Fall
Submit by July 1
Classes start end of August
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
Initial Teacher Certification Program
Want to become certified to teach and already have a bachelor's degree? Explore our initial teacher certification program, an alternative pathway designed for individuals who are not seeking a degree.
Future Students Start Here
Already have a baccalaureate degree? Get the expertise you need to pass the State of Texas' initial teacher certification exams at the graduate level. Several certification grades and subjects – including mathematics, science, and English as a second language (ESL), as well as elementary, middle school, junior high, and high school level specializations – are available.
About the Program
Overview
We offer several different grade levels for you to choose from, including Early Childhood – Grade 6, Grades 4-8 (Mid Level), Grades 7-12 (Secondary Level), and Early Childhood – Grade 12 (All Level). And future teachers who are teaching Grades 4 and above will also specialize their certification with a specific content area, such as mathematics, science, art, music, history, or physical education.
Additionally, many of our certification options, are in critical shortage areas that are in-demand with local schools.
This option is designed for non-degree seeking students who already have a bachelor's degree.
Program Options
Students who hold a bachelor’s degree must obtain teacher certification at the graduate level.
Teacher certification can be earned either through a certification-only program (non-degree seeking) or a master's degree with certification. Click on the program you are interested in to view the coursework required for that program, as well as other helpful information.
Programs to Choose From
To view degree plans, open the program page from the list below.
The M.Ed. in Special Education with certification (100% online classes)
The M.Ed. in Teaching with certification
- Early Childhood - Grade 6 ESL/Core Subjects
- Early Childhood - Grade 6 Bilingual Core Subjects (Not currently accepting students)
- Mid-Level (4-8)*
- Secondary (7-12)*
- All-Level (EC-12)*
The Initial Teacher Certification program* (for non-degree seeking students)
- Early Childhood - Grade 6 ESL/Core Subjects
- Early Childhood - Grade 6 Bilingual Core Subjects (Not currently accepting students)
- Mid-Level (4-8)*
- Secondary (7-12)*
- All-Level (EC-12)*
*Aspiring educators who want to teach Grade 4 or above will choose a specific subject or content area to specialize their certification.
Program Benefits
- Full AAQEP accreditation.
- Average 94% pass rate for certification exams in the College of Education (among students on their first two attempts for content pedagogy and PPR exams).
- 5-year retention rate for new teachers is 80.1% (according to the 2020 Performance Analysis for Colleges of Education produced by the Center of Research, Evaluation, & Advancement of Teacher Education).
- Get connected to local and national school district recruiters through our Education Career Day, an annual job fair hosted by our Office of Educational Field Experiences each spring.
- In 2023, the Texas State Board of Educator Certification (SBEC) has recognized UTA's Educator Preparation Program with a commendation for its innovative approaches to educating the state’s future teachers.
Cost of Attendance
Please note that the cost can vary by student in relation to that student's individual circumstances.
For the best approximation of your school costs for tuition and fees, visit the UTA Tuition Estimator at https://www.uta.edu/admissions/afford/tuition-estimator.
Paying for School
UTA offers competitive funding options future teachers, including TEACH Grants, Noyce Grants, and Project Match Made in Schools Grants. For more, view our Scholarships and Paying for School page.
Loan Forgiveness
Every year Texas Education Agency (TEA) submits a list of teacher shortage areas by subject matter and a list of designated low-income schools to the U.S. Department of Education. Teachers with certain types of student loans may qualify for partial loan forgiveness, deferment, or cancellation benefits. UTA and the TEA do not determine an educator’s eligibility for teacher loan forgiveness. Eligibility may vary. For details visit: https://tea.texas.gov/texas-educators/educator-initiatives-and-performance/student-loan-forgiveness-for-teachers.
Clinical Teaching
Our Office of Educational Field Experiences works closely with specific schools to build strong mentoring relationships between teachers and students, and therefore place all students in partner school settings. Students are not able to select the district or school for their placement.
Clinical teaching is typically unpaid.
IMPORTANT NOTICE for graduate students pursuing initial teacher certification. PLEASE READ.
The Texas Education Agency has issued new requirements for student teacher supervision, according to the Texas Administrative Code (TAC 228.35(f)). This includes a minimum of three 45-minute formal classroom observations followed by a 20-minute interactive conference between the student teacher and the university supervisor. The Office of Educational Field Experiences will place all student teachers in a partner district based on the availability of cooperating teachers in the different subject areas.
