Named for Sam Houston, SHSU continually strives to honor it's historical roots through academic excellence that includes exceptional teaching from faculty members who care as much about their students' success as they do about furthering the knowledge of their fields. While embracing its legacy, SHSU also strives to meet the needs of contemporary students, both traditional and online. SHSU offers 80 degree programs, more than 50 master's degree programs and six doctoral programs. SHSU is classified as a "Doctoral Research University" by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education and was recently recognized by U.S. News and World Report for being among the best in the country for online graduate programs.
Teachers prepared at Sam Houston State University have one of the highest retention rates in the state. We consistently report a minimum of 83 percent or more teachers staying in the field for five years or more. This is a testament to the strength of the teacher preparation program.
Each year, principals across the state are asked to complete a survey indicating the level of preparedness that they see in first year teachers. SHSU-prepared teachers consistently score above the state average in principal satisfaction. The most recent survey indicated a SHSU rating of 81 percent, while the state average was 73 percent.
Students at Sam Houston State University have reduced the cost of their program using these methods. Check with Sam Houston State University to see if you can, too!
Amount
Description
Loan Forgiveness
Teach Grant programs offer $4,000 per year for students majoring in high needs areas. To qualify, you must serve as a full-time teacher for at least four academic years at a low-income school.
Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (6-12) Art (Pre-K-12) Bilingual Education / Spanish Supplemental Core Subjects (4-8) Core Subjects (Pre-K-6) Dance (6-12) English Language Arts and Reading (4-8) English Language Arts and Reading (7-12) English Language Arts and Reading / Social Studies (4-8) English as a Second Language Supplemental Family & Consumer Sciences (6-12) Gifted & Talented Supplemental Health (Pre-K-12) History (7-12) Journalism (7-12) Life Science (7-12) Mathematics (4-8) Mathematics (7-12) Mathematics / Science (4-8) Music (Pre-K-12)
Physical Education (Pre-K-12) Physics / Science (6-12) Science (4-8) Science (7-12) Social Studies (4-8) Social Studies (7-12) Spanish (Pre-K-12) Special Education (Pre-K-12) Special Education Supplemental Speech (7-12) Technology Education (6-12) Theatre (Pre-K-12) Trade & Industrial Education (6-12)
Program Semesters/Steps Overview
Complete courses and field experiences in Early Childhood, Reading, Bilingual, ESL, Special Education and Elementary or Middle Level Education.
Complete Literacy and Content Methods blocks, pass TExES content and pedagogy certification exams, complete student teaching and graduate.
Program Hallmarks
Each cohort will engage in four semesters of field experience aligned to standards and coursework. Field experiences will be progressive, beginning with one day a week in the field, then two, then three, and finally five days a week.
All teacher candidates will be placed in cohorts. Throughout the semester, each cohort will be placed in urban, suburban and rural small and large school settings. All candidates will have opportunities in the field in Title I schools and will work with diverse student populations.
A collaborative effort has been made to match highly qualified mentor teachers with teacher candidates in this program. University faculty site coordinators meet with district administration and campus principals during the matching process. In addition, the university offers coaching professional development to all mentor teachers four times during the year. Collaborating with district partners on matching mentor teachers with clinical teachers is a primary goal of this program.
Each year, the SHSU College of Education hosts Bring 'em Back Kats, a day of professional development and celebration of the successes of our SHSU Bearkat teachers. Faculty from the College facilitate an engaging day that brings recent alumni together to hear their successes and provide support where there are opportunities for professional growth. This day is an example of the ongoing relationships and the dedication to lifelong learning by both Bearkat faculty as well as graduates.
Candidates are provided 600-720 hours of field experience, including clinical teaching, that is aligned to coursework, state and national standards and best practices in pedagogy. Data, from multiple sources, is used to make program and course improvements. Students have multiple ways to communicate while in the program. First, they evaluate the professor and program for every course taught in education. Also, open forums are provided usually once or twice a year for students to ask questions and provide feedback. Their capstone portfolio includes a reflection of the quality of their preparation.
Stats
Gender
Male
Female
7%
93%
Ethnicity
American Indian or Alaskan Native
Asian
Black
Hispanic/Latino
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
1%
1%
12%
19%
0%
62%
5%
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