Upon completion of this program, the candidate is qualified to become a teacher of students with visual impairments (TSVI) working with students who are blind or have low vision ages birth-21 in a variety of educational settings. The majority of the candidates in the VI program at TTU have jobs as a TSVI prior to completion of the program on a VI Emergency Permit.

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Program Overview

Students in the Visual Impairment (VI) Program can obtain the Visual Impairment Supplemental Certification EC-12 only or can also get a Master's Degree in Special Education with a concentration in Visual Impairment. For the VI Supplemental Certification, an initial teaching certification in any area of general education or in special education is required since this certification is added on to the initial certification. Passing two TExES state exams (braille and VI) is required to become certified in Texas.

• Program Handbook

Standards

The Visual Impairment Program is guided by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) initial and advanced Visual Impairment Knowledge and Skills Standards and by the Texas State Board for Educator Certification Visual Impairment and Braille Standards.

Programs Offered

The M.Ed.in Special Education and Texas Visual Impairment Supplemental Certification- EC-12, are offered Online/Hybrid (distance education with some face-to-face components: 3 courses have one required weekend - in Lubbock or in Austin).

Career Opportunities With This Degree

Students completing either the VI Certification Program or the Master's Program with a specialization in Visual Impairment who become certified are eligible to be hired by a school district to work as a teacher of students with visual impairments (TSVI). The majority of TSVIs work in an itinerant service delivery model and travel from school to school in order to work with the students who are blind or visually impaired in their home school. It is a unique teaching profession that differs from being a classroom teacher in which the TSVI significantly impacts the lives of children who are blind or visually impaired. Some TSVIs work at a residential school for students with visual impairments in a classroom setting.

Application Process

All programs require that you submit an online application through the Graduate School.

• Due to ongoing accessibility concerns, the Graduate School has suspended GRE test score requirements for applications through at least Summer 2025. For more information, please contact the Graduate School.

Semester in which the program can be started

Spring, Fall, or Summer I or II

Estimated Hours to Completion

36 credit hours for Master's; 24 hours for visual impairment certification only

Allowable Transfer Hours

6 credit hours for Master's, at advisor's discretion

Financial Aid

TTU Graduate School and COE scholarships, research assistantships, student loans (loans not available for certification-only students)

Program-Specific Scholarships Offered

The Reach Across Texas Program offers competitive scholarships for tuition assistance for Texas residents in the Teacher of Students with Visual Impairment Program for the visual impairment certification courses. Applicants who want to be considered should complete this application. The application for a competitive stipend award needs to be emailed to reachacrosstexas@ttu.edu in the Sowell Center. Deadline for consideration for a scholarship award for fall is June 1, for spring is November 1, and for summer is April 15.

Deadlines

No hard deadline, however, deadlines exist for completion and submission of scholarship applications. Deadline for consideration for a scholarship award for fall is June 1, for spring is November 1, and for summer is April 15.

Tuition & Fees

Use the Student Business Services Tuition Estimator to estimate your costs.

Contacts

Visual Impairment Program Coordinator:

Faculty