BSEd in English Education

The BSED in English Education initial certification program offers rich coursework and rigorous field experiences which prepare you to teach in middle and high school English/Language Arts classrooms. You will leverage your growing understanding of our content areas (e.g. literature, writing, reading, speaking) to bring them alive alongside students from a variety of contexts and experiences. Coursework will challenge you to consider critical perspectives, multimodal and digital literacy practices, and what it means to teach English in a way that leads to a more equitable society.

Highlights

Rich integration between field placement experiences and coursework.
Multiple experiences in a range of teaching contexts and grade levels.
Emphasis on building instructional skills that intentionally support and engage all learners.

Curriculum

The English education faculty has a legacy of excellence in teaching, research, and service at UGA. As a result of faculty members' research into effective practice and cutting-edge scholarship, you will have access to leaders in the field and benefit from a dynamic English education experience that is always in touch with both important traditions and new ideas.

Our classes help jump-start your career by preparing you beyond what is typically available in teacher education. Coursework features practice-tested, theoretically-informed knowledge and strategies, as well as specific coursework topics in:

Teaching grammar and writing
Teaching literature (including specific attention to young adult literature)
Teaching reading
Planning instruction that takes all dimensions of the curriculum into account

Your coursework will also help you learn to design practical classroom activities that you may first apply in student teaching, and then use in your career. Spend your final semester student-teaching in an English/language arts classroom, and conclude your studies with a project such as a portfolio, which reflects on and synthesizes your most important understandings and constructs a platform from which you will launch your teaching career.

But beyond the subject-specific preparation, you will learn about yourself, as well as the diverse populations that make schools sites of cultural plurality. This attention to culturally relevant teaching includes an introduction to many new technologies to help with instruction for the next generation of students.

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

Admissions

In typical cohort years, this program admits approximately 25 students, and in most years, is highly competitive. Candidates whose grades do not represent their future potential should use the essay portions of the application to make the 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 3.0 (GPA of 3.5 or higher preferred)
50 Hours of pre-professional experience with adolescents
Completion or in-progress to completing General Education Core Areas I-V
Completion of two ENGL/CMLT 2000-level elective courses
Completion of EDUC(EPSY) 2130 and EDUC 2110/EDUC 2110H
No grade lower than C in General Education Area VI
Grade of B or higher in the exceptional children course requirements for certification
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

Two 2000-level ENGL courses

Special Requirements Upon Admission

Minimum grade of C to meet language study major elective requirement
Minimum grade of C or higher in all English education program courses
Overall GPA of 3.0
Teacher certification candidates must (1) earn a GaPSC Pre-Service Certificate prior to beginning field experience and (2) complete several assessments prior to certification

How to Apply

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 English 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 3.0 GPA for admission.

Application Deadline

Applications for the spring 2022 cohort are due by 5 p.m. Thursday, September 30, 2021.

Application Materials

MFE COE Major Application
The application for the Spring 2022 cohort is now closed. The link for Spring 2023 cohort admissions will be available at a later date.
Essays
In the application, you will be asked to upload written responses to several questions. Please save each response as a separate PDF file using the naming format Last Name_First Name_Semester_Prompt Letter (example: Smith_Jane_Fall2020_PromptA).

Download Essay Prompts
Official transcript(s) (for external transfer student applicants only)
Please have your official transcripts sent electronically to Laurie Zielinski. If you have any questions, please email her.

BSED Program Application FAQs

Selection Process

Applications are evaluated by a committee of program faculty members. The rubric-based evaluation process holistically examines applicant materials, including consideration of GPA, written application materials, documented experiences working with adolescents, etc. Candidates in the application pool are then ranked in response to 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.

Admission Decisions

Admission decisions will be made by mid-September for spring admission. You will be notified about the admission decision via email by the program coordinator or other program contact.

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.

Meet Your Advisor

All undergraduate students at UGA meet with an academic advisor each semester. This meeting is critical to a student's success as a chance to discuss courses and electives, certification criteria, and general graduation requirements.

Find Your Advisor

Tuition and Financial Aid

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.

Tuition Rates Browse Financial Aid

Student Life

Enrollment is limited to 25 students per year, allowing for extensive personal attention. Following the cohort model, these small groups foster relationships that lead to extended learning opportunities, support, and a professional network as you begin your teaching career.

You may also become a member of the Georgia Council of Teachers of English, the state affiliate of the National Council of Teachers of English, which offers networking, mentoring and job connections, and an annual convention.

Expand your understanding of literature and literacy issues by attending the annual spring conference of the Journal of Language and Literacy Education (JoLLE), the graduate student-run scholarly journal of the program's host department. This event brings together teachers, activists, and professors from across the United States and internationally.

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.

Schedule A Visit