Elementary Education
If you are interested in working with students in elementary grade levels or already hold teacher certification in elementary education, the Department of Elementary and Special Education provides degree programs designed for you.
Undergraduate Program
The Elementary Education B.S.Ed. Certification Track program is for undergraduate students and leads to initial teacher certification in elementary education. It includes an optional dual-certification track that adds initial certification in P-5 special education.
Graduate Programs
The Teaching M.A.T. (Concentration in Elementary Education P-5) program is for candidates who already hold a bachelor’s degree and who are interested in a career as a teacher of young children. Please use this link above to learn more about the Teaching M.A.T. (Concentration in Elementary Education P-5) program.
The Elementary Education (Grades P-5) M.Ed. program and the Teaching and Learning Ed.S. program provide advanced teacher preparation and will qualify you for teacher certification upgrades.
Each of the programs is based upon the concept of developmentally appropriate practices and the value of diverse, intensive field experiences working with diverse student populations. The programs are approved by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (PSC).
Career Opportunities
Upon successful completion of the Elementary Education B.S.Ed. Certification Track program and passing the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE) content exams in elementary education (or dual-certification), and the Educators Ethics Exit 360 exam, you will qualify for a Georgia level 4 Induction certificate upon employment as a teacher.
M.A.T. graduates will be eligible for Georgia T-5 Elementary Education Certification (grades P-5) upon successful completion of all program requirements, and passing the appropriate GACE exam. The program is an NCATE accredited, Georgia Professional Standard’s Commission approved program that is recognized through reciprocity in many other states in the U.S. Graduates of this program are prepared to teach in public or private school systems. For questions regarding certification, please visit the College of Education certification webpage.
M.Ed. and Ed.S. graduates serve as master teachers in their schools, clinical supervisors for student teachers, and staff professionals in school systems.