Alternative Certification

An Alternative Certification Program conducted in partnership with local public schools is available to a limited number of Candidates Who Have completed a bachelor's degree with a 2.50 overall GPA, have passed all three portions of the TASP, and wish to teach Bilingual Education, Elementary Self-Contained, Special Education, and Secondary with specialization in Basic Business, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, English, ESL, French, German, Government, History, Journalism, Life-Earth Science, Mathematics, Physical Science, Physics, Reading, Science Composite, Spanish, Speech, and Theatre Arts. In this Program candidates teach full-time in an elementary, middle, or secondary public school, while employed by a public school district, and complete summer and evening course work toward certification. Although the College is approved to offer alternative certification Programs in the areas listed, the availability of positions for these fields depend on the staffing needs of the local public schools. For more information, contact the Alternative Certification Office, Education 801.

Field-Based Teacher Certification

The College of Education offers a field-based Teacher certification Program for Candidates Who Have already completed a bachelor's degree and wish to become elementary, secondary, or Secondary School Teachers. The Program requires field work in partner schools. This is a non-degree plan administered by the Certification Office in cooperation with the department in which the candidate's teaching specialty resides. Unlike Alternative Certification, this Program does not provide concurrent employment in a public school.

In order to be admitted to the Program, candidates must have:

1. ) A bachelor's degree with a 2.50 overall GPA.
2. ) Submitted an application for admission to post- baccalaureate course work at the Graduate School.
3. ) Completed Teacher Education 1201.
4. ) Passing scores on all portions of the TASP.
5. ) Submitted biographical information and three letters of professional recommendation.

Additional Certification Levels, Fields, and Endorsements

Texas certified Teachers who wish to add another level of certification and/or a new field of specialization, or endorsement, must submit a copy of their State certificate(s) to the Certification Office and have a new plan prepared at the Student Services Office, Education 412. Teachers already certified may add any level of certification or field of specialization available to elementary, middle school, secondary, and Secondary School UTEP students. There are also Endorsements offered in Bilingual Education, English as a Second Language (ESOL), and Information Processing Technology I. The State provides certified Teachers with an opportunity to add new certification levels and specialization fields by challenging the ExCET tests in those areas (H.B. 2185). For more information on H.B. 2185 contact the Student Services Office, Education 412.

Out-of-State Teachers

Teachers with a valid out-of-state teaching certificate who are seeking Texas certification must contact the Texas Education Agency (TEA) directly in order to have their credentials evaluated. Teachers with expired out-of-state teaching certificates must either contact the state in which they were certified in order to upgrade their license before contacting TEA, or follow the procedure established for Candidates Who Have a bachelor's degree and desire initial Texas certification.

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