Accredited, Award-Winning Teacher Programs at UHCL
University of Houston Clear Lake appears in our ranking of the Top 20 Online Master’s in Instructional Design.
At the Bayou Building, the College of Education led by Dr. Mark Shermis awards a 63-unit Early Childhood Education B.A.S. for University of Houston Clear Lake transfers to complete a 2+2 degree for Birth-K teaching with 4000-level courses like Parent Engagement and 160-hour Head Start practicum. Chaired by Dr. Cynthia Howard, the Biological Science Education B.A. follows a 127-unit, CAEP-accredited licensure track to 7-12 classrooms with Advanced Science Instrumentation Lab projects and 16-week internships like Cinco Ranch High. Other options include the Special Education B.S., English Language Arts Education B.A., Art Education B.F.A., Social Studies Education B.S., Mathematical Education B.A., Physical Education B.S., and English as a Second Language Education B.S.
Online via Blackboard Collaborate, the Education Management M.S. starts 30-unit, 1.5-year cohorts advised by Dr. Felix Simieou III twice yearly for licensed teachers to take the TExES Principal exam after advanced 6000-level seminars like School Law and capstone leadership practicum. The Behavior Analysis M.A. builds a 36-unit, ABAI-accredited curriculum headed by Dr. Dorothea Lerman for special educators to practice in the Center for Autism & Developmental Disabilities and fulfill 10 clinical hours weekly for a 100 percent BCBA pass rate. Additional offerings are the School Counseling M.S., Curriculum & Instruction M.S., Instructional Design & Technology M.S., Multicultural Education M.S., School Library Science M.S., Reading Education M.S., and Educational Leadership Ed.D.
About the University of Houston Clear Lake
The University of Houston Clear Lake was established in 1971 when the 62nd Texas Legislature voted favorably for Bill 199 to create a post-bachelor’s institution. In January 1972, the Clear Lake Graduate Center opened on land donated by Friendswood Development Corp. to primarily serve NASA staff. On June 1, 1974, the Arbor Building was formed by President Alfred R. Neumann. In 1975, The Signal published its first campus issue. In 1977, the CLC became a component to the newly organized University of Houston system. On April 26, 1983, the University of Houston Clear Lake name was chosen. By 2007, UH-Clear Lake granted its earliest doctorate for an Educational Leadership Ed.D. In 2008, UHCL earned Carnegie’s prized Community Engagement Classification. In 2012, Clear Lake was designated a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). Two years later, UHCL welcomed the first freshman class of 400.
Endowed for $27.1 million, the University of Houston Clear Lake now educates 4,413 full-time and 4,627 part-time Hawks from 50 nations online or face-to-face at four locations from Pearland to Alief with 95+ clubs like Kappa Delta Pi. In 2009, UHCL accepted the Christa McAuliffe Excellence in Teacher Education Award. In 2018, UH-Clear Lake received the Board of Regents’ Academic Excellence Award. Its Recreation & Wellness Center won the 2019 NIRSA Outstanding Sports Facilities Award too. The U.S. News & World Report named UH-Clear Lake the West’s 31st most veteran-friendly campus. On Niche, UHCL has Texas’ 17th best location and 31st hardest admission. College Factual honored UHCL for the Southwest’s 30th best education. The IIE ranked the University of Houston Clear Lake 22nd among master’s institutions. The National Council on Teacher Quality put UHCL in the top 49th percentile.
University of Houston Clear Lake Accreditation Details
On March 2, 2012, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) conducted a comprehensive evaluation visit at the University of Houston Clear Lake to review the Quality Enhancement Plan and ultimately extend the Level V accreditation through 2021-22 under Provost Steven J. Berberich, Ph.D., who earned the Boonshoft Outstanding Achievement Award. This esteemed 11-state Southeast Region accreditor is recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) to analyze UHCL’s 163 degrees. Particularly, the College of Education was reaffirmed by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) in October 2014. The College has been approved by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) since 1989. The Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) also accredited the Behavior Analysis M.A. through 2020.
