The University is committed to a strong and thorough program for the
preparation of teachers.
Interdisciplinary cooperation throughout the University supports quality preparation
for teachers. Each student preparing to teach in secondary school, selects a major teaching
field, with a core of secondary professional development courses and student teaching.
Students seeking an all-level certificate select a major in the specialization area.
Students preparing to teach in elementary school, major in interdisciplinary studies.
The Dean and faculty of the College of Professional Education coordinate the teacher
education program. Policies for teacher education are formulated by the Teacher Education
Council. This Council includes representatives from all academic specializations as well as
from the College of Professional Education. Academic advising is available to each student
from both the academic specialization and the College of Professional Education.
Proposed changes in areas and levels of Texas teaching certificates by the State Board
for Educator Certification (SBEC) will result in major changes in teacher education programs
throughout the State. Information in this catalog reflects current programs. Information on
new degree and certification options will be available Spring 2001.
All students pursuing teacher certification must achieve acceptable scores on all three
sections of the Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP) test and achieve a GPA of at least 2.75
(or at least 2.75 on the last 45 semester hours of course work) prior to enrolling in professional
education course work. Professional education course work is field-based and includes EDUC 3006,
EDUC 4403, and EDUC 4503 and 12 hours of student teaching.
Admission to Teacher Education
Students apply for admission to the teacher education program prior to enrollment in 3000
level EDUC coursework. Applications are available in the Department of Teacher Education.
The requirements for admission to the Professional Studies Program are as follows:
- Application to Professional Studies.
- Documentation of filed degree plan.
- Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP) scores of at least 260 in Reading, 240 in
Mathematics, and 240 in Writing.
- An overall grade point average of not less than 2.75 (or 2.75 in the last 45
semester hours and 2.50 overall).
- Grade of B or better in Speech 1013/Drama/Theater/or acceptable oral
screening evaluation.
- Acceptable score on Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Analysis.
Students entering the Teacher Education Program are subject to all prevailing
academic and social regulations and policies of the University in addition to those
specified for the various certificate program sequences. The student also is subject
to any Texas legislative action, State Board of Education or SBEC policy that becomes
effective during the lifetime of this catalog. In addition to the certificate requirements,
the student must satisfy the degree requirements of the major department and the University.
The teacher education advisor in each department will assist the student in meeting all
requirements.
Admission to Student Teaching
The student must satisfy the following requirements before being eligible for
student teaching:
- Admission to the Teacher Education Program
- An overall grade point average of not less than 2.75
- A grade of C or better in every course to be counted toward
certification
- Completion of 12 hours of professional education and 3 hours
in reading
- Completion of all course work leading to degree and certification
requirements with the following exceptions: elementary certification
applicants must lack no more than 6 hours in the interdisciplinary core
and 3 hours in the elementary specialization prior to student teaching;
secondary certification applicants must lack no more than 9 hours in
an Option I single secondary teaching field or 6 hours in each of two
teaching fields prior to student teaching
Application for Teaching Certificate
Applications for teaching certificates are available in the Department of
Teacher Education, College of Professional Education, and are distributed at the
Student Teaching Enrollment Meeting held once each semester. Applications must be
completed and returned to the Department of Teacher Education as prescribed during
the semester of student teaching.
Specific rules affect teacher certification procedures and institutional
recommendation. These include:
- Effective September 1, 1989, no student may be admitted to an initial certificate
or endorsement program based on standards established prior to the 1987 Standards
for Teacher Education.
- Beginning February 1, 1986, in order to be approved for a teacher’s certificate,
additional teaching fields, or areas of specialization, or endorsements, persons,
including those holding a valid out-of-state certificate shall be required to
achieve a satisfactory level of performance on one or more examinations prescribed
by the State Board of Education.
- Beginning February 1, 1987, in order to be approved for certification as a
superintendent or other administrator, or for other certified professional positions,
persons, including those holding a valid out-of-state certificate, shall be required
to achieve a satisfactory level of performance on an examination prescribed by the
State Board of Education.
- Effective September 1, 1982, the State Board of Education rule gives the Commissioner
of Education the authority to suspend or revoke a teaching certificate, or refuse to
issue a teaching certificate for a person who has been convicted of a felony or
misdemeanor for a crime directly related to the duties and responsibilities of the
teaching profession.
Proposed changes in areas and levels of Texas teaching certificates by the State Board
for Educator Certification (SBEC) will result in major changes in teacher education programs
throughout the State. Information in this catalog reflects current programs. Information on
new degree and certification options will be available Spring 2001.
