
Educational Diagnostician Professional Certification
As an educational diagnostician, you can help make learning more accessible for each student. Start making a difference today.
- Offered 100% Online as well as Face-to-Face in Commerce and Mesquite.
- 1-2 years
- 21 credit hours
- No thesis required
- No foreign language credits required
Improve Learning Accessibility
If you desire to help make learning more accessible for every student, our educational diagnostician program may be for you. Educational diagnosticians consult with colleagues and parents to develop customized learning plans, including learner-friendly language and interactive study guides. Get started today to learn how you can make a difference as an educational diagnostician!
Spring 2026 Graduate Flex Term.

What Are My Job Opportunities?
With an Educational Diagnostician Professional Certification, you’ll train for careers in educational settings.
Careers Possibilities
Current Median Salaries from US DOL Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2023

Program Details
Our program is designed to equip educators with the expertise to assess, diagnose and create tailored educational plans for students with specific learning needs.
What Might I Learn?
You will have the opportunity to gain experience in a number of key areas.
Comprehensive Assessment
Master the use of diagnostic tools and techniques to evaluate students' cognitive, academic and behavioral challenges.
Data Interpretation
Develop the ability to analyze assessment results and identify learning disabilities, emotional disorders and other educational barriers.
Individualized Education Plans (IEPs)
Learn how to design and implement effective IEPs that can address unique student needs and ensure measurable academic progress.
Legal and Ethical Standards
Gain a strong understanding of educational diagnosticians’ legal, ethical and regulatory requirements, ensuring compliance in all practices.

Taking Classes
Designed for your life
Designed for professionals seeking certification as an Educational Diagnostician, our program combines fully online coursework with in-person classes at our main campus in Commerce and the Mesquite Metroplex Center. This program requires 21 credit hours, including field-based experience and hands-on assignments, and courses must be completed as specified in your degree plan, regardless of location.
Please check the schedule of classes for course offerings, locations and times, which are subject to change.

Curriculum
Our program is carefully crafted to prepare you for a career as an educational diagnostician, providing you with in-depth knowledge of assessment practices and hands-on experience in educational settings.
COURSE Offerings
- SPED 524 Characteristics of Students with Mild Disabilities
- SPED 526 Characteristics of Students with Moderate to Severe Disabilities
- SPED 528 Special Education Law
- PSY/SPED 572 Principles of Assessment and Measurement
- PSY/SPED 573 Principles of Cognitive Assessment
- SPED 574 Principles of Psycho-Educational Assessment
- PSY 691 Clinical Practicum Psychology

Adding Value with Certificates
Enhance your credentials. Earning additional specialized certifications alongside the Educational Diagnostician Professional Certification can help expand your skillset and boost career opportunities.
Alternative and Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification
This program is uniquely designed for those who have previously earned their bachelor's degree and now seek to make a career transition into the teaching profession. This is a non-degree seeking program for those wishing to obtain a Texas teacher certification without obtaining a master's degree.
Post-Baccalaureate Alternative Certification: For those wishing to pursue a master's degree and obtain a Texas teacher certification, we have four master's programs specifically geared toward achieving your certification. You can choose from a Master of Science in: Curriculum and Instruction, Early Childhood, Secondary Education, or Special Education.
Reading Specialist Certification
Reading specialists work alongside K-12 educators and often provide one-on-one instruction for students struggling with reading and writing comprehension. You'll develop individualized plans for addressing students’ reading difficulties. Offered as part of the master's in reading program, you can earn your certification in no time.
Special Education (MED) with Educational Diagnostician Certification
This program includes specific training in diagnosis and intervention strategies for individuals with special needs.
Finding My Community
We believe that education thrives in an environment where collaboration, support and mutual respect flourish. Our community of students and professors embodies these values, creating an enriching and dynamic atmosphere for learning and growth. Our students come from a variety of backgrounds and bring a wide range of experiences and perspectives to the table. Our professors are not only experts in their respective fields but also dedicated mentors who are committed to guiding and nurturing the next generation of scholars.
Kelly M. Carrero, Ph.D., BCBA, LBA-TX
Faculty
Beth Jones, Ph.D.
Faculty
Lacy Krueger, Ph.D.
Faculty
Assistive Technology Lab
As a collaboration among the Department of Psychology and Special Education, the Center for Information Technology Excellence, and Velma K. Waters Library, this unique facility features multiple examples of assistive technology specifically designed to empower individuals with disabilities and educate future teachers.
I’m Looking For Something Different
Is this program close, but still not right for you? Check out our related degrees!

