Graduate Programs

Austin College Bulletin 2022-2023

Austin College currently offers a Master of Arts in Teaching offered by the Austin Teacher Program (ATP) in the Education Department.

• Graduate Austin Teacher Program

Admission Information

Admission to the graduate phase of the Austin Teacher Program acknowledges the student’s potential for graduate professional study and initial certification. Students submit application materials when they are enrolled in Education 475. Admission is determined by the ATP Admissions Committee comprised of faculty members from various departments of the college as well as ATP faculty.

Requirements for Admission to the Graduate Program

1. Satisfactory completion of Education 475 with a grade of B- or better;
2. Successful instructor teaching evaluation in Education 475;
3. Acceptable to exemplary rating on ATP Competencies;
4. Completion of all undergraduate certification requirements including general education and teaching field(s);
5. A bachelor’s degree from Austin College or another institution and official transcripts of all undergraduate credits earned at any institution of higher education;
6. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.75 in all courses at the undergraduate level and 2.75 in the major area or teaching field(s);
7. Three recommendations, generally including at least one Austin College faculty member in the student’s major or certification field and a recommendation from an ATP faculty member with whom they have worked;
8. Proof of oral proficiency; key ATP competencies assessment based on recommendation rated as proficient (see #7);
9. Completion of the Austin College writing, quantitative, and foreign language competencies;
10. If the GPA is lower than 2.75, candidates can provide documentation of expertise through providing two letters of support from faculty in their certification field or a field that closely supports their teaching field. These appeal documents should be submitted along with the application;
11. Approval by the Austin Teacher Program Advisory and Admission Committee.

Note: Appeals will not be considered for a GPA below 2.5. All decisions of the ATP Admissions Committee are final.

Note: Students may petition to take up to a maximum of three graduate courses prior to formal admission to the graduate program. Education 475 is a prerequisite to all graduate courses or instructor permission must be sought. Students must be in good academic and social standing, and their requests must be approved by their ATP advisor as well as the program chair.

Contingency Admission to ATP

Students apply for admission to the ATP as part of Education 475, and may receive a contingency admission for the semester before graduation if they meet the following requirements:

1. Satisfactory completion of Education 475 with a grade of B- or better;
2. Successful instructor teaching evaluation in Education 475;
3. Satisfactory to exemplary rating on ATP Competencies;

4. Overall GPA of at least 2.75 and teaching field GPA of 2.75;
5. SAT, ACT-acceptable score as defined by ATP;
6. Successful teaching evaluations and coursework in undergraduate education sequence (Education 225, 351 & 475);
7. Three recommendations generally including at least one Austin College faculty member in the student’s major or certification field and a recommendation from an ATP faculty member with whom they have worked;
8. Proof of oral proficiency; key ATP competencies assessment based on recommendation rated as proficient (see #7);
9. Completion of the Austin College writing, quantitative, and foreign language competencies;
10. If the GPA is lower than 2.75, candidates can provide documentation of expertise through providing two letters of support from faculty in their certification field or a field that closely supports their teaching field.  These appeal documents should be submitted along with the application.
11. Applications will generally not be considered for cumulative or content GPAs below 2.5
12. Once the B.A. is conferred, requirements will be checked again, and if all are successfully met, full admission is granted.

Note: All decisions of the ATP Faculty Admissions Committee are final.

Guidelines for program may be modified due to changes from TEA.

Application of Previously Earned Graduate Course Credit

A maximum of two graduate course credit units (equivalent of 8 semester credit hours) from an accredited institution may be applied toward the student’s graduate degree program with the approval of the director of the graduate program and registrar. All transfer graduate courses must have a grade of B or higher to be accepted for graduate requirements.

Other certificate specific requirements are listed on the Austin Teacher Program website.

Graduate Tuition and Fees

Refer to the College Costs section of the Bulletin for graduate tuition and fees as well as other campus costs for housing and meal plans.

Graduate Teaching Fee: For students accepting graduate clinical teaching or internship positions, positions must be within 90 miles of one of the hubs, which are Sherman, Austin, and Houston. Positions over 25 miles from one of the hubs will result in additional supervision fees. Consult the College Costs section of this Bulletin for more information.

