Graduate Degrees

 

This program leads to the T-5 certification in Middle Grades Education and is designed to prepare master teachers to work with children in grades 4-8. This program also provides knowledge and skills for teachers to serve in leadership roles in curriculum development, supervision and research in the field of Middle Grades Education.

The purpose of the M.Ed. in Middle Grades Education is to promote leadership for 4-8 populations. Candidates complete 36 hours of courses designed to augment resourceful and imaginative problem-solving skills for 4-8 populations. All classes implement the College of Education’s conceptual framework: Reflective transformative practitioner, culturally-responsive practitioner, and technologically-competent practitioner. Candidates have to be admitted by the Office of Graduate Admissions before admission into the program.

Program Objectives

Objective 1.	Compare their teaching practices with current research-based practices and make changes where necessary;
Objective 2.	Extend their knowledge and skills in a chosen area of educational interest;
Objective 3.	Present intellectually challenging thoughts and practices to students;
Objective 4.	Integrate new materials and methods of teaching into students’ teaching repertoire;
Objective 5.	Encourage interest in conducting research;
Objective 6.	Increase competencies in research techniques; and
Objective 7.	Increase students’ ability to recognize relevant research, which they can use to become more effective in their classrooms.

Admission to the Program

Admission to the Middle Grades Education Program requires an undergraduate degree in Middle Grades Education, or the equivalent, from an accredited college, and Georgia Professional Standards Commission Certification in Middle Grades Education. Students are also governed by the general admission procedures and requirements for the M.Ed. degree program, and they may matriculate in the Middle Grades Education program under the same categories of admission.

• Middle Grades Education Program of Study

 

 

This program leads to the T-5 certification in Mathematics education (6-12) and Science education (6-12). This program also provides knowledge and skills for teachers to serve in leadership roles in curriculum development, supervision and research in the fields of Secondary Education.

The purpose of the M.Ed. Secondary Education is to promote leadership for all populations. Candidates complete 36 hours of courses designed to augment resourceful and imaginative problem-solving skills for all populations. All classes implement the Department of Teacher Education's conceptual framework: Reflective transformative practitioner, culturally-responsive practitioner, technologically-competent practitioner. Candidates have to be admitted by the Graduate Admissions Office before being admitted into the program. 

Program Objectives

Objective 1.	The Masters of Education program in Secondary Education provides teachers with the opportunity to compare their teaching practices with current research based practices and make changes where necessary.
Objective 2.	The Masters of Education program in Secondary Education provides teachers with the opportunity to extend their knowledge and skills in a chosen area of educational interest.
Objective 3.	The Masters of Education program in Secondary Education provides teachers with the opportunity to present intellectually challenging thoughts and practices to students.
Objective 4.	The Masters of Education program in Secondary Education provides teachers with the opportunity to integrate new materials and methods of teaching into students’ teaching repertoire.
Objective 5.	The Masters of Education program in Secondary Education provides teachers with the opportunity to encourage interest in conducting research.
Objective 6.	The Masters of Education program in Secondary Education provides teachers with the opportunity to increase competencies in research techniques.
Objective 7.	The Masters of Education program in Secondary Education provides teachers with the opportunity to increase students’ ability to recognize relevant research, which they can use to become more effective in their classrooms.

 

Admission to the Program

Admission to the Secondary Education Program requires an undergraduate degree in one of the areas, or the equivalent, from an accredited college, and Georgia Professional Standards Commission Certification in one of the areas of Secondary Education.  Students are also governed by the general admission procedures and requirements for the M.Ed. degree program, and they may matriculate in the Secondary Education program under the same categories of admission.

• Education Program of Study with Concentrations

 

The M.Ed. degree programs in Special Education lead to T-5 certification in Special Education General Curriculum or Special Education Adapted Curriculum. Any person who has T-4 certification in a teaching field or who has completed a four-year degree program outside the field of teaching and meets the other admission criteria may pursue the master's level programs.

The Special Education Program provides professional educators an opportunity to enhance their ability to respond positively, creatively and proactively and develop teaching strategies and curriculum skills to enable students with disabilities to access the standard curriculum, and address areas of functional and independent living skills. As the candidates progress through the program they will take away knowledge of research-based best practices in their core content areas, strategies for making data-driven decisions, and skills for improving student achievement through action research.

Program Objectives

Objective 1.	Construct a thorough base in the foundations, principles, ethics, values, and methods of modern general and special education.
Objective 2.	Foster knowledge of pedagogy, enrichment and acceleration, interdisciplinary programming, early childhood intervention, secondary education, transition, and rehabilitation, rural and urban education, and technology.
Objective 3.	Incorporates coursework in behavioral disorders, intellectual disability, physical disabilities, and mild disabilities including intellectual disability, management of social and unsocial behavior, communication and language, mobility, mathematics, reading, problem-solving, visual skills and visual perceptual processing, and self-regulation.
Objective 4.	Affords candidates with opportunities to participate in action research, experimental design, program evaluation, cultural diversity, and issues of inclusion and least restrictive environment.

Admission to the Program

Admission to the Special Education Program requires an undergraduate degree in Special Education, or the equivalent, from an accredited college, and satisfactory scores on the Graduate Record Examination or Miller Analogies Test. When students lack a sufficient background in Special Education, they may be required to take additional undergraduate courses before beginning the M.Ed. program in Special Education. Students are also governed by the general admission procedures and requirements for the M.Ed. degree program, and they may matriculate in the Special Education program under the same categories of admission.

(Reading endorsement available)

• Special Education Program of Study

The Teacher Education program offers PSC approved endorsements in Reading, Gifted Education, K-5 Mathematics, and Online Learning. In addition to the endorsements, there is also the opportunity to obtain an Instructional Technology Certificate. 

• Teacher Education Endorsements
• Instructional Technology Certificate
• School of Education Endorsement Application