Academic Catalog 2024-2025

College of Education

The College of Education consists of four instructional departments:

  • Counseling,
  • Curriculum and Instruction,
  • Educational Administration and Foundations, and
  • Health, Kinesiology and Sport Studies

Two of the departments in the College, the Department of Educational Administration and Foundations and the Department of Counseling, are unique at the University in that they offer graduate level degrees only.

Students who are interested in obtaining detailed information about the graduate degrees offered through the College, as well as more information about the Department of Educational Administration and Foundations and the Department of Counseling, should consult the Graduate School Bulletin of Texas Southern University.

The college offers the following undergraduate programs:

The College is organized with a Dean, an Associate Dean, an Assistant Dean, and four Department Chairs. The Dean, Associate Dean, Assistant Dean and Department Chairs are housed in the Roderick R. Paige Education Building with the exception of the Chair of the Department of Health, Kinesiology and Sport Studies, who is located in Room 103 of the Health and Physical Education Building. The Dean’s Office is located in the Roderick R. Paige Education Building, Room 240.

The Director of Field Experiences & Clinical Practice and the Director of Certification are housed in the Roderick R. Paige Education Building, Room 100 and share the same office suite. Students interested in applying for the Educator Preparation Program should obtain application forms from the Office of Curriculum and Instruction, Room 204 and apply online at tsu.educatortracking.com. Students interested in applying to take the Texas Examination for Educator Standards (TExES) should contact the Coordinator of Testing in Room 251.  Students who seek to apply for Clinical Practice II and be recommended for teacher certification should contact the Director of Field Experiences and Director of Certification. These offices may also be reached by calling (713) 313-7434.

A limited number of scholarships may be available for candidates who are preparing for the teaching field. Interested candidates should contact the Office of the Dean for details.

Mission Statement

The mission of the College of Education is to provide competent professionals for effective service in urban schools, agencies and other entities using research and collaboration in seeking solutions to teaching, learning, and behavioral challenges facing urban populations.  The COE is committed to preparing candidates to become effective professionals who will be caring, competent, committed, and culturally responsive, with a focus on the preparation of educators for urban school settings.

Admission Information

Admission to the College of Education’s Educator Preparation Program is governed by the following criteria:

  1. Completion of the Educator Preparation Program applications, online (tsu.educatortracking.com) and hard copy.
  2. Submission of an official transcript from Texas Southern University reflecting the most recent semester enrolled prior to the date of the application. 
  3. Completion of the core requirements of forty-two (42) semester credit hours and those identified in the degree plan.
    ENGL 1301Freshman English I3
    ENGL 1302Freshman English II3
    ENGL 2332World Literature I3
    BIOL 1308Survey of Life Science3
    or BIOL 1307 Biological Science II
    COMM 1321Business & Professional Comm3
    GEOL 1303Introduction To The Earth3
    Select one of the following:3
    College Algebra
    Fundamentals of Mathematics I
    Foundations of Mathematics II
    Three (3) hours of Fine Arts (Music, Art, or Theatre)3
    HIST 1301Soc & Pol Hist US to 18773
    HIST 1302Soc & Pol Hist US Since 18773
    POLS 2305American Government3
    POLS 2306Texas Government3
    PSYC 2301General Psychology3
    EDCI 2310Ins Tec3
    Nine (9) hours of electives as recommended by the Academic Advisor 19
    Total Hours51
    1

    Electives are chosen from the following subjects: Freshman Seminar, Mathematics, Health, Special Education, Kinesiology, Instructional Technology

               
  4. Submission of the degree plan, signed by the advisor, and department chairperson in the area for which certification is sought.
  5. A minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.5, and all content-related courses completed with grades of “C” or better (grades of “C-” are unacceptable).
  6. Submission of verification that the student is TSI complete has been met. Applicants for the Educator Preparation Program are not TSI exempt and are not eligible for any waivers.

