Department of Teacher Education

Interim Chair: Dr. Jennifer Martin, Professor
Location: Department of Teacher Education, SH 114; Office of Educator Preparation Services, SH 211
Phone: 940-898-2271
Fax: 940-898-2830
E-mail: copeadvising@twu.edu 

The Department of Teacher Education offers courses in support of undergraduate and graduate studies in the areas of education, bilingual or English as a second language (ESL) education, special education, and educational leadership.

To meet the state requirements for teacher certification, undergraduate students may select a major in the College of Professional Education (Bachelor of Science in Education), or a major in the College of Health Sciences, or the College of Arts and Sciences and complete a minor in Education.

Undergraduate Degrees Offered

Students interested in becoming teachers in Texas should see the College of Professional Education section of the catalog.

General Description

The Education major is required for students seeking certification in Early Childhood – Grade 6 Core Subjects (including those seeking additional certification in Bilingual Education, English as a Second Language [ESL], Special Education, or ESL + Special Education); Grade 4-Grade 8 Core Subjects (including those seeking additional certification in Bilingual Education, ESL, or Special Education), and Grade 4-Grade 8 English Language Arts and Reading. No grade below a “C” will be accepted for any course in the major.

Students preparing for teacher certification in other all-level or content-specific areas select a major in the College of Health Sciences or the College of Arts and Sciences and complete a minor in Education. No grade below a “C” will be accepted for any course in the minor.

Special Education

The degree program in special education prepares teachers to work effectively with students with exceptional needs in a variety of instructional settings. Students seeking certification in special education complete a degree program that leads to Early Childhood-Grade 6 or Grades 4-8 Core Subjects certification and certification in Special Education. 

Bilingual or ESL Education

The degree programs in bilingual education and ESL education prepare teachers to work effectively with linguistically diverse students in a variety of instructional settings. Students complete a degree program that leads to Early Childhood-Grade 6 or Grades 4-8 and certification in Bilingual Education or ESL Education. Oral and written proficiency in English and Spanish is required for certification as a Bilingual educator.

Undergraduate Student Advising

College of Professional Education undergraduate students seeking a Bachelor of Science with a major in Education receive academic advising from the Office of Educator Preparation Services (OEPS). The OEPS provides advising in creating and following academic plans and supports students in their pursuit of academic success. Students should schedule regular appointments with an OEPS advisor (Stoddard Hall, Room 211) to create or edit a degree plan, to receive current information regarding specific degree requirements, or to receive academic guidance and help. Because OEPS advising is by appointment only, appointment times fill quickly and students are encouraged to schedule advising appointments at least two weeks in advance. Visit the Office of Educator Preparation Services for additional information.

Graduate Courses

Please refer to the Graduate Catalog for information about our graduate courses in Curriculum and Instruction, Special Education, Educational Leadership, and Bilingual Education.

Admissions

Teacher Certification

Application Deadlines

There are three application periods per year (Fall, Spring, and Summer). Students must have their applications in by the deadline the semester before they intend to take ECE 3223 (EC-3 only), EDUC 3003, EDUC 3482, or READ 4223 (EC-3 only).  (see schedule below).

Spring Application Deadlines*  (Admission to the EDUC 3000s Summer)
  • May 1 - Deadline to apply for Summer admission
  • May 31 - Deadline for Transfer Grades, Grade Changes, or Any Other Requirement
Summer Application Deadlines  (Admission to the EDUC 3000s Fall)
  • July 1 - Deadline to apply for Fall admission
  • July 31 - Deadline for Transfer Grades, Grade Changes, or Any Other Requirement
Fall Application Deadlines*  (Admission to the EDUC 3000s Spring)
  • December 1 - Deadline to apply for Spring admission
  • December 21 - Deadline for Transfer Grades, Grade Changes, or Any Other Requirement

Guidelines

Please adhere to the following guidelines: 

