Undergraduate Degrees

Teacher in classroom with students

Admission Requirements

Formal admission to the teacher education program is a mandatory requirement.  All candidates pursuing initial Teacher Certification must be admitted to the Professional Education Unit/Teacher Education.  This includes candidates who are pursuing bachelor degrees via an approved Teacher Education Program, and post-baccalaureate students who are seeking initial or additional Induction Level certification as teachers.  Candidates are not eligible to take 3000 and 4000 level Education courses or Student Teach until admitted to the Professional Education Unit/Teacher Education.  Candidates enrolling in 3000 and 4000 level Education courses without having met the admissions requirements to the Professional Education Unit/Teacher Education will be administratively withdrawn from class(es). 

Application for Admissions

An Application for Admission to the Professional Education Unit can be obtained from the Department of Teacher Education and completed with the Academic Advisor for processing and submission. Candidates are encouraged to register for the GACE Program Admissions Assessment while enrolled in EDUC 2110: Investigating Critical and Contemporary Issues in Education.

Requirements for Admissions

The Department of Teacher Education offers professional degrees. Therefore, the Department must take formal action for candidates desiring entry into the study of Teacher Education.  The following criteria must be met to gain Admission to the Professional Education Unit/Teacher Education:

  1. Completion of a minimum of 36 semester hours from areas A, B, C, D and E of the Core with a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or above.
  2. Completion of EDUC 2110, ENGL 1101 and 1102 and MATH 1111 (or equivalent) with grades of “C” or above.
  3. Proficiency in written communication as demonstrated in EDUC 2110, 2120, and 2130.
  4. Commitment to abide by the Professional Standards Commission’s Code of Ethics.
  5. An acceptable history of professional dispositions and criminal background.
  1. GACE Program Admissions Assessment (or exemption)
  2. GACE Ethics Exit
  3. Criminal Background Check
  4. Satisfactory completion of unique requirements of the specific program applied to and the approval by the corresponding program coordinator and department chair. This may include specific achievement tests or physical performance requirements.

Guidelines for GACE – Program Admissions Assessment 

The Department of Teacher Education has established the following guidelines regarding the GACE Program Admissions Assessment:

  1. Candidates must successfully pass or exempt the GACE Program Admissions Assessment before formal admission to the Professional Education Unit.
  2. Candidates should register for and take the GACE Program Admissions Assessment while enrolled in EDUC 2110.
  3. Candidates who have not successfully passed or exempted the GACE Program Admissions Assessment should speak with an Advisor for additional resources to be successful.
  4. Candidates should submit their Admissions Packet to their Academic Advisor.

Requirements for Program Completion

The mission of Albany State University’s (ASU) Educator Preparation Program (EPP) is to prepare practitioners who possess the knowledge, skills, technological competence, and dispositions to improve the educational opportunities of students from diverse backgrounds in the schools and communities we serve. As such, preparation of candidates in ASU’s EPP is guided by a Unit Conceptual Framework that is built on four core values echoed in the program’s mission - Reflection, Transformation, Culturally Responsiveness and Technological Competence. The following criteria must be met for successful completion of the Professional Education Unit/Teacher Education Program: 

  1. GACE Program Admissions Assessment (or exemption) 
  2. Completion of a minimum of 120 semester hours in the specified program excluding the University's above of the core requirements with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or above.
  3. Completion of upper level program specific content courses with grades of “C”, “S”  or above with minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or above..
  4. Satisfactory completion of all Practicum Courses, Student Teaching and EDUC 2199. 
  5. GACE Content Assessment (Minimum Score: 220; Professional Score: 250)
  6. Satisfactory Completion of unique requirements of the specific program applied to and the approval by the corresponding program coordinator and department chair. This may include specific achievement tests or physical performance requirements. 

Welcome to the Office of Field and Clinical

All professional education courses in Teacher Education require authentic field experiences. Candidates are expected to engage in experiences with diverse candidates across a variety of grade levels as specified by their intended program of study.

The Teacher Education program offers students in Elementary, Middle Grades and Secondary Education, a variety of classroom experiences and professional growth opportunities to develop educators who are knowledgeable, reflective, transformative, culturally-response, and technologically-competent educators.

As part of the educational experiences in your professional program, students will engage and document over 800 hours worth of professional development and service.

*Candidates who have not been formally admitted to the Educator Preparation Program/Teacher Education will not be permitted to enroll in the Clinical Experience.

Click on the links below to see more information about each program.

