Admission Timelines

To allow prospective graduate students time for long range planning, the Department of Teaching and Learning has a rolling admissions policy. All completed applications will be reviewed by the admissions committee which will meet ten times in an academic year. Applicants are urged to submit the completed application and credentials well in advance of the term for which they seek admission.

Even with rolling admissions, students still need to complete their application at least three months prior to the term in which they seek to begin graduate study. Completed applications must be submitted by:

  • Apply by November 1, if you would like to be considered for admission for spring term.
  • Apply by March 1, if you would like to be considered for admission for summer term.
  • Apply by June 1, if you would like to be considered for admission for fall term.

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Overview

The non-degree certification programs for teachers are designed to satisfy the State Board for Educator Certification requirements for teachers who promote scholarship in particular educational areas or serve discrete audiences such as gifted children or children for whom English is not the native language. These teachers have gone beyond the standard certification; they perform at a higher level with respect to particular disciplines and with particular populations.

Completing all of a certification module's courses normally provides adequate preparation for specialty certification. All SBEC certifications require that a candidate pass a state test. These advanced credentials are attached to the standard teaching certificate, so as a prerequisite to earning a graduate certification, a candidate must hold a Bachelor's degree and the foundation teaching certificate.

General Admission Requirements for Graduate Specialization Programs

Any application with missing pieces of information will be considered incomplete and will NOT be considered for admission until complete.

  • Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in the United States or proof of equivalent training at a foreign university

  • Texas Teaching Certificate

  • At least 2 year of teaching experience is required to receive the Texas Reading Specialist certificate.  At least 3 years of teaching experience is required to receive the Texas Educational Diagnostician certificate.

  • Application fee of $35, submitted via online payment. This fee is non-refundable.

  • Official transcripts showing degree conferral, certified and translated if from a foreign institution.

  • A minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale). Note: Applicants whose GPA falls below 3.0 may request an exemption to this requirement by emailing a letter explaining why an exception should be made (such as long-term experience, expertise in a related specialized field, or the Graduate Record Examination score).

  • Writing Component: Applicant will submit an essay response to ONE of the writing prompts on the application. See example below.
    • Tell us how earning a master's degree will help better your career as an educator.
    • Tell us your best story.

  • Three letters of recommendation, submitted via online application system. Select respondents who can attest to your academic ability, your teaching abilities, and your personal qualities. If you are currently teaching, one recommendation must be from your principal or other supervisor.

Admission Process

The staff will review applications to verify that all required materials and credentials have been received and minimum requirements for admission have been meet. Applicants will be notified by the Department once their application is complete. Applicants are encouraged, using the name they applied under, to email teacher@smu.edu to check the status of their application.

Once all required materials have been received, applications will be submitted to admissions committee for review. Accepted students will be notified by email and letter by the end of the month in which their file is reviewed.

The Department of Teaching and Learning keeps incomplete applications and transcripts on file for one academic year. Application files for individuals who do not respond to the Offer of Admission will also be retained for only one year from the date of application.

Application Resources

Website to apply: https://gradadmission.smu.edu/apply
Please send electronic application resources to: gradappmaterials@smu.edu

Application resources sent through the physical mail can be sent to:
   Graduate Application Processing
   PO Box 518
   Dallas, TX 75275-0518

Graduate Readmission/Deferral Policy

  1. A matriculated student who formally withdraws in good standing from the university may request readmission within two years by completing only the cover page of the graduate application

  2. A newly accepted student dropped from a graduate program for failure to register may be re-admitted by submitting a new application cover page and fee with two years of acceptance date.

  3. A matriculated student who fails to maintain continuous enrollment and has not formally withdrawn may be readmitted by submitting a new application cover page and fee within two years of being dropped from the program.

  4. A student may request a deferment of enrollment in writing up to one year beyond the date when he or she was scheduled to begin his or her graduate program. If the one-year time period is exceeded, the student must submit a new application and fee. Deferral must be requested in writing before the start of the term for which the student is accepted.

  5. While all applicants will be reviewed as received, specific master cohort programs may have a set beginning term.