Educational Psychology and Instructional Technology

Gifted and Creative Education (GCE)

Admission

The graduate program in Gifted and Creative Education is designed to develop educational leaders and scholars in gifted education and must identify candidates who show high potential. Primary requisites for admission to an academic program are demonstrated competence in scholarly activities and a high degree of aptitude and motivation for advanced study.

Requirements

The Gifted and Creative Education Program is an academic program within the department of Educational Psychology and Instructional Technology. Therefore, all applicants for admission to a graduate program in Gifted and Creative Education (non-degree, ND; Masters of Education, M.Ed.; Masters of Arts, M.A.; Educational Specialist, Ed.S.; or Doctor Of Philosophy, Ph.D.) are required to meet the criteria of the program, department, and graduate school for the specific degree sought. This information can be found on the Graduate School website at www.uga.edu/gradschool and at the EPIT Department website at http://www.coe.uga.edu/epit/applicants.html

Although the non-degree program is a program designed to provide educators with an in–field gifted education endorsement for the state of Georgia, it is a graduate program and requires admission to the program, department, and graduate school. However, since it does not result in a degree, Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or Miller Analogy Test (MAT) scores are not required.

Specific Requirements of the GCE Program:

Please be sure to have all of your application components in by the published deadlines. See the department website for deadlines www.coe.uga.edu/epit/applicants.html

Application – submitted to the graduate school online. The online application can be found under the admissions section of the graduate school webpage (www.uga.edu/gradschool).

Test Scores – sent to the graduate school. Applicants are required to send recent official entrance test scores (less than five years old) to the graduate school.
- M.Ed. and Ed.S. programs: MAT or GRE
- M.A./Ph.D. programs: GRE
- Non-degree: test scores are not required
- International applicants must also submit TOEFL scores.
Letters of Recommendation – submitted online to the graduate school. All applicants for admission to the graduate program in Gifted and Creative Education are required to submit three letters of recommendation. These letters should be from individuals who can evaluate the applicant’s scholarly ability and potential for success in a graduate program, therefore, it is preferable for at least two of them to be from faculty who have instructed the applicant in a previous program of study.
Statement of Intent – sent to the EPIT department graduate coordinator. As with the other EPIT Programs, the GCE Program requires a statement of intent that clarifies the candidate’s relevant background, interests, and goals. M.A. or Ph.D. candidates should indicate research interests. Candidates interested in the non-degree (ND), M.Ed. or Ed.S. should indicate their intent for either the campus-based or online program in their statement.
Resumé or curriculum vita – sent to the EPIT department graduate coordinator
Official Transcripts – one copy to the graduate school and one copy to the EPIT department graduate coordinator
Optional Assistantship Application – sent to the EPIT department graduate coordinator if you would like to apply for an assistantship: assistantship application form.

Selection Decisions and Appeals

Admission decisions are complex and dependent upon many factors. High test scores and G.P.A.s are necessary but not sufficient for admission into a graduate program. All materials submitted as part of an application are considered and evaluated by the faculty within the GCE Program. Admissions are evaluated holistically, and recommendations for admission are based on an applicant’s qualifications, recommendations, statement, match with faculty interests, and the program’s capacity. Admissions are competitive; merely meeting minimum requirements does not ensure admission.

Application Process

Application materials are collected by the graduate school, and are not sent to the department for consideration until the file is complete. Therefore, although an applicant may submit an application on time, the review process cannot begin until letters of recommendation and transcripts are received.
The complete file is sent to the EPIT department where it is logged in and sent to the program coordinator. The program coordinator logs the application and prepares it for the faculty to review. The faculty review usually takes from one to two weeks. Then, a recommendation is made about acceptance, and if the student is recommended for acceptance, a temporary advisor is assigned.
The application folder with the recommendation about admission is returned to the department graduate coordinator, the information is noted and the recommendation is forwarded to the graduate school.
The graduate school reviews the department recommendation, makes the decision about admission, and sends a letter or acceptance or denial of admission to the applicant. The department typically receives the letter at the same time or a little after the applicant.
The program coordinator notifies the applicant of the assigned temporary advisor.

Appeals

An applicant may make a formal written appeal of a negative admission recommendation. All faculty in the GCE program area will, at the request of the Graduate Coordinator, reevaluate the applicant’s file.

Department Contacts

Ms. Demetrius Smith, Academic Adviser
demetri@uga.edu, 706-542-4257

Dr. Stacey Neuharth-Pritchett, EPIT graduate coordinator
sneuhart@uga.edu, 706-542-4247

Dr. Bonnie Cramond, GCE Program Coordinator
bcramond@uga.edu, 706-542-4248