UTeach Student Handbook
Chapter I: UTeach Natural Sciences Advising
Academic Advising is an integral part of undergraduate education. The goal of all academic advising is to assist students in taking responsibility for developing meaningful educational plans compatible with their career and personal goals. Advising is more than imparting specialized knowledge; it includes helping students formulate important questions about the nature and direction of their education and helping them find answers to those questions. This process often involves the advisor directing the student to university publications and other university offices for answers to questions in order to allow the student to take ownership of their college experience and function as an adult. Advisors will confer with students about course schedules and educational experiences, but students themselves are responsible for selecting the content of their academic program and making progress toward an academic degree.
New UTeach students may decide, after the first or second semester, that they no longer want to pursue teacher certification. This is fine since the first course (and even the 2nd course) is designed to let you try out teaching. Students who no longer wish to pursue teacher certification should inform their advisor in the UTeach office (PAI 4.02 or advisor@uteach.utexas.edu).
UTeach students are required to be advised each semester either in person or by completing the online advising worksheet. Each semester, well before registration, students assigned to a UTeach advisor are sent an email, generally in September during fall semesters and February during spring semesters, requesting that they submit an on-line pre-advising worksheet (https://utdirect.utexas.edu/ns/). Students assigned to advisors outside of UTeach should follow the registration advising process established by their advisor. New students who have never met with a UTeach advisor are required to schedule an advising session; these students should complete the worksheet, and then schedule an appointment with an advisor. Do not wait until the week before registration to complete the worksheet and/or try to get an appointment, as advisors are usually booked through registration by then and may not be able to clear an advising bar in time for registration.
Nondiscrimination
The University of Texas at Austin and the UTeach Natural Sciences Program are committed to an education and working environment that provides equal opportunity to all members of the University community. In accordance with federal and state law, UTeach Natural Sciences prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, gender, age, disability, citizen- ship, and veteran status.
Starting UTeach
Unlike many traditional teacher certification programs, UTeach students get classroom experience as early as the very first semester. Our first course, UTS 101, is a one credit hour course that lets you see what teaching is really like. Once registered, you'll be on your way to becoming a certified teacher as you complete requirements for a bachelor’s degree.
In addition to hands-on experience your very first semester, here are a few other things you can expect from UTeach:
- Completion of both a bachelor’s degree and teacher certification in four years.
- Small class size and awesome instructors who are master teachers with years of actual public school teachingexperience.
- Scholarship opportunities.
- Paid internships providing additional educational experiences.
- A student organization with leadership opportunities.
- Job search support.
- Support during your 1st year of teaching.
- Continued support after graduation.