The English department at West Texas A&M works closely with our Education department to produce knowledgeable, trained, and prepared teachers.
Our students tend to take one of two paths: either completing an English Language Arts and Reading (7-12) major or completing an English BA and then achieving postgraduate certification, through a program such as our PACE program.
This page is intended as a brief introduction to these two paths. If you’re interested in becoming a teacher, please talk to your advisor. You can also find more detailed information on the Department of Education’s website.
Requirements
Becoming a teacher in the state of Texas requires three steps:
(1) Getting your bachelor’s degree
(2) Completing an Educator Preparation Program
(3) Passing the certification exams and getting approval from the state.
The Texas Education Agency outlines the process in more detail here.
The Undergraduate English Language Arts and Reading (7-12) Degree
The Undergraduate English Language Arts and Reading (7-12) degree is a combined program between the English department and the Education department. In this program, you’ll take courses in both departments, learning both English literature and approaches to teaching. Along the way, you’ll complete the requirements of an Educator Preparation Program.
This is an intensive program, requiring a total of 126 credit hours.
The English Major with Postgraduate Certification
A second path to becoming a teacher is to complete your undergraduate English major and then enroll in a postgraduate Educator Preparation Program. Many of our students complete the PACE program: Panhandle Alternative Certification for Educators. This online-based program combines coursework with field experience to prepare you for the classroom.
More information about the PACE program is available at their website.