Urban Teachers
Minor or Concentration
Concentration for YCS Students
Students within the College of Education who major in Youth and Community Studies can work towards teacher certification in English Language Arts or Social Studies as part of the Urban Teachers concentration.
Minoring in Education
All university students outside the College of Education are welcome to apply to minor in the Urban Teachers program in order to work towards teacher certification in English Language Arts or Social Studies.
Change the world through the University of Texas Urban Teachers program!
This 18-hour, three-semester teacher preparation sequence is designed to help equity-minded teacher candidates develop knowledge, skills and dispositions to support teaching and learning in linguistically and culturally diverse urban settings.
Since coursework can vary, an advisor will review your transcript with you and discuss additional coursework as needed.
About The Program
Students start the Urban Teachers program in the spring of their junior year. In addition to major coursework, students will take one or two Education classes per semester.
Each semester includes valuable fieldwork in classrooms and with community organizations such as Breakthrough Central Texas. These experiences focus on pedagogies and curricula that are most relevant to youth and their home communities.
Schedule and Course Requirements
Total Minimum Hours: 18
English Language Arts
ALD 327
Sociocultural Influences
EDC 339F Adolescent Literacy
EDC 370S
Secondary Advanced English Methods
EDC 371S
Secondary English
EDC 651S
Secondary School Teaching Practicum English
To learn more, please contact Deborah Kelt, the program advisor.
Social Studies
EDC 350 Secondary Social Studies
EDC 350
Social Studies Educ Issues
EDC 370S
Advanced Methods in Social Studies
EDC 371 Secondary Social Studies
EDC 651 Student teaching practicum
To learn more, please email the Urban Teachers program.
University-wide requirements and the available options can be found in the university’s Undergraduate Catalog.
How to Apply
Only degree-seeking students enrolled at UT Austin are eligible to apply for the Urban Teachers undergraduate certification program. Applicants should have a minimum GPA of 2.5 in an accepted major. If you have questions about the application process, your eligibility, choosing a subject area or how your major qualifies for the program, contact us at utut@utexas.edu.
Application Process
Call the College of Education’s Office of Student Affairs at (512) 471-3223 to schedule an appointment with the Urban Teachers liaison to review your timeline, address coursework recommendations and learn about the program.
Submit your application and essay online through the Professional Development Sequence application (EID required) October 1 – November 1. Applications received after November 1 will be considered on a space-available basis.
Your essay should be approximately 500 words long and double-spaced. Be sure to:
- describe your understanding of the dynamics and importance of linguistically and culturally diverse learning contexts and your future role as a classroom teacher
- reference personal and professional experiences as well as any scholarly work that has influenced your decision to become a classroom teacher through the Urban Teachers program
- reference personal and/or professional experiences as well as any scholarly work that has influenced your decision to become a classroom teacher through the Urban Teachers program
- describe your interest in developing your career as a classroom teacher through an urban-focused program
Follow the applications’ directions to create a TEA account and receive a TEA ID number.
NOTE: you should be applying for the program in the fall of your junior year at UT.
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.
Academic Advising Coordinator
Jessica Silva