The application for the Educator Preparation Program must be completed online (tsu.educatortracking.com) and a completed hard copy submitted with a current Texas Southern University official transcript and a degree plan signed by the applicant’s advisor.  Please forward application materials to:

Director of Certification
College of Education, Room 100
Texas Southern University
3100 Cleburne Ave.
Houston, Texas 77004-4501

Admission to the Educator Preparation Program is decided by the Unit’s Admissions Committee.  The Chairperson of the Admissions Committee will notify the applicant of the action taken in regards to the application.

Candidates seeking to transfer to the University should note that the two application processes, admission to Texas Southern University and admission to the College of Education’s Educator Preparation Program, are separate and independent. Deadlines for submission of applications for admission to the University may be earlier than those for admission to the Educator Preparation Program. Approval for admission to this program does not imply approval for any other purpose (e.g., admission to the University, financial aid, housing, etc.).

Educator Preparation Program Admissions Steps

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State Board for Educators Certification Policies

  • Individuals seeking certification in Texas must pass the TExES Content Exam in their area of study, as well as the TExES Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities test (TExES PPR).
  • Only eligible candidates may sit for the TExES. A candidate is eligible when the Coordinator of Testing and Department Chair grant approval to sit for a state Certification Examination. The approval form is then submitted to the Director of Certification for TEAL recommendation in Room 100. 
  • For additional information contact the Certification office in Room 100 or call 713.313.7434.

College of Education Clinical Practice Approval Information

The applicant for clinical practice must complete an application that includes the approval of the candidate’s advisor and the department chairperson within the major area. The application deadlines are stipulated by the Curriculum and Instruction Department. A current transcript must be submitted with the completed application.

Persons seeking approval to engage in clinical practice are discouraged from enrolling in any additional courses. The applicant must have completed the minimum 45 clock hours of observation in the field (verified by a completed validation form), as required by law, prior to approval for clinical practice.  Also, candidates must present evidence of having passed the TExES Content and PPR Exams. After being approved for clinical practice, the candidate teacher is scheduled for an interview with the Director of Field Experiences and Clinical Practice along with the Unit’s Field Experiences and Clinical Practice Committee. Such an interview may be used to raise concerns relative to any constraints that may negatively affect the success of the placement. Candidate teachers will also engage in professional development activities that are intended to optimize their performance during clinical practice.

Candidate teachers are assigned to school districts through the collaboration of the Director of Field Experiences and Clinical Practice and the human resources personnel of the district to which the candidate teacher is assigned. Attention is given to the certification the candidate is seeking, the availability of cooperating teachers who will supervise the constraints that surfaced in the interview, and any other requirements that may impact the candidate’s placement.

Clinical Practice is at least sixteen weeks. An orientation is provided for the candidate teachers prior to their placement. In addition, professional development activities are scheduled throughout the clinical experience. Topics and skills relative to the candidates’ success are presented in workshops by human resource and district personnel, faculty, and other invited professionals.

Requirements of Certification

The requirements for persons seeking certification are:

  • Completion of an approved educator preparation program
  • Earned grades of “B” or better (grades of “B-” are unacceptable) in professional development courses.
  • Earned grades of “B” or better (grades of “B-” are unacceptable) in specialty courses within the selected concentration identified on the selected degree plan.
  • Completion of candidate clinical practice, evidence of the completion of two years of teaching experience as a teacher of Record for Counseling and Principal certifications.
  • Earned passing scores on all required state-mandated Certification Examination(s).

Participants in an Educator Preparation Program shall complete a survey approved by the State Board of Educator Certification (SBEC) evaluating the preparation they received in the Educator Preparation Program. Completion and submission of this survey to SBEC is a requirement for issuance of a standard certificate.

Right to Modify

The information contained in this bulletin is considered to be descriptive in nature and not contractual. The University reserves the right to change any policy or requirement at any time during the time that candidates are enrolled. Courses are also subject to change.

Description of Departments in the College

The two departments offering undergraduate degrees are described in detail on the pages that follow. A description of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction is provided, followed by a description of the Department of Health, Kinesiology and Sport Studies.