Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Below is a listing of frequently asked questions arranged by topic.
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All documents must be original and sent directly from a university or testing agency.
For BAAS admissions:
Lamar University Admissions
LUAP-BAAS
PO Box 10017
Beaumont, TX 77710
For graduate admissions:
Lamar University Admissions
Academic Partnerships
P.O. Box 10017
Beaumont, TX 77710
The application deadline for that session has probably passed. Please apply for the next available start date.
You may pay this fee online along with your tuition for your first course.
Applied Online: Completed the application for admission
Accepted to begin the online masters program: You have been provisionally admitted to the University, and are approved to take six hours before all departmental admission requirements must be met.
Enrolled/Registered: You have been placed in a particular course, and are ready to pay your tuition.
Paid: You have paid for your course and the application fee, and are ready to receive the courseware download.
Review: Although your credentials do not meet the initial program requirements, an academic advisor will review your folder and make an independent decision. If you have any additional coursework or test scores that might strengthen your credentials, please forward those immediately.
Accepted as a graduate student: In addition to your provisional acceptance to Lamar University, you have met ALL admission requirements, and have been accepted by the College of Education and Human Development. You may now continue beyond six hours.
Students who have attended a college or university outside the U.S. must have official transcripts translated and evaluated for authentication from a recognized United States evaluation company.
The transfer evaluation must include course by course grades, include a grade point calculation and indicate the diploma or degree conferred. This evaluation, along with original transcripts, must be forwarded to Lamar University directly from the credential evaluation agency or the school district's human resource office. If your transcripts have not yet been evaluated, please select one of the sites below and follow their instructions.
SDR EDUCATIONAL CONSULTANTS
10134 Hammerly, No. 192
Houston, TX 77080
(713) 460-5344
www.sdr.netfirms.com |
GLOBAL CREDENTIAL EVALUATORS, INC.
PO Box 9203
College Station, TX 77842-9203
(409) 690-8912
www.gcevaluators.com |
WORLD EDUCATION SERVICE
PO Box 745
Old Chelsea Station
New York, NY 10113-0745
(212) 966-6311
www.wes.org |
INTERNATIONAL ACADEMIC CREDENTIAL EVALUATORS
PO Box 2585
Denton, TX 76202-2585
(817) 383-7498
www.iacei.net |
EDUCATION EVALUATORS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
11 South Angell St. #348
Providence, RI 02906
(401) 521-5340
www.educei.com |
FOREIGN CREDENTIALS SERVICE OF AMERICA
1910 Justin Lane
Austin, TX 78757-2411
(512) 459-8428 Fax: (512) 459-4565
www.fcsa.biz / email: info@fcia.biz or davidbrowne@fcia.biz |
International Students (H1-B Visa Status only)
- Complete the online application for admission.
- Request that your school district's human resources office send transcripts that have been evaluated by a certified transcript evaluation service. A list of credential evaluators is listed above.
Lamar University requires readable photocopies of your H1-B Visa, including your photograph, verifying your immigration status. This information MUST come directly from your file in your school district's human resources office. We cannot accept copies from the student or any other source.
Your school district's human resources office must submit a copy of your Standard Texas Teaching Certificate.
You must be continuously employed by a Texas school district for the duration of the degree program. This will be verified by Lamar University.
Take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) and have scores submitted to Lamar University.
No. At this time, the program is only open to United States Citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents (Green Card), and individuals who hold an H1-B Visa and are teaching for a school district in the state of Texas. All applicants must hold a valid standard Texas Teaching Certificate, meet all academic requirements, and be classified as Texas Residents for tuition purposes.
