Instructions for Applying for Your Teaching Certificate
If you have recently completed an approved certification program at GSU, following are instructions for applying for your certificate. When filling out the Georgia Professional Standards Commission application you should be aware that the guidelines for certifying students who are receiving their initial certification or adding a field/endorsement are somewhat different than for those who are upgrading their certification.There are three ways to apply for certification in Georgia: either you are seeking initial certification, adding a new field or endorsement to an existing certification, or upgrading an existing certificate.
Need Help?
Call 404-413-8163 to speak with the Certification Officer in the Office of Academic Assistance and Graduate Admissions if you have any questions about your recommendation for certification.
About Teacher Certification
Teachers and other educational personnel must be certified by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission to be employed in the state's elementary, middle, and secondary public schools. Private elementary and secondary schools may also require state certification for employment.
Completion of Teacher Education Requirements:
A requirement for initital certification in Georgia is completion of teacher education requirements. This may be accomplished in one of the following ways at Georgia State University (options vary by program). In all cases, "Entry into Teacher Education" criteria apply
Initial certification programs in Behavior/Learning Disabilities, Communication Disorders, Educational Leadership, English Education, Health and Physical Education, Mathematics Education, Multiple and Severe Disabilities, Reading, School Counseling, School Psychology, Science Education, and Social Studies Education are available only at the graduate level. The College of Education offers six Master of Arts in Teaching programs which prepare students for initial certification in the following fields: English Education, Mathematics Education, Middle Level Education, Reading, Language and Literacy Education (ESOL), Science Education, and Social Studies Education. See the current Georgia State University Graduate Catalog for more information on the university's master's level programs.
Recommendation for Certification
Students who complete a Georgia State University educator preparation program by one of the methods above and who present a passing score or scores on the appropriate GACE Content Assessments may be eligible for the Georgia State recommendation for teacher certification. The College of Education's Office of Academic Assistance and Graduate Admissions can issue the recommendation to the prospective teacher shortly after Commencement following the term of completion of requirements.
Students wishing to teach in other states can contact the office at any point in their career for this verification for any other state's certification board that accepts Georgia standards.
Useful Links:
Non-Degree Certification Programs