Mission
Special Education
Undergraduate Program Description
The undergraduate program in Special Education resides in the Department of Communication Sciences and Special Education (CSSE) within the College of Education (COE) at UGA. The program results in a BS.Ed. in Special Education, with an emphasis in teacher preparation in the areas of moderate and severe developmental disabilities such as intellectual disabilities (mental retardation) and autism, or an emphasis in Birth-5.
Upon satisfactory completion of the program-of-study, the Special Education Program recommends to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission that a graduate be awarded a clear renewable teaching (T) certificate in "Special Education Adapted Curriculum -Consultative" (P-12) or “Birth through Five: inclusive and Special Education Preschool. The state of Georgia awards the certificate to an applicant based upon this recommendation and passing of the appropriate "Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators" (GACE) tests.
The Special Education Program and faculty are located on the fifth floor of the College of Education (Aderhold Hall). The Special Education Office is in Room 516. Specific questions regarding the application requirements and processes may be directed to 706.542.4617, or to rfrost@uga.edu. General inquiries may also be directed to 706.542.4561.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Special Education Program is to prepare highly skilled teachers and teacher-educators, as well as to provide leadership to the field of Special Education at local, state, national and international levels for the purpose of assisting individuals with disabilities in acquiring greater independence in an increasingly diverse, technological, and literacy-intensive global community. Philosophically, research-based theory and practice are the foundation of the program's preparation of teachers and teacher-educators, as well as related-service and leadership personnel. The Special Education Program is committed to the preparation of personnel who celebrate and foster inclusion, diversity, and multiculturalism.
Student Organization
The Special Education Program has a student chapter of the Council for Exceptional Children CEC). The Student Council for Exceptional Children (SCEC) is a professional organization which promotes the advancement and education of all individuals with exceptionalities. The local chapter is made up of undergraduate and graduate students, and is supported by faculty advisors. All Special Education majors are encouraged to join SCEC. Student members will receive, at a discount, two of the organization's journals, Exceptional Children and Teaching Exceptional Children, and will receive discounts for registration at CEC-sponsored conventions.
Restricted Major Entrance Requirements
Go to www.uga.edu/0-5/ for complete information about the Birth through Five emphasis.
Application Requirements & Evaluation
All students seeking entrance to the Special Education Program must apply by February 15th (or the Monday after if the 15th falls on a weekend). All application materials and documentation is due by the application deadline. The Special Education Program's Undergraduate Admissions, Retention and Assessment Committee will then meet to evaluate all applications with respect to the Initial Consideration Requirements (see below). The committee will determine from all applicants those best qualified to enter the program by rank ordering applicants within and across each of the four requirements, including: (1) quality of documented pre-professional service learning experiences; (2) quality of essay; (3) rank ordering of GPA (a minimum of 2.7 overall GPA and cumulative GPA is required for initial consideration), and (4) letters of recommendation. These entrance requirements will be equally weighted in the admission process for entrance into the Special Education major.
Initial Acceptance
As many as 20 applicants from the pool of applicants initially considered will be identified and informed in writing of their Initial Acceptance into the fall cohort and of the Final Acceptance Requirements (see below). Final Acceptance is contingent upon completion of the Final Acceptance Requirements (see below) no later than the end of summer classes of the application year. Note that the committee may initially accept less than 20 applicants if it judges that less than 20 have satisfactorily met the Initial Entrance Requirements.
In order to hold a spot in the cohort, applicants must indicate in writing, within 15 business days of the date on the letter of initial acceptance from the special education program, their intent to enter the cohort. Failure to do so will result in being dropped from the cohort. Applicants ranked below the top 20 and who, in the committee's judgment, meet minimum requirements, may request in writing to be placed on a waiting list for the cohort (in descending order of rank, e.g., 21, 22, 23, etc.). Applicants on the waiting list will be offered spots in the cohort, according to rank, if and as any of the top 20 ranked applicants vacate a slot.
