Academic Programs - Early Childhood Education
Admission Policies
Strong candidates for admission to the program will have experiences that demonstrate a serious commitment to intellectual work, collaborative inquiry, and active involvement and advocacy, particularly on behalf of children. The purpose of the admissions process is to allow candidates to demonstrate these experiences and commitments so that the faculty can select the strongest possible teaching corps each semester. Experiences with children, with the diversity of people who populate Georgia’s schools, with social activism, and with intellectual challenges is expected and highly valued.
Application Deadlines
The Early Childhood Education program admits no more than seventy-five students per application round. Application deadlines are as follows:
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The third Friday in January for fall program entry
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The third Friday in August for spring program entry
Eligibility Requirements
Minimum requirements for application include the following:
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No more than nine hours of core coursework remaining (in-progress courses do not count toward the nine hours)
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2.80 GPA (overall, cumulative, and in Areas I, II, and III combined)
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Passing scores on or exemption from the GACE Basic Skills Assessment (www.gace.nesinc.com).
The program must receive GACE scores no later than the application deadline. Applicants may exempt the GACE if they have earned a qualifying score on one of these tests:
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SAT (Critical Reading and M.A.T.heM.A.T.ics scores combined > 1000)
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ACT (English and M.A.T.heM.A.T.ics scores combined > 43)
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GRE (Verbal and Quantitative scores combined > 1030).
Application Requirements and Materials
Applicants who meet the application deadline and the minimum eligibility requirements will be evaluated by the program faculty on the following artifacts, which will be weighed equally:
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Applicant statement. Applicants must write a double-spaced statement of no more than three pages. The student should demonstrate deep thinking about the three guiding principles of the Early Childhood Education program listed above. Ideally, applicants will write about personal, academic, and work experiences that illustrate their commitments to the three guiding principles. Insights about working with children through the three principles are also welcome, and applicants are encouraged to be creative in their writing.
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Resume. Applicants must provide a standard resume including educational background, work experience, extracurricular activities, community involvement, etc. Experiences not related to education and experiences dating back through high school may be included.
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References. Applicants must submit three letters of recommendation printed on this Reference Form. At least one reference must be from a current or former professor at the college level. In reading the letters, evaluators will consider the narrative evaluation of the student and the numerical rating of the student in relation to the key program principles listed above.
The artifacts above must be submitted along with the Application Form
Reapplying
The program admits seventy-five students each semester. Students who cannot be accommodated may reapply in a subsequent semester, may apply to a different teacher education program within the department or in another department within the College of Education, or may complete a Bachelor of Arts degree in a subject matter discipline and apply to the Master of Arts in Teaching degree program.
Students who choose to reapply should highlight any new coursework and/or experiences that demonstrate commitment to the guiding principles of the Early Childhood Education program within their application materials.
Program Requirements for Admitted Students
Upon admission to the program, students must meet the following conditions:
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Successfully complete 50 hours of pre-professional experience (including a positive evaluation from the mentor teacher). These hours must be documented using the Pre-professional Experience Evaluation Form. Due 3rd Friday in August for fall entry and 3rd Friday in January for spring entry.
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Complete Areas I-V of the core curriculum.
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Complete the following courses with a grade of C or better: EPSY 2130 or CHFD 2950, EFND 2110, EFND 2120, and M.A.T.H 5001.
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Maintain a 2.80 cumulative and overall GPA.
B.S.Ed. Program Expenses
Please keep the following expenses in mind as you plan to apply to the Early Childhood Education B.S.Ed. program:
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Official UGA Name Tag ($14)
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FolioTek Subscription ($59 for two years)
Contact Information
Questions about the program can be directed to the Department of Elementary and Social Studies Education, 630 Aderhold Hall, Athens, GA 30602-7177, 706.542.4244, or e-mail at esse@uga.edu.
