours completed in the content area.
7. Being evaluated for certificate appropriateness by completing a written instrument of why the student wants to teach in this area of certification and what makes the student a good candidate.
8. Educator candidates who were educated in countries where English is not the native language must demonstrate English proficiency by passing the TOEFL-iBT test with scores of 24 on the speaking portion, 22 on Listening, 22 on reading, and 21 on writing. No other English proficiency tests are accepted by TEA. Transcripts must be evaluated course by course by a TEA-approved foreign credential service.
9. Verifying that you have read and understand the handout, “7 Things to Know Before Becoming an Educator.”
10. Paying the $37 TEA Admission Fee (per certificate pursuing).
11. Receiving formal approval of the application for admission to the TEP. Candidate must “accept “admission to the program.
12. Confirming in writing that the student is aware that a person who has been convicted of an offense or received deferred adjudication may be ineligible for certification; that the student will be subject to a national criminal history check at the time of certification application; that the student may request a Preliminary Criminal History Evaluation from TEA; and that the student has read the state’s disciplinary policy guidelines for educators. Complete the Educator’s Code of Ethics training and turn in a copy of the certificate of completion.

Upon acceptance to the TEP, the COE will establish an initial profile for each student with the TEA. All educator candidates in Texas are required to open a TEA account upon entering a program. Students will receive an e-mail message from the TEA prompting them to activate their accounts and complete their profiles.

Certification-seeking candidates who withdraw from the UHCL certification program or are discontinued by the university as certification-seeking and wish to re-enter must reapply to the university and to the COE certification program. Teacher certification candidates who were formerly admitted to TEP and want to re-enter it must reapply to TEP, meet all and any new admission requirements and pay the TEA Admission fee again per TEA. Advanced certificate candidates who were formerly admitted to the certification program must reapply to COE, meet all and any new certification admission requirements and pay the TEA Admission fee again per TEA.

The final authority for admission and retention in the TEP resides with the dean of the COE.

Content Courses Waived for Post-Degree Teacher Certificates

Post-degree teacher certification students who pass the required academic specialization state assessment (TExES) on the first attempt while approved by University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL) may have all their respective academic specialization coursework waived by UHCL if they are pursuing one of the following certificates:

• English Language Arts and Reading 4-8
• English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4-8
• Mathematics 4-8
• Science 4-8
• Social Studies 4-8
• English Language Arts and Reading 7-12
• History 7-12
• Life Sciences 7-12
• Mathematics 7-12
• Social Studies 7-12

Important Points to Know:

If a student does not pass the content area state assessment specified on the plan on the first attempt, then all the academic specialization courses will remain on the plan and must be completed before certification recommendation will be made by UHCL.

• The following teaching certificate programs are NOT included in the course waiver policy: Core Subjects EC-6, Core Subjects EC-6 with Bilingual Education Supplemental, Core Subjects EC-6 with ESL Supplemental, and Core Subjects EC-6 with Special Education EC-12.
• For the Core Subjects 4-8 program only: For each subject area test passed by the students on the first attempt of the Core Subjects 4-8 state assessment, the respective content courses (English, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies) will be waived.

Graduate Plans

Master’s Degree plans are offered in the areas listed below. In several instances, certification plans requiring a Master’s Degree are combined with Master’s Degrees so that requirements for both can be achieved within a coordinated plan of studies.

Master of Arts in Teaching:

• Core Subjects EC-6
• Core Subjects 4-8
• Mathematics 4-8
• Science 4-8
• Life Science 7-12
• Mathematics 7-12

Master of Science:

• Counseling
• Curriculum and Instruction
• Early Childhood Education
• Educational Management
• Instructional Design and Technology
• Multicultural Studies in Education
• Reading
• School Library and Information Science

General Requirements for Graduate Studies in Education

Graduate Admissions Requirements

All students planning to pursue a Master’s Degree must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university and have either an overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.000 or greater or a GPA of 3.000 or greater in their last 60 hours. The last 60 hours, listed chronologically including the full semester in which the 60th hour appears, will be used to calculate the GPA for the last 60 hours.

Students who wish to be admitted to the Counseling program must complete a special admission process described under Master of Science in Counseling.

Students who wish to be admitted to the Curriculum and Instruction program must meet additional requirements described under Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction.

