BSEd in Elementary Education

The BSEd in Elementary Education will equip you with the skills to develop culturally relevant curriculum and educational practices, to design innovative learning environments, and to build effective school-family-community partnerships.

Our program balances student experiences to include both educational theory and practice. You will take a range of coursework, including:

• Educational theory
• Elementary curricula
• Methods courses in language, literacy, mathematics, science, and social studies

You will also get hands-on experience with different student populations thanks to university partnerships with a number of local school districts.

• First-semester students participate in ethnographic studies of the communities surrounding a local school. These field-based experiences help you better understand the social and political contexts in which teaching and learning occur, and emphasize the value and impact of community.
• Get involved in elementary classrooms each of the program's four semesters. During this time, you are involved in elementary classrooms where you observe, assist teachers, tutor individual children, work with small groups, and lead whole-classroom activities.
• In your final semester, you will participate in full-time student teaching. During this time, you will be fully engaged as co-teachers and collaborators with experienced mentor teachers. All these clinical experiences are supervised and linked to specific elementary education courses.
• Several courses are offered on-site at local elementary schools. This allows you to be part of the school culture while connecting with students, families, practicing teachers, and administrators.

Our elementary education program's distinguished faculty are recognized nationally and internationally as teachers, researchers, and mentors with a range of experiences and prestigious research grants. The faculty are dedicated to supporting students in both their academic work and in their future careers.

Learn more about the BSEd/MED Double Dawgs Pathway

Additional information and disclosures regarding state licensure for professional practice in this field can be found at the UGA Licensure Disclosure Portal.

Download Four-Year Plan   Download Program Handbook

The maximum number of admits to this program is 75 students per year, and in most years, the program is highly competitive. Although the program has a minimum eligibility criteria, most applicants greatly exceed the minimum. If your grades do not represent your future potential, please use the essay/statements portion of the application to make your case for admission.

Prior to application, you should consult with the Office of Undergraduate Advising in 612 Aderhold Hall. They can advise you on how to arrange your program of study prior to application, so you are well-positioned for enrollment if accepted.

Minimum Eligibility Criteria

• Overall minimum GPA of 2.80 across Core Areas I-III
• No more than nine hours remaining in Core Areas I-V (not including in-progress course work)
• Completion of MATH 2003 or MATH 5001/7001
• Completion of EDUC(EPSY) 2130, EDUC 2110/EDUC 2110H, and EDUC 2120
• Grade of C or higher in Core Area VI and pre-professional courses
• Passing score on or exemption of the GACE Program Admissions Assessment
• Completion of (1) Federal and Georgia Constitution and (2) U.S. and Georgia History University requirements by the end of the semester of application (Note: You may only take the exemption exams for these subjects a certain number of times. Please consult with the UGA Testing Center to ensure your timeline works.)

Course Prerequisites

The following are preferred (not required) core courses: LLED 2110, ETAP 2200, HDFS 2100, HDFS 2200. Students must meet minimum eligibility criteria prior to enrolling in major coursework.

Part 1: Apply to the University of Georgia

Students must be accepted to UGA before entering into a College of Education program.

Start UGA Application

Part 2: Apply to the BSEd in Elementary Education

If you are in the process of completing the required core course work, you may be provisionally accepted contingent upon satisfactory completion of the required courses while maintaining the required minimum 2.80 GPA for admission.

Application Deadline

• Applications for the Spring 2022 cohort are due by 5 p.m. Thursday, September 30, 2021
• Applications for the Fall 2022 cohort are due by 5 p.m. Friday, January 21, 2022

Application Materials

1. MFE COE Major Application The application for the Spring 2022 cohort is now open. Apply through the MFE COE Major Application

2. Required Application Materials
   In the application, you will be required to upload the following items:

   • Essay
     In the application, you will be asked to upload a written response answering two prompts. Please save your response in a single PDF file using the naming format Last Name, First Name_Semester_Essay.
     
     Download Essay and Résumé Prompts
   • Résumé
     Applicants must provide a standard one-page résumé including educational background, work experience, extracurricular activities, community involvement, etc. Please submit your résumé as a single PDF file using the naming format Last Name, First Name_Semester_Résumé.
   • GACE Program Admission
     Applicants must submit proof of GACE score, exemption, or plan to register. GACE testing and exemption guidelines can be found on the Educator Preparation Resources page. Please submit your GACE proof of score, exemption, or status as a single PDF file using the naming format Last Name, First Name_Semester_GACE Proof.
   • Unofficial Transcript
     Applicants should upload a copy of their unofficial transcripts in a single PDF file using the naming format Last Name, First Name_Semester_Transcript.

BSED Program Application FAQs

Applications are evaluated by a committee consisting of program faculty members. The rubric-based evaluation process holistically examines applicant materials, including consideration of GPA and essays. Candidates in the application pool are then ranked in response to the rubric scores, which are tabulated by each participating faculty member.

Simply meeting the minimum eligibility criteria does not guarantee acceptance to the program. Applicants who are not accepted may apply again in the next application cycle. Students may apply for admission in the Spring cohort if requirements will be completed in the preceding Fall semester.

Admission Decisions

Admission decisions are made in February for Spring admission and October for Fall admission. You will be notified via email of the admission decision by the staff program coordinator.

Special Requirements Upon Admission

• Overall GPA of 2.80
• Grade of C or higher for every course in Area VI and all pre-professional courses
• Grade of B or higher in the exceptional children course requirements for certification
• Teacher certification candidates must (1) earn a GaPSC Pre-Service Certificate prior to beginning field experience and (2) complete several assessments prior to certification

Dr. Elizabeth Wurzburg

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• Paul Tappan Harwell Scholarship
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