Graduate Education Programs

Find Your Program

The alternative certification program is a non-degree seeking program for those wishing to obtain a Texas educator certification before earning a master’s degree. This program consists of 18 hours of 100% online coursework, but any educator will tell you that there is no substitution for real world experience. You will also do classroom observation and either a paid internship or an unpaid clinical/student-teaching experience.

If you already have a Texas educator certification and you’re ready to expand your expertise, our professional certifications, master’s and doctoral programs enable you to take your career to the next level.

Expand your ability to teach special topics. To teach a dual-credit class in high school, community college-level courses, or as an adjunct, complete 18 credit hours in that area of study. Find a graduate program that matches your interests.

Our 18-hour graduate certificates are perfect for this purpose, and the credits can be applied toward a number of master’s degrees.

If you are already a teacher with a Texas Teacher Certification, the following programs are designed to help you advance and specialize as an educator.

School librarians have the opportunity to share a love for reading with students of all ages. You will teach students the fundamentals of using a library and its resources. You may collaborate with educators to help them find the necessary materials and resources to enhance their classroom experience. You will need two years of teaching experience and a school librarian certification to become a school librarian.

If you do not already have a master’s degree, we recommend the Educational Technology Library Science (MS/MED) program, which includes the school librarian certification.

If you already have a master’s degree, you can pursue the school librarian certification alone or combine it with a second master’s degree for increased marketability and skill-building. The Educational Technology Library Science (MS/MED) program is ideal because it includes the school librarian certification.

School counselors, school psychologists and school social workers provide services to support students and encourage healthy development. School counselors deliver basic services to a broad range of students, while school psychologists provide specialized mental health care services to students who are struggling. School social work is a specialized field devoted to school-age children and families in educational environments. School social workers wear many hats including truancy officer, case manager, student and parent advocate, student mediator, counselor and distributor of resources.

To be a school counselor, you will need two years of teaching experience and a master’s degree in counseling with a minimum of 48 hours in counseling classes.

If you are pursuing a career in school counseling, our master's of counseling degree offers two tracks.

• Our school counselor track offers you the opportunity for provide guidance to students of all ages.
• Our school counseling with LPC track helps you understand the importance of group dynamics, family therapies and assessments within our communities.

If you already have a master’s of science in counseling, our doctoral program in counselor education and supervision offers the ability to practice, educate or lead in counseling.

Our specialist program in school psychology aims to prepare you to assist educators in fostering a safe, welcoming, and supportive learning environment for students.

Our social work program offers bachelor’s and master’s students the opportunity to prepare for work in school settings. As a student in our program, you may have the chance to complete internships in schools, providing potential experience in this field. Our BSW graduates have found opportunities with agencies such as Communities in Schools, where they can work within schools to support at-risk students. Our MSW graduates may pursue roles as school social workers, potentially providing case management, counseling, and psycho-social services to help students address personal, emotional, or social challenges that could impact their success.

Our programs aim to introduce you to the administrative responsibilities involved in planning, operating, and supervising programs, services, and facilities within a school or district and provide you with tools for evaluating the effectiveness of these resources.

To become a school principal in Texas, you will need two years of teaching experience, a master's degree, and our principal certification.

If you do not already have a master's degree, our online educational administration (M.Ed) degree program, which includes principal certification, is the most likely path. However, you can pursue any one of our master's degrees and combine it with the principal certification. You will need one year of teaching experience when you begin the educational administration (MED) program.

If you already have a master’s degree, you can earn the principal certification completely online.

If you are already a certified principal or have experience as a school administrator, our doctoral programs are designed for you. You can use these degrees to advance your career as a principal or pursue the superintendent certification to lead even more students to success.

To be a school superintendent in Texas, you will need three years of teaching experience, three years of managerial experience, a master’s degree, principal certification and our superintendent certification.

If you do not already have a master's degree, our online educational administration (MEd) degree combined with Superintendent Certification is the most-likely path.

The EDD program can advance your career as an administrator and can be combined with the superintendent certification.

What does it take to become a college professor? Earn a master’s and/or doctoral degree in your chosen field to gain college-level teaching experience and to hold the credentials required to teach at the college level.

To begin teaching college courses, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) requires a master's degree or doctoral degree with 18 graduate hours in the discipline being taught.

Expand Your Expertise!

Increase the breadth of topics you can teach with our graduate certificates.

With our graduate degrees and certificates in higher education, you might work to improve a college’s admissions, alumni programs or student affairs. You may become a coordinator or director in any number of fields. Higher education is a unique multidisciplinary field of study. You will explore organizational theories, behaviors, development, and critical issues that are applicable to today's complex and modern organizational settings. Once you understand how a college or university works, you’ll learn to understand how other organizations such as for-profits, non-profits, governmental, military, or social service agencies should work.

Meet Our Team

Our staff is ready to help you find the right path for your career and guide you through the steps to get there! Jennifer Faunce can help you get started with any of our education programs and connect with your advisor. Tracey Stedman can assist you with Alternative Teacher Certification.