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Through the Teacher Preparation office, post-baccalaureate students may enroll in programs that lead to teaching certification at the elementary and secondary levels. In the state of Texas, teachers are certified by subject/content area within an established grade range so that an individual who wants to become a teacher must first choose the grade range she or he wants to teach and, if the choice is middle school or high school, the subject to be taught. SMU offers certification in all three grade ranges: Early Childhood (EC)-Grade 4, Grade 4-Grade 8 and Grade 8-Grade 12. These are the official certificate ranges specified by the State Board for Educator Certification in Texas (SBEC).
Although the state certifies a few subject areas at all grade levels (EC-12), the only all-level preparation programs offered by SMU are music and theatre. For specific information on music or theatre arts certification, contact the Meadows School of the Arts. For all other certification questions, contact the Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development at 214-768-2346 or teacher@smu.edu.
Individuals are certified to teach by the SBEC by passing two examinations, one that covers content and one that covers both instruction/pedagogy and professional responsibilities (Pedagogy and Professional Responsibility exam, or PPR exam). Together, the content exam and PPR exam are called the Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES examinations). For EC-4 certification, the content test is the EC-4 Generalist Examination. For middle and high school, examinations are tied to specific content disciplines. Passing scores are set by SBEC; the scores are “scaled” scores rather than percentages.
The exams are offered periodically throughout the year by the SBEC. Once an individual has completed certification coursework, completed student teaching or an internship and passed the appropriate examinations, she or he submits fingerprints, passes a criminal background check and is awarded a standard teaching certificate by SBEC. An excellent source of general information about teacher certification in Texas is the SBEC Web site at www.sbec.state.tx.us.
An individual who already has a bachelor’s degree and wants to attend SMU to become a certified teacher must satisfy most of the same curricular requirements as undergraduates and follow many of the same procedures. SMU’s Teacher Preparation program requires 21 credit hours of coursework plus nine credit hours of field work (three hours of early field experience and six hours of either student teaching or internship) for a total of 30 credit hours. With permission of a department adviser, students may take up to seven hours of EDU coursework prior to completion of the formal admission process to the program. Students meet each semester with their adviser who guides the program of study.
The classroom courses and field experiences are based on the Texas standards for beginning teachers and can be completed in three regular semesters if attending full time. Throughout the course of study, students are expected to maintain high levels of performance and to develop habits of reflection as well as knowledge and skills of practice. Professors model learning experiences that are considered best practices for all learners. Within their classes, students are expected to work collaboratively in small groups, complete simulated teacher tasks, pose questions for class inquiry and use multiple resources to answer questions.
The program for post-baccalaureate students is approved by SBEC as an “Alternative Route to Certification.” It includes intensive mentoring for teachers who obtain paid internships.
The certification areas include:
Some of these certifications require substantial prerequisite coursework that is not available at SMU; in these cases, the post-baccalaureate student must satisfy the coursework elsewhere, presumably in his or her undergraduate program. The advisers in the Teacher Preparation office are happy to speak with prospective applicants about their particular circumstances and needs. Call 214-768-2346 for more information or e-mail teacher@smu.edu.
Before enrolling in the Teacher Certification Program, all post-baccalaureate students must provide the following:
1. Official transcript showing degree awarded with an overall G.P.A. of 2.50. Transcripts from countries outside the United States must be accompanied by official evaluations by a recognized U.S. evaluation agency.
2. A letter of reference.
3. One of the following: (a) A passing score on the Texas Higher Education Assessment (THEA) with a minimum Reading score of 260, a minimum Writing score of 220 and a minimum Math score of 230, (b) an SAT score of at least 1070 with a score of 500 or better on each of the reading and math assessments or (c) an ACT score of at least 23. Test scores that are more than five years old will not be accepted.
4. Official interview with the Teacher Education advisers.
5. Submission of required affidavit indicating fitness for a teaching career.
6. For international students applying from countries where English is not the native language, scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) are required.
7. Written essay.
Early Childhood–Grade 4 (EC-4)
The EC-4 curriculum is designed to produce teachers who are knowledgeable about children and how they learn, passionate about teaching and resourceful problem solvers. The courses are planned to provide a wide range of professional readings, cooperative learning experiences, authentic assignments that simulate the work of classroom teachers and productive field experiences.
