Education Program Options at Sam Houston State University
Sam Houston State University appears in our ranking of the Top 20 Online Master’s in Instructional Design.
Students who want to earn degrees in education in Texas will find several good options at this university. Undergraduate degrees in the College of Education are offered in five areas: Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Leadership, Counselor Education, Language, Literacy and Special Populations and Library Science.
The BA in Interdisciplinary Studies, Teaching and the BS in Interdisciplinary Studies, Teaching, are both 120-to-129 credit hour programs that are offered in a face-to-face delivery only. Students in the EC-6, Special Education EC-12, Bilingual Spanish in EC-6 major in Interdisciplinary Studies. Students in Interdisciplinary Studies 4-8 major in Interdisciplinary Studies but minor in their desired teaching field such as reading or science. Students in the 8-12 program will major in their field of study and minor in secondary education.
There are master’s degree programs at SHSU as well. The MEd in Administration, MEd in Curriculum and Instruction, MEd in Higher Education Administration, MEd in Instructional leadership, MEd in Instructional Systems Design and Technology, MEd in Reading/ Language Arts, and the MEd in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) are all graduate education programs that are offered online. Some of these are offered on campus as well.
The MA in Counseling is a 60 credit-hour counseling program with two specialties: Clinical Mental Health Counseling or Marriage, Couple and Family Therapy. The specialties are taken by choosing play therapy or family and marriage electives and choosing internships with that focus.
The MEd in Comparative and Global Education is a 30 credit-hour on-campus program that consists of an 18-hour core and 12 hours in concentrations. The core component contains courses from an “educational policies foundations perspective” and helps students learn to view issues through historical, cultural, societal and philosophical standpoints. The electives are drawn from areas of higher education, political science, sociology, community health, kinesiology, instructional technology, and international literacy.
The MEd in School Counseling is a 48 credit-hour program designed to prepare graduates to become counselors in the school environment, but it also meets the Texas academic requirements for professional counselor licensure in Texas. Students completing the program will be able to sit for the licensing exam but are not certified until they have completed two years of teaching experience.
The MEd in Special Education and MA in Special Education, (LIDA) are both degrees that are presented only on-campus. The LIDA acronym stands for Low Incidence Disabilities and Autism. It is a blend of special education and applied behavioral analysis. Both degrees may be earned in a thesis or non-thesis track. The Special Education LIDA degree provides the academic requisites to become a board-certified Behavior Analyst. There are, however, other requisites to meet for the certification. Although neither of these degree programs is online, some courses can be completed online.
Sam Houston State University has six education doctorates. These are the Ph.D. in Counselor Education, a 69 credit-hour on-campus program, the EdD in Developmental Education Administration which is an online program, an online EdD in Educational Leadership, an EdD in Higher Education Leadership (available on- campus), the online EdD in Instructional Systems Design and Technology, and the on-campus EdD in Literacy.
Most of the fifteen available education certificates are available online. The exceptions are the Play Therapy Certificate and the Applied Behavioral Analysis Certification.
About Sam Houston State University
This school was founded in 1879 as the first teacher’s college in the southwest. It is the third oldest university in Texas and is named after Texas hero Sam Houston. The university has more than 20,000 students through seven academic colleges and an honors college. There is also a proposed osteopathic medical campus. The College of Criminal Justice is one of the oldest criminal justice degree programs in the country.
The US News and World Report ranks Sam Houston State University as # 230 to #301 in its National University listings. The university has more than 80 bachelor’s programs, 50 master’s degrees and six doctorates as well as a host of certificates. Twenty of its degree programs are offered online. One of its most illustrious alumni is Dan Rather.
Sam Houston State University Accreditation Details
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation
- Specialized Professional Accreditations
- Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs
Sam Houston State University Application Requirements
Students applying as first-time freshmen do so through the ApplyTexas form online. They must arrange for their high schools to submit their official transcripts to the university. Additionally, the testing agency for the SAT or the ACT (whichever test the applicant took) should send those official scores to SHSU. There is a $45 non-refundable application fee.
Graduate students applying to the university apply through the ApplyTexas form as well. They must arrange to have the official transcripts of all undergraduate coursework sent to the university as well as the results of the GMAT or GRE test. Graduate students must pay the application fee of $45 as well. In addition, departments and majors have individual requisites such as letters of recommendation, resumes, and other documents. These requirements may be found on the school website.
Online students follow the same procedures to apply as traditional students.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Undergraduate tuition, including fees, at Sam Houston is $4,148 per semester for 12 credit-hours. The average cost for a semester in a residence hall is $2,260 and meal plans for the same period average $1,970. Books and supplies for one semester are estimated at $500. Additionally, there are miscellaneous fees and personal expenses.
Graduate tuition is $5,069 per semester plus other fees and expenses. Graduate students must factor in living expenses and other costs.
Undergraduate online students are charged a technology fee. That, plus their tuition brings their estimated cost to $5,085 per semester. The estimated cost of tuition and fees for a graduate online student is $6,006.
Students paying the Texas Guaranteed Tuition are charged $5,349. That is more than the regular undergraduate cost, but the tuition is guaranteed not to rise for the duration of their programs.
Most students at state universities need help paying for their degree programs. Students should begin by completing the FAFSA form. The government program awards loans, work-study opportunities, and grants to applicants based on financial need. Texas has several grants for low-income students as well. Some of these are the TEXAS Grant, The Texas Public Education Grant, several profession-specific grants and the TEACH program which helps graduating teachers pay back their loans if they agree to work for a time in low-income and high-demand populations.
Sam Houston State University has a number of grants and scholarships available for students that excel in academics and have a degree of financial need. There are general school scholarships, grants for people in certain departments or professional training and for those in certain populations as well as in extracurricular activities. All of these may be found by searching the school website. Additionally, there are private funds that are provided by individuals, service organizations or even corporations. These may be located through an Internet search.
Student loans are a resource, but students should take care to avoid excessive debt. Part-time work or work-study opportunities allow students to earn money toward their educations while getting valuable work experience. Students uncertain of how to pay for their education programs at Sam Houston State University should schedule an appointment with a guidance counselor.