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Elementary & Secondary Education


Your Future in Elementary & Secondary Education

Do you enjoy working with children? Are you bilingual? Do you have strong skills in math or science? Then you should become a certified teacher in elementary or secondary education.

As a teacher, you will be vital in the development of a child, affecting emotional, social and academic growth. Teachers spend their days working with students from diverse backgrounds, often in classrooms where several languages are represented, with students with disabilities and in settings where stringent accountability measures are in place.

Public and private schools throughout Texas look to the University of North Texas for excellent teachers, especially in the areas of bilingual education, English as a second language (ESL), special education, mathematics and science.

What we offer

Our Department of Teacher Education and Administration has a long history of developing highly qualified teachers because of its high standards and rigorous curriculum. Many district administrators report that our graduates are as prepared in their first year of teaching as second- and third-year teachers. With our Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, you will be prepared for teaching certification in:

  • All-levels of art, music or kinesiology
  • Early childhood through six grades
  • Fourth through eighth grades
  • Secondary education

Effective instruction, curriculum development and evaluation are emphasized in all of our programs. We also prepare teaching candidates for technology in teaching, ESL and special education strategies, infusion of the arts in the regular curriculum, and addressing the needs of all learners. Our Professional Development School assures that you are well prepared for the challenges of the first few years of teaching. Through cooperative efforts with area school districts, you also receive extensive field experience and immediately apply textbook learning to real-world situations by working directly with mentor teachers.

Our College of Education has one of the finest educator preparation programs in the Southwest and is nationally recognized by the Association of Teacher Educators. The programs are accredited by the state of Texas and by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (2010 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 500, Washington, D.C. 20036, telephone 202-466-7496).

What to expect

After obtaining junior status with a 2.75 GPA, you will need to be admitted to the teacher education program. You will fulfill bachelor's degree requirements in an academic subject area and then complete required education courses for secondary education and all-level certification.

The education courses focus on the art of teaching as well as:

  • Assessment tools
  • Collaborative skills for working with teaching teams to assure optimal student learning
  • How children learn
  • Instructional strategies
  • Strategies for effective teaching and learning
  • Techniques of classroom organization and management

After completing all program requirements, we will approve you to sit for the state certification examinations. When you have passing scores on all required state tests and have met all program requirements, we recommend you for certification. More information about testing and test dates is at www.coe.unt.edu/texes.

Our Career Center, Internships and Cooperative Education office, and professional academic advisors are among the many valuable resources that are available to you at UNT. The Career Center and the Internships and Cooperative Education office can provide advice about future employment opportunities as well as getting hands-on experience in your major. Academic advisors will help you plan your class schedule each semester.

How to enroll at Unt

High school students

We encourage you to fulfill the graduation requirements for the Recommended Program or the Distinguished Achievement Program in high school.

In your junior year, take the SAT or the ACT and have your scores sent to UNT.

In your senior year, apply for admission at www.applytexas.org by March 1 and request that your high school transcript be sent to the UNT admissions office.

Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses can count toward college credit at UNT. For details, visit www.unt.edu/credit.

Transfer students

If you're attending a Texas community college, you should consult our Transfer Articulation web page, the UNT Undergraduate Catalog and an academic counselor/advisor to review your degree plan. Proper planning allows you to receive the maximum amount of transfer credits.

Our Transfer Center will help you make a successful transition to college life at UNT by connecting you to a peer mentor and other campus resources. Each year, we welcome more transfer students than any other institution in the state. The center is in the University Union, Room 320. More information is at transition.unt.edu.