Special Education (MED/MS)

Contact your previous institution(s) and request that they send your official transcripts to your graduate coordinator.

• We recommend that you request transcripts for all of your academic work.

All international transcripts must be evaluated and the evaluation submitted to the Graduate School.

We accept evaluations sent directly from the following Agencies.

• If a normal evaluation is submitted, official original transcripts with all marksheets will still need to be submitted.
• If a WES ICAP or equivalent is submitted, we will not need the official transcripts to be submitted separately.

Request three signed letters of recommendation, on letterhead, from professionals who can attest to your goals and ability to succeed in the program.

• At least one of the references should hold a doctoral degree.

Those individuals should

• Email the letter to your graduate coordinator or
• Send the letter to you. Then, you will utilize the upload system: myLeo > Apps > Check Admissions Application Status & Test Scores

Submit a statement of educational and professional goals of 500 words or less on the following prompt:

• Discuss your educational and professional goals and how you believe this graduate degree will help you achieve them.

Submit a resume or curriculum vitae (CV) which includes your academic and professional history and achievements.

• Go to the Educator Certification page on MarketPlace
  • Click Educator Professional Fee
  • Click the shopping cart plus icon
  • Fill in your personal information to be associated with the fee and click “Continue”
• Go back to the Educator Certification page on MarketPlace
  • Click TEA Assessment Fee
  • Click the shopping cart plus icon
  • Complete your payment
• Download and save your receipts to upload to TK20

You will need to have the following documents ready for upload in order to submit the application:

• Certification fee receipt
• TEA Assessment fee receipt
• Teaching service record
  • A minimum of zero years of experience is required for admission to the master's degree-seeking path for educational diagnostician. If you do not have a completed year of service yet, please submit a letter of explanation in TK20 in place of your service record. The application will not submit if this required attachment is missing.
• Standard Texas Teaching Certificate
  • Note: Candidates on emergency permits, intern or probationary certificates will not be admitted.
• Official transcripts from the Graduate Office will be reviewed by the certification office.
  • Official transcripts from all institutions must be submitted to the Graduate School in order to satisfy TEA certification admission requirements.
  • A minimum GPA of 3.0 on a conferred master's degree or a minimum GPA of 2.75 on a conferred bachelor's degree is required for certification admission. Please note that certification admission requirements may differ from those of the Graduate School and are separate requirements.

If applicable:

• TEA Transfers
  • If you have previously been admitted to another educator preparation program for educational diagnostician certification.
  • Request that a completed TEA transfer form be sent from your previous program to [email protected].
• Transcripts from outside the United States
  • Contact [email protected] for any questions about TEA requirements for transcripts from outside the United States.
  • If your official transcripts are from institutions outside the United States and the country of origin is not exempt by TEA, send the following documentation to [email protected]:
    • A course-by-course evaluation from a TEA-approved Foreign Credential Evaluation Service
    • Minimum scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT). Please note that TOEFL scores are only valid for a period of two years. Required minimum scores are 24 for Speaking, 22 for Listening, 22 for Reading and 21 for Writing.
      • As of 3/4/2022, a valid standard Texas educator certificate will be accepted in lieu of TOEFL iBT scores.

• Go to tamuc.tk20.com
• Scroll down and click “Admissions”
• Select “Click here to create your account.”

• Complete the “Create Applicant Account” form.
• Note: You will be creating a password for this account.
• Store the password you create in a secure location so you can refer to it later.
• After completing the “Create Applicant Account” form, TK20 will provide your username.
• Store your TK20 username and password in a secure location so you can refer to them later.
  • You will use the username to log in to review your admission application once submitted.

• Log into your TK20 account
  • Click on the “back to login” link.
  • Enter your username and password.
  • Click the green “Log Into Your Account” button.

• Click on the “Create New Application” button.

• Select “Educational Diagnostician” application
• Click the “Next” button.

• Complete the application.

• Upload documents by clicking on the “+ Select File(s)” button for the item you are uploading.
• Once you have completed all fields in the application, click the “Submit” button.

• Look for an email from TK20 confirming your submission.

To check your application status:

1. Log in to your TK20 Student Admissions account
2. On the “Home” tab, locate your application under “Recent Messages”
3. Click on the application.
4. If you are admitted, the message will indicate your application was “Admitted”
5. If you lack admission requirements, the message will indicate “Denied.”
   • Click on “Review Document” to view your deficiencies and reason(s) for denial.

Once both the Graduate School and Certification Program Applications are complete, the Educational Diagnostician Program Director will reach out to schedule an interview. Interview days are typically scheduled on a monthly basis.

Once accepted, please sign and return the “letter of invitation.”