Certification Requirements. Candidates must complete all of the following courses with an overall B average: EDU 5327, 5355, 5357, 5358, 5318, 5331, 5349, 5121, 5122 and 5123. All of these courses must be completed before enrolling in student teaching courses (EDU 5363 and 5364) or internship courses ( EDU 5385 and 5386). In order to be certified to teach in Texas, students must pass the TExES EC-Grade 4 Generalist exam and TExES EC-Grade 4 Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities exam.
In addition, all requirements–seven classroom-based courses, three field experience courses, satisfactory student teaching or internship experiences and passing scores on the appropriate TExES tests–must be fulfilled before the Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development will recommend a student for certification. Prospective teachers must also pass a criminal-record check with the SBEC.
Secondary Education (Middle and High School: Grades 4-8 and 8-12)
The secondary-education curriculum is rich in both the practical experience and theory that are needed for teaching preadolescents and adolescents. Courses address the unique developmental needs of these students, as well as effective teaching strategies. Each course provides classroom and field experiences to prepare prospective teachers to become effective teachers and lifelong learners.
Certification Requirements. Candidates must either complete a major in one of the certification fields or complete an approved program of 48 semester hours for a composite in social studies. This coursework must include economics, geography, government and history. The following education courses are also required: EDU 5335, 5336/37, 5368/69, 5366/67, 5315, 5371, 5348, 5124, 5125 and 5126. All of these courses must be completed with an overall B average before enrolling in EDU 5373 and 5374, the student teaching courses, or EDU 5375 and 5376, the internship courses.
In order to be certified to teach in Texas, students must pass the TExES Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities exam and the TExES Content (Teaching Field) test. In addition, all requirements–seven classroom-based courses, three field-experience courses, satisfactory student teaching or internship experiences and passing scores on the appropriate TExES tests–must be fulfilled before the Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development will recommend a student for certification. Prospective teachers must also pass a criminal-record (fingerprint) check with the SBEC.
All-Level Music
In addition to meeting the requirements for a major in music, students in an All-Level Music certification program must complete a total of 12 hours in education courses including six hours in student teaching. Students seeking music certification should consult with their advisers in the Meadows School of the Arts for the courses they must take.
All-Level Theatre Arts
In addition to meeting the requirements for a major in theatre, students in an All-Level Theatre Arts certification program must complete a total of 12 hours in education courses including six hours in student teaching. Students seeking theatre arts certification should consult with their advisers in the Meadows School of the Arts for the courses they must take.
Bilingual Education
Preparation for Supplemental Certification
SMU offers four courses (three credits each) for certified teachers interested in earning the Texas Supplemental Certification in Bilingual Education. This certification is required for teachers who work with students who do not speak English as their native language. The required 12 hours of coursework may be applied to the Master of Bilingual Education program (MBE) or to the Master of Education (M.Ed.) program pending acceptance into the program. In addition to completing the required coursework, candidates must pass the appropriate tests for supplemental certification in Texas.
Admission Requirements. Before enrolling in the program for Supplemental Certification in Bilingual Education, all students must provide the following.
1. A completed application form.
2. An official transcript from the school that awarded your baccalaureate degree; the transcript must show both your degree status (i.e., bachelor’s degree completed) and an overall G.P.A. of 3.0 or better. Transcripts from countries outside the United States must be accompanied by an official evaluation of the transcript by a recognized U.S. evaluation agency.
3. A copy of your Texas teaching certificate.
4. A copy of your service record (Some programs require specific numbers of years of experience).
5. Three letters of recommendation, including one from your principal or direct supervisor.
6. A passing score on a language proficiency assessment.
7. A $75 non-refundable application fee payable to SMU.
8. Interview with a Bilingual Education Program administrator.
Certification Requirements. Candidates must complete the following courses: EDU 6320, EDU 6321, EDU 6339 and EDU 6312/ANTH 6311. Upon completion of coursework, candidates must also pass the TExES in Bilingual Education and the Texas Oral Proficiency Test (TOPT) for language proficiency.
English as a Second Language (ESL)
Preparation for Supplemental Certification
The ESL program includes the four courses that are required for English as a Second Language (ESL) certification. These four courses (12 credit hours) may also be applied toward SMU’s 36-credit-hour Master of Education (M.Ed.) (pending acceptance into the program) with a specialization in ESL. In addition to completing the required coursework, candidates must pass the appropriate tests for supplemental certification in Texas.