Financing My Future
Financial Aid
Financial aid includes a variety of programs, like scholarships, federal and state grants, and federal and state work-study programs. Find out how you may be eligible for scholarships, grants, loans and/or a graduate assistantship. Financial Aid and Scholarships
Back to menuOn-Campus Employment Opportunities
Enhance your expertise through on-campus employment opportunities.
Graduate Assistant/Research/Teaching
Graduate assistant teaching (GAT), graduate assistant research (GAR), and graduate assistant non-teaching (GANT) assistantships at East Texas A&M offer financial support and professional development for graduate students. Assistantships are available in academic and non-academic departments.
Back to menuCost Before Financial Aid
East Texas A&M is one of the most affordable colleges around the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Our tuition rates are some of the most competitive in Texas.
$3,669
for Texas residents
/
$7,341
For non-residents
Tuition and fees for graduate students taking nine credit hours are $3,669 for Texas residents and $7,341 for non-residents. But don’t worry: there are
Back to menuAdditional Fees May Apply
- Online Courses ($50 per hour)
- Remote Locations ($20 per hour)
- Lab Fees ($5 – $30 per course)
How Do I Get Started?
If you have not already done so, complete the Request Information form. You will be connected with your enrollment specialist, who can answer your questions. When you’re ready, go ahead and follow the steps below to apply.
Admissions Requirements
Once admitted, you must:
- Earn a 3.5 GPA on ALL required coursework (no course substitutions may be applied on graduate certificates)
- Earn a grade of B or better in PSY/SPED 572, PSY/SPED 573, and SPED 574 (also needed to register for 691)
- Submit a Completion of Certificate Request while taking your final graduate certificate courses.
The Texas State Board of Educators also requires you to complete the following:
- Three years of full-time classroom teaching experience
- Master's degree
- Minimum of 12 graduate-level semester hours completed at East Texas A&M University, as certifying institution
- Approval for TExES registration during last semester of coursework, not to exceed six semester hours
Admission Process
Note: This program is not currently available to international students. If you are an H1B or H4 applicant, please contact the Graduate School for details.
Deadline
- To earn certification while pursuing your master's degree in special education, you must hold a valid teaching certificate. You may complete your required three years of teaching while accomplishing your coursework.
- To pursue only the certification, you must hold a master's degree in special education or a closely related field, a valid teaching certificate, and three years of teaching experience prior to admission.
Applications are due by the 10th of every month, and interviews will be held on the third Friday. Applications received after the 10th will be reviewed the following month.
Submit the following documents to your graduate coordinator after you receive an application confirmation email.
- Upload your documents at myLeo > Apps > Check Admissions Application Status & Test Scores or email your documents to your graduate coordinator unless otherwise specified below.
Your Graduate Coordinator
Contact your previous institution(s) and request that they send your official transcripts to your graduate coordinator.
- We recommend that you request transcripts for all of your academic work.
All international transcripts must be evaluated and the evaluation submitted to the Graduate School.
We accept evaluations sent directly from the following Agencies.
- If a normal evaluation is submitted, official original transcripts with all marksheets will still need to be submitted.
- If a WES ICAP or equivalent is submitted, we will not need the official transcripts to be submitted separately.
If your institution is unable to submit a digital copy, hard copies may be mailed to:
East Texas A&M University
Attn: Graduate School
PO Box 3011
Commerce, Texas 75429-3011
We will need official/original documents. If those documents are the only copies you have, the Graduate School can mail them back to you upon request. Contact your graduate coordinator or more information.
Describe your preparation for graduate work and your academic interests and goals in no more than 500 words.
Submit a resume or curriculum vitae (CV) which includes your academic and professional history and achievements.
Submit a current professional letter of recommendation signed on letterhead.
Look for application updates in myLeo > Apps > Check Application Status
- Once an admission decision has been made, you will receive an email to your student email account at myLeo > Apps > Leomail.
Once your application to the Graduate School is complete, you can submit your Educational Diagnostician Certification Program Application right away using TK20. If you have any questions, please email your professional certification coordinator.
Your Professional Certification Coordinator
- Go to the Educator Certification page on MarketPlace
- Click Educator Professional Fee
- Click the shopping cart plus icon
- Fill in your personal information to be associated with the fee and click “Continue”
- Go back to the Educator Certification page on MarketPlace
- Click TEA Assessment Fee
- Click the shopping cart plus icon
- Complete your payment
- Download and save your receipts to upload to TK20
You will need to have the following documents ready for upload in order to submit the application:
- Certification fee receipt
- TEA Assessment fee receipt
- Teaching service record
- A minimum of three years of creditable classroom teaching experience is required for admission to the educational diagnostician certification-only program.
- Standard Texas Teaching Certificate
- Note: Candidates on emergency permits, intern or probationary certificates will not be admitted.
- Official transcripts from the Graduate Office will be reviewed by the certification office.
- Official transcripts from all institutions must be submitted to the Graduate School in order to satisfy TEA certification admission requirements.
- For a certification-only program, applicants must hold a master's degree.
- A minimum GPA of 3.0 on a conferred master's degree or a minimum GPA of 2.75 on a conferred bachelor's degree is required for certification admission. Please note that certification admission requirements may differ from those of the Graduate School and are separate requirements.
If applicable:
- TEA Transfers
- If you have previously been admitted to another educator preparation program for educational diagnostician certification.
- Request that a completed TEA transfer form be sent from your previous program to the East Texas A&M certification office.
- Transcripts from outside the United States
- Contact the certification office for any questions about TEA requirements for transcripts from outside the United States.
- If your official transcripts are from institutions outside the United States and the country of origin is not exempt by TEA, send the following documentation to the East Texas A&M certification office:
- A course-by-course evaluation from a TEA-approved Foreign Credential Evaluation Service
- Minimum scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT). Please note that TOEFL scores are only valid for a period of two years. Required minimum scores are 24 for Speaking, 22 for Listening, 22 for Reading and 21 for Writing.
- As of 3/4/2022, a valid standard Texas educator certificate will be accepted in lieu of TOEFL iBT scores.
- Go to tamuc.tk20.com
- Scroll down and click “Admissions”
- Select “Click here to create your account.”

