UT Tyler School of Education

Master of Education in Special Education with Two Specialty Tracks - Online:

Educational Diagnostician Certification (For Texas Educators Only)

OR

Behavior Specialist with UT Tyler Certification

The Special Education master’s degree program has two specialty tracks that students can select. The first is the educational diagnostician track and the second is the behavior specialist track. Each specialty track is a 36-hour degree program with specific course sequence, benchmark assessments, and practicum experience. Students are prepared to practice in accordance with the Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators adopted by the Council for Exceptional Children. Our educational diagnostician curriculum has been aligned with state standards and we share accountability with our candidates for their performance on the Texas Examination of Educator Standards (TExES). Our educational diagnostician program is aligned with the Advanced Special Education Diagnostician Specialist Standards set forth by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). Our behavior specialist program is aligned with the Advanced Specialty Set: Special Education Behavior Intervention Specialist set forth by the CEC.

Master of Education in Special Education

Complete coursework online
Graduate in 24 months
M.Ed.= 36 hour program
Based on academic year 2023-2024 TExES scores, TExES passing rates among the best in Texas with 100% pass rate putting our graduates among the best prepared in Texas.
Currently employed full-time, K-12 teachers are eligible for up to $200 off the first graduate semester by applying for the Teachers in Excellence Scholarship. Awards are limited and are available on a first come, first served basis.

Deadlines:

We will begin accepting applications for the May 2025 cohort beginning September 1, 2024. Applications will be accepted until March 1, 2025. All application materials, including GRE scores if you do not meet the GRE waiver, must be received no later than March 15, 2025 and all admission interviews must be completed no later than March 31, 2025 to be considered for the May 2025 cohort.

Applications submitted after March 1, 2025 or incomplete applications after March 15, will not be considered for the 2025 cohort and you will need to reapply to be considered for the 2026 cohort. Application fees are non-refundable.

All completed applications will be reviewed monthly through March 2025.

Application Submission Process:

First:

Start by applying through our online application. Once your application has been accepted and processed, you will receive your student ID through email.

Then:

After you have received your student ID, submit a completed reference request form. Provide the name and email address for three people you would like to complete a reference form for you. Please provide professional references including your current principal if you are employed, or your former principal if you are not employed.
After you have received your student ID, complete the Department Information Sheet and Statement of Purpose. The Statement of Purpose prompt is as follows:
- Placing students with disabilities in general education classrooms is not without its critics and proponents. Please share your thoughts on this type of special education placement in public schools. In the statement, include a minimum of two scholarly sources to support your position (not to exceed approximately one typewritten page).
Send all of the following directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions at the address below:
- All OFFICIAL academic transcripts reflecting the reception of a bachelor's degree and any other relevant undergraduate and graduate coursework.
- GRE scores obtained in the past five years. The GRE scores will be waived if your last 60 hours GPA is 3.25 or higher or if you have a previous master's degree with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- Copy of your Texas teacher certification
- Copy of your complete teacher service record, obtained from each of the district's Human Resources office.

The Office of Graduate Admissions, HPR 248
The University of Texas at Tyler
3900 University Blvd
Tyler Texas 75799

You may also email documents to gradadmissions@uttyler.edu

Finally:

This program requires an admission interview. Within a week of receipt of all admission documents, you will receive an email providing you a link to our online scheduling system. Once you receive this email, you may schedule a Zoom admission interview. You must wait to receive this email to schedule the admission interview.

In accordance with Texas Administrative Code, all applicants must be fully admitted prior to taking any coursework in the area in which they are seeking certification. Therefore, no provisional admission is allowed.

Criminal History Acknowledgement:

As required by Texas HB1508, applicants need to be aware of the following.

In order to receive an educational diagnostician certification, you must pass a criminal history background check.
If you have been convicted of an offense that is considered not appropriate for an educational diagnostician, you could be ineligible to earn this certification from the state of Texas.
You have a right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the Texas Education Agency. The Texas Education Agency currently charges a $50 fee for this criminal history evaluation.

For more information, see Preliminary Criminal History Evaluation.

