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Urban Education

Contact Us

UHD Department of
Urban Education

Address: 1002 Commerce Street Houston, TX 77002
Office: C-440
Phone: 713-222-5349
Fax: 713-223-7446

Ashwini Tiwari, Ph.D.
Chair of the Department of Urban Education

Elizabeth Stackhouse, Ph.D.
Assistant Chair of the Department of Urban Education

Bernardo Pohl, Ph.D.
Assistant for Graduate Studies

 

Urban Education Handbook 2024 - 2025

 

Vision Statement

"As a premier Education Program, we aim to ensure the highest level of educator preparation through excellence in pedagogy and evidence-based high-impact practices. We are committed to strengthening justice, equity, opportunity, accessibility, and student success. We aspire to transform future educators into leaders of tomorrow, determined to contribute to the rich and diverse cultural and linguistic contexts that define our schools and community."

Why Choose Our Teacher Education Program?

women standing with her arms crossed and smiling in a classroom with young students.

The Core Subjects EC-6 with Bilingual Supplemental certification are for those interested in teaching early childhood through grade 6 bilingual classrooms. Degree Plan

The Core Subjects EC-6 with ESL Supplemental certification are for those interested in teaching early childhood through grade 6 classrooms. Degree Plan

The Core Subjects EC-6 with EC-12 Special Education and ESL Supplemental certification are for those interested in teaching early childhood through 12th grade special education classrooms. Degree Plan

The Core Subjects 4-8 with ESL Supplemental certification are for those interested in teaching upper elementary classrooms through middle school grade levels. Degree Plan

For students majoring in English, History, Math, or Science. Secondary Teacher Preparation Program

For students interested in pursing a Master's Degree. Master of Arts in Teaching

For those with a bachelor's degree interested in teaching, but not pursuing a master's degree. Alternative Certification Program

Professional Development Sequence
TExES Certification Testing
Emeritus Max Castillo

New Urban Education Scholarship

The Emeritus Max Castillo Scholarship was founded in honor of former UHD President Max Castillo. As such, the scholarship is open to undergraduate preservice teachers admitted to the UE program.

The scholarship provides $1,100 once a year for the fall semester, and it should be used towards tuition, books, fees, and/or supplies for the upcoming academic semester.

For More Information on the Emeritus Max Castillo Scholarship

UHD Admission Requirements

UHD admission requirements must be met before admission to the College of Public Service. Below are the requirements for UHD:

  • Minimum 2.0 GPA
  • 15 hours
  • Admit students throughout the year

Teacher Education Program Admission Requirements

  • minimum 2.5 overall GPA (including grades from all colleges/universities attended)
  • Successful completion (with a grade of "C" or higher) in all of the following within the last 12 hours before the PDs: College Algebra or higher Math, Composition I and II, Life and Physical Science component, American History Component.
  • Formal application to the program and interview

Ready to Apply?

  • Apply online at Apply Texas.
  • Submit final official transcripts from all schools attended.
  • Await instructions from the Admissions Office regarding acceptance, orientation and advising which are mandatory before you can enroll.

CPS students, whether officially declared or not, are provided with guidance by their designated Academic Success Coordinator, who can be found in the CPS Advising Center located in room C-420 of the Commerce Street Building.

More Information

TEACH For Houston

Application Support

Our friends at the nonprofit TEACH for Houston have free tools and resources to make applying to UHD's undergraduate teaching programs easier and more affordable! Create a free account [link] to use UHD's free interactive application checklist on TEACHforHouston.org, and you'll also gain access to:

  • $100 fee reimbursement towards application and testing expenses.
  • 1-on-1 expert advice for any question along the way.
  • How-to guides for eligibility, applications, testing and finances.
  • A chance to win a $1,000 scholarship toward tuition.
Sign Up Today!

Helpful Links

Wondering about your Application status?

Educator Certification and Standards conducts studies about teacher demographics, teacher attrition and retention, teacher shortages, mathematics and science teachers and administrators in Texas.

College of Public Service Transfer Guides for prospective Transfer Students.

The following link will help you on Fee information for scademic school years.

UHD Veterans Services assists veterans, reservists, guardsmen, and dependents of disabled or deceased veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Professional licensure disclosure: The educator preparation program within the department of Urban Education at the University of Houston-Downtown provides a curriculum that prepares students to meet the state of Texas certification/licensure requirements. The university has not yet determined whether the curriculum meets the licensure requirements for all 50 states. Please consult the following website to determine the teacher certification reciprocity between the state of Texas and other states: https://www.teachercertificationdegrees.com/reciprocity/

We hope this information is useful to you. If you have any specific questions, please do not hesitate to ask at our link, and our friendly and professional staffers will be happy to assist you. Thank you again for your interest in UHD and the College of Public Service! Let us know how we can help you along your journey to attain your educational goals!