The following are acceptable as proof of resident status:
- Bureau of Indian Affairs/Tribal identification card
- U.S. Passport (current or expired) - unless stamped non-citizen national
- Unexpired Foreign passport with U.S. Visa, with I-551 stamp or attached
- Certificate of U.S. Citizenship (Form N-560 or N-561) issued by USCIS through a federal or state court or through
administrative naturalization after December 1990
- Certification of Naturalization (Form N-550 or N-570) issued by USCIS
- Permanent Certificate of Naturalization
- Resident Card with photograph (Form I-151) issued since 1997 or later
- Resident Alien Card (Form I-551) issued before 1997
- Alien Registration Receipt Card with photograph (Form I-551) issued prior to June 1978
- U.S. Military card or draft record
- U.S. Armed Forces Driver's License
- U.S. Social Security card issued by the Social Security Administration and valid photo ID
- U.S. Military DD-214 documentation ID Card for active duty, reserve or retired and valid photo ID
- Birth Certificate showing birth in the United States, which includes Puerto Rico (on or after January 13, 1941), Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands (on or after January 17, 1917), American Samoa, Swains Island, or the Northern Mariana Islands, unless the person was born to foreign diplomats residing in the US and valid photo ID
- Affidavit of birth and valid photo ID
- Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240) Issued by State Department and valid photo ID
- Certificate of Birth from Foreign Service Post (Form FS-545) Issued by State Department and valid photo ID
- Certification of Report of Birth (Form DS-1350) Issued by State Department and valid photo ID
- Refugee Travel Document (Form I-571) Issued since 2003 and valid photo ID
- Form I-94 arrival/departure record with endorsement (expiration date must not have passed); stamp showing admission under section 207 (refugees) or section 208 (asylum) of the Immigration Nationality Act and valid photo ID
- Voter's Registration Card and valid photo ID
- Military dependent's ID card and valid photo ID
When a naturalized US citizen needs to have a Certificate of Naturalization authenticated by the U.S. State Department for use by Foreign Governments/Embassies, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) can copy the document and certify it as a true copy. "Authentication" is a term used by the U.S. Department of State and other Governments to describe what USCIS refers to as Certified True Copies. When you require a Certificate of Naturalization to be authenticated, be sure to use the term "Certified True Copy." If you have the original document to be certified, you must make an appointment with your local USCIS office by using the InfoPass Appointment Scheduler on their Web site.
Bring your original naturalization certificate and a copy of it to your appointment. Also bring another form of photo identification, such as a driver's license or passport. A USCIS officer will review the documents and may certify the copy, if the officer can confirm your identity and status as a naturalized citizen.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will provide Certified True Copies and return these along with the supplied documentation to the requester. USCIS cannot act as an agent of the U.S. Department of State by accepting fees on behalf of other government agencies or forwarding documentation to any other government agency.
No. The university requires a record of your assignment within the course. Submitting your assignment in the course shows documentation of completing the course requirements.
Yes. Please use APA (American Psychological Association) or MLA (Modern Language Association) formatting guidelines for documenting sources.
No. Once you click out of an exam, your responses are submitted for auto-grading.
Scholarly writing is graduate-level work, which uses peer-reviewed sources and edited publications including journals and books.
An A, B, or C is needed to receive credit for the course.
For undergraduate students: Ds may be counted for other courses as long as the overall grade point average is a 2.0.
This is determined by the course professor and should be stated in the syllabus.
The lowest grade accepted for graduate credit is a C. However, students must have a B average to receive a degree.
If a student fails a course he or she will have to retake the course and earn a "C" or better.
You will have to wait to take the missed course when it is offered again in the rotation. This will delay your completion date and may delay your graduation date. Any substitutions must receive prior approval from the Dean of the College of Education and Human Development.
First, you will ask your instructional associate for information. If the information is not complete or you need more information, you can directly email your professor.
Transcripts can be sent to the student or school district with student permission. Federal law concerning the release of private student information must be followed. Unofficial transcripts can be obtained from a student university account.
Some courses do require a textbook. You will receive advance notice if a textbook is needed.
Please email your Instructional Associate with course content questions.
Financial aid is available for qualified students.
Students may apply for the Federal Stafford Loan (subsidized and/or unsubsidized) and Grad Plus loans.
Students must meet all eligibility requirements established by the U.S. Department of Education for Stafford Loans.
Students are encouraged to apply for financial aid as soon as possible to prevent processing delays.
Federal regulations prevent students from receiving financial aid until they are officially admitted into the program.
- Complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online application
at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Lamar University's school
code is 003581. If everything is correct and complete, it will take approximately 5-7 business days to process.
- Complete and turn in the Academic Partnerships Financial Aid Intent Notification.
If a student has been placed in verification, additional paperwork will be required such as tax returns, W-2s,
verification worksheet, and possibly additional documentation.
- Once all documentation has been received, each student will be awarded the full amount of their loan
eligibility. All loans will be accepted for the student and the information will be sent to TG
(Texas Guarantee). Student will need to complete Loans By Web with TG.
On Loans By Web the student will choose their lender, complete entrance counseling, and complete their Master
Promissory Note. Loans By Web will need to be completed for each loan.
Lamar University's Office of Student Financial Aid.
Subsidized Federal Stafford Loans are based on financial need using the expected family contribution from the FAFSA and the school's cost of attendance. The interest does not accrue while the student is enrolled at least half time in school and during the 6 month grace period. Payments to principal and interest are deferred until 6 months after the student graduates or leaves school. The current interest rate for graduate students is 6.8 percent.
Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans are not need-based but cannot exceed the student's cost of attendance and aggregate limits. The interest begins accruing immediately upon disbursement but can be deferred while student is enrolled at least half time in school. Payments to principal and interest are deferred until 6 months after the student graduates or leaves school. The current interest rate is 6.8 percent.
Grad Plus loans are low interest credit-based loans where students can borrow from a lender of their choice that participates in the program. Interest begins accruing immediately upon disbursement. Students must complete a separate Grad Plus Loan Worksheet for Academic Partnerships students.
Please contact the financial aid office for a partial list of lenders. Please note that you have the right to select any lender you wish for an alternative loan. Many lenders offer attractive terms and conditions that you can find by searching the Internet.
Award and disbursement communication is preferred via the student’s MyLamar email address. The Financial Aid Office can be reached by phone at 409-880-7011.
- Go to TG Loans By Web.
- Select the appropriate option: I am a graduate student borrower.
- Log in using your Social Security number and date of birth.
- Select "Complete a loan award." Under Option 1 you will see the loan(s)
Lamar University has certified that you are eligible to receive.
GRE scores are one predictor of graduate school success. The scores provide common measures for comparing the qualifications of applicants and aid in evaluating grades and recommendations.
Ideally, yes. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores should be submitted prior to beginning the program. However, students are allowed to complete up to six graduate hours without scores. Passing GRE scores must be submitted for students to continue into the third course.
Deadlines for GRE submission are firm. Students without passing GRE scores are not allowed to proceed to the third course. Remember, it takes approximately three weeks for Lamar to receive GRE scores after you take the test, so plan accordingly. Students who have a conferred master's degree from an accredited United States college or university and have submitted official transcripts to Lamar are exempt from the GRE requirement.
No. A student may provide official transcripts for a conferred master's degree or equivalent from an accredited United States college or university or an official transcript publishing a qualifying GRE score in lieu of the GRE.
GRE Powerprep® software is a free download available to help you become
familiar with the test. You may also choose to purchase products though a test preparation company.
The test is offered year-round and most test centers are open five to six days per week. Appointments are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. Register early to get your preferred test date.
Take the computer-based General Test, which is includes verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing sections.
Masters in Educational Administration - Verbal + Quantitative = minimum score 800 combined.
Masters in Teacher Leadership and Masters in Educational Technology Leadership – Undergraduate GPA (or last 60 hours, whichever is higher) x 200 + (verbal + quantitative GRE score) = at least 1350.
The analytical writing score is not considered for acceptance into Lamar University's Educational Administration,
Teacher Leadership or Educational Technology Leadership degree programs.
Take the GRE right away. Scores take approximately 10-15 business days to be sent after the date requested. You will need to complete the test in time for your results to arrive to Lamar University before the payment date for your third course. You need to allow mailing and processing time, so plan accordingly. Please refer to your degree's academic calendar to view important deadline dates.
Request the scores be sent to school code 6360 for Lamar University.