  • We recommend preparing your application well in advance of the deadline. That way you will be able to identify and resolve any potential issues before the deadline date. 
  • If you intend to register early for ECE 3223 (EC-3 only), EDUC 3003, EDUC 3482, or READ 4223 (EC-3 only) for the Summer or Fall semesters and have met all admission requirements, it is recommended that you apply to the EPP by December 1.
  • If you apply for admission to the Educator Preparation Program while enrolled in EDUC 2003 or are taking coursework to increase your GPA to a 2.75, the Office of Educator Preparation Services will process your application. If the GPA requirement, along with all other admission requirements are met at the end of the semester, an admission decision will be made at that time.
  • No late applications will be accepted. If the deadline date falls on a weekend or a day that TWU is closed, applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. on the next day that TWU is open after the deadline day.

Requirements

In addition to the general undergraduate admissions requirements, to obtain acceptance into the undergraduate Educator Preparation Program (and prior to taking ECE 3223 (EC-3 only), EDUC 3003, EDUC 3482, EDUC 4113, EDUC 4243, READ 4223 (EC-3 only), and Clinical Student Teaching) students must have:

  • A cumulative GPA of 2.75 (includes all courses, whether posted to TWU transcript or used on a degree plan. Excludes developmental and repeated courses);

  • Demonstrated basic skills in reading, written communication, and mathematics by meeting the requirements of the Texas Success Initiative;

  • A minimum of 12 to 15 semester credit hours in the subject-specific content area for the certification sought;

  • Completed EDUC 2003 with a C or higher;

  • Completed department application for admission to the Educator Preparation Program in Tk20;

  • Completed the Digital Literacy Pre-assessment;

  • Submitted a non-refundable Texas Education Agency Fee;

  • Completed a Commitment Contract acknowledging awareness and understanding of the Professional Dispositions Policy and Educators’ Code of Ethics;

  • Successfully completed a pre-admission departmental interview with an interview panel; and

  • Acknowledged and accepted admission to the Educator Preparation Program.

Please note:

  • All accepted students must maintain the admission requirements to remain in the TWU Education Preparation Program.
  • Admission requirements are determined by Texas Education Agency policies and are subject to change without notice.
  • Students seeking Bilingual certification must meet minimum proficiency in Spanish.
  • Students seeking Deaf/Hard of Hearing certification must meet minimum proficiency in sign.

All admission decisions are based on the successful completion of the above requirements. Conviction of a felony or misdemeanor other than a minor traffic violation may affect certification. Additional information may be obtained by contacting the Texas Education Agency. Any previous or current issues of academic dishonesty, disruptive behavior, or professional dispositions infractions at TWU, another university, or another Educator Preparation Program may result in denial of admission. Any decision may be appealed by contacting the Office of Educator Preparation Services at 940-898-2829.

Contact the Office of Educator Preparation Services (OEPS) at copeadvising@twu.edu or 940-898-2829 with any questions.

Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Requirements

  • Candidates must undergo a criminal history background check prior to employment as an educator. [19 TAC §227.1(b)(1)]
  • Candidates must undergo a criminal history background check prior to clinical teaching. [19 TAC §227.1(b)(2)]
  • The potential ineligibility of an individual who has been convicted of an offense for issuance of a certificate. [19 TAC §227.1(d)(1)]
  • The right to request a preliminary criminal history evaluation from TEA. [19 TAC §227.1(d)(3)]

