Address:
5th Floor, Hammond Hall, 701 Planetarium Place
Box 19227, Arlington, TX 76019-0227
General Email: education@uta.edu
Certification Office: coedcertification@uta.edu
Phone: 817-272-2591
Steps to Become an Educator for Undergraduate Students
Are you an incoming freshman or transfer student who wants to teach in Texas? Explore your next steps and learn how to become certified to teach in Texas.
Three Options to Choose From
We offer three undergraduate options for aspiring teachers who have need to earn a bachelor’s degree and their initial teacher certification in Texas. Candidates who already have a bachelor’s degree should look at our graduate certification options.
Connect with our Team
Request information from UTA, or register for a UTA admissions’ event, including Campus Tours, Transfer Tuesdays, and Maverick Experience. You can also meet with a recruiter.
Decide What You Want to Teach
Choose the grade level you wish to teach. If you want to teach Grades 4-8, 7-12, or all levels, you will also choose a subject/content area. This helps our team determine which college and major you should declare. UTA is dedicated to making you as marketable as possible upon graduation, so we offer a variety of certifications in grade level and subjects.
Apply to UTA
Apply on ApplyTexas.org, pay the application fee, and submit your official transcripts.
Apply for Grants, Scholarships, and More
UTA offers many resources to help you pay for school! These include TEACH grants of up to $3,772/year and the Blaze Forward Program, which covers 100% of tuition and course fees for eligible students. Please remember that the deadline may be several months before you start school.
Accept Admission, Register for Orientation & Get Advised
Once you are admitted to UTA, you will have several steps to finish! You need to accept your admission, register for orientation, and get advised, among other steps. Please note that advising occurs during orientation.
Apply to the Educator Preparation Program
To pursue a Texas Teacher Certificate, you are required to apply to and complete an Educator Preparation Program (EPP). The EPP includes pedagogy coursework, classroom experience, and student/clinical teaching. Your advisor will instruct you on when and how to apply. For some students, this may be before you start class at UTA. View EPP requirements here, and view the essay requirements here.
Register for Classes
Your advisor will be able to guide you through the process of completing both teacher certification and degree requirements. Most students will get advised during orientation. Once you've been advised, you'll register for classes through your UTA MyMav account.
Get Involved
Give yourself opportunities to meet new students. Join an organization, like the Education Ambassadors, find an on-campus job, or participate in UTA events.
Participate in Field Experiences/Student Teaching
Your field experiences are critical steps toward your development as a future educator. The opportunity to practice what you have learned during your studies in a real school classroom under the mentorship of a Cooperating Teacher is one of the most valuable components of your educator preparation. You will also get trained in the state’s code of ethics. For more information, visit Office of Educational Field Experiences.
Pass the State Certification Exams
To be certified, you must receive approval to test for the Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES), the state's certification exam. To receive approval to register for TExES, candidates must meet the requisites for their specific certification program and should work with their Program Coordinator to receive approval and instructions to apply for exam registration. Candidates must then pass then exam to move onto the next step.
Apply for TEA Certification
Individuals who have passed all their certification exams (which include content, pedagogy, and supplemental) must also submit a certification and fingerprinting application to the Teas Education Agency (TEA) and pay TEA's application fee. This certification application will be recommended to the TEA for final processing by the Certification Officer at UTA once all certification requirements have been met.
Apply to Graduate
UTA students must apply online to gradate during their Clinical Teaching semester, which is the final semester of coursework. The online Graduation Application is available from the 12th day of class (4th day in summer) until the mid-semester deadline.
Start Your Teaching Career!
The college's Education Career Day (job fair) each Spring semester and job board, as well as UTA's Lockheed Martin Career Center are other great resources to assist you in beginning your career as an Educator. If needed, candidates can request a status letter by emailing coedcertification@uta.edu.