Admission to the Teacher Education Program (TEP)

Students who plan to pursue initial teaching certification must meet all requirements for admission to the UIW teacher Education Program. TEP applications are accepted each semester during the announced application periods. 

NO STUDENT MAY TAKE COURSEWORK IN THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SEQUENCE PRIOR TO ACCEPTANCE INTO THE TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM.

Specific dates for the TEP application process are announced at the beginning of each semester. Applicants are responsible for meeting posted deadlines. Students must submit application packets by the specified deadline.  Application requirements are subject to change in accordance with TEA regulations.  As of May 2017, the application requirements include:

1. A current transcript (dated within three months of the TEP application) from each college or university attended verifying that:
   1. A minimum of 60 credit hours has been completed with a minimum of 12 credit hours in the subject-specific content area for the certification sought (15 hours for mathematics or science candidates). 
   2. The student has a cumulative grade point average of 2.75 or greater at time of application. Students are responsible for maintaining the minimum GPA requirement of 2.75 until program completion. All courses taken at all institutions will be calculated to determine the cumulative grade point average. In the event courses are repeated at the same institution, only the highest earned grade will be included in the GPA calculation (in agreement with UIW policy).
   3. For undergraduates, a grade of “C” or higher must have been earned for every course taken toward the major and supporting coursework.  IDS majors must earn a "C" or higher in all coursework included in the full IDS degree.  A minimum grade of B- is required for all professional development coursework. If a lower than required grade is earned, the course must be repeated. 
2. A copy of a current planning guide/degree plan reviewed by the applicant and the academic advisor. 
3. Verification that all three sections (reading, writing and mathematics) of the THEA (Texas Higher Education Assessment) exam have been successfully completed with a score of 230 or higher.
4. Verification that EDUC 2305: Foundations of Education has been successfully completed or is in progress.
5. Submission of two separate written faculty recommendations. Forms are provided in application packet. Whenever possible, a minimum of one recommendation should be completed by a faculty member from the applicant's major.

NOTE: Additional information from the UIW community (solicited and non-solicited) may be considered regarding applicants' professional disposition--maturity, independence, responsibility, interpersonal relations, communication, etc.  This information is of great significance to the decisions made by both the Dreeben School of Education and the university-wide Teacher Education Advisory Council regarding acceptance into the Teacher Education Program.

    6.  Applicants will participate in a group interview to assess effective and professional oral communication skills.

    7.  Applicants will complete a writing sample to assess effective and professional written communication skills.

    8.  A signed DSE Texas Educator's Code of Ethics Statement of Affirmation form must be submitted with the application packet acknowledging the applicant is informed, and consents, to the professional expectations for Texas educators.

Once the application packet has been submitted, interviews are scheduled. These interviews usually consist of one hour sessions with five to eight applicants in each session. Dreeben School of Education faculty and administrators as well as University faculty and administrators from other disciplines, will make up the interview teams. Recommendations from the interview teams will then be presented as a component of the applications packet. Teacher Education faculty and the Teach Education Advisory Council review all components of the TCP applications and make a recommendation for program admission. A formal letter of acceptance or denial will be mailed to each applicant by the end of the semester. The committees may also decide to "hold" an application in the event an application requirement is lacking but in progress. The Dreeben School of Education Office will not make any announcements as to the status of any applicant until such letters are sent.