Mar 29, 2024  
2022-2023 Graduate Catalog 
    
2022-2023 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Elementary Education/Special Education, M.S.Ed.


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Admission Requirements

Applicants must possess an undergraduate or graduate degree in history or a related field from a regionally accredited institution.

The applicant should follow instructions for General Requirements for Admission to Graduate Study as shown above.

Applicant must:

Have a T-4 teaching certificate or be eligible for one;
Have a 2.75 & above GPA
Have passed the GACE Basic Skills Assessment and content Area GACE;
Have a clear background check;
Have an acceptable interview;
Have membership in a professional organization;
Have proof of liability insurance;
Submit 3 strong letters of recommendation describing student’s academic potential for graduate study.

Program Requirements

Students will be required to take 36 semester-hour courses designated to have numbers 5000 or above to satisfy the requirements for the Master of Science degree in Early Childhood Special Education. The combination of graduate level courses will be determined by the graduate advisor with input from the graduate student. Classes are held at the Warner Robins Center.

Master’s candidates will be required to submit a written and oral presentation of their proposed action research project, in consultation with their major professor, for assessment by the graduate committee prior to starting the research. The student will be assessed in their oral presentation for organization, mastery of the subject matter, and presentation effectiveness. The written proposal will be assessed for technical completeness and feasibility.

Program of Study

The following is the program of study for the M.S. Ed. in Elementary Education/Special Education. Because most of the candidates enrolled in this program are teaching fulltime, the candidate may not be able to take a full schedule of 9 hours during the academic year. In addition, current certification will determine the order of study. It is expected that Elementary Education/Special Education candidates will take pedagogical and content courses whenever they are offered.

Professional Core Requirements (7 hours)


Important Note:


Program candidates who wish to receive a clear renewable certificate as a school teacher must complete and pass GACE Basic Skills Assessment and content Area Assessments, have state technology competency certification, and complete the Introduction to Exceptional Child course (EDUC 5253 ). The Exceptional Child is required in addition to the course work specified in this program description if the student has not previously taken a course in the identification and education of children with special needs, as required by “House Bill 671.”

A capstone research project is proposed in the first semester of the program and completed prior to graduation. This activity encourages early childhood special education candidates to be data-oriented and helps them to contribute to the educational mission of the school.

Candidates who are not full-time teachers will be placed in schools for field experiences and/or practicum in order to complete the assignments for individual courses and the Key Assessments of the program. Otherwise, all candidates will use their own classrooms for these purposes, including the capstone research project.

The graduation requirement is a cumulative grade point average of not less than 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, the successful completion of the Final Written Comprehensive Examination and a passing score on the GACE examination for content areas (not to be repeated if taken in an undergraduate program).

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