University of Houston Clear Lake Application Requirements
Enrollment at the University of Houston Clear Lake is labeled “selective” by the U.S. News & World Report since only 73 percent of the 1,830 Fall 2017 applicants were admitted. First-year Hawks flying into the College of Education must exhibit college readiness according to Texas Education Code 51.803-51.809. High school diplomas and the GED equivalent would qualify. Assured admission is available for freshmen ranking in the top decile. On average, undergrads present a cumulative 3.4 from grades 9-12. Most need a minimum 23 ACT or 1130 SAT score. Students with 30+ college units at 2.75 or higher GPAs win the $750 Automatic Transfer Scholarship. Foreign natives prove English skills with at least 550 TOEFL pBT or 6.0 IELTS marks. The Graduate School seeks entrants with accredited four-year bachelor’s at GPAs above 3.0. Only the Doctor of Education considers a master’s prerequisite. Post-grads need a minimum 294 GRE or 390 MAT score. Passing the Texas Education Agency’s assessments for K-12 state certification is also necessary.
The University of Houston Clear Lake requests B.A./B.S. majors apply by August 1st for Fall, December 1st for Spring, and May 1st for Summer. Non-U.S. undergrads must file before June 1st, November 1st, and April 20th. The Graduate School has widely different program deadlines though. For example, the School Counseling M.S. closes on September 1st and March 1st. The School Psychology S.S.P. only admits Fall cohorts until January 25th. Education Management M.S. students have until May 28th, August 12th, and January 22nd. Create an ApplyTexas account to complete the UHCL Application for $45 ($75 if international). Forward official transcripts to Bayou Building 1237 for Box 517 in Houston, TX 77058. Attach supplemental documents like the testing results, an up-to-date resume, 1,000-word letter of intent, 2-3 references, employer support statement, background check verification, and FERPA form. Inquire further by contacting (281) 283-3600 or education@uhcl.edu.
Tuition and Financial Aid
For 2019-20, the University of Houston Clear Lake has posted $7,961 annual tuition for full-time Texas undergrads. Non-resident B.A./B.S. majors will pay $24,545 each year. Traditional part-time study incurs $1,107 to $2,765 per three-credit course. Residing at the Bay Area campus’ housing like Hunter Hall costs $11,180 each year. UHCL budgets $1,064 for books, $3,341 for transportation, $91 for loan fees, and $5,053 for personal expenses. Annual bachelor’s attendance equals $28,599 in-state and $45,183 out-of-state. The College of Education charges Texans $300 and non-residents $492 per graduate credit. Average full-time graduates spend $10,035 to $20,375 each year. The University Forest Apartments cost graduates $5,109 per term.
The National Center for Education Statistics reports that the Financial Aid Office at 2700 Bay Area Blvd. connects 65 percent of new UHCL Eagles with tuition assistance averaging $10,063 for $1.35 million combined. Education funds include the Bonnie Staples Scholarship, Barbara Samuels Literacy Scholarship, Dan White Memorial Scholarship, Fred Kierstead Memorial Scholarship, Thomas Gee Scholarship, Jesse & Mary Gibbs Jones Scholarship, Instructional Technology Scholarship, Matthew & Gretchen Jaska Scholarship, Dr. Steven Rakow Memorial Scholarship, Carrie Lee Warren Scholarship, and Nolie Mayo 8-12 Teacher Scholarship. The College of Education Alumni Scholarship has a March 15th deadline for majors taking 6+ credits with minimum 3.0 GPAs. The $1,000 Hawk Advantage Scholarship lowers out-of-state tuition each year. Federal Application for Federal Student Aid forms coded 011711 could unlock the $4,000 TEACH Grant. The Texas Association of Future Educators also provides the $8,000 Charles Butt Scholarship, $1,000 Dr. Pat McLeod Award, and $1,000 Judith Hetherly Scholarship.
Find out more about the University of Houston Clear Lake at the College of Education website.
