College Algebra
First math content course for a mathematics certificate.
Self-paced online College Algebra course (Math 111). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →TexasTeachers
Short of subject hours for a Texas teaching programme? Texas teacher certification content hours explained
Checked 15 Nov 2026 by the team. Sources are listed at the end of the page.
The short answer
Texas teacher certification content hours are set by 19 TAC 227.10(a)(4): before admission to an educator preparation programme, a teacher candidate needs 12 semester credit hours in the subject, or 15 for math or science at grade 7 and above, or a passing content exam (PACT). Alternative routes also need a bachelor's and a 2.50 GPA. Missing hours can be added via a college transcript.
The rule
Under 19 TAC 227.10(a)(4), a Texas teacher candidate must finish at least 12 semester credit hours in the subject before admission to an educator preparation programme, or 15 semester credit hours for mathematics or science at or above grade 7, or pass the content certification exam instead.
The rule asks for 12 semester credit hours in the subject; 15 for math or science at grade 7 and above. The legal source is 19 TAC 227.10(a)(4).
| Requirement | What the rule says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Degree (alternative routes) | At least a bachelor's degree earned from and conferred by an accredited college. | [2] |
| GPA | At least 2.50 before admission. | [2] |
| Content hours | 12 semester credit hours in the subject of the certificate. | [2] |
| Math or science, grade 7 and up | 15 semester credit hours in the subject. | [2] |
| Instead of hours | A passing score on the content certification exam (PACT). | [1] |
| Substitute pay | Set by each district, not by TEA; tiers often depend on college hours. | [3] |
Who decides
Texas Education Agency (TEA) under State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) rules; each educator preparation programme (EPP) checks admission decides how this rule applies to you. We read its published rule and the pages below; each was checked on 15 Nov 2026.
Which credits count
What counts
- Semester credit hours in the subject-specific content area of the certificate you want, on an official transcript from an accredited college.
- For math or science at grade 7 and above: 15 such hours (for example college algebra, pre-calculus, calculus, statistics for math).
- Instead of hours: a passing score on the content certification exam (the PACT route).
What does not count
- Hours in a different subject from the certificate you want; the EPP judges which courses are in the content area.
- Courses that are not on a college transcript.
- Hours alone without the degree: alternative routes need a bachelor's conferred by an accredited college.
Courses that fit
Each course below is ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended for college credit. Whether it counts here is the decision of the college and of Texas Education Agency (TEA) under State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) rules; each educator preparation programme (EPP) checks admission.
Pre-Calculus
Math content hours toward the 15 for grade 7 and above.
Self-paced online Pre-Calculus course (MATH 115). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
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Calculus 1
Four credits of math content in one course.
Self-paced online Calculus 1 course (Math 165). NCCRS recommends 4 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Principles of Statistics
Math content often listed for secondary math.
Self-paced online Principles of Statistics course (Statistics 101). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Intro to Biology 1
Science content hours for a life science certificate.
Self-paced online Intro to Biology 1 course (Biology 100). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Chemistry I
Science content hours for a physical science certificate.
Self-paced online Chemistry I course (Chemistry 111). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →The path via a college transcript
- Count what you havePull your transcripts and add up hours in the subject of the certificate you want. Ask the EPP which of them it counts.
- Decide: PACT or hoursIf you are strong in the subject, the PACT may be faster. If not, plan the missing hours.
- Pick a college to post the hoursStart with a partner college, and read its transfer page.
- Take the content coursesUPI Study courses are online and self-paced, with ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit.
- Send the transcript to the EPPOnce the hours appear via a college transcript, send it with your EPP application.
TESU, UoPeople and Newlane are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit; start with their own transfer pages, then any other college you already attend.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
What it costs
| Option | Price | For this rule | Price checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPI Study PRO | $99 a month, every course | $99 for each month you are subscribed; take as many courses as you finish in that time | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Austin Community College (in-district) | $85 per credit hour with fees, 2026-27 | 12 hours = about $1,020 in-district; out-of-district adds $201 per hour | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Sophia Learning | $99 a month (or $299 per 4 months) | Monthly plan; check which math and science courses it offers | 15 Nov 2026 |
| StraighterLine | $99 a month plus $79 or more per course | Monthly fee plus $79 or more per course | 15 Nov 2026 |
Prices checked 15 Nov 2026 on each provider's own page. The PACT has its own test fee, set by the testing vendor; the college that posts outside credit may charge fees too. Ask both first.
What UPI Study cannot do here
- UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited, and it is not an educator preparation programme.
- We cannot tell you an EPP will count a course as content hours; each EPP checks admission against the rule.
- We do not offer PACT preparation or the test itself.
- Content hours do not replace the bachelor's degree, GPA or basic skills rules for admission.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. ACE and NCCRS review our courses and recommend credit; a college decides whether to give that credit and records it on its own transcript.
Confirm in writing first
Ask the educator preparation programme in writing which of your courses it will count as content hours for your certificate, before you enrol.
12 semester credit hours for Texas alternative certification: how the rule works
Every educator preparation programme in Texas, university or alternative, checks the same minimums from 19 TAC 227.10 before it admits a teacher candidate. For an alternative route you need a bachelor's degree conferred by an accredited college, a GPA of at least 2.50, basic skills under the Texas Success Initiative, and content knowledge in the subject you want to teach.
