Educational Diagnostician

An applicant for certification in Texas must be able to communicate, listen, read, write, and comprehend the English language sufficiently to use it easily and readily in daily communication and teaching. English language proficiency shall be evidenced by one of the following:  

(A) completion of an undergraduate or graduate degree at an accredited institution of higher education in the United States; or  

(B) verification of minimum scaled scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-Based Test (TOEFL IBT) of 24 for speaking, 22 for listening, 22 for reading, and 21 for writing; (TOEFL scores must not be older than 2 years from date of application) or  

(C) completion of an undergraduate or graduate degree earned at an institution of higher education in a country outside of the United States listed in TAC 230.11  

For more information, please consult WTAMU’s university policy on language proficiency.

A criminal background check including fingerprinting will be performed by the Texas Education Agency before a certification-seeking candidate will be allowed to certify or gain employment on a non-teacher certificate. TAC 227.1(b)(1)(2).  

Items on a candidate’s criminal history report may render the candidate ineligible for certification.   

Candidates may request a preliminary TEA background check for an evaluation of the criminal history. Please note that applicants may request a preliminary TEA background check for an opinion of charge prior to starting a program. 

All applicants with any prior or current criminal charges are encouraged to discuss their specific background with the Director of Educator Preparation Programs before enrolling in any academic program that includes a certification route. 

Note: Requirements for licensure/certification vary from state to state. Our programs prepare candidates for certification and/or licensure in the State of Texas. We do not represent that our programs prepare candidates for licensure or certification in other states. 

Three years of teaching experience as a classroom teacher and successful completion of the educational diagnostician certification exam are also required for certification.

Candidates seeking the M.Ed. with certification, as well as, those seeking certification only are required to pass a comprehensive exam during the last semester of course work.

The following 3 hours of leveling courses are required for students who do not have an undergraduate special education background or whose special education course work (with a minimum of 3.0 GPA) was not taken within 6 years of admission to the diagnostician program: 

• EDSP 6341- Assessment, Intervention & Differentiation 3 

• EDPD 6303 - Education Research 3
• EDPD 6304 - Multicultural Education 3
• EDPD 6329 - Human Development 3

• EPSY 6322 - Individual Mental Testing I 3
• EPSY 6374 - Individual Mental Testing II 3
• EDSP 6354 - Instructional Programming for Students: High Incidence Disabilities 3
• EDSP 6356 - Consultation and Collaboration, Exceptional Children 3
• EDSP 6358 - Advanced Assessment & Interpretation in Educational Diagnostics 3
• EDSP 6359 - Management of Classroom Behaviors-Exceptional Learners 3
• EDSP 6352 - Instructional Programming for Students: Low Incidence Disabilities 3
• EDSP 6364 - Legal Issues in Special Education 3
• EDSP 6377 - Practicum in Diagnosis of Exceptional Students 3 
  • Students must have completed all course work prior to enrolling in the Practicum course. The practicum is required for Texas certification and must be completed in a school accredited or approved by the Texas Education Agency and approved by WTAMU.

All assessment courses (i.e., EDSP 6358 and EDSP 6377 and EPSY 6322 and EPSY 6374) must be taken at West Texas A&M University; assessment course work from other universities will not be accepted. Experience in the field of Special Education will not be considered in lieu of course work.