College of Education

The mission of the College of Education (College or COED) at UTEP is to prepare highly effective teachers, counselors, diagnosticians, and school administrators to successfully address the needs of schools and other youth serving agencies, especially those in multicultural communities. To support this mission, the faculty members of the College engage in research and scholarly activities, provide educational services to local schools and community, and strive to demonstrate by example the quality of teaching expected of our graduates.

Undergraduate Programs

The Bachelor of Science in Education (BSED) offers two pathways for students seeking a degree in the field of education: one leading to Texas teacher certification and another for students who aim to prepare for a career in various education areas such as Early Childhood Education, after-school programs, nonprofit work, and community outreach.

Texas Teacher Certification Pathway

The College of Education Educator Preparation Program (EPP) provides qualified students with unique educational experiences, including year-long student teaching residencies, to help them attain the knowledge, values, and skills needed to enter the teaching profession and to receive an initial Texas teaching certificate. Individuals interested in becoming elementary (pre-kindergarten - 6th grade) certified teachers, middle school (4th-8th grade) certified teachers, or all-level (pre-kindergarten -12th grade) special education certified teachers, pursue a Bachelor of Science in Education (BSED).

Current employed district paraprofessionals (i.e., educational aids) seeking Elementary [EC-6] Bilingual and/or All-Level [EC-12] Special Education Certification may pursue the BSED on our Paraprofessional Pathway.

Students seeking secondary (7-12th grade) Social Studies or History Certification may pursue the BSED and earn a Dual Degree Bachelor or Arts in History.*

Students seeking secondary (8-12th grade) Computer Science Certification may also pursue the BSED and earn a Dual Degree Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science.**

Students may choose from the following BSED certification concentrations:

Elementary Grades Teacher Certification (with Student Teaching Residency)

Elementary [EC-6] with ESL Certification [EESL]
Elementary [EC-6] with Bilingual Certification [EBIL]

Middle Grades Teacher Certification (with Student Teaching Residency)

Middle Grades [4-8] with ESL Supplemental Certification
Middle Grades [4-8] with Bilingual Certification
Middle Grades [4-8] Mathematics with ESL Certification
Middle Grades [4-8] Mathematics and Science with ESL Certification
Middle Grades [4-8] English Language Arts/Reading with ESL Certification
Middle Grades [4-8] English Language Arts/Reading and Social Studies with ESL Certification

Secondary Grades Teacher Certification (with Student Teaching Residency)

Secondary [7-12] Social Studies with ESL Certification (Dual Degree)*
Secondary [7-12] History with ESL Certification (Dual Degree)*
Secondary [8-12] Computer Science with ESL Certification (Dual Degree)**

All-level teacher certification options (with Student Teaching Residency)

All Level [EC-12] Special Education [ASPE]

Paraprofessional Pathway (with Student Teaching Residency)

Elementary [EC-6] Bilingual/All-Level [EC-12] Special Education Certification***

*Students seeking Secondary Certification in Social Studies or History may choose to complete the dual degree option [Social Studies Composite (Dual Degree) major or History (Dual Degree) major] available in the College of Liberal Arts- Department of History AND the matching BSED Secondary Education (either Social Studies or History Dual Degree concentration)]. Students in these majors are eligible to participate in the Student Teaching Residency. Students who fulfil all of the degree requirements for the BA-History (Dual Degree) and the BSED- Secondary Education (Dual Degree) earn both degrees.

**Students seeking Secondary Certification in Computer Science may choose to complete the dual degree major available in the College of Engineering- Department of Computer Science AND the matching BSED- Secondary Education (8-12 Computer Science with ESL Certification). Students in these majors are eligible to participate in the Student Teaching Residency. Students who fulfill all of the degree requirements for the BA-Computer Science (Dual Degree) and the BSED- Secondary Education (Dual Degree) earn both degrees.

***This program pathway to teacher certification is specifically designed for current district employed paraprofessionals (i.e., educational aids) seeking Elementary [EC-6] Bilingual and/or All-Level [EC-12] Special Education Certification. Courses are offered in online-virtual formats to allow for flexible scheduling. This pathway includes job-embedded coursework and students complete the Student Teaching Residency at their current school campus/location of employment.

