College of Education

After being admitted into the University of Houston, you also must be admitted into the College of Education’s reading specialist certification program. This is a state requirement for all educator-prep programs. Students should look for more information from the College after being accepted to UH.

Basic requirements include:

• Having a GPA of 2.5 or higher (based on last degree earned)
• Holding a valid Texas teacher certification
• Having at minimum a bachelor’s degree
• Currently teaching at a Texas TEA approved public or private school.

Reading specialist candidates are only admitted in the fall semester of each school year. UH typically has a high admission rate for those who meet the state requirements.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Once formally admitted in the certification program, you must complete the following:

• 200+ clock hours of content and pedagogy (5+ courses)
  • For the master's degree, additional courses will be required.
• 160+ practicum hours
• 135+ observation minutes by a UH field supervisor

CERTIFICATION

To earn certification, you must:

• Successfully complete all coursework.
• Complete all required practicum hours and observations.
• Complete the degree program.
• Already completed two years of classroom teaching experience in a Texas Education Agency (TEA) accredited public or private school.
• Currently be teaching in a Texas Education Agency (TEA) accredited public or private school.
• Pass the state TExES 151 Certification Exam.
  • Learn more about testing and setting up required accounts online.