Faculty

*ANDERSON, GINA B., Associate Dean of the College of Professional Education; Professor of Teacher Education, B.S., University of Oklahoma; M.S., Oklahoma State University; Ed.D., Oklahoma State University
*DUNLAP, KAREN L., Professor of Teacher Education, B.S.Ed., Stephen F. Austin State University; M.Ed., Stephen F. Austin State University; Ed.D., University of Texas, El Paso
*FEYTEN, CARINE M., Chancellor and President; Professor of Teacher Education, B.A., Universite' Catholique de Louvain, Belgium; M.A., Universite' Catholique de Louvain, Belgium; Ph.D., University of South Florida
*FIGUEROA, JORGE, Vice Provost of Curriculum and Strategic Initiatives, Professor of Teacher Education, B.A., University of Puerto Rico-Cayey; M.A., The University of Findlay; Ph.D., Capella University
*FREDRICKSON, REBECCA R., Professor of Teacher Education, B.F.A, Stephen F. Austin State University; M.Ed., University of Texas at Tyler; Ed.D., Stephen F. Austin State University
*GOO, MINKOWAN, Associate Professor of Teacher Education, B.A., Daegu University; M.A., Daegu University; Ph.D., University of Iowa
*HANSEN-THOMAS, HOLLY, Vice Provost for Research and Innovation; Professor of Teacher Education, B.A., University of Texas at Austin; M.A., University of Texas at San Antonio; Ph.D., University of Texas at San Antonio
*HURLBUT, AMANDA R., Associate Professor of Teacher Education, B.S., University of North Texas; M.Ed., Dallas Baptist University; Ph.D., University of North Texas
JOEST, JEAN, Instructor of Teacher Education, B.S., University of Texas at Austin; M.A., University of Texas at San Antonio; Ph.D., Texas A&M University-College Station
*KEELEY, RANDA, Associate Professor of Teacher Education, B.S., East Central University; M.A., Texas A&M University-Commerce; Ph.D., New Mexico State University
*MARTIN, JENNIFER, Interim Chair of the Department of Teacher Education, Professor of Family Studies, B.A., Lamar University; M.S., Lamar University; Ph.D., Texas Woman's University
*McMAHAN, SARAH K., Professor of Teacher Education, B.S., Abilene Christian University; M.Ed., Abilene Christian University; Ph.D., Texas Tech University
MYERS, AIMEE, Associate Professor of Teacher Education, B.A., University of Central Oklahoma; M.A., University of Central Oklahoma; Ph.D.,University of Oklahoma
*PETERSON-AHMAD, MARIA, Associate Professor of Teacher Education, B.S., University of North Dakota; M.Ed., Texas Woman's University; Ph.D., Texas Woman's University
*SANCHEZ, CLAUDIA D., Professor of Teacher Education, B.A., Escuela Normal Superior de Coahuila-Saltillo, Mexico; B.A., Universidad Autonoma de Coahuila-Saltillo, Mexico; M.S., Texas A&M University; Ph.D., Texas A&M University
*SOURDOT, LUDOVIC, Professor of Teacher Education, B.S., Arkansas State University; M.Ed., Texas State University; Ph.D., Texas A&M University
*TRUJILLO-JENKS, LAURA A., Professor of Teacher Education, B.S., University of Texas at Austin; M.A., Austin Peay State University; Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin

Asterisk (*) denotes Graduate Faculty status.

Courses

EDBE 3003. Linguistics for ESL Educators. Essentials of English phonology, morphology, and syntax and their pedagogical implications for teaching English as a second language (ESL). Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

EDBE 3053. Theories of Second Language Acquisition for ESL and Bilingual Teachers. Theories and research in second language acquisition and its influence on learning and instruction, including developmental characteristics of language acquisition, the relationship between bilingualism/multilingualism and cognition, the role of cultures and issues in the classroom, and in assessment of bilingual/multilingual children. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

EDBE 3143. Teaching the Content Areas in the Bilingual Classroom. Analysis of Texas public school curriculum requirements as applied to a bilingual program. Language concepts and proficiencies needed to deliver effective mathematics, social studies, and sciences instruction. Course taught in Spanish. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

EDBE 3453. Teaching English As a Second Language. Analysis of social and linguistic factors associated with second language learners and the acquisition of the English language. May require field experience. Prerequisite: EDBE 3003 or EDBE 3053. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

