Return to: 4160 Department of Learning Sciences
Additional Teacher Education information is found in section 1600 Educator Preparation .
The B.S.E. in Special Education prepares students to teach children and youth with mild to moderate behavior and learning disabilities (e.g., dyslexia and other specific learning disabilities, attention disorders, emotional behavior disorders); mild, moderate, severe, and profound intellectual disabilities; and autism spectrum disorders; and hearing impairments (e.g., deaf or hard of hearing). Students entering the B.S.E. will choose a concentration in adapted curriculum, general curriculum, or deaf education and learn to work with children and youth across the lifespan (e.g., children in preschool through 12th grade; adolescents; and adults) in a variety of settings (e.g., separate specialized schools, typical school settings, restrictive school settings such as alternative, residential, and juvenile justices, cognitive and behavioral specialty agencies, and resource and inclusion settings), and across languages (i.e., American Sign Language and English) and modes (i.e., spoken or signed) as well as in collaborative/co-teaching models. Graduates across concentrations will be prepared to work with children and youth with special needs successfully via a curriculum that focuses on evidence-based practices that prepares them to differentiate instruction for this unique population in a variety of education and therapeutic settings. Graduates are provided coursework and practicum experiences resulting in knowledge of characteristics, curriculum, instructional strategies, and classroom management procedures.
Program Admission
- To be accepted into teacher education:
- students must have a 2.50 overall grade point average on all undergraduate coursework previously completed;
- students must have successfully completed all courses in areas A-F with the exception of AL courses which may be completed during the first semester in teacher education;
- students must present passing scores on the GACE Program Admission Assessment or demonstrate an exemption upon application to an initial educator preparation program;
- students must complete the Georgia Educator Ethics (360) Assessment;
- students must show proof of tort liability insurance.
Program Academic Regulations
Program of Study: Students must complete 42 semester hours in Areas A-E of the Undergraduate Core Curriculum
Pre-Service Certificate: Upon admission to a teacher education program, students will be contacted by the Office of Field Placements and Certification with instructions to claim enrollment in their program and submit a GaPSC Pre-Service Certificate Application. The pre-service certificate is required for placement in required field experiences or clinical practice.
Certification: Students must post passing scores on the GACE Content Assessment and Georgia Educator Ethics (360) Assessment in order to be recommended by Georgia State University for clear, renewable certification.
For Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) certification requirements, students must earn a grade of “B” or higher in EXC 4020 .
Program Financial Information
B.S.E majors must pay all tuition and fees charged by the University and the College. A lab fee of $125 will be charged at the time students register for the student teaching experience. Educator preparation students must be aware that extra cost such as tort liability and transportation will be incurred at various times during the completion of various teacher education field experiences, particularly during the students’ senior year.
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