Content knowledge is shown one of two ways. The first is college coursework: 12 semester credit hours in the subject, or 15 if you want to teach math or science at grade 7 or above. The second is a passing score on the content certification exam, which TEA calls the Pre-Admission Content Test, or PACT. TEA's page also says you must take the PACT if your GPA is below 2.5.
A December 2025 SBEC discussion item proposes changes to Chapter 227, but the 12-hour and 15-hour thresholds stay the same in that draft. Check the rule again before you apply.
PACT test or college hours for Texas alternative certification
The PACT is faster for someone who already knows the subject: one test, and you are done with the content part. It can be slower for career changers who studied something else years ago. College hours take longer but teach the subject you will be teaching, and they stay on your transcript.
Some programmes require the PACT for everyone as local policy, even when you have the hours. TEA's page says so, so ask your programme before you choose. If you are short by only one or two courses, adding them can be the calmer route.
- Strong in the subject and short on hours: try the PACT
- Short by one or two courses: add the hours
- GPA below 2.5: the PACT is required anyway
How college hours change substitute pay in Texas districts
Substitute pay is not set by TEA. Each district sets its own tiers, and many tie them to college hours. Northside ISD's 2026-2027 schedule pays $110 a day to substitute teachers with 90+ semester hours, $120 to degreed substitutes and $130 to certified teachers. Garland ISD asks substitute teachers for 48 college hours, an associate's or a bachelor's, and pays its degreed-teacher tier $110 Tuesday to Thursday and $120 on Mondays and Fridays under its temporary 2026-2027 schedule.
So the same hours can help twice: as content hours for your programme and as a higher substitute tier while you wait. Check your own district's schedule; thresholds differ.
Questions people ask
How many college hours do I need in my subject to start a Texas alternative certification programme?
At least 12 semester credit hours in the subject of the certificate, or 15 if you want to teach math or science at grade 7 or above, under 19 TAC 227.10. A passing PACT score can replace the hours. You also need a bachelor's degree and a GPA of at least 2.50.
Do I have to take the PACT in Texas?
Only in some cases. TEA's page says you must pass a PACT if your GPA is below 2.5 or if you lack the 12 or 15 content hours. Some programmes require it for everyone as local policy, so ask yours.
Can I add content hours after I finish my bachelor's degree?
Yes. The rule counts semester credit hours completed before admission, not only hours inside the degree. Additional hours on an official transcript from an accredited college can count if the programme agrees they are in the subject.
Do online courses count as content hours in Texas?
The rule asks for semester credit hours in the subject and does not mention how they were taught. What matters is an official college transcript that lists them and a programme that agrees they fit the content area. Ask your programme in writing first.
What counts as the subject-specific content area?
Courses in the subject you will teach: math courses for a math certificate, biology or chemistry for science, English for English language arts. The programme decides which of your courses count, so send it your transcripts and ask before you take more courses.
Do college hours raise substitute teacher pay in Texas?
Often, but the district decides. Northside ISD pays more for 90+ semester hours, a degree and certification; Garland ISD asks for 48 hours, an associate's or a bachelor's to substitute as a teacher. Check your district's current schedule.
Read next
- PACT or college hours: getting into a Texas alternative certification programmePACT or college hours in Texas: under 19 TAC 227.10 you can show content knowledge for an educator preparation programme with 12 semester credit...
- How 60 college hours changes substitute pay in Texas districtsTexas substitute pay by college hours is set district by district, not by TEA. Many districts pay more as you add college hours, finish a degree, or...
The same topic in nearby states
Ready when you have it in writing
Math and science content courses in one plan.
Sources
- TEA: Pre-Admission Content Test (PACT) (official)An applicant must pass a PACT if the GPA is below 2.5 or if fewer than 12 semester credit hours were completed in the certificate's subject (15 for math or science above 7th grade); PACT registration needs a bachelor's or the last semester of one; EPPs may set local PACT policies. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- SBEC Dec 2025 Item 18: 19 TAC Chapter 227 (current text shown with proposed edits) (official)19 TAC 227.10(a)(4)(A)-(C): 12 semester credit hours in the subject-specific content area, 15 for mathematics or science at or above Grade 7, or a passing content exam score; (a)(2) bachelor's from an accredited IHE for alternative routes; (a)(3) GPA of at least 2.50. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Northside ISD: 2026-2027 Substitute Pay Schedule (official)Teacher substitute daily rates: certified $130, degreed not certified $120, 90+ semester hours $110; a substitute who gains 90+ hours or a degree can ask to upgrade. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Garland ISD: Substitutes (official)Substitute teachers need 48 college hours, an associate's or a bachelor's; temporary 2026-27 degreed-teacher rate $110 Tue-Thu and $120 Mon/Fri; certified $125/$135; instructional aide $95/$105. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Austin Community College newsroom: tuition freeze for 2026-27Price for Austin Community College (in-district), checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Sophia Learning: Plans and pricingPrice for Sophia Learning, checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- StraighterLine: PricingPrice for StraighterLine, checked on 15 Nov 2026.