Additional Secondary and All-Level teacher certifications options

Students interested in becoming secondary education or all-level education certified teachers, may complete a major in the specialization area in which they will teach and a minor in the College of Education (for instance, All-level Art Certification students complete a Bachelor of Arts with the College of Liberal Arts and an education minor in the College of Education). For Secondary Social Studies and History, students have the option to major in both the College of Liberal Arts and the College of Education to earn Dual Degrees. Coursework information appears in the appropriate section of this catalog under the Colleges of Health Sciences, Liberal Arts, and Science for those students majoring outside of the College of Education who are seeking teacher certification. Students may pursue secondary and all-level certification in the following areas and in the following ways:

Secondary Education

Computer Science [8-12] (Major in the College of Engineering AND Major in COED-Dual Degree)
Dance [6-12] (Major in the College of Liberal Arts; Minor in COED)
English Language Arts and Reading [7-12] (Major in the College of Liberal Arts; Minor in COED)
History [7-12] (Major in the College of Liberal Arts AND Major in COED- Dual Degree)
Journalism [7-12] (Major in the College of Liberal Arts; Minor in COED)
Life Science [7-12] (Major in the College of Science; Minor in COED)
Mathematics [7-12] (Major in the College of Liberal Arts; Minor in COED)
Physical Science [6-12] (Major in the College of Science; Minor in COED)
Physics/Mathematics [7-12] (Major in the College of Science; Minor in COED)
Science [7-12] (Major in the College of Liberal Arts; Minor in COED)
Social Studies [7-12] (Major in the College of Liberal Arts AND Major in COED- Dual Degree)
Speech [7-12] (Major in the College of Liberal Arts; Minor in COED)

All-level Education

Art [EC-12] (Major in the College of Liberal Arts; Minor in COED)
Health [EC-12] (Major in the College of Health Science; Minor in COED)
LOTE: French (Major in the College of Liberal Arts; Minor in COED)
LOTE: Spanish (Major in the College of Liberal Arts; Minor in COED)
Music [EC-12] (Major in the College of Liberal Arts; Minor in COED)
Physical Education [EC-12] (Major in the College of Health Science; Minor in COED)
Theatre [EC-12] (Major in the College of Liberal Arts; Minor in COED)

Students planning on becoming certified in Texas as secondary or all-level education teachers are advised by the advisors of the college where their major resides and by their assigned Center for Student Success (CSS) program advisors in the College of Education for their concentration in secondary or all-level education.

Non-certification Pathways

The Bachelor of Science in Education (BSED) also offers two concentrations for students who are interested in a career in the field of education outside of the realm of state public school teaching. Students interested in working in organizations involving education or child-advocacy, early childhood learning or childcare, early childhood intervention, or Head Start should consider a concentration in:

Early Childhood Care and Education

The BSED - Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) program prepares educators to serve young children birth to five years of age [0-5] in diverse, bilingual settings outside of state public schooling. Emphasis in this program is on the care and education of young dual language and English language learners. This is a non-licensure concentration for students seeking professional preparation for working with infants, toddlers and preschool-aged children, in settings such as private and public childcare, early intervention, community and child-welfare programs, and Head Start.

This degree program may be completed fully online.

To earn the BSED-ECCE degree, students must complete The University Core Curriculum, College of Education Required Coursework and selected elective courses. All College of Education Required Coursework requires a combined minimum GPA of 3.0. A total cumulative grade point of 2.75 or higher is required for this degree program.

Students interested in working in organizations involving youth community education/advocacy or adult education should consider a concentration in:

Education and Community Studies

The BSED-Education and Community Studies (EDCS) program prepares educators to serve youth (outside of state public schooling) and adults in diverse, bilingual settings. This is a non-licensure concentration for students seeking professional preparation for working with youth and adult populations in community education settings such as informal education organizations (i.e., Museums, Science Centers, Parks & Recreation Departments, after school programs/tutoring) non-profit organizations related to criminal justice or youth advocacy or community enrichment programs (i.e., GED/Literacy Education, Youth/Adult English as Second Language (ESL) Education, educational programming for Assisted-living/Geriatric Communities)

To earn the BSED-EDCS degree, students must complete the University Core Curriculum, College of Education Required Coursework and selected elective courses. All College of Education Required Coursework requires a combined minimum GPA of 3.0. A total cumulative grade point of 2.75 or higher is required for this degree program.

Graduate Programs

At the graduate level, the COED offers master's degrees in the areas of Alternative Teaching Certification; Bilingual Education; Curriculum and Instruction (Educational Technology; Dual Credit Teaching); Diversity, Equity, & Social Justice in Education; Early Childhood Education; Linguistic Diversity & Educational Equity; Literacy Education, Educational Administration, School Counseling, Mental Health Counseling, Educational Diagnostics, and Special Education. Students who wish to specialize in other subject areas may consult with COED Graduate Faculty for approval. In addition to these graduate degree programs, the College offers graduate-level courses leading to advanced Texas licensure in administration, supervision, counseling, and various teaching specialties. COED also houses a Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Teaching, Learning, and Culture and a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership with various sub-specialization areas of study. For information about graduate programs in Education, students should refer to the University's Graduate Catalog.

Educator Preparation Program (EPP)

The College maintains close ties with practicing professional teachers through field-based teacher preparation programs. The educator preparation programs are approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) and by the Texas State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC). Students who successfully complete a certification program are recommended to receive teacher certification in the state of Texas.

