COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
Introduction Undergraduate Degree    and Teaching    Licenses Certification for    Candidates Who Have    Completed a    Bachelor's Degree Admission to Teacher    Education Field-Based Teacher    Preparation Application for    Graduation and/or    Certification Elementary and    Middle school Teacher    Preparation Program Secondary School    Teacher Preparation    Programs All-Levels Teacher    Preparation Programs Endorsements Departments: Educational    Leadership and    Foundations Educational    Psychology and    Special Services Teacher Education Dr. Arturo Pacheco, Dean Dr. Josefina Tinajero, Associate Dean Education Bldg., Room 414 Phone: (915) 747-5572 Fax: (915) 747-5755 E-mail: educ@utep.edu		Certification for Candidates Who Have Completed a Bachelor's Degree 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 grade point average (GPA), have passed all three portions of the TASP, and wish to teach Bilingual Education, Elementary Self-Contained, Special Education, or Secondary with specialization in Basic Business, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, English, ESL, French, German, Government, History, Journalism, Life/Earth Sciences, Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Physics, Reading, Natural Sciences (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 all-levels teachers. The program requires fieldwork in partner schools. This is a non-degree plan administered by the Student Services 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: A bachelor's degree with a 2.50 overall GPA. Submitted an application for admission to post-baccalaureate course work at Graduate Student Services. Submitted passing scores on all portions of the TASP. Submitted biographical information and three letters of professional recommendation. In order to finish the program and to be recommended for certification, candidates must complete the course of studies and field-based blocks specified in the certification plan and pass the appropriate State certification tests (ExCET). 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) 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 all-levels 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 valid out-of-state teaching credentials who are seeking a Texas certificate must contact the Texas State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) 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 certificate before contacting SBEC, or follow the procedure established for candidates who have a bachelor's degree and desire an initial Texas certification.

The University of Texas at El Paso Developed by the UTEP Web Development Team Revised: February 26, 2001