Department of Urban Education

Christal Gooding Burnett-Sánchez, Ph.D. Chair
C440, 713-226-5521

Faculty

Professors:	Beebe, Chen, Connell, Van Horn
Associate Professors:	Bhattacharjee, Burnett-Sánchez, Hewitt, Kelly, Mitchell, Pedrana, Pohl, Sack
Assistant Professors:	Alford, Allaire, Fugate, Hung, Link, Miller, Perez, Tiwari, Zehavi
Lecturers:	Bundoc, Nelson, White

Programs of Study

Undergraduate/Post-baccalaureate

Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences in Early Childhood & Family Systems

Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies

Alternative Certification Program

Certification Areas

Core Subjects Early Childhood-Sixth Grade with ESL Supplemental

Core Subjects Early Childhood-Sixth Grade with Bilingual Supplemental

Special Education EC-12 and Core Subjects Early Childhood-Sixth Grade with , ESL Supplemental

Core Subjects Fourth-Eighth Grade with ESL Supplemental

Secondary (grades 7-12) (undergraduate degrees to be obtained in Science, English, Mathematics, or History content-areas) with certifications in the following:

Bachelor of Science in Biological and Physical Sciences with Concentration in Secondary Teacher Education
Bachelor of Arts in English with Concentration in Secondary Teacher Education
Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics Major with Concentration in Secondary Teacher Education
Bachelor of Arts Degree with Major in History with Concentration in Secondary Teacher Education

Mission and Objectives

The Department of Urban Education offers preparation for both undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students seeking Core Subjects EC-6 with ESL Supplemental, Core Subjects EC-6 with Bilingual Supplemental (students seeking this option must be proficient in Spanish), Core Subjects 4-8 with ESL Supplemental or Secondary (7-12) certification (in Mathematics, Science, History, Social Studies, or English. The professional development sequence of classes includes field-based courses that are in selected public schools in several Houston metropolitan districts.

Graduates who earn a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies will be able to demonstrate:

Teaching competency in multicultural settings.
Competency in the factors related to the development of effective teaching environments in urban classrooms.
Competency in the academic areas of language arts, social studies, mathematics and the natural sciences.
Competency in the area of computer/technology.
Competency on the state TExES exams and will be eligible for certification to teach in Texas.

Building upon an understanding of cultural, economic, and linguistic diversity developed through the program’s general education requirements and its Urban Education Core, the three of the four professional development semesters provide opportunities for future teachers to:

observe and interact with master teachers and divergent learners within the school setting
interact with children of diverse backgrounds and experiences to create an understanding of themselves, their own culture, and the cultures of others
develop a community of learners which acknowledges the similarities of diverse members and appreciates differences
plan and implement effective strategies which ensure academic success for all learners, and
use technology in effective ways to enhance student achievement.

To promote and ensure student success, the design of the curriculum is based on (a) state certification standards, (b) the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, and (c) the state teacher education proficiencies. Teacher candidates must successfully pass the state examinations required for teacher certification priroto student teaching. It is expected that at the end of the teacher education program, the new teacher will have internalized the state identified proficiencies for teacher education and will be ready for certification..

Alternative Route to Certification Program (ACP)

Post-baccalaureate students seeking certification must pass the appropriate Pre-Admission Content Test (PACT), meet the requirements for admission to the Urban Education program, and have a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average. Students interested in secondary certification must also have a 2.5 GPA in their area of specialization. Students seeking secondary Mathematics or Science certifications must also have 24 hours in the content area with 12 hours at the upper division level.

Teacher certification is available in Core Subjects EC-6 with ESL Supplemental, Core Subjects EC-6 with Bilingual Supplemental, Core Subjects 4-8with ESL Supplemental), and secondary education.

Completers of the Alternative Certification Program will able to demonstrate:

Competency in the area of computer technology
Competency in the area of effective teaching practices and effective teaching environments that enhance student learning
Competency in teaching diverse learners
Competency on the TExES exams and eligiblity for certification to teach in Texas

The Alternative Certification Program (ACP) starts in the spring and fall semesters of each academic year. Please check the Departmetn of Urban Educaiton website for the application deadline. The successful completion of all components of the Alternative Certification Program is required before students are recommended for full certification. Please see the Urban Education website for more information.

Please note:
As state guidelines change, program revisions may occur. Teacher education programs are developed in response to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and Texas Education Agency (TEA) regulations and guidelines. Thus, course requirements and sequencing are subject to change. All students pursuing teacher certification plans must understand that the advising staff will make every effort to communicate program changes as they occur, but it is the responsibility of each student to stay apprised of any changes that may affect degree plans. Thus constant monitoring of plans is necessary, and students are urged to visit regularly with an academic advisor and to check the TEA website for teacher certification changes (http://www.tea.state.tx.us/).

Honor Society

Kappa Delta Pi

Student Organizations

Urban Educators’ Literacy Society
Bilingual Education Student Organization
Be A Teacher Club

Requirements for Urban Education Undergraduate Degrees

The degree programs in Urban Education require a minimum of 123 semester credit hours (SCH). The only exception is the BAAS inEarly Childhood and Family Systems degree. For degree completion, the last 45 SCH, representing the professional development and field-based courses, must be earned through instruction offered by the University of Houston-Downtown.

Graduation requires successful completion of all course work including three professional development semesters with field work. In addition, certification requires passing scores on all state-mandated TExES certification

Programs

Major