ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION (AC) PROGRAM
BE
A TEACHER! TOUCH A
LIFE FOREVER.
TEA now has a
website for teaching vacancies -
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/districtSearch.aspx
(PACT) Pre-Admission Content Tests
Visit www.texes.ets.org
for updated information about taking a content test.
AND
***Requirements PRIOR to Beginning an Internship***
1) You
must meet all admission requirements
2) You must be eligible for a probationary certificate
based on SBEC guidelines prior to internship
3) Complete 30 hours of field-based experience in a TEA
recognized EC-12 classroom. NOTE: An application for us to assist
you with placement and a log sheet are available on our web site teachcert.tamuc.edu/teacher/ACP/ACP-OBS.asp. Please use the log sheet as documentation to verify
hours. Submit completed log sheet to Certification Office.
4) You must complete 80 hours of training. NOTE:
For the Mesquite/Commerce program this is at least 6 hours (2 courses) listed on
your teacher certification plan and
for the Navarro Program it will
consist of 1 course (3 hours) and 4 scheduled workshops.
New
Basic Skills Requirements for READING
ACCEPTABLE READING REQUIREMENT
THEA/TASP 250; Accuplacer
88; ACT verbal 23; Compass verbal 90; SAT
Verbal 550; OR (new criteria)
Passing scores on Content exam prior to admission (PACT); acceptable
GRE scores or hold a Master's Degree from an acceptable accredited college
or university.
For all admission requirements, please view our "Detailed
Program Guidelines" web page
DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF
OTHERS?
DO
YOU POSSESS A RICH KNOWLEDGE BASE?
ARE
YOU CARING, SUPPORTIVE, AND EXCITED ABOUT LEARNING?
ARE
YOU LOOKING FOR A CAREER CHANGE?
It's not too late to transition to a new career.
Now Admitting
Texas
A&M University-Commerce’s Alternative Certification (AC) program is
uniquely designed for those who have previously earned their bachelor's
degree and now seek to make a career transition into the teaching
profession. The program, which spans
13-14 months, is organized into three phases, Pre-Internship, Internship,
and Post-Internship. Pre-Internship
occurs prior to teaching and it provides intensive training introducing you
to a variety of teaching strategies, classroom management skills, the
basics of curriculum development,
approaches to student motivation, and much more. Internship marks the beginning of
your career in teaching and extends throughout the school year. The focus will be on continued
professional development and the application of best teaching
practices. Post-Internship
marks the conclusion of the program.
This final phase will help derive further meaning from your
experiences and establish your future professional goals.
What is Alternative Certification?
Alternative certification is a
route to obtaining teacher certification for those individuals who have
already obtained a bachelor’s degree, but who did not choose teacher
certification as a part of his/her primary degree path. Provided that you meet program admission
criteria, this route will enable you to acquire pre-employment training,
pursue and accept a (paid) teaching position, and complete full state
certification training and testing requirements while teaching on a
probationary certificate.
What are the primary
components of A&M-Commerce's AC program?
High
Quality Professional Development
On The
Job Training
Intensive
Support Supervision
Accelerated
Completion
Full
State Teacher Certification
Graduate Level Credit For
Training
The Alternative Certification
program will be offered in both Mesquite Metroplex
Commuter Facility (2600 Motley Drive in Mesquite, TX) and A&M Commerce
campus. Applicants must complete the Internship phase in an acceptable
school district within 70 miles of Mesquite or Commerce. In addition,
the school district must be a Texas Education Agency (TEA) accredited
school. Click this Texas
Education Directory link to access a searchable Web
site for TEA accredited schools in Texas.
What type of teaching
certificates are available?
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Early Childhood –
4th/EC-6th Grade
- Generalist
- Bilingual
Generalist
- ESL
Generalist
4th Grade – 8th
Grade
- English
language Arts & Reading
- Mathematics
- Science
- Social
Studies
·
Combination English Language Arts &
Reading/Social Studies
·
Combination Math/Science
·
Generalist (English Language Arts & Reading,
Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies)
·
Bilingual Generalist (English Language Arts
& Reading, Math, Science, and Social Studies)
·
ESL Generalist (English Language Arts &
Reading, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies)
6th
Grade – 12th Grade
·
Business Ed
·
Spanish
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8th Grade – 12th Grade
- English Language Arts & Reading
- Chemistry
- Computer Science
- Social Studies
- History
- Journalism
- Math/Physics
- Mathematics
- Science
- Speech
- Physical Science
- Physical Science/Math/Engineering
- Life Science
- Technology Applications
- Trade &
Industrial Education (Click for T&I)
Note: T&I
has a separate/different application process
All
Level (Early Childhood – 12th Grade)
·
Special Education
·
Art
·
Music
·
Physical Education
·
Health
·
Technology Applications
6th Grade – 12th Grade Vocational
- We offer Vocational Agriculture Ornamental
Horticulture, Vocational Agriculture Production, 8-12 Family and
Consumer Sciences. If you are interested please contact Bob Williams
at 903-886-5350.
