Applying to the College of Education & Health Professions

The Faculty and Administration of the  College of Education & Health Professions no longer require the GRE for Graduate admissions. Instead, students will be required to have a minimum undergraduate coursework GPA as determined by the individual program to which they are applying. For students who do not meet the minimum GPA requirements set by the program to which they are applying, the GRE will be required for graduate admissions. All Graduate admissions documents (recommendation letters, essays, and other required graduation materials) need to be directed to gradadmissions@uhv.edu.

You know what you want for your future, you’ve done the research, and you’ve got that degree path in mind. You’re all set to start your application—just don’t forget to apply to both UHV and your chosen degree program.

College of Education & Health Professions programs are considered professional programs. Many of them have admission requirements outside of, or in addition to, the University of Houston–Victoria’s standard admission requirements. Consequently, you’ll need to make sure you submit your UHV application as well as follow the application procedures required by your degree program.

Teacher-Education Programs (Undergraduate)

If you’re interested in teacher education, whether elementary or secondary, the first thing you should do is contact the Educator Preparation Office (EPO). The EPO staff can answer your questions and guide you through the process of applying to a program.

All applications for teacher education should be submitted through the Educator Preparation Office the semester before you enroll in your first teacher-education course.

$20 application fee, $70 late fee
Application due dates: July 15 for Fall, November 15 for Spring, April 15 for Summer
Late registration fee: August 15 for Fall, December 15 for Spring, May 15 for Summer

Postbaccalaureate students should see the postbaccalaureate certification page to learn about certification admission requirements.
Seeking a Master's degree with certification to teach elementary, secondary or English as a Second Language/Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESL/TESOL)? See Master of Education Programs (MEd)>>Teacher Certification below.

Admission

To be admitted to a teacher-education program, you must meet the following requirements:

• Either complete or be exempt from the Texas Success Initiative (TSI).
• Complete the Nelson-Denny Reading Assessment.
•  Pass the Texas Higher Education Assessment (THEA) as evidence of a satisfactory level of performance in the basic skills of math, reading, writing composition, and critical thinking.
• Complete 54 semester hours of coursework prior to enrolling in professional education courses.
• Lower-division courses must be completed before admission to any teacher-education program.
• Earn a GPA of 2.5 in lower-division English courses, six of which must be in composition.
• Earn a GPA of 2.5 in all lower-division courses that apply to teacher certification.
• Earn a GPA of 2.5 in courses that apply to degree.
• Pass a background check.
• Complete a face-to-face interview with College of Education & Health Professions faculty. Interview Rubric for Admission
• Show evidence of the characteristics, behaviors, and attitudes appropriate to the teaching profession.

Other Considerations

• If you are applying and have a criminal felony or misdemeanor convictions, you should contact your program-appropriate certification officer immediately to seek clarification of your certification status.
• In some cases, an application for admission to a teacher-education program may denied if a student doesn’t show sufficient promise of success as a teacher. However, students may appeal the decision. For appeal procedures information contact the Educator Preparation Office.

The EPP has provided the performance over time of the EPP for the past five years to all applicants and candidates [19 TAC §227.1(c)(3)(B)].

Students are able to visit the TEA website at the following link to find the performance over time of the University of Houston-Victoria EPP: Accountability System for Educator Preparation

Educator Preparation Data Dashboards

• Accountability—The Accountability System for Education Preparation (ASEP)
• Consumer Information—Educator preparation programs and their admission trends
• Performance Indicators—Track teachers' journeys from application to retention
• PPR Exam Pass Rates—Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities exams
• Content Exam Pass Rates—Content exams
• Campus Leadership Feedback—Principals' perspective on new teachers' preparation
• Field Observation Completion—EPP completion of required observations
• Field Observation Quality—Teacher feedback about their field experiences
• New Teacher Satisfaction—Teacher feedback about their preparation

Applying for State Certification

Graduating from the teacher-education program does not grant you state certification. It does, however, help you meet the requirements needed in order to apply to the State Board for Educator Certification to obtain teacher certification.  

To apply for state certification, follow these steps:

• Meet the requirements for your teacher-education program.
• Apply to the State Board for Educator Certification and pay the necessary fee.
• After you submit your application and fee, the University of Houston–Victoria will then recommend you to the state board for the appropriate certification.

Other Considerations

If you hold an out-of-state or out-of-country teaching certificate, call the State Board for Educator Certification support center at (888) 863-5880, or apply to the State Board for Educator Certification at the following address:

State Board for Educator Certification
Capitol Station
PO Box 12728
Austin, TX 78711-2728

Master of Education and Science Programs (M.Ed. & M.S.)

Graduate programs within the College of Education and Health Professions focus on specialized areas of study surrounding children, families, and society. In addition to earning your master’s degree, you also have the option of earning a number of different professional-level certifications, depending on your program.

All documents (recommendation letters, essays, and other required graduation materials) need to be directed to gradadmissions@uhv.edu.

Graduate programs within the College of Education and Health Professions focus on specialized areas of study surrounding children, families, and society. In addition to earning your master’s degree, you also have the option of earning a number of different professional-level certifications, depending on your program.

Admission

All applicants must meet the general requirements for entrance to graduate study. Other programs will require additional prerequisites and application materials. Returning for additional studies? See Readmission of Former Graduate Students

*Note: There are no application deadlines for our master’s programs. Admission is granted on a rolling basis. Please see the UHV calendar for semester start and end dates.

• All M.Ed. & M.S. Programs: You must meet the general requirements for entrance to graduate study. See Admissions Graduate page.
• M.Ed. Programs with Professional Certification: You must have taken 18 hours of professional education coursework and have appropriate teaching or related experience.
  
  
• Adult & Higher Education; Educational Leadership; Curriculum & Instruction; or Special Education:
  • Submit two letters of reference from practicing educators, such as from supervisors or other professional school personnel.
  • Provide a statement of purpose, discussing your reason for pursuing your chosen degree and your expectations of the program.

•  Professional Counseling: 
  • Show evidence of achieving an index score as defined by the Admissions Office.
  • Submit three letters of professional or academic reference that speak to your academic achievement and aptitude, ability to complete graduate-level course work, and professional characteristics.
  • Submit a two-page, double-spaced writing sample describing why you want to pursue professional counseling as a career. Also include what you believe your strengths are in the area of counseling as well as other qualities that speak to your success in the counseling program.
  • Complete an admissions interview and orientation, facilitated by program faculty.Interview rubric
• Teacher Certification:MEd in Curriculum and Instruction degrees with Teacher Certification.
  • Prior admittance into these programs are required. For specifics, see Accelerated

Readmission of Former Graduate Students

A former student of UH-Victoria is not required to file a new application for admission. If the student does not enroll for the term indicated on the original application they must submit a Graduate Studies Form for the new term and/or program. Form is located on the Admissions portion of eForms webpage.

A former student must submit transcripts from all colleges attended since the last enrollment at UH-Victoria.

VOICE Program

The Victoria Online Initial Certification for Educators (VOICE) program is completely online and provides an accelerated route to teacher certification for all grades. To learn more and apply, visit the VOICE program page and online storefront to pay application fee.

Application fee: $65 Late Fee: $165

Application due dates: July 15 for Fall, November 15 for Spring, April 15 for Summer

Late registration due dates: August 15 for Fall, December 15 for Spring, May 15 for Summer