Graduate Level Paths to Certification
Have you always wanted to become a teacher? Are you curious about how to get a teaching certificate? The Texas Educator Preparation Program (EPP) at UNT Dallas prepares candidates for initial teacher certification. The program produces teachers who are certified to teach in Texas public, charter, and private EC - 12 schools.
Post-baccalaureate students can earn initial teacher certification through the following options:
- Alternative certification (stand-alone certificate) – 24 credits
- Master's degree + certification- 36 credits
Graduate Alternative Teacher Certification Program
The items listed below are required for admission consideration and are teacher certification requirements:
- completed online application to graduate school (through ApplyTexas.org) with program documents (2 reference letters, application essays, signed Code of Ethics) emailed to Program Coordinator
- completed online application to educator program
- baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited university
- official transcript from each institution where course credit was granted
- 3.0 GPA in your last sixty credit hours of undergraduate coursework or a 2.8 GPA on all undergraduate coursework
- Required minimum content courses
- Passing score on appropriate PACT exam
Program Requirements
Successful teaching requires a combination of both academic and interpersonal skills. Behaviors, skills, abilities, and dispositions which are required for successful teaching as well as the candidate's general level of readiness for teaching in EC - 12 classrooms are regularly assessed.
All candidates requesting placement in EC - 12 schools must complete a criminal background check. Each school district has its own background check process and requirements that must be met before the school district will approve a candidate's placement.
Curriculum
Certification Coursework
EDCI 5013 Technology in STEM
EDCI 5014 Instructional and Behavior Management in Classrooms
EDCI 5016 Literacy Across the Curriculum
EDCI 5017 Human Development
EDCI 5301 Historical and Theoretical Foundations of Education
EDCI 5321 Principles of Professional Teaching
Fieldwork Courses
EDCI 5190 (6 credit hours) - Clinical Teaching
OR
EDCI 5385 (3 credit hours) -Internship I & EDCI 5386 (3 credit hours) Internship II
Clinical Teaching and Internship
Clinical teaching is the state-required culminating experience of the teacher certification process. This is either a one-semester (six credit hours), unpaid, full-time experience in a local public school classroom or a year-long, paid internship. All course work from the certification plan must be completed prior to the start of clinical teaching.
- Current Students
- New Students - If you are a new student with the University and do not have a UNTD Student ID login, you will have to set up a Dynamic Forms user account (select Create New Account from login window).
Field Experience
A minimum of 30 clock hours of field experience observation are required by the state; our program involves 45 hours embedded within the certification course requirements. Students must complete this requirement before clinical teaching.
Teacher Certification Exams
The Texas Examination of Educational Standards (TExES) is the state required teacher examination for all Texas educators. A candidate's certification area and level will determine which TExES educator certification tests are required. The Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities (PPR) Exam is also required. Candidates are allowed five attempts for each TExES certification test and must request approval from the School of Education for each attempt on an educator certification exam. Review the School of Education website for the test approval process and TEXES preparation materials.
Certification Recommendation
The certification officer will recommend candidates to the state for issuance of a teaching certification after all of the following have been completed:
- Completed certification coursework (18 credits)
- passing scores on all of the required certification exams
- credit for student teaching or internship posted to the transcript (6 credits)
- completed Request for Licensure form submitted to Program Coordinator with required attachments
- completed application for certification through TEA website