Students with an overall GPA of 2.500 or above but less than 3.000 in the last 60 hours, including those who already hold a Master’s or doctoral degree, may pursue a master’s degree or certification plan requiring a Master’s Degree by obtaining one of the following:

• A combined score of 294 or greater on the quantitative and verbal portions of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and a 3.5 or greater on the analytical writing portion of the GRE.
• A score of 390 or greater on the Miller Analogies Test (MAT).

Students with less than an overall 2.500 GPA in the last 60 hours or a 2.500 to 3.000 GPA but not meeting the GRE or MAT requirements listed above cannot pursue a Master’s Degree or a certification plan requiring a Master’s Degree, except by sponsored admissions. A full-time College of Education (COE) faculty member may sponsor four students per year for admission to a Master’s Degree or a certification plan requiring a Master’s Degree. To be considered for sponsored admission, non-certification students must have submitted a GRE or MAT score but no minimum score requirements are specified. Sponsored certification-seeking students must submit a GRE score and meet the minimums set by the Texas Education Agency–Verbal Reasoning 143; Quantitative Reasoning 140; Analytical Writing 3.0. The faculty member’s recommendation for sponsorship will be based on consideration of the student’s previous academic record, standardized test scores, leadership potential, professional experiences, and such other factors as the individual faculty member may deem predictive of potential success in a graduate plan at UHCL. The Request for Sponsorship form is available in the COE Office of the Associate Dean. The sponsoring faculty member must complete and sign the form. In sponsoring students, faculty members agree to provide advisement support to enhance the likelihood of success in the student’s academic plans. All requests for sponsored admission must be approved by the associate dean.

Students pursuing a certification that requires a Master’s Degree will be held to the same admissions requirements as those seeking a Master’s Degree with the exception that all students must hold a Master’s Degree from and accredited university.

Educator certificate candidates who were educated in countries where English is not the native language must demonstrate English proficiency by taking all four parts of the TOEFL-iBT test with scores of 24 on the speaking portion, 22 on listening, 22 on reading, and 21 on writing. No other English proficiency tests are accepted by TEA. Transcripts must be evaluated by a TEA-approved foreign credential evaluation service.

Credits earned prior to formal admission to a Master’s Degree or a certification plan requiring a Master’s Degree as defined under this policy may not be credited toward that degree or certificate.

Admission to the Advanced Certification Program

After being admitted to UHCL, students seeking an advanced educator certification offered by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) must be admitted into the Advanced Certification Program.  Advanced Certifications include:

• Principal as Instructional Leader
• Reading Specialist
• School Counselor
• School Librarian
• Superintendent

Students admitted into a UHCL program that includes one of the above advanced certifications must apply and be admitted to the Advanced Certification Program before enrolling in the next semester.

Admission to the Advanced Certification Program is contingent on the following:

• Submission of the Advanced Certification Program Application.
• Submission of a Teacher Service Record.
• Completion of TEA Ethics Training.
• Completion of Mental Health/Substance Abuse/Youth Suicide Prevention Training.
• Pay the $37 TEA Admission Fee (per certificate pursuing).
• Receiving formal approval of the application for admission to the Advanced Certification Program.  Student must “accept” admission to the program.

Certification-seeking candidates who withdraw from the UHCL advanced certification program or are discontinued by the university as certification-seeking and wish to re-enter must reapply to the university and to the COE advanced certification program. Advanced certificate candidates who were formerly admitted to the certification program must reapply to COE, meet all and any new certification admission requirements and pay the TEA Admission fee again per TEA.

The final authority for admission and retention in the Advanced Certification Program resides with the dean of the COE.

TEA Admission Fee

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) requires all educator preparation programs to collect a $37 fee from each new candidate entering a teacher or advanced certification program in Texas. UHCL forwards the fee to TEA and TEA uses it to create and monitor your TEAL (TEA Login) account at the TEA website. Graduate students entering any program that includes any of the following certifications will be charged this fee (per certificate pursued):

• Principal
• School Counselor
• School Librarian
• Superintendent
• Reading Specialist

Graduate Candidate Plan of Study (CPS)

Graduate degree-seeking students in the COE must have on file in the Office of Educator Certification an approved CPS, which will include a minimum of 30 hours of coursework. The CPS will be developed jointly by the students and their advisers and approved by the associate dean. These documents specify the coursework that must be completed to fulfill the requirements for the graduate degree or the certification plan requiring a Master’s Degree.