EDBE 3643. Foundations of Bilingual Education. A study of the historical, legal, and theoretical foundations of bilingual education, including a review of programmatic designs. Prerequisites: EDBE 3053 and Junior standing. Course taught in Spanish. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

EDBE 4543. Bilingual Education: Instructional Applications and Materials. Teaching of children with limited English proficiency; emphasis on language assessment techniques, curriculum design, program implementation, and materials. Course taught in Spanish. Prerequisites: EDBE 3053, EDBE 3453, and EDBE 3643. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

EDBE 4913. Independent Study. Independent study of specificproblems in bilingual or ESL education. May be repeated. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Credit: Three hours.

EDSP 3203. Learners with Exceptionalities. Overview of the history, terminology, legal issues, and service provision of special education and the characteristics of exceptional learners. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

EDSP 4243. Assessment of Students with Learning and Behavioral Difficulties. Theories, instruments, and procedures used in the assessment of students with learning and behavioral difficulties, including norm-referenced, criterion-referenced, and informal procedures. Prerequisites: EDSP 3203, admission to the EPP, and GPA 2.75 or higher. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

EDSP 4253. Instructional Strategies for Students with Disabilities. Instructional strategies and accommodations/modifications for curriculum in oral language, literacy, math, and social skills for students with disabilities. Includes cognitive and compensatory strategies for content area curriculum. Includes 15 hours of field experience. Prerequisites: EDSP 3203, admission to the EPP, and GPA 2.75 or higher. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

EDSP 4263. Behavior Management Strategies for Student with Disabilities. Behavior management strategies, behavior interventions, and social skills development for students with disabilities. Includes 15 hours of field experience. Prerequisites: EDSP 3203, admission to the EPP, and GPA 2.75 or higher. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

EDSP 4913. Independent Study. Independent study of specific problems in special education. May be repeated. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Credit: Three hours.

EDUC 2003. Schools and Society. (TCCN EDUC 1301) Professional roles, responsibilities, and structure of American and Texas educational systems; legal and ethical requirements of professional educators. Importance of family involvement in the educational process. Utilization of effective interaction and communication with families, school personnel, and other members of the educational community. Includes 16 hours of field experience in P-12 classrooms. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

EDUC 2303. Diverse and Special Populations. (TCCN EDUC 2301) Education in a changing society from the perspectives of language, gender, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, disabilities, race, sexual orientation, academic diversity, and equity, with an emphasis on factors that facilitate learning. Foundations of multicultural education in relation to working with diverse populations in schools and classrooms, including a focus on students who are at risk for failure. Experiential Learning Field Experience Component, with an emphasis on diverse student populations, includes 16 hours in P-12 classrooms or other appropriate settings. Satisfies Social/Behavioral Core(80). Satisfies Global Perspectives graduation requirement. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

EDUC 2703. Gender and Education. An interdisciplinary examination of the relationship between gender and education in the U.S. Explores how gender relationships are created, maintained, enacted, and transformed through educational structures, practices, and institutions. Satisfies three hours Core Component Area Option (90). Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

EDUC 3003. Learning Theory and Development. Overview of the major learning theories and developmental models that impact student learning; instruction that promotes meaningful, integrated, active inquiry, and participation in the learning process. Includes 15 hours of field experience. Prerequisites: EDUC 2003 with a grade of C or higher, admission to the EPP, and GPA 2.75 or higher. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

EDUC 3482. Teaching Diverse Learners Through Technology Integration. Implementation of effective and appropriate approaches to integrating innovative technology in diverse EC-12 classrooms. Prerequisites: EDUC 2003 with a grade of C or higher, admission to the EPP, and GPA 2.75 or higher. Two lecture hours a week. Credit: Two hours.

EDUC 4052. Practicum in Special Education. Credit: Two hours.

EDUC 4053. Practicum in Special Education. Credit: Three hours.