Requirements for Admission:

Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited institution of higher education
Texas Teacher Certification (any field)
Have an appropriate GPA in degree plan as set by Texas Administrative Code and other administrative units.
Admission is determined based on undergraduate GPA and, if necessary, satisfactory scores on the GRE in combination with the undergraduate GPA, successful admission interview, letters of recommendation, successful completion of the Statement of Purpose, and the applicant’s demonstrated commitment to his or her chosen field of study.
The applicant must either have a GPA of 3.25 or higher on the last 60 hours or earn at least 5 points from the following table:

GPA	Points Awarded	GRE Verbal	Points Awarded	GRE Quantitative	Points Awarded
3.000-3.249	3	151 +	3	141 +	1
2.750-2.999	2	148-150	2
2.500-2.749	1	146-147	1

Additional Information:

*Note: Students admitted to the program must pay a $250 admission fee to the School of Education Educator Preparation Program. This fee helps cover practicum supervision expenses. This fee is used to supplement program resources (i.e. needed assessment materials) and practicum supervision expenses.

Transfer of Credit/Experience:

In compliance with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and in accordance with the policies of the UT Tyler Graduate School, transfer of graduate credit from an accredited institution is limited to nine (9) hours for the master’s degree. All transfer credit must have been completed with a grade of “B” or better, completed within the last seven years, and approved by the degree-granting program. Transfer credits should be evaluated and approved during the first semester. The course being transferred into a degree program should be a direct equivalent to the course within the degree program. Students who have extended work experiences that cover the content of a course should work with their advisor and Director of the School to determine if those work experiences cover course content. Students should work with their advisor to have courses evaluated for transfer.

Student Testimonials:

Good day Dr. Rueter. I am a previous student of yours; graduate class 2016. As, I recall we spent much of a semester studying dyslexia and completing an evaluation for dyslexia (I think UT Tyler must have been looking into the future of what was coming). This class was very helpful to me as I was one of the few diagnosticians that was familiar with the process once TEA sent it our way.
I am also proud to say that the 3 special education directors that interviewed me were VERY impressed with the UT Tyler program. They said I was able to answer questions that seasoned diagnosticians were not able to answer. One of the directors said they interviewed 6 people from other diagnostician programs that day and, "were not impressed." I told them that our program was rigorous but prepares students to hit the floor running from day one!
I’ve been meaning to tell you and Dr. Dykes that I have accepted a diagnostician position…The executive director of special services made the comment in my interview that they need to start recruiting more UT Tyler graduates. That is a huge compliment to the both of you more than it is me! Thank you for all you’ve done to prepare me for this role.
I wanted to let both of you know that I passed my test and have received a job offer from my district which I have accepted. Our director of special ed had some very nice things to say about the program at UT Tyler. She said that the students coming from your program have a depth of knowledge that many diagnosticians don't have even after five years of working in the field. That is a fine testament to your hard work and dedication to your students. I appreciate all you have done for me and all you have taught me. Thank you!
Dr. R….you are a tough teacher, but that should be a source of pride. Every day that I do my job I am thankful for you and Frank Dykes. You both may have been tough, and a few choice words may have been uttered over the course of our cohort, BUT…it was all worth it. The requirements, the struggle, and the indecision made us crazy, but I now understand there was a purpose. After the UT Tyler diagnostician gauntlet, I entered the educational diagnostician world prepared and quite knowledgeable. Any student who has the opportunity to learn from you two should soak up each word of your knowledge, appreciate your passion and trust the system. You guys have developed a quality program of which I am proud to say I am a graduate. THANK YOU BOTH!
Well, I have definitely embraced my job as a diagnostician, and I really enjoy the work of helping children, parents, and even testing older adults! It has been so rewarding. Each client is unique. I recommend your program all the time! I love that you have designed the courses for dyslexia assessment. That's invaluable. I know I certainly learned so much from my time in the program, especially from you!

Contact:

For Educational Diagnostician Program Information:

Dr. Jessica Rueter
Email: jrueter@uttyler.edu (Preferred method of contact)
Phone: 903.565.5544

For Behavior Specialist Program Information:

Dr. Staci Zolkoski
Email: szolkoski@uttyler.edu (Preferred method of contact)
Phone: 903.565.5612

For Admission Information:

Email: SOEgraduate@uttyler.edu (Preferred method of contact)
Phone: 903.566.7361

For complaints about this certification educator preparation program, please follow the policy outlined in the Certification Program's Complaint Policy.