Undergraduate Admissions

To be eligible for admission, students must meet the following minimum requirements at the time they apply. However, meeting only the minimum criteria does not ensure admission to the program. Please note that all applicants must be enrolled at TCU at the time of program application. To be eligible for admission to the Educator Preparation Program, students must:

• Complete a minimum of 54 semester hours of coursework with an overall GPA of 2.75 or higher.
• Complete a course in speech that carries/satisfies an OCO core requirement and EDUC 20003 or equivalent course with a grade of C- or better*
• Met Professional Educator Disposition-screening rubric
• Complete 12 hours of content area coursework** (15 hours required for content area math and science coursework).
• Achieve a grade of C- or better in all content areas and education courses.
• Demonstrate English language proficiency.
• Complete record of current (within one year) and clear Group One criminal record check***.
• Sign FERPA agreement.
• Sign Ethics Statement and  successfully complete Ethics Training in the application.
• Certification candidates enrolled in the program will pay a fee of $35. The fee will appear on your TCU student account following semester upon formal admittance and is non-refundable.

*Prior to admission to the College of Education, students may take EDUC 20003, 30113, 30143, 30123, and EDEC 30103. Students are not allowed to register for any other education courses until admitted to the College of Education.

**Content area for middle/secondary/all-level education majors/minors includes all coursework related to the content area. Content area for EC-6 majors includes history, government, mathematics, English, lab sciences, geography, fine arts and speech.

***A person who is enrolled or planning to enroll in a SBEC educator preparation program, or planning to take a certification exam may request a preliminary criminal history evaluation letter regarding the person’s potential ineligibility for certification and employment as an educator due to a conviction or deferred adjudication for a felony or misdemeanor offense TAC §227.1.

As of March 15, 2017, the Texas Education Agency Board requires the implementation of an Accountability System for Educator Preparation Programs (ASEP) technology fee, as required by 19 TAC 229.9(7). For the 2018-2019 academic year and beyond, certification candidates enrolled in the program will pay an admitted candidate fee of $35. The fee will appear on your TCU student account.

Any exception to these admission standards must be approved by the program faculty and the College of Education dean and/or designee.

Pedagogy and content courses taken at this university per degree plans and prior to admission into an educator preparation program (EPP) satisfy some state certification requirements. (TAC §228.35a6)

Eligibility requirements for the Teacher Education Program at TCU are also outlined in the TCU Catalog and COE Educator Preparation Undergraduate Handbook.

TCU Undergraduate Catalog

Application deadlines are March 1 for fall admission and October 1 for spring admission. Please refer to the email from our Academic Advisor for instructions on applying to the educator preparation program.

Eligible transfer students only: Application period July 1 - August 1.

FAQs

 I have already been accepted to TCU, do I have to complete the application? 

Students seeking teacher certification must complete this application for consideration for admissions to the Educator Preparation Program (EPP). 

Where can I find the total number of credit hours I have completed? 

On your transcript, scroll down to the last page. The total number of credit hours you have completed will be indicated next to cumulative totals. 

I have previously completed a Professional Educator Disposition, do I need to complete the new Educator Disposition Essay? 

Students that completed the Professional Educator Disposition in EDUC 20003 or an equivalent course do not need to attend and complete the new Educator Disposition Essay. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that they have the Professional Educator Disposition available to upload to their application, if they do not, the student MUST reserve a time to complete the new Educator Disposition Essay. 

Where/How do I upload the requested documentation to my application? 

Once you have completed your application, submit your application. You will then see the location where you can upload the requested documentation. 

Do I need to fill out another background check if I have already completed a background check in one of my TCU courses? 

The background check students must complete is through GroupOne. If you have completed a GroupOne background check less than one year ago, you do not have to complete an additional background check. 

Completed and verified Group One background checks will be uploaded by the COE office. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that they completed the application, paid the fee, and that the background has been completed within one year of the submission of EPP admissions application. 

If you know you have completed a GroupOne background check less than a year ago and you receive a message that your application is incomplete due to the background check, please contact Heather Doyle heather.doyle@tcu.edu for assistance.

FAQs- Teacher Preparation Program Application 

What should I do if inaccurate information (i.e. GPA, degree plan, etc.) has been populated or left blank on my application and I am not able to correct it? 

When we receive your application, we cross reference the information on your application with the information in your My TCU. Any inaccuracies regarding your academics will be corrected—it is okay to submit your application with the incorrect or blank academic information. 

Am I still able to apply if I have not completed 54 semester hours or the required courses for admissions by the time I submit my application? 

You can submit an application for admissions if you have not completed 54 semester hours or the required courses, as long as you are currently enrolled in enough hours and/or courses to meet requirements at the end of the semester you are applying in (or over the summer, if you are a spring applicant). 

Do I have to be core complete before I am able to apply to the Teacher Preparation Program? 

While it is highly encouraged to be core complete prior to starting the program, you do not have to be core complete to be eligible to apply. It is important to ensure that you do have the appropriate number of content hours completed or will have them complete by the end of the semester you are applying in currently or summer if spring applicant (12 hours minimum for all certification areas, except Math and Science which will need a minimum of15 hours). 

What information should I input when it asks for my professional license information? 

Since the application will not allow students to proceed without completing the three fields indicated in red below, students may enter their driver’s license information (even though it states ‘Not a Driver’s License’). 

If you do not have a driver’s license, you may enter passport, social security, or PIN information. 

How will I know that my application has been received? 

Students should check that their application has been submitted in SLATE, completed the Group One Background Check, and that all documents are uploaded as soon as possible. Students will receive a status letter in regards to any lacking requirements or an invitation for admission after the College of Education Admissions Committee reviews all submitted applications. The letters go out approximately end of October to early November for fall applicants and end of February to mid-March for spring applicants. 

Students may declare a major or double major, but to be admitted into the Educator Preparation Program, majors seeking teacher certification and must meet the following requirements:

• TCU students must have a 2.75 or better GPA.
• To be eligible to apply for admission to the College of Education, in addition to meeting minimum established criteria, students transferring from another institution must have a GPA of 2.75.
• First-year students have no specific requirements to declare an education major but must have a 2.75 or better GPA to be admitted to the college.
• All students pursuing education majors that lead to teacher certification must maintain high professional standards and acceptable academic performance (a minimum 2.75 GPA overall and a “C-” or better in all content areas and education coursework).

Apply to the Youth Advocacy & Educational Studies Program

Students who declare a major in education that does not lead to teacher certification must be admitted to the College of Education and must meet the following requirements:

• TCU students must have a 2.50 or better GPA.
• To be eligible to apply for admission to the College of Education, in addition to meeting minimum established criteria, students transferring from another institution must have a GPA of 2.50.
• First-year students have no specific requirements to declare an education major but must have a 2.50 or better GPA on coursework taken at TCU to be admitted to the college.
• All students pursuing a degree in Youth Advocacy and Educational Studies must maintain high professional standards and acceptable academic performance (a minimum 2.50 GPA overall and a “C-” or better in education coursework).