Certification
The Georgia Professional Standards Commission awards professional educator certificates in Georgia. The University of West Georgia has been approved to offer undergraduate programs designed to qualify students for the level four professional certificate in the following teaching fields:
- Early Childhood Education (Grades P-5)
- Secondary Education (Grades 6-12), with these majors:
Biology
Chemistry
Earth Science
Economics
English
History
Mathematics
Physics
- All level fields (Grades P-12)
Art Education
French
Health and Physical Education
Music Education
Spanish
Special Education - General Curriculum
Speech-Language Pathology
The teacher education programs in Early Childhood, Physical Education, and Special Education lead to a Bachelor of Science in Education degree with certification.
The program for certification on the P-12 level in selected fields is organized on an inter-departmental basis. The student completes the requirements for a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and a Bachelor of Music, as planned by the student's departmental advisor, while the professional education requirements are taken under the direction of the College of Education. Completion of one of the approved programs by the College of Education qualifies the graduate for a professional level four certificate in Georgia.
Georgia House Bill 671 requires that after July 1, 1976, any person certified as a teacher should have completed satisfactorily requirements in the identification and education of children who have special needs.
Note: The educational requirements of all programs are designed to enable one to meet present certification assessment(s) required by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission; however, the Georgia Professional Standards Commission may change required certification assessment(s) prior to the completion of the course of study. While reasonable efforts will be made to enable one to satisfy additional requirements, no assurances can be made that the University will be able to offer these additional courses or, if taken, that such courses will entitle one to take and pass the certification assessment(s). Prior to receiving a University recommendation for clear, renewable certification, the appropriate certification assessment(s) required by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission must be completed and passed. The candidate has the responsibility to register for the appropriate certification assessments.
All post-baccalaureate students seeking initial certification must be admitted to teacher education and have an approved program of study planned prior to the end of the first semester of enrollment. All students must complete the program of study at West Georgia. In all cases, the appropriate certification assessment(s) will be required.
