Undergraduate Programs and Minors
The College of Education and P-16 Integration offers the following undergraduate programs and minors.
Please review the undergraduate Degree Plans and Roadmaps page for course requirements.
Criminal History Acknowledgement:
As required by Texas HB1508, applicants need to be aware of the following.
- In order to receive a educator certification in Texas, you must pass a criminal history background check.
- If you have been convicted of an offense that is considered not appropriate for an educator, you could be ineligible to earn this certification from the state of Texas.
- You have a right to request a preliminary criminal history evaluation letter from the Texas Education Agency prior to admission into this program. The Texas Education Agency currently charges a $50 fee for this criminal history evaluation.
For more information on Preliminary Criminal History Evaluation:
https://tea.texas.gov/Texas_Educators/Investigations/Preliminary_Criminal_History_Evaluation-FAQs/
Degree Plans and Roadmaps
Review undergraduate and minor program requirements on the Degree Plan and Roadmaps page.
Bachelor Degrees
The Secondary/All Level Program consists of 21 semester credit hours of professional education courses that make up the Education component of their degree plans. Formal admission to the program is required. The program culminates with a full time clinical teaching experience in an accredited school and state teacher certification.
Learn more about the Secondary/All Level Education Teacher Certification program.
Name | Phone (956) | Campus | |
---|---|---|---|
Dr. Pauli Badenhorst Assistant Professor |
665-8792 | pauli.badenhorst@utrgv.edu | Edinburg EEDUC 2.656 |
Are you interested in becoming a highly qualified and effective professional who works with young children from birth to age eight? Completing an Early Care and Early Childhood Studies degree program prepares you to successfully acquire the knowledge, skills, and dispositions required to pursue a rewarding career working with young children, their families, and the community to promote high-quality developmentally appropriate education and services to all young children. This program will qualify you to seek positions in both public and private schools. Common places of employment for those with a degree that specializes in early childhood education with teacher certification include: child development centers, preschools, kindergartens, elementary school settings, child protective services, and early childhood education coaches.
Learn more about the Bachelors of Science in Early Care and Early Childhood Studies with teacher certification.
Name | Phone (956) | Campus | |
---|---|---|---|
Dr. Irasema Salinas-Gonzalez Assistant Professor |
665-7224 | irasema.gonzalez@utrgv.edu | Edinburg EEDUC 2.606 |
UTRGV’s Bachelor of Science in Early Care and Early Childhood Studies (ECECS) is a non-certification program which prepares highly skilled professionals for meaningful careers that focus on early childhood development. Research increasingly underscores the importance of early childhood education and development which has led to the increasing demand for high quality early care and education and an increasing demand for early childhood specialists in a variety of early childhood settings. Early childhood specialists have a tremendous influence on shaping young children’s future by helping them to thrive, learn, and transition successfully to elementary school and by advocating for quality early care.
Learn more about the Bachelor of Science in Early Care and Early Childhood Studies non-certification program.
Name | Phone (956) | Campus | |
---|---|---|---|
Dr. Vejoya Viren Associate Professor |
882-8886 | vejoya.viren@utrgv.edu | Brownsville BMAIN 2.106 |
Become a certified elementary teacher! With this degree and specialization, you can teach children who are learning academic content in both English and Spanish. Bilingual education teachers help support children as they become fluent and literate in two languages. Proficiency in Spanish is required to enter this program. This certification is in high demand across the Rio Grande Valley, Texas, and the United States!
Learn more about the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies in Elementary Education with Bilingual Education specialization.
Name | Phone (956) | Campus | |
---|---|---|---|
Patricia Robles, M.Ed. Associate Professor in Practice |
665-2645 | patricia.robles01@utrgv.edu | Edinburg EEDUC 2.612 |
Become a certified elementary teacher! Rio Grande Valley teachers work with second language learners on a daily basis. With this degree and specialization, you will have the expertise to teach children who come to school speaking a language other than English and who need to learn English as a second language while they are learning academic content.
Learn more about the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies in Elementary Education with English as a Second Language specialization.
Name | Phone (956) | Campus | |
---|---|---|---|
Patricia Robles, M.Ed. Associate Professor in Practice |
665-2645 | patricia.robles01@utrgv.edu | Edinburg EEDUC 2.612 |
The Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies in Elementary Education with Special Education program leads to a profession, which requires an occupational license as defined under Texas Occupations Code 58.001 This requires that all applicants seeking to become licensed must undergo a criminal background check prior to licensure. Students in this program should check with the College of Education and P-16 Integration on the requirements for a criminal background check prior to student teaching.
Learn more about the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies in Elementary Education with Special Education specialization.
