Master of Arts in Teaching Special Education

The initial certification Special Education programs at Georgia College prepare candidates for initial licensure to teach P-12 learners with high incidence disabilities. The programs are aligned with the Council for Exceptional Children Initial Content Standards and the Georgia Professional Standards Commission Special Education General Curriculum requirements and standards. The programs are further aligned with the COE Conceptual Framework principles, and guiding model, Educators as Architects of Change.

A primary component of our special education programs is our cohort-based, field-based, and mentor led model of teacher preparation. In the cohort-based mentor led approach, candidates experience a program of carefully sequenced coursework with the support of a faculty mentor. This model establishes a community of learners for sharing experiences, viewpoints, and feedback to foster the construction of knowledge. Through this model, our candidates are actively engaged in a learning community to guide their development of knowledge and skills aligned with the CEC standards.

Through sequenced coursework and assessments, it is the goal of the program for candidates to gain skills and knowledge in designing and implementing research-based programs in field-based settings and for graduates of the program to possess the knowledge and skills to become leaders in their schools and to positively impact school and system practices.

The program listed below leads to initial certification in Special Education General Curriculum. This program is open to students who do not currently hold any teaching certificate as well as those who hold a provisional teaching certificate in the state of Georgia. The M.A.T. program in Special Education is configured as a cohort which means teacher-candidates enroll and matriculate as one group under the supervision of faculty in the special education program.

• Hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college/university, with an earned 2.75 or better GPA
• Two professional recommendations (pdf) using the College of Education format
• Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended
• Candidates must hold a provisional certificate or obtain a Georgia pre-service certification (www.gapsc.com), which includes
• obtaining a MyPSC account with the Georgia Professional Standards Commission
• Submit to a background check and receive acceptable results. (This process will be done during the application process.)
• Pass (or exempt) the GACE Program Admission Assessment (Exemption scores are SAT 1000 or higher (1080 if taken on or after 7/1/2019); ACT combined English and math 43 or higher)
• Complete the Ethic 350 Assessment through the Georgia Professional Standards Commission
• Submit a copy of your driver’s license or other official identification