Teacher Certification

Teacher Certification

Educator Preparation Programs

The University of Dallas Department of Education offers undergraduate, Alternative Certification, and Post-Baccalaureate/graduate certification and degree programs in the following areas:

  • Elementary (Early Childhood - 6th grade)
  • Middle School (grades 4 - 8)
  • Secondary (grades 7 - 12) 
  • All-Level (EC - 12th grade)

The department also offers a concentration (similar to a minor) for students who are interested in earning experience in teaching and education. For a comprehensive reference source for the teacher certification candidate, please see the Teacher Education Handbook

Texas Teaching Certification Requirements:

Students complete the following requirements to be eligible for Texas Teaching Certification. In addition to the following requirements, students also complete Clinical (Student) Teaching.   

Certification Requirements to Achieve Texas Certification

Elementary School Certification

EC - 6

  • Bachelor's Degree with an overall GPA of 2.75 and a 2.75 in pedagogical courses
  • Upon admissions candidates must have completed 12 credit hours required in english, math, laboratory science, and/or history.
  • Complete required upper level education courses (per degree plan)
  • Complete the required TEA mandated trainings in Dyslexia, Mental Health & Substance Abuse Prevention, and Youth Suicide Prevention.
  • Complete Field Based Experience hours (classroom observations)
  • Complete required Oral Presentation in Education
  • Pass appropriate TExES exams in content and pedagogy
  • Complete placement file and teaching portfolio

Middle School Certification

4 - 8

  • Teaching Fields offered: English Language Arts & Reading, Social Studies, Mathematics, Science, Composite English Language Arts & Reading/Social Studies and Composite Mathematics/Science.
  • Bachelor's Degree with an overall GPA of 2.75 and a 2.75 in pedagogical courses
  • Upon admissions candidates must have completed 12 credit hours required in certification field unless certifying in Math or Science; which requires 15 credit hours.
  • Complete required upper level education courses (per degree plan)
  • Complete the required TEA mandated training in Dyslexia, Mental Health & Substance Abuse Prevention, and Youth Suicide Prevention.
  • Complete Field Based Experience hours (classroom observations)
  • Complete 18 credit hours in a certification field, 9 of which must be upper division hours
  • Complete required Oral Presentation in Education
  • Pass appropriate TExES exams in content and pedagogy
  • Complete placement file and teaching portfolio
Secondary Education Certification
  • Teaching Fields offered: Grades 7-12 - Life Science (Biology), English Language Arts and Reading, History, Mathematics, Composite Studies (History, Politics, Economics, and Geography), Composite Physics/Mathematics and Composite Science (Biology, Chemistry, Geology and Physics); Grades 6 - 12 - Physical Science (Physics and Chemistry)
  • Bachelor's Degree with an overall grade point average of 2.75 and a 2.75 in pedagogical and teaching field course
  • Upon admissions candidates must have completed 12 credit hours required in certification field unless certifying in Math or Science; which requires 15 credit hours.
  • Complete required education courses, Composite teaching field certificates require additional hours (per degree plan)
  • Complete the required TEA mandated training in Dyslexia, Mental Health & Substance Abuse Prevention, and Youth Suicide Prevention.
  • Complete Field Based Experience hours (classroom observations)
  • Complete 24 credit hours in a teaching field, 18 of which must be upper division hours
  • Complete required Oral Presentation in Education
  • Pass appropriate TExES exams in content and pedagogy
  • Complete placement file and teaching portfolio
All Level Certification Grades EC - 12
  • Approved programs are Art, Theater Arts (Drama), and Languages Other than English (LOTE) in French, German, Latin and Spanish
  • Bachelor's Degree with an overall grade point average of 2.75 and a 2.75 in pedagogical and teaching field course
  • Upon admissions candidates must have completed 12 credit hours required in certification field unless certifying in Math or Science; which requires 15 credit hours.
  • Complete required education classes (per degree plan)
  • Complete the required TEA mandated training in Dyslexia, Mental Health & Substance Abuse Prevention, and Youth Suicide Prevention.
  • Complete Field Based Experience hours (classroom observations)
  • Complete 24 credit hours in certification field, 18 of which must be upper division hours
  • Complete required Oral Presentation in Education
  • Pass appropriate TExES exams in content and pedagogy
  • Complete placement file and teaching portfolio

In addition to completing the certification requirements, a clinical teaching component is also required.

