BSED Admissions

BSED Admissions Process

Initial Consideration Requirements

All students seeking entrance into the Special Education Program must complete the following in order to initially be considered:

  • Completion of Special Education Program application
  • Minimum overall and cumulative GPA of 2.8
  • Documentation for 15 out of the required 30 hours of service learning experience*
  • A two (2) page essay summarizing service learning experiences and philosophy of education
  • List of three(3) professional references
  • Transfer students must provide official transcripts from all schools attended

* Service Learning Experiences include documented contact hours with children and adults with disabilities and their families. These hours may be fulfilled in settings that include, but are not limited to, classrooms, summer camps, after school programs, and child care facilities. For the Birth through Five emphasis, these hours may be fulfilled by working with infants, toddlers and preschoolers without disabilities.

Application Requirements & Evaluation
Completed applications and all required documents must be received by February 15th (or the Monday after if the 15th falls on a weekend) for full consideration. Consideration will be given to late applications if there are remaining slots in program cohorts. The Special Education Program’s Undergraduate Admissions Committee will then meet to evaluate all applications with respect to the initial consideration requirements. The committee will determine from all applicants those best qualified to enter the program by rank ordering applicants within and across each of the requirements, including: (1) professional service learning experiences; (2) quality of essay; (3) ordering of GPA (a minimum of 2.8 overall and cumulative GPA is required for initial consideration). These entrance requirements will be equally weighted in the admission process for entrance into the Special Education major. After all cohort slots are filled, remaining applicants will be placed on a waiting list.

Final Acceptance Requirements
Applicants initially accepted for the cohort will be informed in writing of their initial acceptance and of the Final Acceptance Requirements (see below). In order to reach Final Acceptance into the cohort, ALL Final Acceptance Requirements must be met to remain eligible for fall enrollment.

Final Acceptance Requirements (must be completed by the end of summer semester prior to planned semester of enrollment)

  • Completion and documentation of any remaining hours to complete the required 30 hours of pre-professional service
  • Minimum GPA of 2.8 for both cumulative and overall GPA
  • Completion of all Core Areas I – VI
  • Completion of the following courses from Area VI, with a minimum GPA of 3.0: EFND 2030 or EDUC 2110; EPSY 2020 or EDUC 2130; EDUC 2120 (Birth through Five additionally requires CHFD 2100 and CHFD 2950)
  • Completion of SPED 2000 with a minimum grade of “B”
  • Completion of requirements for GACE Basic Skills Assessment 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.

How to Apply

  1. Download the Special Education Undergraduate Application (pdf)*, print it out, complete it in its entirety and mail it to the address indicated.

  2. Transfer students ONLY – Complete the UGA transfer student application online at:
    http://www.admissions.uga.edu/article/transfer_application_information.html

All application documents are due to room 516 of Aderhold Hall by 5:00 pm on February 15th (or the Monday after if the 15th falls on a weekend).

Submit All Application Materials to:

Department of Communication Sciences & Special Education
The University of Georgia
Attn: Special Education Undergraduate Admissions
570 Aderhold Hall
Athens, GA 30602-7153

Contact Amber Higginbotham at 706-542-4617 or amberhig@uga.edu with questions about the application process.