EDUC 4113. Design and Implementation of Instruction and Assessment. Design and implementation of instruction appropriate for all students; continuous and appropriate assessment; responsive instruction and effective communication techniques; instructional strategies that actively engage students in the learning process; timely, high-quality feedback. Includes 15 hours of field experience. Prerequisites: EDUC 2003 with a grade of C or higher; EDUC 3003 and EDUC 3482, or ECE 4203 and ECE 3223 with a grade of C or higher; admission to the EPP, and GPA 2.75 or higher. Co-requisite: EDUC 4243. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

EDUC 4243. Classroom Environment and Management. Factors which foster a positive climate for learning, equity, and excellence: physically and emotionally safe and productive environments; effective learner-centered strategies for managing student behavior; social, legal, and ethical issues regarding the use of technology within the teaching and learning environment. Includes 15 hours of field experience. Prerequisites: EDUC 2003 with a grade of C or higher; EDUC 3003 and EDUC 3482, or ECE 4203 and ECE 3223 with a grade of C or higher; admission to the EPP, and GPA 2.75 or higher. Co-requisite: EDUC 4113. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

EDUC 4443. Capstone in Educational Studies. Mentored culminating research experience focused on a topic in education. Individualized work including topic selection and project development demonstrating breadth of knowledge in the field. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.

EDUC 4553. Science Methods for the Elementary Classroom. Planning and implementation of science teaching techniques and classroom strategies to produce learning based on experimentation and scientific inquiry in the elementary classroom. Focus on resources for teaching and identification of formative and summative assessments appropriate for science teaching. Includes five hours of field experience and/or opportunities for performance-based learning. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

EDUC 4563. Mathematics Methods for the Elementary Classroom. Planning and implementation of mathematics teaching techniques and classroom strategies. Focus on number concepts and operations, patterns, relations, algebraic thinking, measurement, geometry, data gathering, statistics, probability, and personal finance. Identification of formative and summative assessments appropriate for mathematics teaching. Includes five hours of field experience and/or opportunities for performance-based learning. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

EDUC 4573. Social Studies Methods for the Elementary Classroom. Techniques and classroom strategies for teaching constructs of social studies to diverse EC-6 learners. Evidence-based approaches to planning, implementing, managing, and assessing successful and effective learning experiences in the social studies disciplines including geography, world history, U.S. history, Texas history, government, and economics. Includes five hours of field experience and/or opportunities for performance-based learning. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

EDUC 4901. Special Topics. An organized class for the study of particular areas or subjects not offered in another scheduled course. May be repeated for additional credit when topic varies. One lecture hour a week. Credit: One hour.

EDUC 4903. Special Topics. An organized class for the study of particular areas or subjects not offered in another scheduled course. May be repeated for additional credit when topic varies. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

EDUC 4913. Independent Study. Independent study of specific problems. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. May be repeated for up to 12 hours of credit. Credit: Three hours.

EDUC 4923. Internship in Teaching. Credit: Three hours.

EDUC 4926. Internship in Teaching. Credit: Six hours.

EDUC 4936. Practicum in Teaching. Credit: Six hours.

EDUC 4943. Clinical Student Teaching. Supervised student teaching in the certification area(s) being sought by the teacher candidate. Prerequisite: Passing all TExES exams, 2.75 GPA or higher, and completion of all coursework on the degree plan leading to certification. Students may be required to attend class meetings outside of the practicum setting throughout the course of the semester. A minimum of 245 clock hours is required for clinical teaching (practicum). Credit: Three hours.

EDUC 4946. Clinical Student Teaching. Supervised student teaching in the certification area(s) being sought by the teacher candidate. Prerequisite: Passing all TExES exams, 2.75 GPA or higher, and completion of all coursework on degree plan leading to certification. Students may be required to attend class meetings outside of the practicum setting throughout the course of the semester. A minimum of 490 clock hours is required for clinical teaching (practicum). Credit: Six hours.