Academic Catalog

Elementary Education/Special Education General Curriculum (P-5) (BSED)

The BSED in Elementary Education/ Special Education General Curriculum (P-5) includes upper division courses in education, mathematics, and special education. Gordon State College students are required to complete 130 semester credit hours to earn a B.S. degree in elementary education/ special education – 63 hours of freshman/sophomore-level core courses (IMPACTS Core) plus 67 hours of junior/senior-level courses. The additional program-specific courses are completed with full-time enrollment in two years with one required summer session. Students are required to complete general education IMPACTS core plus EDUC 2110 Investigating Issues in Educ, EDUC 2120 Exploring Socio-Cultural Persp, EDUC 2130 Exploring Learning & Teaching, EDUC 2140 Foundations of Reading, MATH 2008 Foundations Of Numbers & Op, ISCI 2001 EC& Mid Grades Life/Earth Sci, and ISCI 2002 EC & Mid Grades Physical Sci prior to admission to the BSED in Elementary Education/Special Education program. Students may take upper division -courses only after being admitted to the baccalaureate program. 

General Requirements and Procedures for Admission  

Admission to the BSED in Elementary Education/ Special Education program is granted as space is available. Not all individuals who meet the admission requirements may be admitted. Disciplinary action at Gordon State College and any other institution that the student has attended, including the military, may prevent admission. 

Applications to Gordon State College and to the BSED in Elementary Education/ Special Education program are available on the Gordon State College website. and must be submitted to the School of Education, Arts and Humanities. Applications must be submitted with qualifying GPA and GACE Program Ethics Assessment to be considered. Application materials must be complete for full acceptance.

Admission Requirements   

Admission to the BSED in Elementary Education program is competitive and granted on a space available basis. To be considered for admission:

  1. Applicants must be admitted to Gordon State College and in good standing with the College.
  2. Applicants are projected to complete all lower-level courses in an Associate of Arts Teacher Education Pathway by the end of the summer semester prior to beginning fall semester, to include an overall last attempt GPA of 2.75 or better. 
  3. Applicants must have a grade of “C” or higher in ENGL 1101 English Comp I, ENGL 1102 English Comp II, the math course used to fulfill the core curriculum requirement, and all lower-level courses related to the program of study. 
  4. Applicants must complete all portions of the “Application for Admission to the BSED in Elementary Education/ Special Program.”
  5. Students must pass the GACE Ethics Assessment.
  6. Students must register with the Professional Standards Commission (PSC) and create a MyPSC account.
  7.  Students must complete the Verification of Lawful Presence form with the PSC.
  8. Students must complete all paperwork for the Pre-Service Certification with the PSC which will include a criminal background check and fingerprinting.

Students transferring to Gordon State College must meet all criteria for admission to the BSED in Elementary Education/ Special Education as outlined above. 

Students accepted for admission will be part of a cohort of students enrolled in the program of study throughout the Elementary Education/ Special Education courses, field experiences, and internship. Upon acceptance, students are required to submit proof of professional liability insurance coverage. Currently, candidates are admitted only for full-time study. 

Academic Progress and Policies 

Teacher candidates must meet the following requirements to progress in the Education Program:

  • Maintain an overall GPA of 2.75.
  • Complete all upper division professional education courses with at least a grade of “C” in each course. Upper division professional education courses below the grade of “C” may be retaken only once, and no more than 2 upper division professional education courses in total may be retaken. Upper division professional education courses also include all fieldwork and student teaching courses.
  • Teacher candidates are required to earn a minimum grade of B in all SPED courses.
  • Complete one year of upper division coursework and student teaching internships in full-time residence at Gordon State College.  
  • Have professional liability insurance throughout the duration of the program. 
  • Adhere to the School of Education Honor Code and all other policies of Gordon State College, the School of Education and associated Local Boards of Education. 
  • Adhere to Georgia Professional Standards Commission Policies on Ethics for Educators. 

Re-entry  

A teacher candidate who voluntarily withdraws from the BSED in Elementary Education/ Special Education program must submit a request in writing for readmission to the education program along with a completed education application form at least one semester prior to the semester in which the teacher candidate wishes to attend. A candidate must meet all the admission/acceptance requirements, including an overall GPA of 2.75 or higher to be considered. Re-entry occurs on a space-available basis.

Dismissal 

Failure to meet either academic or ethical progression requirement(s) may result in dismissal from Teacher Education. Unprofessional conduct, breaches in the Honor Code, unsafe educational practices, or unethical professional practices may result in the student being referred to the School of Education (SOE) Discipline Committee. This committee will hear the evidence against the student and may decide to retain the student with an Action Plan, suspend the student with an Action Plan, or dismiss the student from the program. The Gordon State College catalog,  School of Education Honor Code, and the Program Handbook contain detailed descriptions of student actions liable to require intervention by the SOE Discipline Committee. Candidates who are dismissed from the program for any reason must wait at least one year before making reapplication. Admissions requirements in place at the time of this re-application must be met. Additional disciplinary actions may also be taken at the College level by the Academic Judicial Committee or the Dean of Students. The Gordon State College Academic Catalog contains a full description of these rights and responsibilities and the disciplinary procedures that will guide the action of faculty and administration should a candidate commit prohibited behaviors. 

Field Experience and Internship 

School districts in this region serve as collaborative partners in providing access to programs, students, and mentor teachers. Gordon State College Teacher Candidates must comply with the same policies and procedures of local boards of education that apply to their own full-time teaching faculty. This will also include a current criminal background check and fingerprinting. Additionally, candidates shall comply with codes of dress, conduct, punctuality, and professionalism when they are present on school campuses. Field experiences are planned to enable candidates to participate in a wide variety of activities with all appropriate grade levels, educational settings, and diversity of students and staff. 

In the semester prior to graduation, candidates will complete full-time student teaching. Decisions regarding placement will be made to provide an opportunity for this internship with an age/grade level approximate to the candidate’s area of interest. However, placement in requested counties, districts, or schools cannot be guaranteed.