Certification of Post-Baccalaureate Students
TWU offers several options to individuals with a bachelor's degree who are seeking either
initial or additional Texas teacher certification. Materials are available in the Department
of Teacher Education which outline the steps involved in having a deficiency plan prepared.
All students pursuing initial teacher certification must have a cumulative GPA of at least
3.0 (or at least 3.0 on the last 60 hours and a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5) and Texas
Academic Skills Program (TASP) Scores of at least 260 in Reading, 240 in Mathematics, and
240 in Writing. Regardless of the total number of hours needed to complete certification
requirements, at least 12 semester hours of course work must be taken at TWU prior to
recommendation for certification. Other requirements unique to the academic specialization
must be satisfied.
Teaching Certificate Sequences
Teaching certificate programs vary among departments of the University. Some programs
require the Bachelor of Arts degree; others permit a student to choose either the Bachelor
of Arts or the Bachelor of Science degree. Some programs provide only for a single teaching
field; others make possible two teaching fields. In special areas, certificates are provided
which permit the student to teach a special subject in all grades of the public schools.
Certificates that are approved for the preparation of teachers at the Texas Woman’s
University are indicated on the following pages. Each department will have details on
specific certification requirements.
Standard Teacher Certificates*
Elementary—Option II—(Specialization Areas)
Art
Biology
English
Health Education
History
Mathematics
Physical Education (Kinesiology)
Reading
Elementary—Option III—(Specialization Areas)
Bilingual Education
Generic Special Education
Life/Earth Science
Social Studies
Elementary—Option IV—(Specialization Area)
Early Childhood Education
Secondary—Option I
Biology
Business Administration
Business, Secretarial
Chemistry
Computer Information Systems
Economics
English (B.A. degree only)
Government
History
Mathematics
Physical Science
Psychology
Sociology
Theatre Arts
Secondary—Option II
Biology
Business Administration
Business, Secretarial
Chemistry
Computer Information Systems
Dance Economics
English (B.A. degree if 1st teaching field)
Generic Special Education (2nd teaching field only)
Government
Health Education
History
Life/Earth Science
Mathematics
Physical Science
Psychology
Reading (2nd teaching field only)
Sociology
Theatre Arts
Secondary—Option III
Business, Basic
Business, Composite
Secondary—Option IV
Science, Composite
Social Studies
All-Level—Option I
Art
Music
All-Level—Option II
Physical Education (Kinesiology)
Special Education
Hearing Impaired
Vocational Home Economics
Endorsements
Bilingual Education
Early Childhood Education
Early Childhood Handicapped
English as a Second Language
Generic Special Education
Gifted and Talented
Information Processing Technologies (Options I & II)
Learning Resources
Severely Emotionally Disturbed and Autistic
Severely and Profoundly Handicapped
Professional Certificates—Graduate Programs Only
All-Level
Art
Music
Elementary
Art
Biology
Early Childhood Education
English
Health Education
History
Mathematics
Music
Reading
High School
Biology
Business, Composite
Chemistry
Economics
English
Health
History
Mathematics
Music
Reading
Science, Composite
Vocational Home Economics
Professional Service
Mid-Management Administrator (1972)
Temporary Mid-Management Administrator (1972)
Counselor
Learning Resources Specialist
Temporary Assistant Principal (1972)
Superintendent (1972)
Temporary Superintendent (1972)
Reading Specialist
Supervisor
Visiting Teacher
Special Education
Counselor
Deaf/Hard of Hearing
Educational Diagnostician
Associate School Psychologist
Speech and Hearing Therapy
Supervisor
Visiting Teacher
Mentally Retarded
Physically Handicapped
Language and/or Learning Disabilities
Emotionally Disturbed
For Students Seeking Teacher Certification
Students seeking teacher certification must complete the University’s core curriculum
and teacher certification requirements. The following plan will enable students completing
teacher certification requirements prior to Fall 2002 to satisfy general education
requirements and the University’s Core Curriculum.
Semester Credit Hours
History........................................6
Political Science............................6
Composition..................................6
Mathematics.................................3
Science....................................6-8
Humanities and Fine Arts.................6
(3 hours in literature required)
Social/Behavioral Science................3
Multicultural..................................3
Women’s Studies............................3
Additional certification requirements include:
Advanced Grammar and Composition...3
Mathematics (college algebra)...........3
Foreign Language, social science,
Natural science, fine arts..............6
