College of Education

Alternative Certification

Alternative certification programs are designed for individuals who do not currently hold a certification and also for individuals who hold a non-renewable (NR) teacher certification. These programs' teaching-internship options are within a sixty mile radius of Georgia Southern.

INITIAL TEACHER CERTIFICATION AT THE GRADUATE LEVEL
A bachelor's degree is required for admission into an alternative teacher certification program, and, in most cases, it must be in a discipline related to the teaching field. Two pathways are offered at Georgia Southern:

I. Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.)
The student earns a master's degree and T-5 certification.
Upon employment by a public school system, this graduate will qualify for pay at the T-5 level.
See full details and related links on the MAT web page.

II. Non-degree Initial Certification Programs
The non-degree program option is designed for those who do not wish to pursue a master's degree.
Certification awarded will be at the T-4 level.
See additional details below.

Note: Initial Certificaiton in non-teaching fields such as Counselor Education, Educational Leadership, School Psychology, and Instructional Technology require completion of the M.Ed. master's degree. Initial certification in Counselor Education and School Psychology cannot be completed as non-degree study. To pursue certification in Educational Leadership or Instructional Technology as a non-degree student, the applicant must possess a master's degree at entry and meet all other admission criteria for the program.

Additional Details:

I. Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) - see the MAT web page.

II. Non-Degree Initial Certification Programs are available in all teaching fields, including Early Childhood Education, Middle Grades Education, Secondary Education fields, P-12 certification fields (Art, Foreign Language, Health and Physical Education, and Music), and Special Education. The non-degree program option is designed for those who do not wish to pursue a master's degree. Upon employment by a public school system, this graduate will qualify for pay at the T-4 level.

Non-degree initial certification students apply for admission as a Non-degree Teaching/Service/Leadership student (GRE or MAT test scores are not required for this admission status).

For Early Childhood Education, Health and Physical Education, Music Education, and Family and Consumer Sciences, the non-degree programs mirror undergraduate teacher preparation programs and students will enroll with post-baccalaureate admission. Non-degree initial certification students must meet all TEP admission requirements.

For middle grades education, special education, and secondary and P-12 fields, the graduate non-degree initial certification programs are similar to the M.A.T. program, and students enroll with graduate admission. Non-degree students will follow the appropriate M.A.T. track through the Supervised Internship/Student Teaching experience and then apply for Initial Teacher (T-4) Certification. These candidates must be admitted to the Teacher Education Program (TEP) by the end of Step One, prior to enrolling in Step Two of the M.A.T. program of study.

A staff advisor assists non-degree certification students in course selection which typically includes undergraduate courses.

For steps to enter a Non-degree initial certification program follow the:
M.A.T. & Non-degree Graduate Alternative Certification, TEP Admission and Retention Checksheet

For questions, please contact Mrs. Chris Thompson by email or at 912-478-5383.

Note: For non-degree candidates who seek to enter the M.A.T. program (see I. above), GRE or MAT test scores must be submitted and admission granted into the M.A.T. degree program before enrolling in Step Two. Any M.A.T. program application submitted by a candidate who is enrolled under non-degree status will not be considered for admission once the candidate enrolls in Step Two courses.