Final Acceptance Requirements
The applicants initially accepted for the cohort will be informed in writing of the Final Acceptance Requirements (see below) they must meet in order to reach Final Acceptance into the cohort. Applicants placed on the waiting list will also be informed in writing of the Final Acceptance Requirements they must meet in order to remain eligible for potentially vacated cohort slots.
Final Acceptance Requirements (must be completed by the end of summer semester)
- Completion and documentation of any remaining hours to complete the required 60 hours of pre-professional service
- Minimum GPA of 2.7 (for both cumulative GPA and overall GPA)
- Completion of all Core Areas A-E
- Completion of the following courses from Area F, with a minimum GPA of 3.0: EFND 2030 (or EDUC 2110); EPSY 2020 (or EDUC 2130); EDUC 2120
- Completion of SPED 2000 with a minimum grade of "B"
- Completion of at least 2 MATH courses beyond MATH 1101 (STAT is also acceptable)
- Completion of requirements for GACE Basic Skills test (either by test or exemption)
Final Acceptance
Applicants will be informed by the Special Education Program of Final Acceptance upon completion of Final Acceptance Requirements, so long as those requirements are met by the end of summer semester grade postings. Applicants initially accepted but who did not meet Final Acceptance Requirements will be informed in writing that they have been dropped from the cohort.
Appeals
To appeal an admission decision, a student must submit in writing to the Head of the Department of Communication Sciences and Special Education a statement that includes the reasons for appealing the decision and any supporting evidence. The student's appeal will be considered within 2 weeks of the receipt of the written statement by the Department Head. A committee of three special education faculty members (who did not serve on the Undergraduate Admission, Retention, and Assessment Committee) will be appointed by the Department Head to consider the appeal. The student will be notified of the committee's decision no more than 4 weeks after receipt of the written appeal.
Pre-Professional Service Learning Experience Scoring Rubric
| Experiences | Scores |
Pre-Professional Experiences
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3. Participated in programs that included students from three disability areas (e.g., LD, BD, Mild MR) across elementary, middle and high school ages 2. Participated in programs that included students from one to two disability areas across one to two age groups 1. Participated in programs that included students or adults without disabilities |
Activities engaged in during experiences
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3. Participated in planning and implementation of teaching strategies 2. Supported others during interventions 1. Observed of others teaching students with disabilities |
Work with parents
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3. Participated in planning and implementation of parent education programs 2. Supported others during parent education programs 1. Observed other's work with parents or of parents interacting with their children |
Activities not directly related to teaching
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3. Held a leadership position in a recreation or other program for children 2. Baby-sat for parents who have children with disabilities or held a position in a recreation program 1. Held a position in a recreation or other program for children without disabilities |
Essay Scoring Rubric
| Experiences | Scores |
Description of Pre-Professional Experiences
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3. Excellent explanation of experiences in terms of time and place are described and related to the applicant's wish to become a teacher 2. Adequate explanation of experiences in terms of time and place are described and related to the applicant's wish to become a teacher 1. Inadequate description of the experiences in terms of time and place |
Analysis of Quality of the Experiences
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3. Excellent development of points: arguments are well-developed and very convincing 2. Adequate development of points: arguments are present and convincing 1. Limited development of points: bare-bones arguments are present but not convincing |
onventions of Writing
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3. Excellent control of writing conventions: mechanics represent high-quality work 2. Proficient control of writing conventions: some errors; but errors do not interrupt reading 1. Limited control of writing conventions: too many mechanical errors |
Letters of Recommendation Scoring Rubric
| Experiences | Scores |
| Appraisal of Applicant?s Qualifications/ Prerequisite Skills | 3. All three recommendation letters state that applicant is very qualified to pursue teaching licensure/degree in special education and specify relevant skills/attributes observed by the author to warrant that conclusion. 2. Two of the three recommendation letters meet the above criteria. 1. Two or more recommendation letters specify that the applicant may be or is probably qualified to pursue teaching licensure/ degree in special education. 0. Contents of two or more recommendation letters indicate that the applicant is/may not be qualified to pursue teaching licensure/ degree in special education. |
