Alternative Certification & Post-Baccalaureate Checklist

What is an Alternative Certification VS Post Baccalaureates?

A student who has already earned a bachelor’s degree and ONLY seeking a certification is called an Alternative Certification student. A Post Baccalaureate student is an individual who has already earned a bachelor’s degree and is seeking a graduate degree and a teacher certification simultaneously.

Successfully completing the following steps offers you a positive path to Teacher Certification.

First Steps for Alternative & Post Baccalaureates

Must have an undergraduate degree and/or graduate degree from an accredited university.
Call 972-883-2730 to schedule an appointment with a TDC Certification Advisor.
Meet with a TDC Certification Advisor to develop your certification plan and discuss your options.
Bring a copy of your degree(s) and transcripts to the TDC meeting.
You must have at least a cumulative 3.0 GPA or a 3.0 GPA in the last 60 hours or pass the PACT test.
Students must complete a minimum of 15 hours of content field course work for those students pursuing Math or Science(s) Certifications (4-8, 6-12, and 7-12). Complete a minimum of 12 hours of content field coursework for those students pursing teaching fields in Arts and Humanities.
Students will also need a Social Security number. A Social Security number is later required for Teacher Certification to complete the fingerprinting process.
Students are required to adhere to the Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators, and the TDC Student Handbook.
After your initial meeting and you have passed the PACT test and notified the Certification Advisor then apply to UT Dallas (even if you have graduated from here you will need to reapply). You will apply as a “non-degree seeking graduate student”. You will also be asked to submit a resume and an essay.
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Here are the UT Dallas links for applying as an Alternative Certification or Post Baccalaureate:

International Students

TOEFL – Students from non-English speaking countries whose primary language is NOT English are required to take all four sections of the TOEFL (the only approved test). Texas Education Agency requires applicants to score a 24 on Speaking, 22 for Listening, 22 for Reading and 21 for Writing. To register for the TOEFL, please log in to the ETS website.
UT Dallas may not need a TOEFL test for admission to the university, but the Teacher Development Center requires the TOEFL test because Texas Education Agency requires a TOEFL test for certification for degrees from countries where English is not the primary language.
If an undergraduate or graduate degree was earned at an institution of higher education in a country outside the United States, please reference the list countries that have been approved by the State Board of Education Certification (SBEC) to satisfy the English language proficiency requirement.
Students must provide official international transcripts when they apply to UT Dallas Admissions. UT Dallas will complete the foreign credentialing process.

Official Admission for Alternative Certification and Post Baccalaureates

The following are critical to being Officially Admitted into the Teacher Development Program.

You will be required to take the Pre-Admission Content Test (PACT) to be admitted into the TDC. This will be discussed in your meeting with the TDC Certification Advisor. When you are ready to take the PACT Test, make sure you are taking the correct test for your desired certification. This exam covers only subject matter in your content area. do not be concerned about teaching methods or pedagogy…only on the subject content. PACT Test information.
Taking the PACT Test does not ensure admittance into an Educator Preparation Program. There are additional admission requirements.
Once you have passed the PACT Test, applied online, and been admitted into the TDC then immediately schedule an appointment with the TDC Certification Advisor again to complete the required paperwork for TEA. It takes about an hour.
If you do not pass the PACT Test and need to take courses to complete the requirements for the certification you desire, we will work together on the courses you will need prior to taking the Education classes.
After the previous steps are completed, you will receive an email from the TDC Certification Officer for your Official Admission. Student must reply to the email immediately (within 48 hours) to accept their admittance to the program.
Students will be told in the email to set up their TEAL (Texas Education Agency Login), ECOS (Educator Certification Online System) and NES (Texas Educator Certification Examination Program) accounts for their Official Admission.

Next Steps for Alternative Certification and Post Baccalaureates

After you have been Officially Accepted into the program and all previous steps are completed, then you may register for Education courses. See Registration Procedure in Student Handbook.
Visit the NES (Texas Educator Certification Examination Program) website for information about the TExES Certification Exams.
- Select Preparation Materials to view the Content and PPR Test Manuals.
- Print the Test Frameworks for both of your required TExES certification exams.
Plan ahead for Clinical Teaching, Residency or Internship and your TExES certification exams:
- You are required to pass all TExES certification exams for your teacher certification to be eligible for Clinical Teaching, Residency or Internship.
- Make sure you have the opportunity to retake each test if necessary. You MUST wait 30 days to retest.
Suggested Testing Timeline for TExES certification exams:
- The TDC Certification Advisor will determine when you will be taking the exams. They will be staggered so you are not taking all the exams in one semester.
- The content exam should be taken after completing the content/subject area courses.
- The Pedagogy of Professional Responsibility (PPR) exam should be taken the semester prior to Classroom Management unless determined otherwise with the Certification Advisor.
- The Science of Teaching Reading (STR) exam should be taken during or after Diagnostic Reading (prerequisites Reading I and Reading II). If you are taking Diagnostic Reading during trhe semester you are taking Classroom Management, then you need to take the exam by the end of October in the fall semester and the end of May in the spring semester.
- The ESL Supplemental Certification exam should be taken after completing an passing the ESL course and ESL practice test.
All students must take practice tests prior to being released to take the official exams. Free practice tests are offered during the fall and spring semesters in group settings and during the summer at the TDC office. Click here to sign up for practice tests and for more information.
Practice tests are also offered online for $10. Not all TExES practice tests are offered online. Click here to sign-up for the Pearson practice tests. To be released to take the official TExES exams, you will need to email a copy of your score report to sheetal.kapoor@utdallas.edu
Reserve a spot for the free TExES review workshops for the PPR and some Content exams. Workshops are offered each semester at no cost to you. Click here to sign up for the workshops and for more information.
Register to take your required TExES exams at NES (Texas Educator Certification Examination Program).
Pass all required TExES exams for your specific certification.
You must pass all your TExES certification exams prior to Clinical Teaching, Residency 2 and Internships.
Students must attend mandatory Sign-Up Meetings. Make an appointment by calling the TDC office 972-883-2730 to attend. Click here to sign up for the Sign-Up Meetings and for more information. These meetings are the SEMESTER PRIOR to starting Classroom Management or Clinical Teaching, Residency II or Internship. These meetings usually occur within the first 4 weeks of each semester.