Bachelor of Science in Education

Bachelor of Science in Education

Blending traditional and non-traditional approaches to teacher preparation with a focus on content knowledge expertise, effective teaching strategies, and classroom management, graduates will enter the teaching profession poised to meet the challenges of current and future classrooms. Teacher candidates complete professional education coursework, content coursework in mathematics, science and reading as well as structured, supervised field experiences in the schools.

The Bachelor of Science in Education with a dual major in early childhood and special education meets standards established by the University System of Georgia, the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. Teacher candidates successfully completing this program will be certified in early childhood and special education, grades K-5.

Core Curriculum

The early childhood/special education program requires completion of 124-126 credit hours of which 60 are to complete the Core Curriculum Areas A through F. The following Area F courses are prerequisites for this program: EDUC 2110, EDUC 2120, EDUC 2130, ISCI 2001, ISCI 2002, and MATH 2008. Students are strongly recommended to work regularly with an education advisor on completion of the CORE curriculum.

Admission to the Teacher Education Program

Prior to enrolling in the semester that begins the teacher candidates professional education sequence of coursework, students are required to be admitted to the Teacher Education Program. Applications for admission to the Teacher Education Program are due on or before February 1 prior to the Junior Year, Fall Semester. Admission is competitive in nature and successful prospective teacher candidates must meet the following minimum criteria:

• a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher on all coursework.
• successful completion of the GACE Program Admission Assessment or an exemption based upon satisfactory scores on the SAT or ACT*
• completion of the GACE Georgia Educator Ethics Assessment (Program Entry [350])
• a grade of C or better in all Area F courses
• completion of Areas A-G in the core curriculum
• submission of three Teacher Candidate Disposition Evaluations (at least one from an EDUC professor)
• proof of insurance for tort
• a successful criminal background check (conducted by the GaPSC)
• GaPSC Pre-Service Certificate Application

Students may be exempt from GACE if they:

• Score 1000 or higher on the SAT (verbal, math)
• Score 43 or higher on the ACT (English, math)
• Passed the CBEST, CLAST, or FTCE (California/Oregon/Florida)
• Passed the Praxis I prior to 3/6/2007

Continuation in the Teacher Education Program

Once admitted to the Teacher Education Program, teacher candidates must earn a minimum 2.75 GPA or higher each semester and earn a C or better in all professional education coursework. Periodic monitoring by the program faculty with regard to teacher candidate progress on their knowledge, skills, and dispositions is conducted to ensure that teacher candidates meet high standards. Completion of professional education coursework includes lecture courses, practicum courses where teacher candidate’s work with children in public schools under the supervision of a certified teacher and a college supervisor, seminar courses that provide overview information about upcoming coursework, and professional development seminars that provide supplemental knowledge and skills beyond lecture courses.

Graduation Requirements

For graduation, all teacher candidates are required to take the edTPA, to successfully complete the Capstone Integrated Internship, and to pass the GACE content tests required for certification by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission.

Professional Education Curriculum

The professional education course of study is comprised of 64 credit hours with courses in mathematics, early childhood, special education, reading, physical activity and health, and music and art. In the professional education courses listed below the following guide provides the basis for content: ECED - course content focuses primarily on early childhood; ECSP - course content focuses on a combination of early childhood and special education; SPED - course content focuses primarily on special education; and RDNG - course content focuses primarily on literacy and reading education. In the last two years of study, all teacher candidates complete the same course sequence and field experiences as a cohort.

Cost & Fees

The tuition rate for the 2016-2017 academic year for in-state students is $102.13 per credit hour. The non-resident tuition rate is $377.40 per credit hour.