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College of Education

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A career in education is multi-faceted, offering challenges, personal satisfaction, and interaction with individuals from diverse backgrounds. Faculty and staff in the GSW College of Education are dedicated to the preparation of future educators and professional growth through graduate work in Education. Partner school systems provide real-life experiences in the preparation of teachers so that graduates of the GSW College of Education are ready to meet the opportunities to positively impact P-12 student learning.

All initial teacher preparation programs are approved by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) for recommendation for Georgia professional educator certification.

Undergraduate Programs

Elementary Education

Elementary Education Online Program

Middle Grades Education

Health and Physical Education

Secondary Education

Special Education

Graduate Programs

Master of Education

Specialist of Education

Endorsement & Certification Only Programs

Autism Education Endorsement (Online)

ESOL Endorsement (Online)

Special Education (Certification Only)

GSW Pre-K

Contact

College of Education

Education Center

229-931-2146 phone
229-931-2163 fax
yolanda.kendrick@gsw.edu

Social Info

Faculty & Staff

College of Education
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Accreditation
Mission
Teacher Certification

Teacher Education programs at Georgia Southwestern State University are approved by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC). Successful completion of an approved Teacher Education program leads to a induction certificate. Since these professional programs lead to licensure, candidates must meet requirements and responsibilities not common to other degree programs. 

The mission of the College of Education is to prepare effective teachers who demonstrate the essential knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to promote student achievement. The College of Education is committed to the following:

  • Developing leaders in education who have the essential knowledge, skills, and dispositions to make skilled, reflective decisions and who view student learning as the focus for their work.
  • Motivating life-long learning to adapt to the evolving needs of a global society and its diverse populations through high quality programs based upon exemplary instruction, knowledge of content, emergent technologies, and relevant research.
  • Developing candidates who accurately assess, reflect and make appropriate decisions about instruction resulting in achievement for all learners.
  • Collaborating professionally with families, schools, community partners, and others to improve the preparation of candidates and the effectiveness of practicing teachers.
Teacher certification is granted by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. All graduates of GSW who plan to seek certification in Georgia must file an application for a preservice certificate. This will include opening a MyPSC account with the Georgia Professional Standards Commission and claiming GSW as the program provider. All candidates for a teaching certificate must earn passing scores on the two required Georgia certification assessments - GACE Content Assessment and, GACE Program Exit Ethics Assessment. Once a candidate is hired by a school system, the school system will apply for an induction certificate for the individual. Candidates should complete application forms and submit them prior to the end of the semester in which they anticipate completing certification requirements.

Field Experiences

The College of Education strongly believes that field experiences are essential elements in all pre-service teacher education programs. Field experiences provide developmental, systematic, and authentic contact between Teacher Education candidates and the tasks involved in teaching P-12 students. Most education courses have field experience requirements as an integral part of the course requirements. Collaboration with the area Partner School Network enables candidates to observe and participate in classrooms beginning with the Education foundation courses and continuing through the capstone field experience-- Student Teaching. Candidates are expected to complete the equivalent of one year of field experience hours including student teaching. Candidates enrolled in the Area F foundations courses (EDUC 2110, 2120, and 2130) must have a Criminal Background Check and provide proof of educational liability insurance prior to beginning field experience assignments. Candidates admitted to Teacher Education must have a preservice certificate and proof of educational liability insurance in order to begin field experience assignments.

Georgia Southwestern State University's Partner School Network are located in the following counties: Ben-Hill, Crisp, Coffee, Dougherty, Houston, Irwin, Lee, Macon, Marion, Pulaski, Schley, Sumter, Stewart, Taylor, Tift, Turner, Webster, and Wilcox. The Partner School Network also includes the GSW Pre-K.

“

GSW is special because of the people. I have met so many influential people such as faculty, staff, friends, etc. since I began college at GSW. The relationships I’ve made will always hold a special place in my heart.

Anna Rice, '20 Elementary Education
Colbert, Georgia