Return to: 4130 Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education
The M.Ed. in Elementary Education is a graduate degree designed for teachers who wish to pursue advanced preparation in a specific content area at the elementary level (dual immersion, mathematics, reading, teacher support and coaching, science, STEM, English to Speakers of Other Languages, or reading recovery). Successful completion of the program leads to a master’s degree (T-5) and qualifies the candidate for an endorsement in the area of the content concentration.
Program Academic Regulations
The Master of Education (M.Ed.) program in Elementary Education engages students in comprehensive exploration, research, and practice in elementary classrooms with diverse learners, specifically focusing on a student’s chosen concentration. Program experiences provide students with pedagogical content knowledge, instructional capabilities, and mindsets needed to serve as highly effective teachers and teacher leaders in their schools and communities. Through advanced study in a specific area, students become knowledgeable of current research and methods for teaching the content and establishing learner-centered classrooms consistent with the relevant national and state standards.
Students who apply for the program choose one area of concentration that can lead to an endorsement: Dual Immersion, Elementary Mathematics, Elementary Literacy, Teacher Support and Coaching, Elementary Science, STEM, English to Speakers of Other Languages, or Elementary Literacy in Reading Recovery. Upon meeting the College of Education and Human Development admissions requirements, students are eligible to pursue either of these courses of study.
All applicants must meet minimum college admission criteria and must show proof of meeting certification requirements in Georgia.
- Program begins each semester
- 36 semester hours
- 15 credit hours of coursework in one content concentration: Dual Immersion, Elementary Mathematics, Elementary Literacy, Teacher Support and Coaching, Elementary Science, STEM, English to Speakers of Other Languages, or Elementary Literacy in Reading Recovery.
- Candidates for the K-5 Mathematics and K-5 Science Endorsements must have one year of teaching before starting the endorsement courses.
- Candidates for the Teacher Support and Coaching Endorsement must have three years of teaching before starting the endorsement courses.
- Candidates for the Dual Immersion Endorsement must hold certification in P-12 Foreign Language Education.
- Candidates must be currently teaching or working in an early childhood/elementary setting or available to complete teaching assignments in an early childhood/elementary setting.
- IP grading may be assigned for some courses.
In addition to the college-wide graduation requirement of an overall 3.00 grade point average (calculated on all graduate work attempted), the Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education requires that the students maintain satisfactory progress as he or she pursues the program of study. Any student who faculty believes is not making satisfactory progress toward fulfillment of degree requirements may be removed from the program.
Students must file a formal application for graduation with the Graduation Office, Office of the Registrar, at least two academic terms in advance of the expected date of graduation to establish eligibility for graduation with the M.Ed. in Elementary Education.
