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

You are eligible to apply to the Special Education MAT - Birth Through Five/Preschool Special Education program if you meet all the following requirements: • Earned, or will have earned, a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution before the date of enrollment at the University of Georgia • Minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA (Grade Point Average) of 3.0 for all courses taken • International students 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 2 years from the date of application.

Application Process: Students should upload the following items: • Statement of purpose: Please submit a two-page, single-spaced statement of purpose, outlining your teaching philosophy, experience, and career goals, as well as answering the following questions: What populations of children or students do you have experience working with and envision yourself working with in the future? In what setting would you like to work (e.g., school, clinic, home-based)? What is your primary age/grade of interest? • Resume/CV • Three Letters of Recommendation • Unofficial transcripts • English Proficiency Exam Scores for international students

Prerequisites and Co-Requisites

Survey of Special Education course (e.g., EDSE2000(E), EDSE6020(E), transfer equivalent course, or any other course that meets the requirements of GA HB 671)

EDSE 5160/7160

Communication and Language Development in Young Children

3

EDSE 5170/7170

Developmentally Appropriate Programming and Curricula for Infants and Toddlers

3

EDSE 5180/7180

Developmentally Appropriate Curricula for Children Aged 3-5

3

EDSE 6070E

Behavior Management in Special Education Settings

3

EDSE 7100

Foundations and Assessment in Early Childhood Special Education

3

EDSE 7200

Methods and Curriculum in Early Childhood Special Education

3

EDSE 7440  (6 hours)

Practicum in Special Education

1-12

EDSE 7460  (6 hours)

Internship in Special Education

1-12

Elective Course

Choose 1 course(s) from the following:

EDSE 5120/7120

Dyslexia and Other Learning Disabilities

3

EDSE 5150/7150

Designing Reading Interventions for Special Education

3

Students are encouraged to take elective courses in areas that complement the required components of their program of study as approved by their faculty advisor.

MAT students are required to pass a written comprehensive exam for program completion. MAT students must have a Pre-Service Certificate issued before starting their program. See the following for information about how to obtain a Pre-Service Certificate: https://resources.coe.uga.edu/students/ed-prep/#certification

Teacher Education Certification Requirements

To be considered a UGA program completer and to be eligible for an Induction Certificate in an initial educator preparation program, you must complete the following assessments: Child Abuse and FERPA Trainings (CA-FERPA) Dyslexia Trainings Passing score on Dispositions Passing score on Intern Keys Passing score on Program Key Assessments (PKAs) Completion of MFECOE Exit Survey Attendance of certification session MFECOE Ethics Training Assessment MFECOE Professional Ethics and Conduct Agreement (PECA Contract) GaPSC Grade Bands Requirement Met GACE Content Assessment (Certification Requirement) GaPSC Educator Ethics Assessment - 360 (Certification Requirement) Pass Transition Point 1 Pass Transition Point 2 Pass Transition Point 3 Pass Transition Point 4

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

Prepare to work with children birth through age 5 both with and without disabilities. The birth through kindergarten/preschool special education emphasis promotes developmentally appropriate inclusive and collaborative teaching practices. Our graduates specialize in providing engaging instruction and support to young children and their families. The Special Education program recommends to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission that a graduate be awarded a clear renewable teaching certificate in birth through kindergarten and endorsement/certificate in preschool special education. Training in this program prepares pre-service teachers to teach in inclusive early learning, preschool, prekindergarten, and kindergarten programs, along with early intervention (0-3) and preschool intervention (3-5) programs.

Qualified students will be nominated for applicable and available Graduate School awards, departmental graduate assistantships, training grants, and research grant assistantships.

All students complete a supervised teaching internship and are encouraged to pursue additional internship experiences that support their professional development and career aspirations.

Graduate Student Association - https://els.uga.edu/uga-student-government/gradstudents/

Student Council for Exceptional Children (SCEC) BrainIAC Communicaid+Nation Minorities in Education (MIE) Links for other organizations can be found at: https://resources.coe.uga.edu/students/student-organizations/

Special Education Ph.D. Ed.S. in Education (Special Education)