- Complete the “Create Applicant Account” form.
- Note: You will be creating a password for this account.
- Store the password you create in a secure location so you can refer to it later.
- After completing the “Create Applicant Account” form, TK20 will provide your username.
- Store your TK20 username and password in a secure location so you can refer to them later.
- You will use the username to log in to review your admission application once submitted.

- Log into your TK20 account
- Click on the “back to login” link.
- Enter your username and password.
- Click the green “Log Into Your Account” button.

- Click on the “Create New Application” button.

- Select “Educational Diagnostician” application
- Click the “Next” button.

- Complete the application.

- Upload documents by clicking on the “+ Select File(s)” button for the item you are uploading.
- Once you have completed all fields in the application, click the “Submit” button.

- Look for an email from TK20 confirming your submission.

To check your application status:
- Log in to your TK20 Student Admissions account
- On the “Home” tab, locate your application under “Recent Messages”
- Click on the application.
- If you are admitted, the message will indicate your application was “Admitted”
- If you lack admission requirements, the message will indicate “Denied.”
- Click on “Review Document” to view your deficiencies and reason(s) for denial.
Once both the Graduate School and Certification Program Applications are complete, the Educational Diagnostician Program Director will reach out to schedule an interview. Interview days are typically scheduled on a monthly basis.
Once accepted, please sign and return the “letter of invitation.”
- Apply for scholarships once you are admitted
- Contact your financial advisor with any questions.
Note: This program is not eligible for Federal or State loans or grants.
- Apply for scholarships once you are admitted.
- Contact your financial aid advisor with any questions.
Note: This program is not eligible for Federal or State loans or grants.
Once registration opens and you are eligible to enroll, your graduate enrollment specialist is here to help you complete registration.
- View your degree plan in DegreeWorks.
- View the Schedule of Classes.
- To register for classes, go to myLeo > Student Resources > Registration Menu.
Contact your graduate enrollment specialist if you have any questions regarding your degree plan and registration.
Your Graduate Enrollment Specialist
I Still Have Questions
We are here to help! Send us an email. We can answer your questions and assist you in the application process.
Contact the Department
- Psychology and Special Education
- 903.886.5631
- [email protected]
Careers