36 hours minimum (additional hours may be needed to meet content, pre/co-requisite courses, and certification needs)

Professional preparation: Earned, or will have earned, a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution before the date of enrollment at the University of Georgia. GPA: Minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.7 for all courses taken. TOEFL: Foreign applicants will also need to score a minimum of 20 points each on the Speaking and Writing sections of the TOEFL with an overall minimum score of 80. Test scores must be within 5 years from the date of application. The state requires that all candidates have a minimum 2.5 GPA on undergraduate or previous graduate work. Go to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission website for details.

Please reach out to the department for more information about this major.

Select additional courses, as needed, in consultation with an advisor to meet the minimum number of required credit hours for this program.

Fill a critical shortage area in Georgia Program flexibility for part-time or full-time students Early childhood learning and care is a critical and burgeoning field Funding opportunities available Opportunity to study abroad in Ireland Earn certificate upgrade in special education and an elementary education field Diverse career opportunities available in home, center, and public school settings Opportunities to have an effect on the development of young learners and their families