Clinical Teaching Requirements & Application Process

Successful completion of Clinical Teaching is required of students who seek certification.  It is taken in the final year.  Students who have received a "D" or "F" in required Education or academic emphasis (teaching field) courses may not take Clinical Teaching until the course has been repeated and a grade of "C" or higher obtained.  Applications and supporting documents for Clinical Teaching must be filed with the Certification Officer no later than the middle of the semester immediately prior to the desired assignment.  Before a Clinical Teaching assignment will be made, a student must meet the following requirements:

  • Submit a Clinical Teaching Application with essay
  • Submit transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
  • Achieve an overall grade point average of 2.75 (on a 4.0 scale) and a 2.75 in teaching field and pedagogical courses; no incomplete allowed.
  • Complete three-fourths of the courses in the academic emphasis or certification field(s) and 12 hours in english, math, laboratory science, and/or history unless certifying in Math or Science which requires 15.
  • Demonstrated proficiency in each of the basic skills of reading, writing, math, critical thinking and oral communication in English.  A student can demonstrate proficiency of basic skills by submitting current (within the last five years) passing scores on approved standardized tests. Approved standardized tests and minimum passing scores are:
    • Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSI): minimum scores in Math of 356, in Reading of 355, in Writing of 350, and in Essay of 5
    • SAT (prior to March 2016): minimum scores in Composite (Critical Reading & Math), in Math of 500, in English/Reading of 500
    • SAT (after March 2016): minimum scores in Math of 530, in English/Reading & Writing of 480.
    • ACT: minimum scores in Composite of 23, Math of 19, English/Reading of 19
  • Pass the appropriate TExES content test for the certification area sought prior to the start of Clinical Teaching.
  • Submit two academic recommendations.
  • Receive favorable recommendations from all members of the Education faculty.*

This program is a 14-week intensive teaching experience. Students spend time teaching a class, Monday-Friday. 

*If any faculty member judges a student to exhibit behavioral characteristics or communication skills that indicate potential problems in school settings, they may refer the student to the Teacher Education Review Committee (TERC) for review and evaluation.  The TERC may recommend specific courses of action to the student and/or the faculty member.

In order to accommodate the time required to effectively complete Clinical Teaching, the student must plan ahead in consultation with the Department of Education Chair.  No more than 15 credits, including Clinical Teaching, may be taken.

International Student Applicants:  Texas Education Agency states "any applicant for Texas educator certificate must be able to communicate, listen, read, write, and comprehend the English Language sufficiently to use it easily and readily in daily communication and teaching." (19 TAC 230.11(b)) 

Based on this requirement, a foreign credential evaluator that has been recognized by the State of Texas must evaluate all foreign transcripts.  In addition, all student applicants whose native language is not English must submit a score report from the TOEFL.  Approved scores as of October 22, 2017 are a minimum of 24 in Speaking, a minimum of 22 in Listening, a minimum of 22 in Reading, and a minimum of 21 in Writing.  Scores must be within two years from the date of testing.

Background Check Requirements

Enrolling in the educator preparation program is the first step in your preparation to be a licensed teacher.  Ultimately, your suitability for certification as teacher will be evaluated by a state licensing agency, which in Texas will be the Texas Education Agency.  In Texas, as in many states, you may be ineligible for certification due to a criminal or deferred adjudication for a felony or a misdemeanor offense.  A copy of the current Texas Guidelines to consider the eligibility for teacher certification for individuals with criminal history is enclosed for your review.  If your record includes a criminal or deferred adjudication for a felony or misdemeanor offense, and you plan to seek licensure in Texas, you may request a criminal history evaluation letter from the Texas Education Agency to evaluate your potential ineligibility for certification due to a past conviction or deferred adjudication.  Information related to the process for requesting a preliminary evaluation of certification eligibility in Texas is also enclosed to assist you.  Please consider these materials carefully and, if appropriate or if you are unsure, please take steps to review your potential ineligibility for certification before continuing the program and incurring the related tuition and fees.

Other Application Requirements  

Ready to take the next step?

Apply

To apply our Educator Preparation Program for teacher certification, please use the online registration below or contact the Certification Officer for the required application packet.  

If you're interested in earning your undergraduate or graduate degree in addition to teacher certification, apply to your program of interest through the University of Dallas Admissions Office. Then, contact the certification officer to discuss entrance to teacher certification.

Fill out my online form.

N. B. The Department of Education complies with the Texas state certification requirements as set by the State Board of Educator Certification. At the time of this publication, the requirements are accurate; however, requirements may change to reflect new state regulations.