Available Certification Areas

Program requirements are subject to change based on the Texas State Board for Educator Certification policies.

General pre-requisites are required of all applicants. All requirements listed below must be met by paperwork submission deadline or your application will be made inactive.

All-level certificate (early childhood –grade 12)

• Special Education (EC-12) and Generalist (EC-4)     
  -GPA of 2.5 in 24 semester hours in the core areas
  -Special Education/Generalist EC-4 (needs representation of at least three semester hours in each sub-area: mathematics, science, social studies, and six hours of English)
• Special Education (EC-12) and Generalist (4-8)     
  -GPA of 2.5 in 36 semester hours in the core areas
  -ESL/Generalist 4-8 (needs representation of at least six semester hours in each sub-area: mathematics, science, social studies, and English)

Elementary-level certificates (early childhood-grade 4)

• Generalist EC-4     
  -Generalist EC-4 (needs representation of at least three semester hours in each sub-area: mathematics, science, social studies, and six hours of English)
• English as a Second Language (ESL) Generalist EC-4     
  -GPA of 2.5 in 24 semester hours in the core areas
  -ESL/Generalist EC-4 (needs representation of at least three semester hours in each sub-area: mathematics, science, social studies, and six semester hours in English)

Middle-level certificates (grades 4-8)

• Generalist 4-8     
  -Generalist 4-8 (needs representation of at least six semester hours in each sub-area: mathematics, science, social studies, and English)
• Math 4-8     
  -GPA of 2.5 in 24 semester hours of specific content specialization (i.e. math)
  -12 of the 24 semester hours must be advanced (junior/senior level or higher as determined by the individual university)
• Math/Science 4-8     
  -GPA of 2.5 in 48 semester hours with 24 semester hours of specific content specialization (i.e. math and science)
  -Math/Science 4-8 (needs representation of at least three hours in each sub-area: math, biology, chemistry, physics, and geology)
  -12 of the 24 semester hours must be advanced (junior/senior level or higher as determined by the individual university
• English Language Arts and Reading 4-8     
  -GPA of 2.5 in 36 semester hours of specific content specialization (i.e. English and reading)
  -12 of the 24 semester hours must be advanced (junior/senior level or higher as determined by the individual university)
• English Language Arts and Reading /Social Studies 4-8     
  -GPA of 2.5 in 48 semester hours with 24 semester hours of specific content specialization
  -English Language Arts/Reading/Social Studies 4-8 (needs representation of at least three hours in each sub-area: English, government, geography, economics and history)
  -12 of the semester hours in each area (ELA and SS) must be advanced (junior/senior level or higher as determined by the individual university)
• Science 4-8     
  -GPA of 2.5 in 24 semester hours of specific content specialization
  -Science 4-8 (needs representation of at least three hours in each sub-area: biology, chemistry, physics, and geology)
  -12 of the 24 semester hours must be advanced (junior/senior level or higher as determined by the individual university)
• Social Studies 4-8     
  -GPA of 2.5 in 24 semester hours of specific content specialization
  -Social Studies 4-8 (needs representation of at least three hours in each sub-area: government, geography, economics, and history)
  -12 of the 24 semester hours must be advanced (junior/senior level or higher as determined by the individual university)
• English as a Second Language (ESL) Generalist 4-8     
  -GPA of 2.5 in 36 semester hours in the core areas
  -ESL/Generalist 4-8 (needs representation of at least six semester hours in each sub-area: mathematics, science, and social studies, and English)

Secondary–level certificates (grades 8-12)

• Math 8-12     
  -GPA of 2.5 in 24 semester hours of specific content specialization (i.e. math)
  -12 of the 24 semester hours must be advanced (junior/senior level or higher as determined by individual university)
• Math/Physics 8-12     
  -GPA of 2.5 in 24 semester hours of specific content specialization (i.e. math and physics)
  -Math/Physics 8-12 (needs representation of at least three hours in each sub-area: math and physics)
  -12 of the 24 semester hours must be advanced (junior/senior level or higher as determined by the individual university)
• Science 8-12     
  -GPA of 2.5 in 24 semester hours of specific content specialization
  -Science 8-12 (needs representation of at least three hours in each sub-area: biology, chemistry, physics, and geology)
  -12 of the 24 semester hours must be advanced (junior/senior level or higher as determined by the individual university)
• Physical Science 8-12     
  -GPA of 2.5 in 24 hours of specific content specialization (i.e. physics and chemistry)
  -Physical Science 8-12 (needs representation of at least eight hours in each sub area: chemistry, and physics)
  -12 of the 24 semester hours must be advanced (junior/senior level or higher as determined by individual university)
• Life Science 8-12     
  -GPA of 2.5 in 24 hours of specific content specialization (i.e. biology, anatomy and physiology, botany, zoology, etc.)
  -12 of the 24 semester hours must be advanced (junior/senior level or higher as determined by the individual university)
• Chemistry 8-12     
  -GPA of 2.5 in 24 hours of specific content specialization (i.e. chemistry)
  -12 of the 24 semester hours must be advanced (junior/senior level or higher as determined by individual university)
• English Language Arts and Reading 8-12     
  -GPA of 2.5 in 24 hours of specific content specialization (i.e. English and reading)
  -12 of the 24 semester hours must be advanced (junior/senior level or higher as determined by individual university)
• Social Studies 8-12     
  -GPA of 2.5 in 24 semester hours of specific content specialization
  -Social Studies 8-12 (needs representation of at least three hours in each sub-area: government, geography, economics, and history)
  -12 of the 24 semester hours must be advanced (junior/senior level or higher as determined by the individual university)
• History 8-12     
  -GPA of 2.5 in 24 hours of specific content specialization (i.e. history)
  -12 of the 24 semester hours must be advanced (junior/senior level or higher as determined by individual university)

Foreign language certificate (grades 6-12)

• Foreign Language (Spanish 6-12)     
  -If medium of instruction for the bachelor’s degree was entirely in Spanish language, content requirements are met
  Or
  -GPA of 2.5 in 24 hours of specific content specialization (i.e. Spanish).
  -12 of the 24 semester hours must be advanced (junior/senior level or higher as determined by individual university)
  And
  -Spanish Language Assessment for Spanish certification (must meet one of the following in addition to meeting English Language Assessment and academic requirements): Earned a college degree in a Spanish speaking country and/or from a Spanish speaking Institution
  Or
  Acceptance is contingent on scoring 4-5 (proficient) on the Spanish Woodcock-Munoz Language Survey (WC-MLS) administered by Region 5 ESC

Supplemental certificates

• Special Education Supplemental     
  -GPA of 2.5 in 24 semester hours in any combination of core courses
  -Special Education Supplemental (needs representation of at least three semester hours in each sub-area: mathematics, science, social studies, and six hours of English)
• English as a Second Language Supplemental     
  -GPA of 2.5 in 24 semester hours in any combination of core courses
  -ESL Supplemental (needs representation of at least three semester hours in each sub-area: mathematics, science, and social studies, and six semester hours in English)