Science Education

PACSS - UGA’s Program for Alternative Certification in Secondary Science

Introduction to the Program

The University of Georgia Program for Alternative Certification in Secondary Science (PACSS) is designed to help those who already have a four year degree in a science or related field to obtain their clear and renewable teacher certification. Qualified candidates will be certified to teach grades 7-12 in one of the following subject areas: biology, chemistry, earth science, or physics. The majority of the courses for the program can be taken through the University of Georgia at the Gwinnett University Center.

Philosophy and Objectives of the Program

The Science Education Department’s teacher education program emphasizes reflection on one’s own teaching, learning to teach science to all of Georgia’s students and creating interactive and collaborative classroom environments. While content knowledge is important in teaching secondary science, understanding of learners, curriculum, and teaching strategies are equally important. The objectives of the program are based on creating an understanding of the roles of the science teacher in the classroom and in the teaching profession.

Program Requirements at a Glance

Bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 2.5.
Sufficient coursework background in a specific science field. Please see Science Prerequisites for the Program
Application to UGA Graduate School.
Passing Score on the GACE in your content area. Please continue reading for a more detailed explanation of each of these requirements.

Description of the Program

The program is for individuals who have completed one or more university degrees and wish to obtain a secondary science teaching certificate. Courses have been designed so those teaching full time on a provisional certificate or in private schools may keep their full time positions during the academic year.

Assuming all science content prerequisites have been met, the typical program consists of four semesters: summer, fall, spring, and the following summer. Some courses are offered online; others are a combination of face-to-face and web-based instruction. Most courses are held in the evening or during the summer at the UGA Gwinnett Center. Participants complete an internship during which they spend considerable time in a school setting with a mentor teacher and a university supervisor. If you are already teaching at the secondary level, you may use your current position to meet this requirement. You will be mentored and coached by an experienced teacher in the school. If you are already teaching, you should select a teacher at your school who can commit to working with you at least two hours per week in a mentoring role. Those participants not already teaching will complete a school-based internship with a mentor teacher. This internship will be based in a Gwinnett County School and will require a minimum of twenty to twenty-five hours per week in a school setting. There is some flexibility in arranging the internship schedule. Arrangements for the internship will be made by the program coordinator.

Courses Required for Certification

The following courses are required to complete the certification process through this program. The recommended progression through the program is:

Summer Semester 1:

EPSY 2130-Learning and Development in Education (3 cr)

Fall Semester:

ESCI 6460-Methods of Science Teaching (3 cr) (Taught Fall Semester only)
ESCI 7460-School-Based Internship (9 cr) (Taken in conjunction with ESCI 6460)
ESCI 6030-Teaching Science to Students with Special Needs (3 cr)

Spring Semester:

ESCI 6450-Science Curriculum and Learning (3cr) (Taught in Spring Semester Only)
ESCI 7460- School-Based Internship (9 cr) (Taken in conjunction with ESCI 6450)

Summer Semester 2:

ESCI 7480 – Philosophy and Leadership in Science Classroom Practice (3 cr)
ESCI 6480 – Technological Capabilities for Science Teaching

Admission Process

Step One: Contact the Program Coordinator or Graduate Coordinator

Contact Dr. David Jackson, Graduate Coordinator, djackson@uga.edu, for initial inquiries and admissions information, or Dr. Sajin Chun, PACSS Program Director, sjchun@uga.edu. If you do not have a degree in a mainstream science field (e.g., biology, chemistry, physics, and earth science field, etc.), a priority is to determine if you have a sufficient coursework background to be certified as a teacher in one of these core areas.

Step Two: Admission to the University.

Apply to the graduate school and select one of the following options for enrollment: non-degree graduate student, Master’s of Science Education (M.Ed.), or Educational Specialist (Ed.S.). These options are described below. You may wish to discuss these options with the program coordinator.

As a non-degree student, you can earn a recommendation for teacher certification, but not a degree. On the graduate school admission form, enter science education certification as the reason for enrolling as a non-degree student. Currently, you cannot receive HOPE scholarship funds if you are a non-degree student.
You may apply to the program for the Master’s degree in Science Education (M.Ed.). You will take your certification courses first, and then an additional 27 hours for your Master’s degree. You may apply up to 9 hours of the certification program towards your Master’s degree, if you take the appropriate courses. You will work with your advisor to determine those courses. Please note that not every course you take for certification can be applied toward the degree. Classes beyond initial certification are taught in the evenings and summers on the Athens campus to accommodate practicing teachers. Students in the Master’s program are eligible for HOPE scholarship funds. Application to the Master’s Program requires a current GRE score. For more information about the Master’s Degree, please visit the Master’s Program Section of the Science Education web-site.
You may apply to the Specialist degree (Ed.S.) program. You may be interested in this program if you currently hold a master’s degree in a science field. Six hours of courses taken as a non-degree student can be applied toward the specialist degree. Note, however, that not every course you take for certification can be applied toward the Specialist degree. The program involves approximately 36 hours beyond the certification program. Graduate students in the specialist program are eligible for HOPE scholarship funds.

The application for admission to the University of Georgia may be completed on-line. Go to the Graduate School website, and follow the directions to apply on-line. The Graduate School requires official sealed copies of all your previous transcripts. Check the graduate school’s website for information on deadlines and procedures.

As part of the application process, you will need to have three letters of recommendation sent to the Science Education Department. Letters should be sent to:

David Jackson
PACSS
The University of Georgia
Department of Mathematics & Science Education
212 Aderhold Hal
Athens, GA 30602-7126

Step Three: Admission to the Science Education Department.

In addition to being admitted by the University, you must be accepted into the program by the Science Education Department. Fill out the on-line application. An interview is also part of the application process. Plan to spend about 15 minutes talking to a science education faculty member about your background and teaching interests.

A maximum of 24 students will be accepted into each fall cohort. If more than 20 individuals apply, the following criteria will be used to select applicants:

Interview
Quality of response to statement of interest on the application
GPA or degree rating for international students where GPA is not applicable
Readiness to start the program by having met the prerequisite science requirements
Date of application to the program

If there are more applicants than spaces in the cohort, a committee will make decisions regarding program admission in the spring.

Step Four: Admission to Teacher Education.

The fourth step is admission to the School of Teacher Education, a program for all prospective teachers at UGA. This step is completed after you have been admitted to the PACSS program. The process clears you to teach in schools and involves a state-required background check. To be admitted to the School of Teacher Education, you must pass or exempt the GACE test of basic skills. Please visit http://www.gace.nesinc.com/ for more information about the GACE exams. Students may exempt the GACE if scores fall above the following criteria:

SAT exemption: 1000 total with a minimum of 480 verbal and 520 mathematics
ACT exemption: 22 composite with a minimum of 21 verbal and 22 mathematics
GRE exemption: 1030 total with a minimum of 490 verbal and 540 quantitative

Call the Teacher Education office at (706) 542-4047 to request an application.

For more information about the program contact Dr. Sajin Chun at sjchun@uga.edu or 678.407.5132.