Transfer Articulation: Education

This is an archived copy of the 2023-2024 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.shsu.edu.

Educator Preparation Admission Requirements:

Prior to beginning the Field Experience Blocks you must meet all the following requirements:

1)  Have a 2.75 overall GPA or in your last 60 hours to be accepted into the State Educator Preparation Program.  This includes all transfer and SHSU courses

2)  Have completed content hours: All EC-6 and 4-8 Core (3 hours for each of the following content areas - Math, Science, Social Studies, and ELAR), 4-8 Math or Science (15 hours in content), 4-8 ELAR or Social Studies (12 hours in content)

3) Submit and pass a video interview

4) Pay an EPP admissions fee of $100.00 and a TEA technology fee of $35.00

For additional and the most up-to-date information on certification, please, visit the College of Education.  To comply with state mandated certification requirements in minimum time at minimum cost, there are "no elective courses" in the curriculum. 

To minimize cost and time while meeting certification requirements consider transferring a maximum of 48 hours.  The proper goal for most transfer students should be to maximize transfer courses in the major rather than seeking to be core complete at the college or university.  Students not completing the associate degree are encouraged to seek the associate degree as part of the bachelor degree utilizing SHSU's reverse transfer program with Texas colleges.

Degree plan check sheets for each of the programs are shown below for planning purposes. Each one reflects Texas Common Course numbers for the core courses. Transfer students should begin working with a SHSU education advisor early in their community college studies to discuss joint admission and transfer plans.

There are four elementary certification programs offered at SHSU:

  • EC-6 Core
  • EC-6 Core with EC-12 Special Education
  • EC-6 Core with Bilingual Education
  • Pre-K - 3

In addition, five middle-level programs are offered at SHSU

  • 4-8 Core
  • 4-8 Mathematics
  • 4-8 Science Composite
  • 4-8 English Language Arts
  • 4-8 Social Studies Composite

For students not seeking Texas Teacher Certification, who are preparing to work in child care, Head Start, or social service agencies, the Early Childhood Education – Non Certification program is offered at SHSU.

Candidates who wish to teach in high school settings will double major in the content teaching field and in Secondary Education. A variety of teaching field majors are offered by the College of Sciences, the College of Arts and Media, and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Please refer to the undergraduate catalog in the appropriate department for information about secondary teaching. 

Candidates for teaching, at any level, are required to meet state mandated entry criteria to be accepted in a SHSU Educator Preparation Program. Further information about those requirements are detailed at SHSU Educator Preparation Services.

Department Contact: Dr. Helen Berg
Phone: 936-294-4633
Location: TEC 121

 Courses Transfer Students Should Take at the Community College:*

SHSU Course NumberCollege/TCCN SHSU Course Title Semester Credit Hours
CIEE 2333Becoming A Teacher3
CIME 2313Teaching as a Profession3
EDUC 1101Educator Preparation1
SPED 2301Introduction to Exceptionality3

There is no equivalent for EDUC 1101, but SHSU has a written agreement with Lone Star College - Montgomery to offer this course to satisfy the SBEC requirements for teacher certification. 

*Note: Other courses may transfer, depending upon the selected degree or program.  Meet with your academic advisor to confirm whether coursework will transfer from another institution. For a complete listing of degree-specific requirements, please, review the degree plan within the Undergraduate Catalog. 


Disclaimer: All education programs are subject to change by the legislature (i.e. The State Board of Educator Certification and The Higher Education Coordinating Board). All schools must adopt these standards at the time they are published.

Applications for admission to SHSU may be obtained online at Apply Texas or by calling Undergraduate Admissions at (936) 294-1828. Extensive information is also available at Sam Houston State University. 

Texas Grant
Texas residents who have graduated from high school within the past 16 months with the Recommended or Distinguished curriculum or received your first Associate's Degree within the past 12 months may qualify for the Towards Excellence, & Success (TEXAS) Grant, a state financial aid program. Please, review the basic qualifications. If you believe you qualify, contact your respective community college or university financial aid office. For financial aid information, please, visit SHSU Office of Financial Aid or contact by phone at (936) 294-1724.  For additional grant information visit College For Texas.  

Field of Study

Sam Houston State University supports the State of Texas Fields of Study. 

The Core Curriculum at Sam Houston State University (to be used by all incoming students as of fall 2014) contains 42 semester credit hours, encompassing nine component areas. Each component area has a minimum credit hour requirement and a selection of specific courses that may be used to satisfy the requirement. The Core Curriculum details Sam Houston State University courses and their Texas Common Course Number (TCCN) equivalents for college transfer students which comprise SHSU’s core curriculum.

Many SHSU disciplines including the sciences, business, and education require specific courses from the SHSU core as degree specific graduation requirements. To minimize cost and time to complete degree requirements always select SHSU/transfer core courses specified as degree requirements in your intended major.  If you have not decided on a major, select core courses supporting your intended area of academic concentration.

Prior to enrolling in core classes, students are encouraged to review specific degree requirements for their major. Selection of major-specified core courses reduces the total number of hours required for graduation.

If you do not see a Texas Common Course Number (TCCN) mapping a specific core course to your transfer institution, please go to Transfer Course Equivalency Guide and select your institution from the drop-down menu. The result will list all currently mapped transfer courses from your institution to SHSU courses.