Professional certification programs in the College of Education are offered in Elementary Education; Bilingual Education; Reading Education; Middle Grade Education, Secondary Education, and All-Levels Education; Counseling; Special Education; Educational Diagnostics; and Educational Administration.

Students wishing to explore teaching as a career option enroll in education sections of UNIV 1301. In this course, information concerning the teaching profession is presented, and students have an opportunity to discuss career issues with education faculty and public-school practitioners. Education-focused learning communities are available for students with 0-45 credit hours of academic work.

Undergraduate Degrees and Teaching Licenses

Elementary Grades, Middle Grades, Secondary Grades, and All-Level Special Education

The College offers a Bachelor of Science in Education (BSED) degree for students who wish to become certified teachers in Elementary Grades (pre-Kindergarten to 6th grade), Middle Grades (4th-8th), and All-Level (pre-kindergarten to 12th grade) Special Education.

A dual degree option is available under the BSED for students wishing to pursue Secondary (7th-12th grade Social Studies or History Education. Students working on the BSED degree must have their degree plan filed in the College of Education. These students are advised by College of Education Center for Student Success (CSS) program advisors, and they can request degree and certification course substitutions through these individuals.

For currently district employed paraprofessionals (i.e., educational aids), COED offers a specific degree pathway toward Elementary [EC-6] Bilingual and/or All-Level [EC-12] Special Education Certification. Courses are offered in online/virtual formats to allow for flexible scheduling. This pathway includes job-embedded coursework and students complete the Student Teaching Residency at their current school campus/location of employment.

Secondary Education and All-Level Education

Students interested in becoming secondary or all-level (Art, Health, LOTE, Music, Theatre or Physical Education) teachers may complete a major through the College of Health Sciences,
College of Liberal Arts, or College of Science and a minor in secondary or all-level teaching in the College of Education. Students who major outside the College of Education with an Education Minor complete a one semester, student teaching experience. Programs of study information can be found in the appropriate section of this catalog under the Colleges of Health Sciences, Liberal Arts, and Science.

For those interested in the Dual Degree option from the College of Liberal Arts-Department of History, students may choose to also major within the College of Education (Secondary [7-12] Social Studies or History) to participate in the Student Teaching Residency Program. For those interested in the Dual Degree option from the College of Engineering- Department of Computer Science, students may choose to also major with the College of Education (Computer Science [8-12] to participate in the year-long Student Teaching Residency Program.

Information on the secondary and all-level teaching minors through the College of Education is available at the CSS website.

Students planning to become certified in Texas as secondary or all-level teachers must have their degree plan and a copy of their current certification plan filed under the college in which they are pursuing their major. If outside COED, these students must also have a copy of their degree plan and a certification plan filed in the CSS, College of Education Building, Room 412. Students are advised by the advisors of the college of their major for their major program requirements if they major outside COED, and by the CSS advising staff for their minor or concentration in secondary or all-level education. Requests for course substitutions for courses pertaining to the major program requirements are handled by the respective college dean’s office. Substitutions pertinent to the secondary or all-level teaching certificate minor are handled by the CSS program advisors, under the purview of the Dean’s Office of the College of Education.

Transfer Students Seeking Degrees in Education

Undergraduate transfer students seeking a BSED must submit an application for admission and original copies of their transcripts to the Office of Admissions and Recruitment, located in the Mike Loya Academic Services Building. Transfer students cannot be advised in the College of Education until a written evaluation of previous academic work has been prepared by the Office of Admissions and Recruitment.

Alternative Certification Program

The College of Education offers an alternative certification program (ACP) with or without a masters degree for students who have already completed a bachelors degree (in any area) and who wish to become early childhood/elementary education, middle grades, secondary, or all-level Texas certified teachers.

For information about admission, fees, and program requirements, visit the Center for Student Success website (CSS) office at:

Center for Student Success
Room 412
College of Education
(915) 747-5571
Email: coecss@utep.edu

Additional Certification Levels, Fields, and Supplemental

Teachers who are already certified in Texas may add any level of certification or field of specialization available to early childhood/elementary education, secondary, and all-level UTEP students. The state provides certified teachers an opportunity to add new certification levels and specialization fields by challenging the TExES tests in those areas (H.B. 2185). There are also supplementary certificates offered in Bilingual Education and English as a Second Language (ESL).

Out-of-State Teachers

Teachers with valid out-of-state teaching credentials who are seeking a Texas certificate must contact the Texas State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) directly to have their credentials evaluated. Information is available on the SBEC website (http://www.sbec.state.tx.us). To update their certificate, teachers with expired out-of-state teaching certificates must either contact the state in which they were certified before contacting SBEC, or follow the procedure established for students who have a bachelor's degree and desire an initial Texas certification.

