Criteria for Admission to ACU Teacher Education

In accordance with Texas state law, the ACU Teacher Education Program has established the following criteria for admission to Teacher Education. Before taking more than 6 hours of EDUC courses, you must first be admitted to the Teacher Education Program. To be admitted to the you must:

• Complete and submit an application for admission into the Teacher Education Program;
• Be enrolled in or have completed the first 45 semester hours of credit;
  Successfully complete with a C or better 12 hours in the candidate’s chosen content field;
• Have a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.7 (2.7 or higher in the content field);
• Complete 6 hours of University Core English with no grade lower than a “C” (In order to maintain admission status the candidate must earn a C or better in all core English courses.);
• Pass all three sections of the Texas Higher Education Assessment (THEA) test, with a score on the reading section of 260 or higher, a score on the math section of 230 or higher and a score on the writing section of 240 or higher; Students may retake the THEA once if the required level is not earned in the first administration. Acceptance of scores from a third administration of the THEA are subject to review by the Teacher Education Admissions Committee;
• Be enrolled in or successfully complete (C or better) EDUC 211 - Educational Foundations and Multicultural Perspectives (If admitted before completion of EDUC 211, admission will be contingent upon completing the course with a C or better. In the event that the student does not complete this course successfully, admission to the program will be suspended until this requirement is fulfilled.)
• Successfully complete the ACU Teacher Education formal writing sample administered in EDUC 211;
• Successfully complete first submission of the Teacher Education E-portfolio as described in the ACU Teacher Education Student Handbook;
• A declared major that includes certification.
• Receive approval from the Teacher Education Admissions and Review Committee. An interview with the committee may be required.

Any exemptions or modification to the above requirements due to special circumstances must be requested through the chair of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. All requests will be reviewed and must be approved by the Teacher Education Admissions and Review Committee. In addition, admission to teacher education is not the final step in the process. In order to remain in the program, the prospective teacher must continue to meet the GPA requirement (2.7). Approval to take Education Block classes (411/412 and 431/432) and to enroll in student teaching must be obtained from the Teacher Education Admissions and Review Committee before enrolling in those classes.

Additional requirements for maintaining program admission status:

• In order to remain in the Teacher Education Program, an overall GPA of 2.7, 2.7 in the content field, and continued approval of the Teacher Education Admissions Committee must be maintained.
• A grade of C or better is required for all majors courses.
• Junior and senior transfer students must take the THEA and be admitted to the Teacher Education Program during their first semester at Abilene Christian University to continue in professional education course work. Arrangements to take the THEA should be made as quickly as possible by contacting the Office of Career and Academic Development.