Admission Requirements. Applicants must supply the following:
1. A completed application form.
2. An official transcript from the school that awarded your baccalaureate degree; the transcript must show both your degree status (i.e., bachelor’s degree completed) and an overall G.P.A. of 3.0 or better. Transcripts from countries outside the United States must be accompanied by an official evaluation of the transcript by a recognized U.S. evaluation agency.
3. A copy of your Texas teaching certificate.
4. A copy of your service record (Some programs require specific numbers of years of experience).
5. Three letters of recommendation, including one from your principal or direct supervisor
6. A résumé.
7. A $75 non-refundable application fee payable to SMU.
Certification Requirements. Candidates must complete the following courses: EDU 6312/ANTH 6311, EDU 6315, EDU 6320 and EDU 6390.
Gifted Education
Preparation for Supplemental Certification
The Gifted Students Institute (described previously in this catalog) offers four graduate courses, all through the Department of Teaching and Learning, that prepare teachers for the TExES gifted certification test. The four three-credit-hour courses taken in their ideal sequence are EDU 6325, 6397, 6347 and 6388óall of which may be applied to the specialization module of SMU’s 36-credit-hour Master of Education (M.Ed.).
Admission Requirements. Before enrolling in the program for Gifted Education certification, all students must provide the following:
1. A completed application form.
2. An official transcript from the school that awarded your baccalaureate degree; the transcript must show both your degree status (i.e., bachelor’s degree completed) and an overall G.P.A. of 3.0 or better. Transcripts from countries outside the United States must be accompanied by an official evaluation of the transcript by a recognized U.S. evaluation agency.
3. A copy of your Texas teaching certificate.
4. A copy of your service record (Some programs require specific numbers of years of experience).
5. Three letters of recommendation, including one from your principal or direct supervisor.
6. A $75 non-refundable application fee payable to SMU.
Certification Requirements. Students must pass the TExES (Texas Examination of Educator Standards) exam in order to be certified.
Learning Therapy Certificate
SMU’s Learning Therapy program is a 22-hour professional certificate program for individuals interested in working with children or adults who have dyslexia or related written-language learning disorders. Program participants are trained in the structures of written English, multisensory teaching methods and sequential procedures for teaching written-language skills and learning strategies. The program requires two years of graduate study, extensive practicum teaching hours, seminars and clinical teaching hours.
All of the courses are designed to develop the knowledge and skills prescribed by the national Academic Language Therapy Association and the International Multisensory Structured Language Council, which accredits courses that prepare individuals in the use of multisensory structured language education programs. The Learning Therapy program also administers the Diagnostic Center for Dyslexia and Related Disorders, which is described in the Service Center section of this catalog.
All 22 credit hours required for the Learning Therapy certificate can be applied to the Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree program as well.
Although Learning Therapy students primarily come from elementary and secondary education, nursing, psychology, speech-language pathology, diagnostics and counseling, a wide variety of other educational and professional fields may be appropriate backgrounds for the profession.
Admission Requirements. Before enrolling in the Learning Therapy program, all students must provide the following:
1. A formal application with the $75 non-refundable application fee.
2. An official transcript from the school that awarded the applicant’s baccalaureate degree; the transcript must show both your degree status (i.e., bachelor’s completed ) and an overall G.P.A. of 2.5 or better.
3. Personal statement of goals that reflects an interest in learning and motivation for becoming an academic language therapist.
4. Written summary of work experience.
Certification Requirements. Students must successfully complete introductory coursework as well as a minimum of 150 clinical teaching hours during the first year in order to continue study as a second-year student. If a student lacks any requirement of first-year study, special permission to continue in the program may be granted after a formal review process by the Clinical Teaching Board. The first-year required courses include: EDU 6330, 6331, 6231, 6101 and 6102. The second-year required courses include: EDU 6332, 6333, 6233, 6103 and 6104. Students must take a minimum of two electives courses during the program. Elective courses include: EDU 6105, 6106, 6107, 6109, 6110, 6115, 6116, 6117 and 6134.
The State of Texas, through the State Board of Teacher Certification, offers four “Master Teacher Programs” for experienced teachers who are interested in serving as resource specialists and teacher leaders both to students and to other educational colleagues. The certification is offered by SBEC, not by the University, and is based on the University’s recommendation and a satisfactory score on the respective master teacher TExES.
Universities offering these programs must be approved by SBEC and must have programs aligned with the competencies tested on the various certification examinations. In keeping with the goal of the Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development to develop teacher leaders and to lead in research-based instruction, SMU applied for and received approval to offer these four programs.
