Texas: Teacher Credentialing in Texas

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University of Phoenix

Master
MA in Education/Curriculum and Instruction, MA in Education/Adult Education and Training, Master of Arts in Education/Special Education
Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Austin

University of Phoenix, click here.
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Strayer University

Master
M.Ed.: Adult Education and Development, M.Ed.: Technology in Education
Austin, Irving, Houston

Strayer University, click here.

An individual seeking teacher certification in Texas must first possess at least a bachelor's degree. Those individuals who wish to become certified to teach certain courses of the career and technology type are exempt from this requirement. Some states have requirements for additional credit hours in undergraduate studies during the certification period, but Texas does not have this requirement. Based on these requirements it is possible to become certified in some subject areas without needing to hold a bachelor's degree in that field.

Before an individual can become a certified teacher in the state of Texas, he or she must complete a teacher education program. In most cases the teacher educations programs include both curricula and fieldwork. The curricula include education in the foundational knowledge and skills areas as well as instruction in the art and science of teaching methodology. It also includes instruction in preparing the students to conduct research, design, and implement the things they learned into their study areas. The fieldwork portion may include any combination of observations in the field, student teaching, and an internship.

None of the academic facilities in Texas offers undergraduate educational degrees, but many schools offer teaching programs to undergraduates who are pursuing other majors. These programs provide students with the foundational skills they need to become teachers after they graduate. If an undergraduate student is enrolled in a Texas institution and wants to become a certified teacher without enrolling in post-graduate courses or training, he or she will need to complete a teaching program approved by the state of Texas. Even if you have already graduated or obtained your degree in another state you can still become certified to teach in Texas.

Those individuals who graduated from accredited colleges but did not obtain an educational degree and those who have not earned a teaching certificate yet can obtain an alternative teaching certification once they fulfill certain requirements. Another way to meet this requirement is to enroll and complete a teacher education program from a college or university after you graduate. In addition to colleges and universities, school districts, educational centers, and community colleges also offer teacher educational programs for post-graduates. You can also meet this requirement by enrolling in an alternative certification program that has been approved by the state of Texas.

In order to become certified to teach in Texas you must fulfill both the Basic Skill Test and any subject area competency examinations that are required for your field of expertise. The Basic Skills Test is the THEA (Texas Higher Education Assessment) exam and the subject area competency tests are the EXCET (Exam for the Certification of Educators in Texas) and the TExES (Texas Exam for Educator Standards). The applicant must satisfactorily complete all tests that are appropriate for each area in which the applicant wishes to be certified.

If you already have a certificate to teach in Texas but wish to become certified in another area you will need to obtain a certification by passing the appropriate certification examinations that pertain that the area you wish to add. This requirement is only valid for areas in which there is a test and to classroom teachers only.

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