The UTEP Master Teacher Academies
For Questions about this program email or contact Dr. Giza at
The University of Texas at El Paso
Department of Teacher Education
Phone: (915) 747-6655
Website: http://www.masterteacheracademies.org
Email: bhgiza@utep.edu or carolyn@utep.edu
Email is the best way to contact Dr. Giza - avoid calling him as he is out of the office during the summer.
Applying for Graduate School at UTEP
Applying for graduate school at UTEP is an essential part of the process for participating in the UTEP Master Teacher academies program (the UTEP THECB MSSTPA Cycle 3 program). Time is short, and applicants should begin the online graduate school application process as soon as they can, including obtaining their undergraduate transcripts (especially if they did not attend UTEP). They need NOT pay the application fee at this time - in some cases that will be picked up by a district or some other entity, so there is no single answer that we can give you here.
Here is the link to the UTEP Graduate School Teacher Education Application system: https://apply.embark.com/grad/UTEP/18/ (begin by creating an account, then apply for the Masters of Education Instrucitonal Specialist degree). Although you may not need to contact them in this application process, for your convenience we are providing contact information for the UTEP graduate school:
Attention Ignacio Ronquillo
UTEP Graduate School
Academic Services Bldg., Room 223
500 West University Ave.
El Paso, TX 79968-0566
Phone (915)-747-5491, through e-mail at gradschool@utep.edu
Application process checklist
Master Teacher Academies Application Eligibility Checklist. This Checklist is for helping you prepare your documents for the application process. The program application can be completed from THIS LINK (Inactive as of July 27, 2009). The UTEP Application for Graduate school may be accessd from THIS LINK (Inactive as of July 27, 2009).
There are a number of factors that govern eligibility to participate in the UTEP Master Teacher Academies (MSTTPA Cycle 3 Program). Some pertain to eligibility to participate in the program under Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board rules; others pertain to eligibility to be admitted to the UTEP Teacher Education graduate school. You must be eligible in all categories. This checklist will guide you and list the documents that you need in each area.
Specifically a participant in an Academy program must be: (1) an experienced teacher who: (A) is recommended by a school district; and (B) has at least TWO years experience teaching mathematics, science, or technology in assignments for which the teacher met all certification requirements. Furthermore, they must be admitted to the UTEP Teacher Education Masters program of study (UTEP graduate school) and file and follow a degree plan in one of these areas: Mathematics Education, Science Education, or Educational Technology. (e.g. Masters of Education, Instructional Specialist degree in one of these areas).
The program pays $2,400 per year in tuition and provides other support for specific courses in your degree program of study. These courses count towards both the Masters degree and towards Master Teacher Certification in your content area (mathematics, science, or technology). These courses are pedagogy-related and the program provides a series of forty content-related Saturday workshops over two years in which you must agree to participate. The program provides additional resources to participants such as technology and very small stipends to cover the cost of attending the Saturday / summer workshops.
Finally, to be nominated by your district you must agree to continue to work for them in a teaching assignment related to mathematics, science, or technology for two years. We shall begin admitting a cohort of 50 teachers to this 2-year program beginning with the Fall semester 2009.
Checkbox | Item | Comment and documentation needed |
| | I am a Texas certified teacher. | THECB requirement: We need a copy of your service record so that we may look up your proof of certification online. |
| | I have held Texas teaching certification for over two years. | THECB requirement: We need a copy of your service record. |
| | I am employed as a teacher for one of the following districts: Canutillo ISD, El Paso ISD, Ysleta ISD. | THECB requirement: We need a copy of your service record. |
| | I have been assigned to teach in a mathematics, science, or technology-related content area for the last two years or more. | THECB requirement: We need a copy of your service record. |
| | I have not been a participant in the UTEP Sabemas program. | THECB requirement: One program per participant - Sabemas was a prior program |
| | I have obtained an electronic or paper copy of my official undergraduate transcript. | UTEP requirement: We need a copy of your undergraduate transcript (UTEP students and certain other university graduates may use the online system and send this to the UTEP graduate admissions program electronically). |
| | I have an Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or above. | UTEP requirement: We need a copy of your undergraduate transcript - the last 60 hours of your UG degree are the ones counted for this GPA calculation. |
| | I have Proof of citizenship or permanent resident status. | UTEP requirement: This government-funded program is for Texas residents & US citizens. A Government-issued ID card, Passport or similar documentation is required for proving that you meet the eligibility for Texas resident tuition. |
| | I have records of resident history for last two years (military spouses may contact the registrars office to establish residency). | UTEP requirement: Utility bills or a variety of other documents may be used for evidence of eligibility for Texas resident tuition. |
| | I have written a letter of interest as part of my application to UTEP graduate school. | UTEP requirement: This is part of the grad school application process. However, because you will be nominated by your district the usual letters of recommendation requirement for the grad school application has been waived |
| | I have applied for the Master Teacher Academies program with my district and agreed to teach for them for two years if admitted to the program. | Program requirement: The application process varies by district. They will provide us with a list of recommended candidates based upon your application to them. |
District Contact Persons: Canutillo ISD: Sylvia Gonzalez; El Paso ISD: Erline Gordon; Ysleta ISD: Ron Livermore
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