Admission to Educator Preparation Program (EPP)

BSED program students who wish to become elementary [EC-6], middle grades [4-8], Secondary [7-12] Social Studies or History (Dual Degree),Secondary [8-12] Computer Science (Dual Degree) or all-level [EC-12] Special Education certified teachers in Texas receive a degree plan and information about the Educator Preparation Program (EPP) admission requirements during their New/Transfer Student Orientation advising session with the College of Education. Undergraduate students pursuing secondary grade teacher certification while majoring in the discipline or other all-level teacher certification, receive information about the EPP and major requirements during their New/Transfer Student Orientation advising session with the college where their major resides. Beginning during their first semester at UTEP, students can begin to work on EPP admission requirements, which are available on the CSS website.

According to University policy, students must remain in good standing to progress toward the completion of a degree program (see the appropriate catalog section under Academic Standards). In addition, students can be barred from enrolling in professional education courses if their suitability for the teaching profession is found to be unacceptable.

Field-Based Experience and Student Teaching Residency Requirements

Students are expected to spend a significant amount of time in specially selected schools (partner schools and professional development schools) while they complete pre-EPP courses as well as their EPP/student teaching Residency. Admission to the EPP is required for enrollment in EPP/Residency courses that involve a field-based experience component. Additionally, students are required to pass the qualifying and Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES) certification exams prior to enrolling in Student Teaching Residency.

The Texas State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) regulates the certification of educators to teach Texas public-school children. Before an individual can be certified, SBEC must conduct a criminal history background check to ensure an applicant’s suitability to interact with children. Working with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the agency conducts statewide criminal history background checks on all applicants for educator Certification. Students pursuing educator preparation should be aware that some criminal histories can lead to the denial of certification as a teacher.

Texas public school districts require student teaching residency and field-based experience participants to undergo a criminal history background check prior to placement in the school district. School districts can deny placement to students with a criminal background. If a school district denies a placement or other field-based experiences for this reason, the UTEP College of Education can attempt to assist the student in obtaining a placement in an alternate district. Students should be aware, however, that if they are unable to obtain a placement, they will not meet UTEP’s program or state certification requirements.

A person who is enrolled or planning to enroll in an educator preparation program or planning to take a certification examination may request a preliminary criminal history evaluation letter regarding the person's potential ineligibility for certification due to a conviction or deferred adjudication for a felony or misdemeanor offense.

Effective August 1, 2015, MorphoTrust, the Texas Department of Public Safety fingerprinting vendor, can no longer utilize P-numbers in place of social security numbers for completion of the fingerprinting process. As a result, candidates attempting to be fingerprinted using a non-valid 9-digit social security number will not be allowed to complete the fingerprinting process, which is required for the background check necessary for teacher certification in Texas.

Student Teaching Residency Description

Student teaching residency for elementary grades, middle grades, secondary grades, special education, and all-level programs consists of one or two semesters (depending on the concentration and college of the major) in which students are assigned to partner schools where they spend at least one semester of five days per week for the entire school day for a minimum of 15 weeks engaged in student teaching. During student teaching residency, the major concepts and skills are introduced and student teachers become familiar with the pupils, the teams of teachers, and the community of the partner schools to which they are assigned. The semester(s) have an emphasis on role induction. Student teachers assist teachers mainly through small-group work and begin to experience whole-class instruction. Student teachers demonstrate that they can synthesize the knowledge, values, and experiences of earlier semesters in developing an effective teaching style. Proficiency in all program competencies is assessed during this time.

Student teaching takes place during the spring and/or fall semester. Students are usually assigned to their student teaching classrooms two weeks prior to the start of the regular semester. Students normally begin student teaching on the first day of teacher in-service or soon afterward.

Note: Students who are on the paraprofessional pathway complete their Student Teaching Residency at their home campus/location of employment.

Application for Graduation and Certification

Students must apply for graduation during the first month of the semester in which they intend to complete all degree requirements. A graduation fee is required.

Students who are seeking certification must register for and pass the appropriate state certification examinations (TExES). Students apply for certification once they complete all the program and state requirements, including the appropriate TExES tests. A fee is required for the Texas certificate.

To be recommended for the BSED degree and teacher certification, a student must:

Complete the courses listed in the degree and certification plan with an overall GPA of at least 2.75.
Have a 2.5 GPA or better in the teaching field specialization.
Have a cumulative 3.0 GPA or better in professional education courses.
Complete the Texas Education Agency (TEA) application and pay fees.
Complete fingerprint/background check requirements.
Meet State Board of Educator Certification requirements that are in place at the time of certification application submission.

Note: To receive initial Texas teacher certification, individuals must be free of felony convictions.

Dean

Dr. Clifton Tanabe

Associate Dean

Dr. Erika Mein (Undergraduate)

Dr. Johannes Strobel (Graduate)

Educational Leadership and Foundations

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Counseling, Special Education, and Educational Psychology

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Teacher Education

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Programs