| Background/ Knowledge of Authors | 3. All three letters are authored by a professional possessing thorough knowledge/ understanding of the skills/attributes required to be an effective interrelated special education teacher (or teacher of students with mild disabilities) (i.e., special education teacher for mild disabilities, principal, administrator of program that educates/serves students with mild disabilities, special education director, SPED college professor, etc.) 2. Two of the three recommendation letters meet the above criteria. 1. One of the three recommendation letters meet the above criteria. |
| 0. None of the letters are authored by a professional possessing knowledge/understanding of the skills/attributes associated with teaching students with mild disabilities. | |
| Opportunity for Authors to Evaluate an Applicant?s Skills | 4. All three recommendations are based on the authors? first hand knowledge of the applicant. (i.e., Authors? evaluations are based on their direct observation of the applicant in relevant setting/situation). 3. Two of the three recommendation letters meet the above criteria. 2. Two or more letters are written by individuals whose employees/subordinates observed applicant in relevant setting/situation. 1. Two or more letters written by individuals with very little indirect knowledge of the applicant?s particular skills/attributes. 0. Two or more letters written by individuals with no knowledge of the applicant?s particular skills/attributes. |
Advisement
Each student accepted into the program will be assigned an advisor upon acceptance into the program. It is the job of the advisor to meet with the student each semester to plan and monitor the student's course of study and progress towards meeting requirements of the University, the College of Education, and the Special Education Program. The advisor will also be available to assist the student with career guidance and inquiries. Students are, however, ultimately responsible for monitoring their own progress throughout the program. Because of frequent changes in course offerings and state certification requirements, the advisor cannot provide a guarantee of graduation and/or certification within a specified period of time.
Retention & Additional Considerations
Course work taken from the Division of Academic Assistance does not apply toward the program requirements or graduation. Students must maintain an overall and cumulative GPA of 2.7 in order to maintain a spot in the cohort. In addition, no course in Professional Education or Area of Concentration (Special Education) with a grade below C may apply toward the program requirements or graduation. All grades below C in Professional Education or Area of Concentration must be removed, regardless of the student's GPA, before the student will be allowed to student teach. A minimum of 130 hours must be completed for graduation, 69 of which are contained within the Special Education Program requirements during the junior and senior years.
Application for Teacher Education must be filed in the Office for Professional Experiences before the end of spring semester of the junior year. Students failing to meet this requirement will be dropped from the cohort. This is the responsibility of the student, not the advisor. Students may register for tort liability insurance at the time they apply for Teacher Education. This is also available for practica.
Program of Study
Students will be advised within the program of study for the undergraduate degree (BS.Ed.) in Special Education. Successful completion of the program will result in a Baccalaureate of Science in Education and recommendation for a Georgia fully renewable teaching certificate in Special Education Adapted Curriculum. The specific program-of-study is currently being revised. Note that the program-of-study is subject to modification according to the professional judgment of the special education faculty.
Student Teaching
Eligibility for Student Teaching *
Student Teaching is the culminating field experience. Placements will be made upon completion of the following requirements:
- Admission to Teacher Education
- Maintenance of 2.7 cumulative and overall GPA, with no grade below C in all professional education and area of concentration courses
* Note that no course work other than student teaching and the accompanying seminar (SPED 5460 and SPED 5450, respectively) may be taken during the student teaching semester. It is the responsibility of the student to insure all necessary course work is completed prior to student teaching.
Considerations for Practicum and Student Teaching Placements
Field-placements are based on the faculty's professional judgment concerning students' needs as preservice teachers, and upon the availability of suitable field experience sites. The primary objective is to provide the student the experience necessary for the student to become a good beginning teacher. Therefore, students should recognize that placements are a departmental decision, not a student decision. Placements will be based upon program quality, not on factors such as proximity to a student's residence or home town. Also, students are not to seek their own placements. In general, field placements will be made in the Athens and surrounding areas, although some placements may be made that require greater travel if the faculty judges them to be of superior quality. Note that students are expected to provide their own transportation to all field experience sites, and that this will likely require them to have their own vehicles.
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