Early Field Experience
Early Field Experience takes place in Teacher Education Foundation Courses. The foundation courses include EDUC 2110, 2120, and 2130. Teacher Education candidates are required to complete 10 hours in field experience in each course for a total of 30 hours for all foundation courses. 
Field Experience
Regular Field Experience takes place in Teacher Education Practicum Courses. The Practicum Courses include EDUC 3401, 3402, and 3403. Teacher Education Candidates are required to complete 60 hours per practicum course for a total of 180 hours for all practicum courses. 
Beginning of School Experience (BSE)
All candidates are required to spend approximately two weeks in a public school to observe/participate at the beginning of the school year. Candidates must apply for the Beginning School Experience during the spring semester prior to the academic year they are scheduled to student teach, whether Student Teaching in the fall or the spring. They must complete this field experience in a school setting with the level of student they will be expected to student teach. Approval and arrangements for the Beginning School Experience are made with the school by the education candidate and the Director of Clinical Experiences. Service for one year as a paraprofessional may substitute for the Beginning School Experience.
Student Teaching

Student Teaching is the capstone experience for the entry level baccalaureate programs and is conducted in accredited schools. Candidates are advised against taking additional classes while completing Student Teaching. Candidates must apply for admission to Student Teaching by attending the Pre-Student Teaching Seminar in the preceding semester (EDUC 3403–Practicum III). Student Teaching consists of completing 15 weeks of 40 hours per week in the K-12 classroom for a total of 600 field experience hours. 

Field and Clinical Handbooks

Field and Clinical Forms

Student Organizations

KDP logo

About KDP

Kappa Delta Pi (KDP), International Honor Society in Education, was founded in 1911 to foster excellence in education and promote fellowship among those dedicated to teaching. For over a century, the Society has consistently grown, starting with a local chapter to become the international organization it is today, with an initiated membership that exceeds 1.2 million!

Using a variety of programs, services, and resources, KDP supports and advances educators throughout the phases and levels of their teaching careers.

Membership Requirements

  1. Be enrolled at Albany State University and have the intent to continue academically and professionally in the field of education. 
  2. Have completed at least 18 credit hours of collegiate course work.
  3. Have at least 6 credit hours in education course work programmed, in progress, or completed.
  4. Demonstrate a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater.

How to Join

  1. Visit www.kdp.org 
  2. Click join at the top of the page
  3. Click on "Find a University" tab and select Albany State University
  4. Fill out application
  5. Provide a copy of your transcript
  6. Pay annual fee $50 for 1 year subscription and $85 for 2 year subscription

 TEACH Logo

about T.E.A.C.H.

T.E.A.C.H. (Targeting Excellence and Critical Habits) is a student organization at Albany State University. This organization's purpose is to help students develop professionally in specific alignment with dispositions reflective of national teaching organizations while serving the local community. The objectives for the Organization are: 

  1. To promote interest in education.
  2. To provide fellowship among students and faculty.
  3. To fulfill student needs and wants in regard to professional development. 
  4. To provide a forum for the presentation of innovative ideas to benefit of the field of education.
  5. To offer service to our local community.

Membership Requirements

  1. Members and officers must be students currently enrolled at Albany State University
  2. All active members must possess a GPA of 2.5 or better

 UWGLive Photo

UWG Live

UWGLive Simulations is an innovative way of assisting educators, school leaders, counselors, and other professionals in challenges they may have in their profession. UWGLive uses state of the art technology to create immersive mixed-reality environments for participants to practice and master certain skills in their ever-changing workplace. 

For educational purposes, UWGLive Simulations include several different virtual classroom environments - an upper elementary classroom and a middle school classroom with five students each, and an inclusion classroom that features a student with learning and/or behavior disabilities. Adult environments are also available wherein the participant can interact with a parent, teacher, principal, or other professional. Each student and adult has their own distinct personality. Each session is unique and personal because the students and adults do not remember past sessions.

The School of Education at Albany State University has invested in the UWGLive Simulations program offered by the University of West Georgia. The program is used to as an alternative to and in addition to traditional field experiences. 

Undergraduate Degree Programs

Teacher Education offers the Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education, Middle Grades Education, and Education with concentrations in English*, Health and Physical Education, Science and Special Education. There is also a Music Education degree which is housed in Visual and Performing Arts*. Each degree program is approved and leads to Level-4 Teacher Certification by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. Therefore, in addition to degree requirements, each candidate must pass all parts of the required GACE Content Exam for the pursued program of study, as well as fully meet all additional State of Georgia certification requirements before graduation. 

*Housed in the College of Arts and Sciences.