- We do
offer 8-12 Trade and Industrial Education, Office Education, and
Vocational Occupational Orientation. If you are interested,
please contact Rusty Waller at 903-886-5109.
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What are the General Admission
Requirements?
- Bachelor’s
degree
- Minimum
overall GPA of 2.5
- Minimum
GPA of 2.5 in professional development, teaching field, or
interdisciplinary courses, with no grades below a “C”
- Acceptable
scores on the THEA (formerly known as TASP) check for test dates on
our testing center web site - http://www.tamuc.edu/testing/thea.htm
Note:
There will be additional course and, in some cases, testing requirements
based on the level and content teaching field that you choose to
pursue. Past experience or training may be considered in lieu of
content teaching field course requirements.
What's the difference
between A&M-Commerce and other programs?
The structure
(pre-internship, internship, and post-internship) is the same, but most
programs will vary in the delivery of training. The length of the
program is also the same. Most accelerated alternative certification
programs will conclude in 13-14 months. The cost of the program is
very competitive. If you’ve researched other programs in the state,
you will find that most run from $3,500 to $5,000 or more in cost.
The main difference is in what you get back when you are finished.
Through A&M-Commerce, you will not only receive teacher certification,
but you will also receive graduate level credit that may be used toward a
master’s degree. Programs that are not university-based will not be
able to offer this. Finally, established in 1889, A&M-Commerce
has a long tradition of producing quality teachers and administrators.
We encourage you to do your research on the program that best fits your
need, but rest assured, you will not go wrong with
Texas A&M University-Commerce.
How do I apply to the Alternative
Certification program?
To
make application, please click and complete the ONLINE
APPLICATION FORM at the link below. You will include the
following items with your application confirmation form:
1.
$50
(non-refundable) fee (check or money order made out to TAMU-C)
2.
transcripts
from all universities, colleges, and community/junior colleges attended
(unofficial are initially acceptable, the graduate school will require
official transcripts);
3.
record
of THEA/TASP (i.e., copy of official score report or transcript with
scores visible);
NOTE:
Documentation of 30 hours of observation in a Pre-K – 12th grade
instructional setting will be required prior to your internship semester
(i.e., brief narrative describing your observation experiences and a signed
letter from a school official confirming your 30 hours of
observation). If you do not possess the 30 hours of observation,
please contact Donna Tavener by e-mail or phone
after you submit your application. We may assist you with a placement
to complete your observation hours prior to admission. If you’ve
completed this requirement please send documentation along with
confirmation page, transcripts, and fee.
You
may mail your completed Application Confirmation
Form with the items listed
above to the following address:
Educator Certification
and Academic Services
Texas A&M
University-Commerce
P.O. Box 3011
Commerce, TX 75429-3011
(Confirmation
Must be Printed out)
APPLY TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL PRIOR TO
ENROLLING IN COURSES
You must apply to the Graduate School prior
to enrolling in courses at Texas A&M University-Commerce. Applying to the Graduate School is a
convenient online process that is completely separate from making
application to the alternative program.
You may make application to the Graduate School by visiting http://www.tamuc.edu/gradschool/.
Move your cursor over the left-side banner to “Apply Online.” Move to and select the “Certification/Nondegree Application” link. Fill out the form completely and
submit. In addition, immediately
send the Graduate School
your $35 application fee and official copy of your undergraduate degree
transcript. If you do not have
access to the internet, you may request a hardcopy application by calling
903-886-5163.
- Complete
Program Description -
This page contains a
small portion of the program guidelines and description. We encourage
you to visit the following link to learn more about the program. Many
of your questions concerning the admissions process, cost, and other
requirements will be explained there.
DETAILED PROGRAM GUIDELINES
- CONTACT US -
Please feel free to e-mail
or call if you have further questions. We look forward to serving
you.
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