Teacher Certification
Certification Areas
Numerous Texas teacher certification areas may be earned through the UT Dallas Teacher Development Center (TDC).
Certification Tests
All students seeking teacher certification in Texas must pass all the certification tests required by the certification sought.
TExES Review – Practice exams, workshops and videos for PPR, CORE Subjects and STR preparation are available to students.
Field Experience
Students in the program are required to completed field experience. There are different pathways for students to take. Students will meet with the TDC’s Certification Advisor and determine which pathway is best for them. The Traditional Pathway includes students starting their first semester field experience in Classroom Management and the second semester in Clinical Teaching.
Residency Program
Students in the teacher certification program are required to complete field experience. The TDC’s field experience is part of a two semester paid Residency Program. It is designed to allow professional education students to work in schools with teachers and students while becoming familiar with the culture of schools and their communities. State law requires educator preparation entities to provide evidence of ongoing and relevant field experiences in a variety of educational settings with diverse student populations.
The TDC’s PAID Residency Program provides a hands-on experience for students with an opportunity to work with a teacher and students in the classroom. The Residency Program includes a professional education course sequence, including Classroom Management with Residency I and then Residency II.
If approved for a Residency then the student is scheduled a meeting with the Human Resources department and principal seeking a Resident. The principal may or may not hire the student. Residencies are not guaranteed.
Internships
Students who have already earned a bachelor’s or graduate degree and that have secured a contract as a first-year teacher are eligible to participate in a teaching internship.
Teacher Candidate Enrollment Calendar
UT Dallas has a rolling enrollment for students seeking their teacher certification. View the teacher candidate enrollment calendar.
Exit Policy for Dismissal of Candidates
UT Dallas is committed to educating, graduating, and certifying candidates who will be effective educators. Evidence of potential effectiveness includes academic, dispositional, professional, and personal qualities. Teacher candidates are carefully assessed throughout the educator preparation program for teaching dispositions as well as teaching skills and successful course completion. If a candidate’s major or overall GPA falls below the required GPA or other issues arise concerning a candidate’s fitness, ability, and/or demonstration of the ability to teach, the teacher candidate may be dismissed from the program.
Reasons candidates may be removed from the Educator Preparation Program may include, but not be limited to, the following, at the discretion of the Dean of Interdisciplinary School with the advice of the Certificate Team Committee that represents the certification area being sought by the candidate. The committee includes the Director of the TDC, Assistant Director of Advising & Recruiting and the Assistant Director of Accountability and Certification will serve in the decision-making capacity in lieu of the Dean of Interdisciplinary Studies.
- Failure to maintain a minimum 2.75 grade point average both overall and in major area of study
- Standard of Conduct/Educator Code of Ethics violation
- Criminal Background Check that precludes placement
- Failure to make continual progress towards program completion
- Failure to become certified within five years of graduation/finishing
- Failure to follow all attendance, dress code, and other guidelines
- After finishing the program, a significant change in the standards or test requirements for the certification field in which the student prepared and the candidate has not successfully completed all required certification testing
- School/district refuses to accept the student for field experience/clinical teaching
- School/district requests that the candidate be removed from a field/clinical teaching assignment
- Leave of Absences are recommended not to extend past one semester. Extended Leave of Absences will cause removal from the TEA system and will require readmission to the Teacher Development Center.
- A Leave of Absence of five (5) years or more will result in a student having to repeat the entire professional development (courses) sequence upon returning to the program.
- If a student is inactive after three (3) semesters (excluding summer), they will be removed from the program and will have to reapply if they return.
(h) All EPPs shall have a published exit policy for dismissal of candidates that is reviewed and signed by candidates upon admission.
Leave of Absences
Exiting the program: Although we hope that your journey with us ends in certification, you may need to leave the program before that happens. Before pausing or formally withdrawing from the Educator Preparation Program, please take note of the following factors that may impact seeking certification in the state of Texas at a future date.
- Certification testing approval was established at your official admission to the EPP through the Teacher Development Center. A formal request for release from the TDC is required in the event of application to another Educator Preparation Program (EPP) in the state of Texas.
- Leave of Absences are recommended not to extend past one semester. Extended Leave of Absences will cause removal from the TEA system and will require readmission into the EPP.
- A Leave of Absence of five (5) years or more will result in a student having to repeat the entire professional development sequence upon return to the program.
- If a student is inactive after three (3) semesters (excluding summer), they will be removed from the program and will have to reapply if they return.
Those wishing to withdraw should fill out the Non-Participation form. Students who are transferring to another program will need to complete a Transfer Form provided by their new Educator Preparation Program. The correct form needs to be emailed to amy.crowell@utdallas.edu. Students who have not been enrolled in a program course for multiple semesters may be contacted about their plans. Failure to reply may result in removal from the program.