Name | Phone (956) | Campus | |
---|---|---|---|
Julia Pecina, M.Ed. Associate Professor |
358-1976 | julia.pecina@utrgv.edu | Edinburg EEDUC 1.632 |
Minors
The All Level/Secondary minor consists of 21-hour education courses that lead teacher certification.
Learn more about the Secondary/All Level minor program.
Name | Phone (956) | Campus | |
---|---|---|---|
Dr. Criselda Garcia Associate Professor |
665-3448 | criselda.garcia@utrgv.edu | Edinburg EEDUC 3.102G |
Are you interested in becoming a highly qualified and effective professional who teaches children from birth to age eight? Completing an early childhood education degree program prepares you to successfully acquire the knowledge, skills, and dispositions required to pursue a rewarding career working with young children, their families, and the community to promote high-quality education and services to all young children. This program will qualify you to seek positions in both public and private schools. Common places of employment for those with a degree that specializes in early childhood education include: child development centers, preschools, kindergartens, elementary school settings, child protective services, and early childhood education coaches.
Learn more about the Early Care and Early Childhood Studies minor program.
Name | Phone (956) | Campus | |
---|---|---|---|
Dr. Irasema Salinas-Gonzalez Assistant Professor |
665-7224 | irasema.gonzalez@utrgv.edu | Edinburg EEDUC 2.606 |
The minor in Educational Technology prepares students in K-12, higher education, corporate, and military settings to develop the skills and knowledge necessary for the digital learning environments and classrooms of tomorrow. Graduates of this program will have a much better understanding of the uses of technology and how they can be applied in face-to-face, hybrid, and fully online instructional/training settings.
Learn more about the Educational Technology minor program.
Name | Phone (956) | Campus | |
---|---|---|---|
Dr. Rene Corbeil Professor |
882-7540 | rene.corbeil@utrgv.edu | Brownsville BMAIN 1.318 |
The minor in Leadership Studies allows for the exploration and study of leadership philosophies, theories and practices for the purpose of building interpersonal, group management, problem solving, critical thinking, decision making, motivation and communication skills through the study of leadership as a reflective process. Courses include service learning opportunities, and practical application opportunities. The Leadership Studies minor complements all majors and degree programs.
Learn more about the Leadership Studies minor program.
Name | Phone (956) | Campus | |
---|---|---|---|
Dr. Criselda Garcia Associate Dean for Initial Preparation Programs and Academic Affairs |
665-3448 | criselda.garcia@utrgv.edu | Edinburg EEDUC 3.102G |
How do people learn to read? What’s involved in comprehending text? How do you teach children to read? Reading is both an academic and practical field of study which speaks to multiple disciplines. Understanding what reading is, how people learn to read, and the role that reading plays in multiple disciplines is not just for a subject for education and people learning to be teachers, but also for any field interested in children, learning, and how the brain works.
The reading minor is intended to provide students with an understanding of the theory, research, and practical applications related to reading and literacy development and education in pre-K-12 monolingual, bilingual, and multilingual contexts.
Learn more about the Reading minor program.
Name | Phone (956) | Campus | |
---|---|---|---|
Dr. Isela Almaguer Professor |
665-3630 | isela.almaguer@utrgv.edu | Edinburg EDUC 2.632 |
How do you teach bilingual learners at the middle and high school level? This minor develops expertise in teaching secondary bilingual education students. While any undergraduate can take this minor, it is ideal for people pursuing All Level or Secondary teaching certification. Some courses will be taught bilingually or in Spanish.
Learn more about the Secondary Education minor program.
Name | Phone (956) | Campus | |
---|---|---|---|
Patricia Robles, M.Ed. Assistant Professor in Practice |
665-2645 | patricia.robles01@utrgv.edu | Edinburg EEDUC 2.612 |
By participating in this program of study, students will have the unique opportunity to work with faculty in special education, which have strong teaching and research interests in the area of disabilities studies. This minor encourages students to think innovatively about their own roles in improving outcomes for children and adults with disabilities, no matter their future profession or past background.
Learn more about the Special Education minor program.
Name | Phone (956) | Campus | |
---|---|---|---|
Mrs. Julia Pecina Associate Professor |
358-1976 | julia.pecina@utrgv.edu | Edinburg EEDUC 1.632 |
The minor in Technology Education and Corporate Training prepares students to develop the skills needed to assess the training needs of adult learners; develop online and face-to-face training sessions using innovative technologies; become a consultant, leader, and/or supervisor to meet the growing adult learning needs in healthcare, industry, computer information systems, education, government, and other fields. Students who complete four TECT courses earn a Technology Training certificate.
Learn more about the Technology Education and Corporate Training minor program.
Name | Phone (956) | Campus | |
---|---|---|---|
Dr. Rene Corbeil Professor |
882-7540 | rene.corbeil@utrgv.edu | Brownsville BMAIN 1.318 |