Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Virtually every undergraduate education program is available only through on-campus, day course work, and there are currently no internet or distance learning programs in place for undergraduate education degrees. Many programs also require certain combinations of courses to be taken concurrently, so progression in these programs will require full-time enrollment during certain terms.

TEP is the abbreviation for the Teacher Education Program. Admission and Retention in the TEP is dependent on the satisfaction of specific requirements listed in the University Catalog.  Note: Declaring Education as a major does NOT automatically admit you into the Teacher Education Program. Until all requirements are met, students are classified as Pre-Education majors and may not enroll in Junior and Senior level Education course work.

The Pre-professional Block, or PPB, is a set of three courses with a field experience component:

• Investigating Critical and Contemporary Issues in Education (EDUC 2110)
• Exploring Socio-Cultural Perspectives on Diversity in Educational Contexts (EDUC 2120)
• Exploring Learning and Teaching (EDUC 2130)

The three PPB courses, totaling nine semester hours, are taken concurrently preferably during the fourth semester at Georgia Southern. During the PPB experience, students will begin the construction of a Folio, which will be a part of the admission process to the Teacher Education Program. Students will also have a common field experience with the three courses which will provide them with exposure to actual classrooms and school settings.

During the PPB, students will be evaluated by committees on a set of established criteria including intrapersonal behaviors, interpersonal behaviors, oral communication, written communication, and professional behaviors. Prior to enrolling in the PPB, students should have all other requirements for admission to the Teacher Education Program satisfied in order to progress in the program after the PPB is completed.

Successful completion of the PPB, including the field experience and Folio review, is required for admission to the Teacher Education Program.

The Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators® (GACE) is Georgia’s state-approved educator certification assessment program. The purpose of the GACE is to help the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) ensure that candidates have the knowledge and skills needed to perform the job of an educator in Georgia’s public schools. These computer-delivered assessments have been developed by the GaPSC and Educational Testing Service (ETS).

The appropriate GACE Content Assessment must be taken for admission to Clinical Practice.

For more GACE information, including test dates, locations, study hints, and on-line registration, use these links:

• GACE website
• PSC’s Educator Testing web page

All undergraduate majors are advised by staff in the COE Advisement Center

Check the Clinical Practice Experience web page for information on student placement school locations and factors considered for clinical practice placements.

Georgia Southern University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges  (SACSCOC) to award associate, bachelor, master, specialist, and doctorate degrees. In addition, The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) accredits Georgia Southern University’s College of Education and programs leading to initial licensure in teaching, service, and leadership fields are approved approved by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GAPSC) which oversees teacher preparation and certification in Georgia.

Check with the Office of Financial Aid for complete financial aid information including loans, grants, scholarships, and work-study programs. You may wish to explore Georgia’s highly successful HOPE Scholarship Program. Also, check the College of Education Undergraduate Scholarships information for scholarships available within the College of Education through the Georgia Southern Foundation with applications due Jan. 31 each year.

Yes. The College of Education offers the Master of Arts in Teaching and alternative preparation programs leading to initial teacher certification in many fields. Students wishing to obtain their first teaching certificate in a field can contact the Graduate Academic Services Center for instructions on completing the required transcript evaluation and to obtain information on available alternative programs.

Standard Master of Education (M.Ed.) programs are 36 graduate semester hours. The M.Ed. in Counselor Education offers two different concentration areas which are 60 graduate semester hours. Concentration areas in the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree vary from 33-45 graduate semester hours and may require additional prerequisite coursework.

The Ed.S. in School Psychology program is 69 graduate semester hours as required for professional entry-level in that field. The other Ed.S. degree programs range from 30-33 graduate semester hours.

Entrance requirements depend upon the degree and program selected. Admission requirements are listed in the University Catalog and on the College of Education Degree Program webpage under the graduate program tab.

Complete the application for admission. For questions regarding the graduate admission applications, contact the Graduate Admissions Office at 912-478-5384.

Check with the Office of Financial Aid for complete financial aid information including loans, grants, and scholarships. Also, see information on COE graduate scholarships at: https://www.georgiasouthern.edu/coe/students/scholarships/

Your acceptance letter from the Graduate Admissions Office will indicate an advisor for your program and contain contact information. You may also call the Graduate Academic Services Center at (912) 478-1447 to obtain contact information for graduate advisors.

Georgia Southern University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, bachelor, master, specialist, and doctorate degrees. In addition, the College of Education’s programs are accredited by the The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP); its programs are approved by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GAPSC); the counselor education program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP); and the school psychology program is approved by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP).

If you already possess Georgia certification (teaching, service, or leadership) and you have completed all requirements for an advanced degree or an endorsement program which makes you eligible for an upgraded certificate, follow the procedures at this link: Certification Paperwork Process.