More information is available at the
ETS site.
Be sure that you have given yourself plenty of time to prepare for the GRE, including practice tests, preparation classes and study guides.
There is no limit to how many times you can take the GRE. You must take it at least twice before you are eligible to submit an appeal.
You may appeal the GRE requirement for admissions. Be sure you have attempted to take the test at least twice.
You should send your materials to the appeals committee as soon as possible after your second attempt at the GRE test. It may take up to six weeks for your appeal to be processed and for the committee to make a decision about your case. You will be notified by email as soon as the appeals committee has made a decision.
If you have taken the GRE test twice and failed to meet the admission requirements, you may wish to appeal.
The appeals committee will not review your appeal until your packet is complete. An appeal requires a one-page letter of intent to appeal and copies of your GRE score reports that were mailed to you from ETS.
- Explain your goals for your degree
- Explain why you did not meet the requirements
- List examples of other test scores that demonstrate your proficiency
- List activities, accomplishments and leadership that are pertinent to the program you are seeking
- Include supporting materials (EXcET or TExES test scores, examples, etc)
Send to:
Appeals Committee, Academic Partnerships
P.O. Box 10034
Lamar University
Beaumont, TX 77710
Graduation attire: Lamar University tradition requires all degree candidates participating in the graduation ceremony to wear appropriate attire, as follows.
- Males: Dark-colored suit, shoes and socks, white dress shirt, and a dark tie.
- Females: All women must wear the collar arrangement furnished with the graduation gown. Corsages and purses are not allowed.
- Mortarboard tassels must be worn to the right side of the cap.
Name Cards: Degree candidates will pick up their name cards before lining up in the procession. These will be used by the announcer to read names as students cross the stage.
Guests: No tickets are required for guests of the graduates.
Announcements: Personalized announcements may be ordered through the
bookstore.
Diplomas: Students will return in a procession to the assembly rooms to pick up diplomas following the ceremony. For those not attending the ceremony, your diploma will be mailed within the first business week following commencement. Please ensure your correct mailing address is on file.
Photographer: For your convenience, Lamar University has arranged for professional photography during the graduation ceremony. Photographs will be made available to graduates and their families at reasonable prices. After graduation, the photographer will mail a proof to your permanent address with a price list.
You must reapply for graduation for the following semester and re-pay the graduation fee. Graduation fees are not refundable and may not be transferred to another semester. All students must pay the graduation fee even if they are not attending the ceremony.
After the university receives and processes your graduation application, the fee will be applied to your student account.
You must reapply for graduation for the following semester (within the allotted time frames) and re-pay the application fee.
Yes. Please indicate how many additional diplomas you would like on the graduation application. Each additional diploma is $10.60 each, and the fee will be applied to your account along with your graduation application fee and postage (if needed).
Yes. If you do not apply for graduation, your degree will not be conferred.
To have your degree conferred, you must first apply and pay for graduation. The degree will confer the Monday following the graduation ceremony.
Your transcript will show your degree on the Monday following graduation. If you need a transcript verifying completion of your degree, you should select "Hold for Degree" when you order the transcript or wait to order the transcript until the Monday following graduation.
No. All graduate students are required to maintain a 3.0 GPA to graduate.
You will see the graduation fees posted to your account. You will not receive a confirmation email.
After the Office of Graduate Studies has received all grades and notice from your department that you have passed your portfolio, we will send you a congratulatory email to your MyLamar email account. This email is your verification of completion. It must be received in your MyLamar account and it cannot be automatically forwarded.
If you need a letter verifying completion of your degree, please send your request to
recordsluacademicpartnerships@lamar.edu. Do not request this letter until all grades required for your degree have posted.
You must have:
- a conferred masters degree (degrees are conferred the Monday following graduation).
- passed the TExES Principal exam.
- initial teaching certification.
- 2 years of teaching experience (you must send service record with application).
