UNT Home | Graduate Studies | College of Education | Secondary Education with Initial Teacher Certification - Master's Degree Program
Education professors at the University of North Texas combine years of experience in research and teaching with diverse interests to create one of the finest teacher preparation programs in the Southwest. The program is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (2010 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 500, Washington, D.C. 20036-1023, phone: 202-466-7496).
Some classes are offered online and others in traditional classroom settings. You may begin your training to become a teacher in our nondegree Online Secondary Education Teacher Certification Program. All courses taken through this program count toward the master's degree in secondary education. This approach allows you to become a teacher in an efficient manner, while being able to enhance your professional development.
The secondary education program offers a 36-credit hour Master of Education degree. This degree includes initial certification either as part of the degree or taken prior to starting the degree through the online certification program.
The major emphasis of the program is a 24-credit hour core of secondary education course work. The remaining 12 hours of course work is composed of approved graduate electives related to the teaching field or to a supplemental certification area such as educational technology or gifted and talented instruction.
Documentation of at least 24 undergraduate semester credit hours in a Texas approved teaching content field (12 hours must be upper level) must be provided and accepted by the program coordinator. A minimum 2.8 GPA in teaching field course work is required. You will be granted access to a subject area examination for the Certification of Educators in Texas (ExCET/TExES).
Application to the master's program is a three-step process, which all can be completed at the same time.
If you have any questions, please contact the program advisors by phone at 940-565-3319.
The Master of Education degree in Secondary Education requires 36 semester hours of course work. The required secondary education core classes are below. The remaining 12 hours are electives.
EDSE 5001 Public Education and the Teaching Profession
EDSE 5002 Everyone Can Learn: Applying Theory to Teaching Practice
EDSE 5003 Successful Teaching in the Secondary School
EDSE 5004 Literacy for All
EDSE 5005 Curriculum Development for Diverse Secondary School Learners
EDSE 547 Maintaining Classroom Discipline
EDSE 5105-5115 Internship or EDSE 5108-5118 Student Teaching in the Secondary Schools
In addition to the core courses, 12 semester of approved electives related to the teaching field or to an endorsement area are required (e.g.: gifted and talented, technology).
In order to meet the state requirements to teach reading at the secondary level, Language Arts and Reading candidates need to complete an additional 6 hours of reading course work. Texas Public schools offer reading classes through 10th grade. English Language Arts and Reading Students should complete 6 hours of reading course work within the 12 hour graduate elective block. These courses are part of the certification plan and the master's degree plan.
A limited number of teaching fellowships and assistantships are available. These opportunities include working with professors on research grants and projects or serving as a teaching assistant, working with undergraduate students in advising and degree plans, or teaching undergraduate classes and supervising student teaching. You may apply for these positions by submitting a letter of application and a current resume to the department chair. The letter should address particular strengths and interests. Financial aid and scholarship information can be obtained by calling 877-881-1014 or visiting www.unt.edu/finaid.
Gloria Contreras, Professor; Ed.D., Georgia.
Pamela E. Harrell, Associate Professor; Ed.D., Houston.
Mary Harris, Professor; Ph.D., Pittsburgh.
Kelley King, Assistant Professor; M.Ed., Texas at Austin.
Alexandra Leavell, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Miami.
Andy Milson, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Georgia.
Secondary Education Program Director
1155 Union Circle #310740
Denton, TX 76203-5017
Phone: 940-565-2826
TTY callers: 940-369-8652
Matthews Hall, Room 204
www.unt.edu
www.coe.unt.edu
www.coe.unt.edu/teacher-education-and-administration
940-565-2383