Elementary students sitting at their desks in a classroom working on a project

Undergraduate Teacher Certification

Undergraduates seeking teacher certification will earn their Bachelor’s degree while also completing the requirement for a Texas teaching certification. This traditional pathway to certification is the most efficient in terms of cost and time. Students seeking to become certified to teach early childhood, elementary, or middle grades will typically complete a multidisciplinary major, while students interested in teaching at the secondary level will complete a major and supporting minor in an appropriate subject area.

Application Deadlines

Admission for FALL                     August 1st

Admission for SPRING                December 18thth

Admission for SUMMER               May 1st

Application Review and Notification

Applications will be reviewed for eligibility after the close of applications each term. Your admission decision will come to you in an email with further instructions and next steps. DO NOT IGNORE THIS EMAIL. To accept an offer of admission, you must send us a reply email with your confirmation. If we do not receive a reply within seven days, the offer of admission will be withdrawn.

A $35 fee, required by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), will be added to your student account once you are admitted to the program. The fee will be labeled as “TEA Cert Program Admission Fee.”

Notice Regarding Criminal Background Check

Please be Aware that: Pursuant to Texas Education Code, candidates must undergo a criminal history background check prior to clinical teaching and prior to employment as an educator. Any negative legal history, as defined by State Board for Educator Certification, may jeopardize your ability to obtain a certificate and to teach or be employed as an educator. You may request a preliminary criminal history evaluation by the Texas Education Agency if you believe you may be ineligible for educator certification due to a conviction or deferred adjudication for a felony or misdemeanor offense. There is currently a $55 fee for this optional service.

Readmission Policy

Certification students who have been inactive for two or more successive long semesters must have their certification plan reevaluated, and may be required to apply for readmission to the program.