- Step 1: Apply for Recommendation for a Standard Principal’s Certificate with Lamar’s Certification Office. Detailed application instructions (.PDF)
We must receive an application by fax or US mail with your signature requesting the review to begin your recommendation. Reviewing the documents for recommendation may take up to 8 weeks. The first document reviewed is your transcript. Your degree will be posted in the LU electronic records Monday following commencement. This is the first date we can process your application for recommendation. After applying for recommendation, you can proceed to Step 2.
- Step 2: Apply for Certification with SBEC and pay the required fees through the SBEC website. See instructions on how to apply at SBEC.
- Step 3: When the Lamar certification review is completed, the recommendation will be entered on your SBEC application. It takes another 6 – 8 working days for SBEC to process the request.
NOTE: SBEC cannot process a request for certification until the recommendation is received from the preparation program.
If you have questions or need more information about the certification process, please contact us at
sandy.rucker@lamar.edu.
Internship Program
You must be enrolled and/or have completed EDLD 5311. While in that class you will need to complete the
Intern/Supervisor Application and Agreement located in the Portfolio Homepage in the “Document” module.
Make sure to complete the form online and submit to your portfolio. Then you will need to print the
form and have your supervisor and yourself sign it. The completed form needs to be scanned and e-mailed
to
academic.testing@lamar.edu. As the subject, use
app, last name, first name.
Make sure you understand the workings and timelines of the electronic portfolio by reviewing the handbook
and the Portfolio Structure Presentation.
You may start on your internship hours and the electronic portfolio while you are in EDLD 5311 (your first class). The
Principal Internship is an 18-month program that runs concurrently with your master's program. During that time, you
will be working on campus-supervised and course-embedded activity logs and other items that must be completed before
you take your final class, EDLD 5398. All of these items are located in your electronic portfolio. Make sure you
read the handbook and review the portfolio structure presentation.
There are 140 course-embedded log activity hours and 140 campus-supervised log activity hours within the principal
internship program. All of these documents are located in the electronic portfolio and must be completed following
the prescribed pacing guide. Make sure you read the handbook and review the portfolio structure presentation.
The EDLD 5398 - Capstone Principal Internship class is your final class in both the master's program and your
principal internship program. In that class you will complete a final report that uses the extensive knowledge
gained and reflected on both your course-embedded logs and campus-supervised logs. This report is part of your
final requirements for graduation along with the completion of the electronic portfolio and other items.
Lamar Competency Exam (LCE) FAQs
There is no fee to take the LCE.
No. Students who wish to take the TExES Principal exam must pass the LCE with an 80% or better.
TExES FAQs
You may take the TExES once you have:
- completed and/or enrolled in your eighth class.
- completed the ILD.
- completed the Lamar Competency Exam and passed with an 80.
Please see the
ETS Web site for dates and more information. The ETS Web site also has preparation materials that contain a sample test and competency framework.
During or after your eighth course, you must take the Lamar Competency Exam (LCE) and
score an 80 or above.
You must also submit proof of completion of ILD training to
academic.testing@lamar.edu.
You must be enrolled in your eighth course before Lamar will submit approval to take the TExES exam.
ILD, PDAS, TExES and Graduation
No. You do not have to take the ILD and PDAS to get your M.Ed. You do not have to take the TExES to earn your M.Ed. However, you should be aware that if you want to take the TExES Principal Certification test, you need to complete ILD training and pass LCCE with an 80 or better. You have a year after graduation to decide on the matter of the Principal Certification.
Additional Questions
This requires creativity. You and your supervisor should discuss how you can accumulate hours that relate to all nine competencies of the TExES. Once enrolled, you will be provided with several suggestions on how to earn hours.
- Log in to Lamar University’s payment portal.
- Scroll down to "Spring Semester Bill Payment" and click on "Touchnet Bill Payment".
- Please use your Banner student ID number (at the top of your enrollment email) and your PIN (birth date MMDDYY) to log in.
If you do not have your Banner ID, please contact the Records office.
- Open the "Payments" tab and under the heading "Action" click on "Pay".
- Choose your payment method and proceed with your payment.
Please note the new payment policies:
- If paying with a credit card, a convenience fee of 2% of the total payment amount, with a $3.00 minimum, will be charged.
