Middle Grades Education
If you are interested in working with students in grades 4-8 or already hold teacher certification in middle grades education, the Department of Middle Grades and Secondary Education provides degree programs designed for you.
Undergraduate Program
The Middle Grades B.S.Ed. Certification Track program is for undergraduate students and leads to initial teacher certification in middle grades education (grades 4-8).
Graduate Programs
The Middle Grades Concentration in the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program is for individuals who already hold a bachelor’s degree and want to become certified to teach at the middle grades level. The MAT leads to initial teacher certification and master’s degree upon completion.
The M.Ed. in Middle Grades Education program and the Teaching and Learning Ed.S. program provide advanced teacher preparation and will qualify you for teacher certification upgrades. The M.Ed. and the Ed.S. programs are fully online.
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 Middle Grades Education B.S.Ed. Certification Track program and passing the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE) content exams in middle grades education, and the Educators Ethics Exit 360 exam, you will qualify for a Georgia level 4 Induction certificate upon employment as a teacher.
MAT graduates will qualify for Georgia T-5 Middle Grades Certification (grades 4-8) upon successful completion of all program requirements and passing the appropriate GACE exam. The program is an NCATE accredited, Georgia Professional Standards 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.