BSEd in Elementary Education
Prepare for a career teaching prekindergarten through grade five with our B.S.Ed. in Elementary Education, which offers extensive in-classroom experience as well as a solid foundation in theory and teaching principles.
You will develop a strong community through small, cohort-based classes and gain hands-on experience every semester as you work toward your teaching certification.
Highlights
- Regularly ranked as a top 5 program by U.S. News & World Report
- Ranked 1st on College Choice’s list of 25 best Bachelors in Elementary Education
- Gain more than 400 hours of practicum experience plus spend a semester student teaching
- Earn certification to teach prekindergarten through grade five
- Joint bachelor’s/master’s degree available through the Double Dawgs B.S.Ed./M.Ed. Pathway
Curriculum
The B.S.Ed. in Elementary Education will equip you with the skills to develop culturally relevant curricula and educational practices, design innovative learning environments, and build effective school-family-community partnerships. During the program, all candidates will have an opportunity to work with children in each grade band as required by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. The grade bands are PK–K, 1–3, and 4–5.
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 engaged 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 their academic work and future careers.
Learn more about the B.S.Ed./M.Ed. 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 2023-2024 Four-Year Plan (PDF) Download 2024-2025 Four-Year Plan
Admissions
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 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 arranging 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
- No more than nine hours remaining in Core Areas I-V (not including in-progress coursework)
- Completion of Core Area VI courses with a grade of C or higher
- EDUC 2110 or LLED 5040
- EDUC 2120
- EDUC (EPSY 2130)
- MATH 2003 or MATH 5001/7001
- Six credits of science electives
- Completion of (1) Federal and Georgia Constitution and (2) U.S. and Georgia History University requirements by the end of the semester of application
Transfer Credit
Credit completed through another institution’s Elementary Education program will not be considered for credit at UGA under any circumstances. The University System of Georgia and the Georgia Professional Standards Commission has approved a specific curriculum for certification through UGA, and this is the program students must follow.
How to Apply
Part 1: Apply to the University of Georgia
Students must be accepted to UGA before entering a College of Education program.
Part 2: Apply to the B.S.Ed. in Elementary Education
The B.S.Ed. in Elementary Education admits cohorts for both Fall and Spring semesters. If you are in the process of completing the required core coursework, you may be conditionally accepted contingent upon satisfactory completion of the required courses while maintaining the required minimum 2.80 GPA for admission.
Spring 2026 Major Admissions Timeline
- Application Opens – Friday, August 15, 2025
- Application Closes – Friday, September 12, 2025, at 5 p.m.
- Decisions Released – Monday, September 29, 2025
Application Materials
- College of Education Major Application
- Required Application Materials In the application, you will be required to upload the following items:
- 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. - 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. Download Essay Prompts (PDF)
Selection Process
Applications are evaluated by a committee consisting of program faculty members. The rubric-based evaluation process holistically examines applicant materials, including consideration of GPA, essay, résumé, and the minimum eligibility criteria. 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.
Admission Decisions
Admissions decisions are released in February for Fall Cohort admissions and in October for Spring Cohort admissions. Candidates will be notified via UGA email of their admission decision.
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
Admission Contact
Mary Frances Early College of Education 603C Aderhold Hall University of Georgia Athens, GA 30602Student Outcome Data
Additional Resources
Please use our online form if you have any questions for the department. Please be as specific as possible so that we may quickly assist you.
The College’s programs are taught by dedicated faculty who are experts in a range of areas and are passionate about helping students succeed both in their programs and professionally.
All undergraduate students at UGA meet with an academic advisor each semester. This meeting is critical to student success and provides a chance to discuss courses and electives, certification criteria, and general graduation requirements.
Almost all in-state students begin their studies at UGA paying limited tuition or fees. Please note that these amounts are subject to change and are meant to give prospective students an idea of the costs associated with a degree at the University of Georgia College of Education.
Students may qualify for a variety of assistantships, scholarships, and other financial awards to help offset the cost of tuition, housing, and other expenses.
You will have the opportunity to host a kindergarten field trip through Experience UGA, a new initiative to bring Clarke County students to campus each year.
Also, you can find tutoring and volunteer opportunities through the College’s outreach Reading Clinic.
You will have the opportunity to study abroad in Modena, Italy (Summer study) or Ghana (Winter study). Or, you can explore other overseas options through our partnership with the Consortium of Overseas Student Teaching Program.
Connect with fellow education students through organizations such as Kappa Delta Epsilon, the Feminist Scholar-Activists, and others.
See for yourself how much UGA College of Education has to offer! Schedule a tour of campus to learn more about the UGA student experience.