- You can avoid paying the convenience fee by utilizing the new Electronic Check option. Electronic Check enables you to make payments directly from any checking or savings account.
- VISA credit cards will no longer be accepted for payments of tuition and fees. The University will continue to accept Master Card, American Express and Discover.
Should you wish to pay by check, please mail the payment to:
Lamar University, Attn: Jo Laudig
PO Box 10003
Beaumont, Texas 77710
Please include your Lamar University student ID number on the check.
If you have
qualified third party tuition reimbursement such as U.S. Army or AmeriCorps, you must pay the
tuition as enrolled and follow up with the necessary paperwork. For more information, please email Finance
at
LUAcademicPartnershipsFinance@lamar.edu and
put "Third Party Billing" in the subject line to properly identify your request.
Yes, payment is due for each course 7 days prior to the start date. Non-paid courses will be dropped for non-payment 3-4 days prior to the start date.
Yes. You must
email Records by 3 p.m. of the first course day to be reinstated. Payment must be received the same day you are re-instated by 5 p.m. Courseware will be made available no earlier than 5 p.m. on the following day.
A student may recover all tuition for the current course when proper documentation is received prior to the third day of the current course. Future courses that have been pre-paid will be refunded 100% less application fees.
For questions regarding your Merit email account (setting up your email, username, and password issues),
email us at
helpdesk@lamar.edu or call us at 409-880-2222,
8:00am to 5:00pm, Monday through Friday.
Technology support can be reached at
support@academicpartnership.com or
by calling 1-866-223-7675.
Support hours are:
Monday-Friday: 7am to 10pm (CST)
Saturday-Sunday & holidays: 8am to 8pm (CST).
You can navigate from the Lamar Homepage via the course title on the right.
From the Lamar Homepage:
- Click once on Course Title (on the right).
- Using the navigation tree on the left, click once on the Week in which you want to work.
- Click once on the task you wish to complete (reading, lecture, etc).
- Use the back and forward blue arrows in the top right corner of your screen to move forward and backward between screens.
The software remembers where you left off and will return you there the next time you visit the course.
Use the arrows in the top left corner if you wish to move from that place in the course.
Use the blue arrow key located at the top right corner to navigate through the lectures. The blue arrow key will allow you to view the weekly lectures from start to finish. Written transcripts of lectures and slides can be located by clicking on Resources in the Course Map.
Open the document you want to print and save it to your desktop. From there, you can print it.
Course expectations are located in the syllabus of each course.
Click on the arrows located to the right of the discussion board window so that the arrows point down to expand the threads.
You will email your instructional associate with your questions.
After the course is over, students will have access for an additional two weeks. You should take this opportunity to save any documents you might need in the future.
- You will need regular access to a computer with an Internet connection.
The minimum computer requirements for the virtual classroom are:
- Windows 2000/XP/Vista/Windows 7 / Mac OS 9 or better / Linux
- Any current Flash-compliant browser (eg. Internet Explorer 7 or Firefox 3.0)
- 512 MB of RAM, 1 GB or more preferred
- Broadband connection required – courses are heavily video intensive
- Video display capable of high-color 16-bit display – 1024 x 768 or higher resolution
- A sound card and speakers or headphones
- Current anti-virus software must be installed and kept up to date
Some classes may have specific class requirements for additional software. These requirements
will be listed on the course offerings page.
Most home computers purchased within the last 3-4 years meet or surpass these requirements.
- You will need some additional free software for enhanced web browsing. Ensure that you
download the free versions of the software.
- At a minimum, you must have Microsoft Office 2003, XP or 2007.
Microsoft Office is the standard office productivity software utilized by faculty, students, and staff. Microsoft Word is the
standard word processing software, Microsoft Excel is the standard spreadsheet software, and Microsoft PowerPoint is the
standard presentation software. Copying and pasting, along with attaching/uploading documents for assignment submission,
will also be required.
If you do not have Microsoft Office, you can check on the Microsoft web site for student edition packages.
866.223.7675 | 
