Skip to main content

College of Education

Educational Diagnostician Certification

Related Links

Resources

Accelerated Educational Diagnostician Certification

Champion Student Success through Expert Assessment & Advocacy

Get certified as an educational diagnostician to accelerate your career and impact in special education! Designed for working teachers, our high-quality, fast-track certification-only program can be completed in as few as three semesters. Put simply, the Accelerated Educational Diagnostician Certification Program at the University of Houston prepares you for a meaningful, student-centered career as a certified educational diagnostician in Texas.

Program At A Glance

Highlights of the Accelerated Educational Diagnostician Certification program:

  • Format: Hybrid
  • Location: Main Campus; Katy Campus
  • Completion time: Typically, 1 year (3 semesters)
  • Semester start: Summer
  • GRE: Not required
  • Deadline to apply: Find all application deadlines.

Eligibility & Requirements

This certification-only program is designed for K-12 educators looking to lead in special education and assessment to better support diverse learners.

Requirements include:

  • GPA of 3.0 or higher (based on last degree earned)
  • Master’s degree
  • Valid Texas teacher certification*
  • Teaching experience**

* If you do not hold this certification, apply to the College’s  alternative teacher certification program and finish those requirements before starting the educational diagnostician program courses.

** Three years teaching experience at the time of acceptance or upon program completion

Career Opportunities

Qualified educational diagnosticians are in high demand across Texas, where the number of special education evaluations has doubled in the last decade. These professionals play a vital role in ensuring timely, accurate assessments and supporting individualized education plans. In the Houston area, many educational diagnosticians earn well over $80,000 annually.

Jobs include:

  • Educational diagnosticians
  • Lead evaluation specialists
  • Special education department chairs
  • Special education coordinators

Why Choose UH?

  • Proven Success: Our students have an excellent pass rate on the Texas educational diagnostician certification exam (100% in 2023-24).
  • Expert Faculty and Mentorship: Learn from experienced faculty who specialize in special education and assessment — and are committed to preparing you for impactful service in schools.
  • Powerful Network: Connect with educators in a diverse, dynamic location that includes 100+ school districts (Regions 4 and 6 in Greater Houston).

What You’ll Learn

In line with state standards, the Accelerated Educational Diagnostician Certification program at UH requires the following:

  • Five courses (225 clock hours of content and pedagogy)
  • Practicum in a school district (160 hours)
  • Three field observations (135 minutes) by a UH field supervisor
  • Two site supervisor (campus mentor) progress reports

Courses include:

  • SPEC 7340 – Assessment of Academic Achievement
  • SPEC 7341 – Assessment of Learning Difficulties
  • SPEC 7392 – Assessment of Intellectual Abilities
  • SPEC 7394 – Educational Diagnostician Practicum I
  • SPEC 7395 – Educational Diagnostician Practicum II

Certification Steps

To earn educational diagnostician certification in Texas, you must:

  • Successfully complete all coursework.
  • Complete all required practicum hours and observations.
  • Hold a teacher certification issued by the Texas Education Agency.
  • Hold at minimum a master’s degree.
  • Pass the state TExES 263 certification exam.

How to Apply

To take the next step in your special education journey, apply today!

Application Requirements

Please read the application instructions and check application deadlines.

*In addition to being admitted into UH, you also must be admitted into our educational diagnostician certification program. This is a state requirement for all educator-prep programs. UH typically has a high admission rate for those who meet the state requirements. Students should look for more information from the College of Education after being accepted into UH.

Costs & Financial Support

To estimate costs, use the UH tuition calculator (for hours, select 3 or 6 hours for typical enrollment). Please note that federal aid is only available for UH degree programs but not for certification-only programs.

Contact Us

For questions or assistance about the Accelerated Educational Diagnostician Certification program at UH, please contact us at elpsdiag@central.uh.edu. We’re happy to help!

Note: An applicant or candidate who has been convicted of an offense may be ineligible for issuance of a certificate upon completion of the Educator Preparation Program. Please refer to the current State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) rules prescribed in §249.16 of the Texas Administrative Code (relating to Eligibility of Persons with Criminal History for a Certificate under Texas Occupations Code, Chapter  53, and Texas Education Code, Chapter  21). Applicants/candidates have the right to request a criminal history evaluation letter as provided in Chapter 227,  Subchapter B, of the Texas Administrative Code (relating to Preliminary Evaluation of Certification Eligibility).