Information for Out-of-State Students
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) requires candidates seeking certification to complete all practica in a TEA-approved site.
Out-of-state students who do not complete the practicum at a UTA College of Education and TEA-approved site and meet all other TEA requirements do not qualify for Texas educator certification. If seeking certification outside of Texas, please work with your state agency in the state in which you are seeking certification to determine eligibility and to complete any additional requirements. Please note that after successful completion of your UTA College of Education degree, you may request a memo indicating your degree completion. UTA cannot recommend out-of-state students for certification and cannot recommend out-of-state students to take Texas certification exam(s).
Additionally, UTA faculty and staff cannot complete out-of-state form requests for individuals seeking certification, licensure, and/or endorsements in another state according to TEA.
Additional Changes
Program requirements may change as state/TEA certification requirements change.
Priority Deadlines
Applying after the priority deadline? Admissions applications are welcome at any time. We will process your application as quickly as possible and every attempt will be made to ensure consideration for the desired semester. However, for priority consideration, apply by the priority deadline.
Spring
Submit by Nov. 1
Classes start in January
Summer
Submit by April 1
Classes start mid-May
For registration deadlines, semester start dates, holidays, final exam schedules, and more, visit the Academic Calendar.
For payment deadlines, information about payment plans and more, visit Student Accounts.
*The Hispanic Serving Leadership Preparation Graduate Certificate does not offer summer admission.
View the UTA Official Catalog for admissions requirements and details about probationary admission, deferred admission, and more for the following programs.
- Department of Curriculum and Instruction graduate programs:
- M.Ed. or Certificate in Instructional and Learning Design Technology
- M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction - Open Options
- M.Ed. in Mind, Brain, and Education
- M.Ed. in Teaching with Teacher Certification
- Initial Teacher Certification Only Program
- Criminal History Acknowledgement for Educator Certification programs
.
- Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies graduate programs:
- M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, with Higher Education Administration Emphasis
- Dual Degree: Master of Social Work and M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, with Higher Education Administration Emphasis
- B.A. to Ph.D. Track in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
- Hispanic Serving Leadership Preparation Graduate Certificate
Applicants seeking admission must submit two recommendation forms. Please wait until you have your 10-digit, UTA student ID number to submit recommendation forms.
For online programs:
The required Recommendation Form is available for download here.
For on-campus and hybrid (featuring online and in-person courses):
The required Recommendation Form is available for download here.
Some applicants, such as international students, may have additional admissions requirements* and/or program** limitations.
English Language Test Score Requirements
UTA accepts TOEFL* or IELTS or Duolingo. If your native language is not English, you must demonstrate a sufficient level of skill with the English language to assure success in graduate studies. You are required to submit official test score reports directly from the testing agency unless you hold a bachelor's or master's degree from an accredited U.S institution.
You are required to submit an official test score report sent directly from the testing agency. UTA's ETS institutional code is 6013.
*Certification programs only accept TOEFL due to Texas Education Agency requirements.
View test score requirements online.
Additional Resources
- International Student Checklist.
- UTA International Admissions.
- Office of International Education.
- Residency Form.
- Statement of Resources Form.
- School Transfer Notification for F-1 Visa Holders.
- UTA Official Catalog.
Have additional questions?
Email UTA's international office at international@uta.edu.
*The resources provided here are for informational purposes. Please review the Official Catalog for official information.
**The M.Ed. in Mind, Brain, and Education is not eligible for international students at this time.
Official Graduate Catalog
View program information, admissions requirements, and more.
Content Area Declaration & Content Advisors
If you wish to pursue Mid-Level, Secondary, or All-Level certification, you must choose a subject you wish to teach. This is what the state refers to as your 'Content Area'. You must have a minimum of 24 undergraduate hours in your chosen content area and at least half of those hours must be junior/senior level classes.
Your content area must be verified by a professor in your discipline who has been designated as a Content Advisor before you will be permitted to enroll in Education coursework. If the Content Advisor finds that you must take more than 12 hours to complete your content coursework, these must be done before beginning the certification program and student teaching!
View the content declaration form.
View the list of current content advisors.
Academic Recruiter
Manuel Alonso
Academic Recruiter
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Ready to take the next step toward earning your certification from UTA?