Supplemental Certification

All initial teacher preparation programs offered by this University require appropriate professional laboratory experiences. Students may register for clinical teaching or, if employed by a Texas school district on an emergency teaching certificate, the student may register for a teaching internship. Registration for either clinical teaching or the teaching internship requires permission in writing from the Field Experiences Office. Clinical teaching or teaching internship must be completed at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, unless the Director of Field Experiences has approved a cooperative agreement with another University and written documentation is on file in the Office of Field Experiences.

Written application for admission to clinical teaching or teaching internship must be made to the Office of Field Experiences the semester before the assignment begins. The deadline for submitting applications is July 1 for students seeking Fall placement; November 1 for students seeking Spring placement.

Other requirements include:

1. Admission to the Teacher Education Program.
2. A minimum GPA of 2.75 on all academic work attempted or 2.75 on the last 60 hours attempted.
3. A minimum of 3.00 on all COEHD work attempted.
4. Completion of all professional education courses and required reading courses with a grade of “B” or better.
5. Transfer students are to complete a minimum of 6 semester hours of required professional development education courses at the student’s level of certification at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
6. Completion of a “Fall Experience” (beginning of the year activities in a public school) and submission of a written summary of the experience is required for all students seeking clinical teacher placement.
7. In order to be admitted into clinical teaching, the student must pass the TExES content test. * This is condition of admission to the ACE and MAC programs.

The university offers preparation for the supplemental certificates and areas listed below. If you earn one of these certifications, it will be assigned a grade level that corresponds with the grade level of your initial certification.More course details are available in the College of Education and Human Development course catalog.

Certification area Required examinations

• Bilingual Education - TExES #164, BTLPT - preparation manual (pdf)
• English as a Second Language -  TExES #154 - preparation manual (pdf)
• Gifted and Talented - TExES #162 - preparation manual (pdf)

Exam only
The State of Texas allows certified teachers to add a new content area or teaching field to their certification without formal preparation (except in the areas of Trade and Industrial Education and Health Science Technology Education). This method is called "certification by exam only."

If you have initial certification and would like to add another certification by exam only, you can register online at www.tx.nesinc.com/ (make sure to indicate "by exam only").