General Graduate Degree Requirements

Students must fulfill the following requirements:

• Degree and Residency Course Requirements: Complete a minimum of nine course credit units of which at least seven must be earned at Austin College.
• Minimum Grade Point Average: Earn a 3.00 or better cumulative grade point average or better
• Austin College is an initial certifying agency and cannot grant a MAT degree to anyone already holding any type of teaching certificate.

Graduate-Level Academic Regulations

Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate Courses: Up to three graduate-level courses can be petitioned to be taken at the undergraduate level and count for both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Austin College. Enrollment in and satisfactory completion of graduate courses do not guarantee admission to the graduate program.

Course Load: The maximum course load for a graduate student is three course credit units during the fall, spring, and summer terms. To be considered a full-time graduate student, one must enroll for a minimum of two course credit units during the fall and spring terms and one course credit unit during the summer term.

Time Limit for Completion of Graduate Program: All work that may be counted as credit toward the MAT degree must be completed within a period of two years from the time the student has completed the first graduate course. This time limit may be extended under some circumstances.

Graduate Grading System: The minimum passing grade in the graduate program is C. The grade of D is not used. Students receive letter grades in all graduate courses except Education 570, 571, 580, 581, 590 or 591, which are evaluated as Satisfactory (S) or Unsatisfactory (U). The grade of S in these courses signifies achievement equivalent to an A or B.

Academic Probation, Termination and/or Exit Policy for Graduate Students: Any graduate student whose graduate cumulative grade point average is below 3.00 will be placed on academic probation through the following term. If the grade point average is not raised to at least 3.00 by the end of the one-semester probationary period, the student will be dropped from the program unless an extension of probation is granted by the Academic Standing Committee. Students on academic probation may not register for the Graduate Clinical Teaching Experience (Education 571, 581, or 591). Admitted teacher candidates are expected to successfully complete Austin College and ATP coursework demonstrating proficiency in ATP competencies of collaboration, honesty/integrity, respect, reverence for learning, emotional maturity, reflection, flexibility, responsibility, professionalism, and communication. Students (contingency or formally admitted) who wish to withdraw, must submit in writing the request to the certification officer/department chair with the effective date of removal from the program.

Graduate Teaching: ATP graduate students must pass the TExES content certification examination in order to qualify for graduate teaching. The Pedagogy and Professional Responsibility TExES test is generally taken during the graduate clinical teaching semester or in the first semester of an internship. To be considered for an internship by an ISD Administrator with subsequent contract, the student must have passed the TExES test.

Degree Conferral: Austin College grants a Master of Arts in Teaching for graduate students completing all appropriate degree requirements. The college has three dates when graduate students may complete their master’s degree requirements: May, August, or December graduation. The official date is placed on the diploma and on the student’s permanent record.

Austin College holds a single graduation celebration each year in May. Candidates completing the requirements for a degree during the spring term are expected to participate in baccalaureate and commencement ceremonies. Students who complete their degree requirements at other times of the year are invited to participate in the May commencement.

Normally, only those students who have completed all degree requirements or candidates for summer graduation may participate in the graduation exercises. Candidates approved by the faculty for May graduation who subsequently fail to complete all necessary requirements may participate in that year’s graduation exercises. The actual diploma is mailed after all requirements are satisfied.

Students who are within three course credit units of completing all degree requirements during the summer may participate in graduation exercises. Candidates for summer graduation should consult the Registrar’s Office concerning requirements for participation in graduation exercises.

The college reserves the right to withhold the degree from any student whose conduct or academic standing it regards as unacceptable.

Academic Departments and Courses of Study

For an explanatory statement concerning graduation requirements, see General Graduate Degree Requirements.

Course Numbering: The course number generally reflects the academic level at which the course is offered. January term courses are numbered 100, 200, 300, and 400. Other courses are numbered as follows:

001-099	Participation/proficiency non-credit courses
101-199	Introductory-level work
201-299	Intermediate-level work
301-399	Advanced-level work
401-499	Most advanced courses
500-599	Graduate-level work

Course Credit and Student Load: Unless otherwise indicated, each course listing constitutes one course credit unit. Fractional courses are so indicated. Only those courses listed as repeatable may be taken again for additional credit. Credits presented from other institutions will be converted to course credit units at the rate of four semester hours equal to one course credit unit.