Program Timeline | Coursework & Advising | Admission to ATP | Classroom Experience | Certification Preparation & Exams | EPP Performance Data | Employment Prospects | Complaints | Exit & Retention Policy
Requirements for Admission to the Graduate Program:
- Satisfactory completion of Education 475 with a grade of B- or better;
- Successful instructor teaching evaluation in Education 475;
- Acceptable to exemplary rating on ATP Competencies;
- Completion of all undergraduate certification requirements including general education and teaching field(s);
- A bachelor’s degree from Austin College or another institution and official transcripts of all undergraduate credits earned at any institution of higher education;
- A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.75 in all courses at the undergraduate level and 2.75 in the major area or teaching field(s);
- Three recommendations, generally including at least one Austin College faculty member in the student’s major or certification field and a recommendation from an ATP faculty member with whom they have worked;
- Proof of oral proficiency; Interview scored by rubric with cut score;
- Completion of the Austin College writing, quantitative, and foreign language competencies;
- If the GPA is lower than 2.75, candidates can provide documentation of expertise through providing 2 letters of support from faculty in their certification field or a field that closely supports their teaching field. These appeal documents should be submitted along with the application;
- Approval by the Austin Teacher Program Advisory and Admission Committee.
Minor: Although not a requirement to enter the Austin Teacher Program, students may choose to minor in Education. Once Austin Teacher Program undergraduate requirements are completed, the graduate phase can be completed in three semesters.
- Education Minor (5 credits/courses)
- Education 115 “American Education: A Changing Landscape”
- Education 225 “Schools and Society”
- Education 351 “The Learner-Teacher Interaction”
- Education 475 “The Learner, the Teacher, and The Curriculum”
- an Approved Elective
Contingency Admission to ATP
Students apply for admission to the ATP as part of Education 475, and may receive a contingency admission for the semester before graduation if they meet the following requirements:
- Satisfactory completion of Education 475 with a grade of B- or better;
- Successful instructor teaching evaluation in Education 475;
- Acceptable to exemplary rating on ATP Competencies;
- Overall GPA of at least 2.75 and teaching field GPA of 2.75;
- SAT, ACT-acceptable score as defined by ATP
- Successful teaching evaluations and coursework in undergraduate education sequence ( EDUC 225, 351 & 475);
- Three recommendations generally including at least one Austin College faculty member in the student’s major or certification field and a recommendation from an ATP faculty member with whom they have worked;
- Proof of oral proficiency; Interview scored by rubric with cut score;
- Completion of the Austin College writing, quantitative, and foreign language competencies;
- If the GPA is lower than 2.75, candidates can provide documentation of expertise through providing 2 letters of support from faculty in their certification field or a field that closely supports their teaching field. These appeal documents should be submitted along with the application.
- Applications will generally not be considered for cumulative or content GPAs below 2.5
- Once the BA is conferred, requirements will be checked again, and if all are successfully met, full admission is granted.
Note: All decisions of the ATP Faculty Advisory and Admission Committee are final.
Guidelines for program may be modified due to changes from TEA.
Provisional Admission to the Graduate Phase of the Austin Teacher Program
Although the ATP is a five-year program rather than a fifth-year program, it is possible for a qualified student who has a bachelor’s degree from Austin College or another institution to apply to enter the ATP as a provisional graduate student, completing first the necessary undergraduate courses required either by Austin College or the Texas State Board for Educator Certification. Details concerning admission to the ATP through this route may be obtained from the ATP Office. Austin College is an initial certifying agency and cannot grant a MAT degree to anyone already holding any type of teaching certificate. Admitted individuals may be eligible to substitute experience and/or professional training directly related to the certificate being sought for part of the preparation requirements. The candidate must submit a letter to the director of the program who will then bring the matter before the Austin Teacher Program faculty. Final approval for waiver of requirements rests with that body.
ATP Exit Policy
EXIT POLICY FOR CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS:
The Texas Administrative Code requires all educator preparation programs to publish an exit policy and provide it to candidates for review and signature upon program admission. 19 TAC §228.20(h)
PROGRAM DISMISSAL:
The mission of the Austin College Teacher Program (ATP) is to prepare candidates for classroom leadership based on the expectations of the Texas Education Agency and best practice. Once a candidate has accepted contingency admission into the ATP, their retention in the program is based on progress and effectiveness as a learner and a teacher. The faculty considers not only academic abilities and skill performance, but also continued growth in the competencies of collaboration, honesty/integrity, respect, reverence for learning, emotional maturity, reflection, flexibility, responsibility, professionalism, and communication. Retention in the program requires the following:
- Academic Standards: The candidate must continue to meet the academic standards of the program in order to continue, both in terms of grades and the originality/integrity of submitted coursework. (2.75 cumulative GPA and 2.75 GPA in major/certification field for BA, and a 3.0 cumulative GPA in all graduate coursework).
- Certification Standards: The candidate will adhere to expectations regarding testing timelines and certification protocols. The student will actively prepare for testing through their coursework, preparation materials, and cohort meetings. Students must demonstrate the necessary proficiencies by the set times to receive permission to take their state tests.
- Professional-Ethical Standards: The candidate must demonstrate professional standards of behavior that align with the ATP’s competencies, and with TEA’s Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators.
Students assessed as having difficulty with coursework, placement, testing, or competencies will receive feedback concerning their progress from the appropriate faculty and/or program lead. In the vast majority of cases, a candidate who is struggling will be given a plan for improvement with a timeline and various supports. Supports could include, but are not limited to: extra observations, check-in meetings, additional reflection, additional materials, and mandatory timelines. Candidates who continually fail to meet the requirements listed above may be dismissed from the program at the discretion of the review committee.
If a student withdraws from the ATP of their own accord, based on their own needs, they will be deemed leaving in “Good Standing.” If a student is withdrawn from our program for failure to meet academic requirements (low GPA) or certification requirements (failure to take/pass tests in a timely fashion), they will be deemed leaving in “Good Standing.” If a student is exited from the program for violations to the Code of Ethics, or due to a termination of their teaching position, they will be deemed as leaving “Not in Good Standing.” Candidates dismissed from Austin College will be automatically dismissed from the ATP. Any candidate leaving the ATP in “Good Standing” can reapply for program admission, so long as they are within their two-year window and meet any necessary requirements.
NOTE: If a candidate wishes to transfer to another EPP, their withdrawal status must be reported to that EPP.