Age of Coursework for Graduate Degrees

Coursework, whether transfer or resident, may not be used for degree purposes if it is more than five years old at the time the degree is to be conferred unless prior approval is given by the associate dean.

Course Credit and Residency Requirements

A maximum of six hours of approved 4000-level courses may be used toward a 36-hour degree. The final 24 hours of coursework must be taken in residence at UHCL. A minimum of 30 hours must be taken from 5000- and 6000-level courses. Correspondence or extension credits may not be applied toward a graduate degree. EDUC 6032  is the prerequisite to EDUC 6033  and EDUC 6033  is to be completed before students register for master’s options 1 or 2. Students must have an approved Master’s Thesis/Project form on file with the COE Office of the Associate Dean prior to enrolling in either a master’s project or master’s thesis.

Transfer of Credit

Only graduate courses in which grades of B- or better were earned may be considered for transfer credit toward a Master’s Degree. Grades of C+ or below or grades of Satisfactory (S), Passing (P), or Credit (CR) will not be accepted toward meeting requirements for the Master’s Degree. In most instances, the transfer of credit is limited to six hours of coursework but may not include more than 12 hours.

Master’s Degree Options

One of the following options must be selected for each plan leading to a Master’s Degree (not all options apply to all Master’s Degree plans):

• Option 1, Master’s Thesis requires continuous registration in the thesis research course, EDUC 6939 , during each fall and spring semester until completion. Students must register for a minimum of six hours of thesis credit, and no more than six hours of thesis may apply as credit toward a degree. If continuous registration in the master’s thesis course is not maintained during fall and spring semesters, previously accumulated master’s thesis credits will not count toward the Master’s Degree.
• Option 2, Master’s Project requires continuous registration in the project course, EDUC 6839 , during each fall and spring semester until completion. Students must register for a minimum of six hours of project credit, and no more than six hours of the project may apply as credit toward a degree. If continuous registration in the master’s project course is not maintained during fall and spring semesters, previously accumulated master’s project credits will not count toward the Master’s Degree.
• Option 3, Master’s Internship/Practicum requires an application for admission by June 8 for the fall semester, October 1 for the spring semester and March 1 for the summer session. Candidates seeking professional certification as a superintendent, principal, school counselor, school librarian or reading specialist participate in a practicum for a minimum of 160 clock-hours. All placement sites must have an approved UHCL Agreement of Affiliation on record with the Center for the Professional Development of Teacher’s office prior to beginning the practicum.
• Option 4, Extended Course option requires an additional six hours of coursework and successful completion of a comprehensive examination. The application to take the comprehensive examination must be submitted by August 10 for fall, February 10 for spring, and May 10 for summer. Detailed requirements and procedures for satisfying the Master’s Degree Options are contained in the Master’s Options Guidelines booklet, which is available on the COE website.

Age of Standard Certification Coursework for Students Who Hold a Master’s Degree

All coursework, whether resident or transfer, may not exceed five years in age at the time of recommendation for a certificate requiring a Master’s Degree.

Grade Point Requirements for Standard Certificate Requiring a Master’s Degree

Students seeking a certificate requiring a Master’s Degree must maintain at least a B (3.000) average in certification coursework to be recommended for any certification. Only grades of C or better are accepted for credit toward any professional certificate.

Transfer Credit Toward a Certificate Requiring a Master’s Degree

Only coursework in which a grade of B- or above was earned from an accredited institution may be considered for transfer credit. A maximum of 12 credit hours may be transferred toward the certificate plan. Any required practicum or internship experiences must be completed at UHCL to be recommended for that certificate by the COE.

Deadlines

Applications for graduate practica and internships may be obtained from and returned to B1231. These applications must be received by June 8 for the fall semester, Oct. 1 for the spring semester, and March 1 for the summer session. Students are authorized for enrollment in either the practicum or the internship as soon as possible after all requirements have been verified.

Students are referred to the Master’s Degree Option Guidelines booklet for specific information regarding theses, projects, internships/practica and comprehensive examinations. This booklet is available in the Office of the Associate Dean. Completed theses and projects are due in that office by the posted deadlines.