Are you ready to make a difference?

Ranked among the top 11 private graduate schools of education in the nation.

Our students are already making many positive changes in their communities. They are educators who challenge ideas and expand minds. Our small class sizes and individual attention allow our students to create lasting relationships with our faculty. Our community outreach programs foster connections between our students and the community. Our emphasis on theory and on research-based practices provides our students with the tools they need to make a difference in the world. Are you ready to join us? Welcome.

While our master’s degree programs incorporate various specializations, we also offer non-degree specialization and certification-preparation programs that are designed to satisfy the State Board for Educator Certification requirements for teachers who promote scholarship and best practices in particular educational areas or serve discrete audiences such as gifted children or children for whom English is not the native language. The additional specialization training prepares teachers for the respective certification exams; all SBEC certifications require that a candidate pass a state test. These advanced credentials are attached to the standard teaching certificate, so as a prerequisite to earning a graduate certification, a candidate must hold a bachelor's degree and the initial teaching certificate.

Learn more about our programs

Master of Education (M.Ed.)

Prospective Students

Practicing educators who wish to broaden their academic preparation and classroom skills. Students may specialize in any 1 or 2 of the following areas: bilingual education, ESL, urban education, mathematics, literacy, STEM, gifted and talented, special education, and learning therapy.

Career and Personal Benefits

Mastery of the content and skills should enable the graduate to be more effective and efficient in his/her job. Additionally, the specialization knowledge may allow the educator to pursue new career opportunities.

Professor instructing Simmons students

Program Details

Master of Education (M.Ed.) with Certification Preparation

Prospective Students

The individual who would like to teach and already has a bachelor's degree but who does not have the appropriate teaching certification credentials to teach. This program allows students to pursue a graduate degree and teaching credentials simultaneously.

Career and Personal Benefits

Graduates often find that they have better presentation and organization skills, but more important, they have a Master’s degree and a new career opportunity.

Students speaking in class

Program Details

Master of Bilingual Education (M.B.E.)

Prospective Students

Ideal for pre-service and in-service Spanish/English bilingual educators who have a near-native or native command of Spanish and English. MBE courses integrate the language and culture of students in the Spanish-speaking world, particularly students of Hispanic heritage living in the United States.

Career and Personal Benefits

Successful graduates are prepared to work as expert bilingual teachers, bilingual coaches, or leaders of bilingual programs in their schools or districts.

Teacher interacting with student

Program Details

Bilingual Education Supplemental Specialization

Prospective Students

Teachers who work with students who do not speak English as their native language.

Career and Personal Benefits

Students who succeed in this 4-course sequence are qualified to take the TExES supplemental certification exam in bilingual education, a passing score on which qualifies them to work with students who do not speak English as their native language.

Simmons students raising hand in class

Program Details

Educational Diagnostician Specialization

Prospective Students

Teachers who desire to possess the critical knowledge and skills to identify and make a positive impact on the individual learning needs of students.

Career and Personal Benefits

Those who successfully complete the program will be able to apply their advanced knowledge of assessment and instruction to improve the outcomes of students with special learning needs. The program's coursework will be applied toward SMU's M.Ed. degree.

Program Details

English as a Second Language (ESL) Supplemental Specialization

Prospective Students

Practicing educators interested in working with ESL populations. The programs 4 courses may be applied toward SMU’s 36-credit hour Master of Education (M.Ed.) with a specialization in ESL.

Career and Personal Benefits

Graduates are prepared to take the TExES English as a Second Language (ESL) supplemental certification exam, a passing score on which qualifies them to work with ESL students populations.

Professor speaking to student

Program Details

Gifted and Talented Specialization

Prospective Students

Ideal for teachers of the gifted and talented, both specialists and regular classroom teachers.

Career and Personal Benefits

Those who successfully complete the 4-course sequence (12 credits) are prepared to take the Gifted and Talented TExES (Texas Examination for Educator Standards); those who pass the exam earn GT certification. Additionally, the program‘s courses can be applied to requirements for the M.Ed. degree.

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Program Details

Literacy Studies Specialization

Prospective Students

Teachers who desire to advance their knowledge of literacy instruction and assessment specifically for early literacy and late literacy and for those who desire to pursue Reading Specialist certification.

Career and Personal Benefits

Those who successfully complete the program will be more effective teachers, improving student outcomes in literacy. The program's coursework can be applied toward SMU's M.Ed. degree.

Child reading a book

Program Details

Early Literacy Scholars Program

Prospective Students

K-2 classroom teachers in high-need public schools (including charters).

Career and Personal Benefits

Those who successfully complete the program’s 18-credit hours are equipped to provide comprehensive, coherent, and complete early-literacy programs in regular classrooms. The program’s coursework applies to the requirements of SMU’s M.Ed. program.

Simmons teacher working with grade school students

Program Details

Learning Therapy Specialization

Prospective Students

Individuals interested in working with children or adults who have dyslexia or related language learning disorders.

Career and Personal Benefits

Those who successfully complete the specialization are qualified to take the Alliance National Registration Exam for Multisensory Structured Language Education at the therapy level, a passing score on which qualifies the individual for membership in ALTA as a Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT).

Simmons teacher working with middle school students

Program Details

Mathematics Specialization

Prospective Students

Practicing educators who wish to advance their content knowledge or pedagogical skills for the purpose of teaching mathematics.

Career and Personal Benefits

Those who successfully complete the 4-course sequence will have the skills and knowledge to model effective mathematics instruction, translate evidence-based research into classroom teaching, differentiate with diverse learners, and instill creative problem solving. The program’s coursework can be applied to SMU’s M.Ed. degree.

Close up image of student working on math problems

Program Details

STEM Specialization

Prospective Students

Practicing educators who wish to advance their content knowledge or pedagogical skills for the purpose of teaching science, technology, engineering, and mathematics content.

Career and Personal Benefits

Those who successfully complete the program are equipped to be more effective STEM educators. Additionally, the program’s 4 courses can be applied to the requirements for SMU’s M.Ed. program.

STEM instructor explaining engineering model to student

Program Details

Teach for America Educator Preparation Program

Prospective Students

TFA-approved Corps Members who wish to pursue Texas teacher certification.

Career and Personal Benefits

Those who successfully complete the program are recommended to take the Texas State Board for Educator Certification exams, passing scores on which enable them to pursue teaching credentials. Additionally, the credits earned through participation in this program apply to the requirements for SMU’s M.Ed. degree.

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Program Details

Urban Education
Teaching Specialization

Prospective Students

Urban Education courses are most applicable for pre-service, in-service and other educators who serve diverse student populations, wish to cultivate a justice-oriented culturally responsive classroom environment, and/or are eager to learn relevant classroom and behavior management approaches.

Career and Personal Benefits

Educators who complete these courses can expect to acquire in-depth knowledge surrounding culturally responsive curriculum development, reducing student behavioral infractions, enhancing teacher-guardian and teacher-student relationships, and inevitably increasing student outcomes. Additionally, educators can expect to garner an all-encompassing historical context of urban education.

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Program Details

Educational Studies Undergraduate Major

Prospective Students

Undergraduates who wish to become teachers.

Career and Personal Benefits

Successful graduates are recommended to take the Texas State Board for Educator Certification exams, passing scores on which enable them to pursue credentials for teaching careers in the private and public sectors, graduate work in the social sciences, and informal education paths in non-profit organizations.

Simmons students in class

Program Details