Teacher Education

The teacher education program at Texas Woman’s University prepares outstanding professional educators who make a difference in their communities. We see educators as teachers, leaders and advocates in service. Our students gain not only the professional knowledge they’ll need in the classroom, but also the skills needed to help their students reach their full potential. In doing so, they open doors of opportunity for future generations — the true calling of every teacher.

Why Study Teaching at Texas Woman’s University?

Teacher at the whiteboard with young students gathered around

TWU is known for high quality teacher preparation. Our students typically achieve an overall pass rate of 96 percent on the state teacher exam — meaning they are well prepared to make an impact in the classroom.

After beginning their teaching career, our graduates are more likely to stay on the job. TWU Teacher Education graduates as first-year teachers have the highest retention rate among 56 universities in Texas served by the Center for Research, Evaluation and Advancement of Teacher Education (CREATE), according to Performance Analysis for College Education (PACE) data. For the past four years, according to PACE data, our teacher education graduates as first-year teachers have the highest retention rate when compared to all of the CREATE public and private universities, nonprofit and for-profit Alternative Certification Programs and across all state Educator Preparation Programs.

Our Academic Programs

Do you want to teach all subjects from kindergarten through 8th grade? Specialize in a subject such as math, science or English? Or are you seeking dual certification in special education, bilingual education or English as a Second Language (ESL)? Whatever your goal, our undergraduate programs can help you achieve your dream.

Our new triple certification degree program prepares teachers for today's inclusive classrooms by offering the potential to graduate with certification in core subjects, special education and English as a Second Language.

If you have a bachelor’s degree in another field but want to move into a rewarding career in teaching, our Master of Arts in Teaching will prepare you for initial teacher certification in a flexible framework so you can balance work, school and family.

For those who already hold a teaching certification and those who wish to pursue graduate degrees and/or professional certification, we offer several graduate and certification programs within our department.

Teacher Preparation

We know that, until you see something in real life, classroom lessons don’t always register. We believe in providing hands-on experiences — through our Summer Reading Program, which draws children from throughout the community to a weekly session with books and crafts selected and supervised by our students; or through our TeachLIVE lab, where students can “teach” a classroom of realistic, responsive avatars. These experiences help our students gain more self-confidence in preparing and delivering lessons and, by working one-on-one with their professors, developing their teaching skills.

Additional high-tech labs underscore Texas Woman’s investment in producing teachers who are well prepared for the 21st century classroom. Our Future Classroom Lab — the only one of its kind in the United States — prepares new teachers to effectively use technology in the classroom. The 21st Century Teaching Lab utilizes technology to prepare teachers and administrators, and the Family Sciences Lab, used by multiple disciplines across campus, invites student collaboration and promotes critical thinking skills.

Future Classroom Lab

For more on clinical experience and pathways to certification, see our Educator Preparation Program.

Educator Preparation Program

Student Teaching

When you’re ready to begin student teaching (typically in the final semester of your senior year), our Office of Clinical Practices will pair you with a school where you will observe and work with a highly accomplished teacher. In this role, you become an important and integral part of the host school system under the direction of a certified classroom teacher and a university supervisor in area school districts. The Office of Clinical Practices maintains relationships with schools and related education settings for student teaching placements in early childhood through grade 12. All Texas Woman’s placements go through the OCP to ensure that proper procedures are followed for district placements.

Ongoing Support

Our support of our students does not end with their graduation. Our annual New Teacher Academy provides mentorship and professional development for graduates who are in their first three years of teaching.

We do these things and more because our faculty is passionate about teaching. We give future teachers the skills and tools they’ll need to help their students succeed, because we believe teaching changes lives.

Page last updated 3:57 PM, November 15, 2023