Gifted In-Field Endorsement

The Gifted In-Field Endorsement is an add on credential that allows certified teachers in Georgia the ability to provide direct instruction to students in their areas of initial certification. Teachers with gifted endorsement can also serve as a resource teacher for indirect services for gifted education in any content area or grade level P-12.

The Gifted In-Field Endorsement program is open to UGA graduate students in the College of Education. If students are enrolled in a masters, specialist or doctoral program in gifted and creative education, these courses are embedded within the MED and EDS programs. Non-degree seeking students may complete the program by applying to UGA’s Graduate School as a non-degree seeking student.

The courses in the gifted endorsement series emphasize scholarly work and best practices for understanding giftedness, conducting assessment of students, creating methods and materials, as well as, designing programs and services for high ability students. Our courses are aligned with the National Association for Gifted Children’s (NAGC) Teacher Preparation Standards. This program is also accredited through the Georgia Professional Standards Commission.

Highlights

1. Approved by the state Board of Education
2. Can be completed on campus or online
3. Requires 12 credit hours (four courses)

Curriculum

Gifted In-Field Endorsement courses are offered throughout the academic year both on-campus and online. Students are typically granted permission of department (POD) in a two-course sequence for the online courses Sequence Pairing I: 7110E/7060E and Sequence Pairing II: 7230E/7250E.

Note: Students in Sequence Pairing II are typically already in the pipeline from Sequence Pairing I. If students do not accept the online course clearance offering available at that time, they will need to request POD for a future term and be subject to clearance priority for the program’s degree-seeking and waitlisted students.

The schedule for those courses includes:

• Summer Semester:
  Sequence Pairing I: EPSY 7110E, EPSY 7060E, and Sequence Pairing II: EPSY 7230E, EPSY 7250E (typically for students who completed the prior Sequence I)
• Fall Semester:
  Sequence Pairing I: EPSY 7110, EPSY 7060 (Campus), and Sequence Pairing II: EPSY 7230E, EPSY 7250E (Online)
• Spring Semester:
  Sequence Pairing II: EPSY 7110E, EPSY 7060E, and Sequence Pairing II EPSY 7230, and EPSY 7250 (Campus, POD not required).

There may be additional spots in the online courses, but there is typically a waiting list. Please be sure to complete the GCE Prospective Gifted In-field Endorsement Student Background Form & Request for POD to be considered for online course clearance, and email gce@uga.edu to briefly share your interests regarding the online GCE gifted in-field endorsement courses.

Non-GCE students (i.e., students in other degree programs or departments) admitted to the online gifted in-field endorsement are not automatically guaranteed a seat in the classes and must request POD clearance using the form above.

Adding Gifted In-Field Endorsement to Your Georgia Teaching Certificate

In order to add Gifted In-Field Endorsement to your teaching certificate, you must be recommended as a program completer of GCE’s endorsement program. This includes action items outside of coursework that you will need to complete.

All information about the process of Gifted Endorsement is highlighted in the video above, but key points of information include the following:

• During the first course in the endorsement series, students will be contacted by Shayla Lee in the Office of Academic Programs to indicate their intent to seek gifted endorsement. By indicating intent, students will be set up with access to the Xitracs Gifted In-Field Endorsement non-Athena eLC course. This is the place where students will archive all materials for their Gifted Endorsement review.
• By indicating intent, you are not “admitted” to a program, but rather are indicating to seek gifted endorsement.
• During each of the four courses, students will need to submit the required key assessments into their Xitracs Gifted In-Field Endorsement folder. The rubric for evaluation AND the key assessment will need to be submitted.
• Please keep each of your key assessments and evaluation information from your course instructor to submit in the Xitracs Gifted In-Field Endorsement eLC site. Once your course ends, you will not have access to that information when the course closes. It is suggested that you submit those as you complete them within each course.
• In addition to the key assessments and rubrics, students will complete a grade form that asks them to submit the numerical grade for the key assessments, as well as the final grade for the course. These are also pieces of information that need to be saved or entered while you have access to your eLC courses.

When are portfolios reviewed?

The Office of Academic Programs sets a date each term where all portfolios have to be submitted and so the GCE faculty reviews portfolios about a week ahead of that due date. If you have all of your key assessments, rubrics/evaluation information and grade forms in the Xitracs Gifted In-Field Endorsement site by Reading Day, your portfolio will be reviewed in the 2-3 weeks following the term. If you have not submitted your portfolio by the end of the term, it will be reviewed during the next cycle (at the end of the next term).

If you have any questions regarding Gifted In-Field Endorsement, please contact the Gifted Endorsement Program Coordinator, Tarek Grantham .

How to Apply

All applicants must complete the College’s internal endorsement application form in addition to any other applications required by the endorsement program or UGA Graduate School.

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Admissions

• Applications for the online endorsement program are accepted for summer semester matriculation only. All materials should be received by March 1.
• Applications for the on-campus endorsement program are accepted for fall semester matriculation only. All materials should be received by June 1.

Deadline to Apply

• June 1 (on-campus, fall only)
• March 1 (online, summer only)