About Elementary & Social Studies Education
Scholarships. Assistantships, and Other Support for Students
Information for Graduate Students
Specialist in Education (EdS) Degree in Early Childhood Education
The specialist degree in early childhood education is most appropriate for candidates who are already certified to teach children in pre-Kindergarten to grade 5, though other interested students are welcome to apply. The program will lead to T6 certification, but does not lead to certification for uncertified individuals. Students typically choose either the specialist or the doctoral program for their terminal degree work, though students with a specialist degree may opt to begin a doctorate after earning the EdS. The specialist program is most often selected by individuals who intend to focus their careers primarily on teaching and curriculum leadership at the pre-collegiate level. Doctoral programs are more frequently chosen by those who aspire to teach and conduct research at the college or university level.
The EdS degree program is a non-cohort program that can be completed either part-time or full-time. New students can be admitted during any semester or term. Most required courses are offered only on the Athens campus. During the school year, all courses are offered in the evening for the convenience of full-time teachers. Summer session courses are usually offered during the day.
Program Planning and Advisement
Course of Study for the Education Specialist in Early Childhood Education
Applications are accepted at any time. In general, applications received at least two months before the beginning of a semester or summer session can be processed in time for registration in the up-coming semester or session. International students must apply at least three months before the semester in which they wish to matriculate.
Applicants for the EdS in Early Childhood Education must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with a cumulative grade point of 2.8 or above on a four-point scale. Applicants must also hold a master’s degree from an accredited college or university with a cumulative grade point average of 3.3 on a four-point scale. Applicants must have a Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score of at least 900 total and at least 450 verbal and 450 quantitative, or a Miller Analogies Test score of at least 408. Either test must have been taken within five years of the date of admission. Applicants must also have at least two years of early childhood or elementary school teaching experience or equivalent work experience with children.
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Application Procedures
Applicants must submit to the Graduate School:
- The Graduate School application form
- Application fee
- Two official copies of transcripts from all institutions attended
- Official scores from GRE or Miller Analogies Test (must have been taken within five years of applying for the degree program)
- For international students, official TOEFL or IELTS scores
The application form, information regarding the GRE and Miller Analogies Test, and other important information are all available at http://www.uga.edu/gradschool/admissions/requirements.html
The department also requires three letters of recommendation from individuals acquainted with the applicant’s academic abilities or potential as a teacher. At least one reference must be a current or former professor. Names of references must be included in the Graduate School application form, page 3. Letters will be solicited by the Graduate School and are submitted on-line.
When all of the application materials have been received, they are reviewed by the Early Childhood Education Program faculty. The faculty makes a recommendation on the application to the Elementary and Social Studies Education Department's Graduate Coordinator who in turn makes a recommendation to the Graduate School. The final decision on admission is made by the Graduate School. Applicants and the department will receive notification directly from the Graduate School concerning a decision on acceptance.
Deadlines: Applications should be submitted at least two months prior to the intended date of matriculation; international applicants must submit completed applications at least three full months prior to the intended date of matriculation.
Program Planning and Advisement
Upon acceptance into the EdS degree program, students will be assigned to a faculty advisor. Students must communicate with their advisor every semester to plan coursework and to be cleared for registration.
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Course of Study for the Education Specialist in Early Childhood Education
The Education Specialist in Early Childhood Education degree program consists of thirty semester hours of coursework covering five areas: curriculum and teaching in early childhood environments, social foundations, psychological foundations, school subject areas, and research and evaluation. At least fifteen semester hours must have an EDEC or EDMS prefix. Students may also include courses that will earn further endorsements, though it is likely that not all courses for a particular endorsement will the fit within the semester hours in the program of study for the specialist degree. At least one course in the program of study must meet the diversity requirement (courses marked with an asterisk, below, meet this requirement).
