Urban Teachers – Teacher Preparation in Secondary English Language Arts
Master of Education
You will gain research-based and practical knowledge of teaching through extensive field experience and coursework during this two-year program that is designed to develop knowledge, skills, and dispositions to support teaching and learning in linguistically and culturally diverse urban settings. Graduates of the program will be prepared to teach middle and high school students in grades 7-12.
This program merges the existing Master’s in Language and Literacy Studies and meets the requirements for being recommended for teacher certification by the Texas Education Agency. To learn more, please contact Deborah Kelt, the program advisor.
You will earn:
- A master’s degree (M.Ed.)
- English as a Second Language (ESL) endorsement
Coursework
Total minimum hours: 42 hours (including 6 hours of certification coursework)
Basic Course Requirements (30 hours)
- EDC 385G Learning and Teaching in Urban Contexts
- EDC 382S Teaching Secondary School Subjects: English & Reading
- EDC 380T Writing Process and Pedagogy
- EDC 385G Second Language Acquisition
- EDC 390T Literature for Young Adults
- EDC 382S Methods of Teaching English as a Second Language: Secondary
- EDC 698P Student Teaching Internship
- EDC 385G Literacy and Social Change
- SED 380 Inclusion, Disability, & Diversity in Secondary School Setting
Research Requirements (3 hours)
- EDC 380R Educational Research and Design
Electives Requirements Outside the Department (minimum: 6 hours)
Two electives (upper-division undergraduate or graduate courses) must be taken outside of Curriculum and Instruction (course numbers may not begin with “EDC”). We recommend exploring options in the following departments:
- English
- Rhetoric and Writing
- Educational Psychology
- Special Education
- Educational Leadership and Policy
- African and African Diaspora Studies
- Mexican American Studies
- Asian American Studies
Background Check
This program requires fieldwork in area schools, and to undertake that fieldwork, school districts require that university students each pass a criminal background check. If a student does not pass the criminal background check, she or he will be unable to complete the required work of the program, and any offer of admission will be canceled.
Certification Recommendation
Once you successfully complete all of the steps to become a teacher, including passing the relevant exams approved by the Texas Education Agency, you may be recommended for certification to the TEA by our certification officer. Be sure to reference the Certification Checklist on the Field Experiences wiki for additional information.
Additional Information
Please see the Graduate School Catalog.

Program Advisor
Deb Kelt
Tell us a bit about yourself and what programs you are interested in. We’ll be in touch with information soon!