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Admission to the Student Teacher Program

In the teacher education programs at the University of Houston-Victoria, student teaching is considered a capstone experience, one in which the teacher candidate has the opportunity to apply what he or she has learned about teaching and learning under the guidance and mentoring of an experienced professional educator.  Student teaching lasts for 12 weeks.  While secondary teacher candidates will work with one cooperating teacher during that 12 week period, EC-6 and 4-8 candidates will divide their time between two classrooms.  While candidates at all levels begin student teaching as observers in the classroom, by the end of the semester they have assumed responsibilities to become their students’ primary instructors.

Placement Process for Student Teachers

On the application for student teaching, candidates are asked to identify their first and second choices of school districts in which to complete their student teaching.  Certification analysts work with human resource directors in each school district to determine placements.  While every effort is made to place candidates in their first or second choice school districts, candidates cannot request specific schools in a district.  School district requests must be within a 75 mile radius from either the Victoria campus or the Katy instructional site. Student teaching may not take place outside of that vicinity.

As guests in the school district, it is inappropriate for us to pressure them to make placements based on individual preferences.   While human resource directors and principals may respond cordially to candidate requests, UHV has a process through which we work to place student teachers and maintain positive relationships with the districts.  Please direct any questions about student teaching placements to a certification analyst or the director of student teaching on your campus.   We will work with the school districts to ensure that requirements for your certification are met without taxing our relationships with the school districts.  Please do not attempt to contact school districts or principals directly.  As you begin to apply for teaching positions in area school districts, it is in your best interests to become known as a professional who works through established channels and within established policies and procedures.

General Requirements

  • Documentation that needs to be on file at the UHV School of Education, Health Professions, and Human Development’s Educator Preparation Office (EPO)

    • Admission to the UHV Teacher Education/Certification Program

      • Criminal History Background Records Check
      • Documentation of passing all sections of the THEA test. Reading-(230) Writing-(220) Math-(270) 
    • After admission to teacher education and before applying for student teaching, a signed degree plan must be on file.

    • Completion of a minimum of 45 clock hours of scheduled and assigned observation/practicum in a public school documented and on file in the Educator Preparation Office.

      • 22.5 hours of the total hours must be in your area of certification
    • Grades in all professional development courses must be "C" or better.
    • GPA of 2.5 as listed in specific certification areas. 
       

  • Students MUST take all state certification exams PPR (EC-6 & 4-8, 7-12 cert, ), Core Subjects (EC-6 & 4-8 cert) and/or Content Exams (7-12 cert) PRIOR to beginning their student teaching semester.

  • Each person desiring to register for student teaching is required to contact the school in which they wish a student teaching placement and determine if that school requires a tuberculosis test.

    • If the school has this requirement, then the student must furnish the school a copy of a certificate signed by a person licensed to practice medicine in the state of Texas which reveals that the student has been examined and is free from the disease of tuberculosis.

      • The examination is to be conducted no more than 120 days before the person enters a public school to perform their student teaching requirement.
         

  • A student enrolled in student teaching may take no more than 3 semester credit hours in conjunction with the 9 semester credit student teaching hours.

    • See restrictions under specific area requirements below.

    • Students receiving financial aid and/or specific types of scholarships may need to take 12 semester credit hours to receive full financial aid benefits. (Note: Certain types of personal insurance policies may also require a 12 hour course load.)

      • Students only taking the 9 semester credit hours of student teaching may have their financial aid benefits reduced to three fourths.
      • Contact the UHV Financial aid office to determine your financial aid status during your student teaching semester.

 

Requirements for Early School Education (EC-6)

  • A minimum of 12 semester credit hours of credit earned at UHV in professional development courses.

    • Any exceptions to this requirement must be approved by the Dean, School of Education, Health Professions, and Human Development.
  • An overall grade point average of at least 2.5, an average of 2.5 in professional development courses, and an average of at least 2.5 in early school education content courses.
  • Completion of all professional development and early school education content courses.
  • A student enrolled in ESED 4303 (Student Teaching Field Experience), ESED 4304 (Student Teaching Field Experience) and ESED 4307 (Student Teaching Professional Seminar) should be in the last full semester before graduation.
  • A student enrolled in student teaching may take no more than 3 semester hours in conjunction with the student teaching courses. The course must be taken in the evening after the student teaching day or taken online and cannot be a methods course (CUIN 4316, CUIN 4317, CUIN 4324, LITY 3320, LITY 4362, LITY 4365). Any exceptions must be approved by the Faculty Advisor and Director of Field Experiences.
  • Students MUST take all state certification exams PPR (EC-6 & 4-8, 7-12 cert, ), Core Subjects (EC-6 & 4-8 cert) and/or Content Exams (7-12 cert) PRIOR to beginning their student teaching semester.

Requirements for Middle School Education (4-8)

  • A minimum of 12 semester credit hours of credit earned at UHV in professional development courses.

    • Any exceptions to this requirement must be approved by the Dean, School of Education, Health Professions, and Human Development.
  • An overall grade point average of at least 2.5, an average of 2.5 in professional development courses, and an average of at least 2.5 in middle school education content courses.
  • Completion of all professional development and middle school education content courses.
  • A student enrolled in MSED 4303 (Student Teaching Field Experience), MSED 4304 (Student Teaching Field Experience) and MSED 4307 (Student Teaching Professional Seminar) should be in the last full semester before graduation.
  • A student enrolled in student teaching may take no more than 3 semester hours in conjunction with the student teaching courses. The course must be taken in the evening after the student teaching day or taken online and cannot be a methods course (CUIN 4316, CUIN 4317, LITY 3340). Any exceptions must be approved by the Faculty Advisor and Director of Field Experiences.
  • Students MUST take all state certification exams PPR (EC-6 & 4-8, 7-12 cert, ), Core Subjects (EC-6 & 4-8 cert) and/or Content Exams (7-12 cert) PRIOR to beginning their student teaching semester.

Requirements for Secondary Education (8-12)

  • Satisfactory completion of designated professional development courses except student teaching.
  • An overall grade point average of at least 2.5 and an average of at least 2.5 in both the teaching field(s) courses and professional development courses.
  • A student enrolled in SEDU 4303 (Student Teaching Field Experience), SEDU 4304 (Student Teaching Field Experience) and SEDU 4308 (Student Teaching Professional Seminar) should be in the last full semester prior to graduation.
  • A student enrolled in student teaching may take no more than 3 semester hours in conjunction with the student teaching courses. The course must be taken in the evening after the student teaching day or taken online and cannot be a methods course (FEDU 3321, LITY 4364, CUIN 4313). Any exceptions must be approved by the Faculty Advisor and Director of Field Experiences.
  • Students MUST take all state certification exams PPR (EC-6 & 4-8, 7-12 cert, ), Core Subjects (EC-6 & 4-8 cert) and/or Content Exams (7-12 cert) PRIOR to beginning their student teaching semester.