Program Summary |
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| Curriculum and teaching in early childhood environments Educational foundations Psychological foundations School subject areas Research and evaluation Total: |
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* meets the diversity requirement
Curriculum and Teaching in Early Childhood Environments (9 semester hours minimum)
EDEC 7050 Teaching in Elementary Schools (P–5)
EDEC 7060 Academic Community Learning
EDEC 7130 Teaching Styles in the Elementary Classroom
EDEC 7160 Instructional Strategies for Early Childhood Education
EDEC 7170 Evaluation of the Elementary School
EDEC 7190 Educational Environments for Young Children: Birth–Eight
EDEC 8050 Theory and Research on Teaching
EDEC 8070 Research and Perspectives on Teacher Education: PreK–Grade 8
EDEC 8190 Mentoring in Learning to Teach
Social Foundations (3 semester hours minimum)
EDEC 7120 Children’s Social Lives*
EDEC 7180 Understanding Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in Schools (corequisite: EDEC 7180L)*
EDEC 8140 Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Learning Environments for Children and Young Adolescents*
EDEC 8150 Research and Theory in Family-School-Community Interactions*
EFND 7100 Gender and Education*
EFND 7200 Multicultural Education in the United States*
EFND 7210 Examining Race and Culture in Education Reform and Policy*
EFND 8010 Philosophy of Education
ELAN 7040 Language and Culture in the Classroom*
EFND 7140 Social and Cultural Contexts of Teaching*
SOCI 6060 Sociology of Education
Psychological Foundations (3 semester hours minimum)
EDEC 7110 The Educational Role of Play in Early Childhood Education
EDEC 7200 Developmental Issues of Elementary School Learners
EDEC 8110 Methods of Observing Children in Schools
EDEC 8120 Social Constructivist Approaches to Understanding Classroom Motivation
EPSY 6800 Foundations of Cognition for Education
EPSY 7160 Special Problems in Applied Cognition and Development
EPSY 7700 Infant and Preschool Assessment
EPSY 8180 Psychology of Learning and Instruction
School Subject Areas (3 semester hours minimum)
ARED 7310 Multicultural and Cross-Cultural Study in Art Education*
CHFD 7130 Creative Activities for Young Children
ELAN 6631 Bilingualism and Bilingual Education*
ELAN 7016 Folk Literature, Grades P–12
ELAN 7318 Culturally Diverse Children’s Literature, Grades P–8*
ELAN 7320 Writing Pedagogy, Grades P–8
ELAN 7330 Storytelling and the Oral Tradition, Grades P–8
ELAN 7630 ESOL, Grades P–12*
ELAN 8040 Languages, Cultures, and Literacies*
ELAN 8310 Race, Class, and Gender in Literature for Young People*
EMAT 6200 Technology in Teaching Elementary School Mathematics
ESCI 6200 Science, Technology, and Society
ESCI 6230 Environmental Science Education
ESOC 7010 Teaching of Geography
ESOC 7200 Economic Education in the Social Science Curriculum
ESOC 7520 Teaching Politics, Government, and Citizenship
PEDS 7060 Human Diversity in Curriculum and Instruction*
READ 6050 Materials for Reading Instruction
READ 7110 Computer-Based Instruction in Reading Education
READ 7800 Sociopolitical Perspectives in Literacy Education*
READ 8300 Culture, Literacy, and the Classroom
Research and Evaluation (9 semester hours minimum)
Required courses:
EDEC 6990 Research Seminar in Early Childhood Education
EDEC 7650 Literature Review in Early Childhood Education (prerequisite: EDEC 6990)Elective courses:
EDEC 7500 Action Research
ERSH 6200 Methods of Research in Education
ERSH 6300 Applied Statistical Methods in Education (prereq. ERSH 6200)
ERSH 8400 Qualitative Research Traditions
* Meets the diversity requirement
Candidates must pass the EdS exit examination in one of the last two semesters of coursework. The graduate school requires that a candidate be enrolled in at least one course during the semester the examination is taken. Candidates must contact their advisor to register for the examination. Candidates also must complete the departmental multicultural education exit survey in the same semester that the exit examination is completed.
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