The course competencies in all four programs are based on the TEKS and TAKS standards. Instruction in the courses is grounded in the latest research in mathematics, reading, science, and technology, respectively. In each program, state master teacher standards are fully integrated into coursework through demonstrations and participation. Students should expect “hands-on” field work in each of the programs. The graduate-level courses provide content and pedagogy at a high level for serious students who want to increase their expertise in one or more of these content areas.
SMU offers programs of study for the Master Mathematics Teacher, Master Reading Teacher, Master Science Teacher, and Master Technology Teacher. Each program consists of four three-hour credit courses. Educators may choose these programs as “stand- alone” certifications. Alternatively, educators may select courses from the master teacher programs as electives. In addition, the 12 credit hours may be applied to the specialization requirement of the Master of Education degree, pending the student’s acceptance into the M.Ed. program. Admission to a master teacher program does not guarantee admission to the master’s degree program.
The master teacher programs are for teachers with three or more years of experience. Individuals with fewer than three years of experience cannot be formally recommended until they meet this requirement. In order to register for any master teacher TExES, a student must have completed the coursework satisfactorily, earning a grade of B or better in each course and must have the recommendation of the faculty of an individual program. In order to register for an examination, an educator must be recommended by the University. This recommendation certifies that the teacher has met all the standards and satisfied the requirements of the approved programs. Educators earning a passing grade on the examinations receive the appropriate certification.
Before enrolling in the master teacher courses, students must provide the following:
1. A completed application form for the specific program desired.
2. An official transcript from the school that awarded the baccalaureate degree; the transcript must show degree status (i.e., bachelor’s degree completed) and indicate an overall G.P.A. of 3.0 or higher. Transcripts from countries outside the United States must be accompanied by an official evaluation of the transcript by a recognized U.S. evaluation agency.
3. A copy of the Texas teaching certificate.
4. A copy of the service record (candidates must have a minimum of three years experience to earn the certification).
5. Three letters of recommendation, including one from the principal and/or another direct supervisor.
6. Interview with program faculty.*
7. $75 non-refundable application fee payable to SMU.
*An interview may be required if additional information is needed from the student.
Specific details for each master teacher program are as follows:
Master Mathematics Teacher requirements: EDU 6379, 6380, 6381, and 6382. Each course includes field experiences. Courses are “stand- alone” and may be taken in any order. No course has a prerequisite.
Master Reading Teacher requirements: EDU 6340, 6363, 6323, and 6311. Each course includes field experiences. Course must be taken in the order above. A new MRT cohort begins in the fall semester of each academic year. The courses include issues related to reading acquisition, second language learners, reading difficulties and disabilities and dyslexia.
Master Science Teacher requirements: EDU 6370,
6371, 6372, and 6373. Each course includes field experiences. While courses
are “stand- alone” and
may be taken in any order, it is advised that EDU 6370 be taken prior to EDU
6371 (physical science courses).
Master Technology Teacher requirements: EDU 6384, 6385, 6386 and, 6387. Each
course includes field experiences. Courses combine online and face-to-face experiences.
Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification
P.O. Box 750455
Dallas TX 75275-0455
214-768-2346
www.smu.edu/teacher_prep
Bilingual Education Supplemental Certification
P.O. Box 750506
Dallas TX 75275-0506
214-768-2184
www.smu.edu/BilingualSupplementalCertification
English as a Second Language
Certification (ESL)
P.O. Box 750506
Dallas TX 75275-0506
214-768-2184
www.smu.edu/ESLcertification
Gifted Education Certification
P.O. Box 750383
Dallas TX 75275-0383
214-768-0123
www.smu.edu/gifted
Learning Therapy Certification
5236 Tennyson Pkwy., Suite 108
Plano TX 75024
214-768-7323
www.smu.edu/LearningTherapy
Master Mathematics Teacher (MMT) Certification
P.O. Box 750455
Dallas TX 75275-0455
214-768-2346
www.smu.edu/MMT
Master Reading Teacher (MRT) Certification
P.O. Box 750455
Dallas TX 75275-0455
214-768-2346
www.smu.edu/MRT
Master Science Teacher (MST) Certification
P.O. Box 750455
Dallas TX 75275-0455
214-768-2346
www.smu.edu/MST
Master Technology Teacher (MMT) Certification
P.O. Box 750455
Dallas TX 75275-0455
214-768-2346
www.smu.edu/MTT
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