Academic Programs
Choose from a wide range of both undergraduate degrees, undergraduate certificates, graduate degrees, graduate certificates, and graduate endorsement programs in education and within human service fields.
- For a comprehensive list of our college’s undergraduate programs with instructions on applying to the major, click here.
- For a comprehensive list of graduate programs with application deadlines and admission requirements, click here.
Still Not Sure?
The information shared here is intended to provide an overview of Georgia State’s Education & Human Development offerings. For official details on admissions requirements, tuition, courses and more please refer to the university catalogs.
Birth Through Five, B.S.Ed.
The B.S.Ed. program in birth through five (B-5) prepares teachers and other early care and education professionals to work in varied settings with young children and their families. Age ranges from infancy through kindergarten, including children who are typically developing and those with disabilities.
Our program:
- Offers evening and online classes
- Allows students to complete clinical field experience in their work-based settings
- Prepares students to be innovative, creative and high-quality early childhood educators
- Offers certification and non-certification options
There are two concentrations:
- Teacher certification
- Non-teacher certification
Teacher Certification leads you toward completing all requirements for a certification in this field. The non-certification program is not eligible for certification.
Education programs leading to professional licensure or certification (nursing, education, social work, counseling, accounting, allied health professions, etc.) may require additional approval from separate licensing boards, depending on the state. Students who live or plan to live outside Georgia and are considering a professional program should contact the appropriate board in their state of residency prior to beginning a course of study. To help students find the best-known contact information for the appropriate state licensing board and for a list of Georgia State program contacts, visit the Student Consumer Information website.
Deaf Studies, Deaf Education Concentration, B.A.
The Bachelor of Arts in Deaf Studies with a concentration in Deaf Education provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to work with deaf/hard of hearing children or adults.
The courses in this program will give students a foundation in American Sign Language and deaf cultures(s). Students will also gain skills specific to teaching or interpreting for deaf individuals.
The deaf education concentration does not lead to teacher certification. Students who are interested in teacher certification must complete the deaf education concentration and the one-year Master of Arts in Teaching in Special Education.
Deaf Studies, Sign Language Interpreting Concentration, B.A.
Sign Language Interpreting is an interdisciplinary field that combines highly developed competency in American Sign Language and English with knowledge of linguistics, interpretation, translation and principles of professional practice.
The Sign Language Interpreting concentration prepares students with the theoretical and practical knowledge needed to enter field of American Sign Language/English interpretation. Students develop confidence in their working languages, proficiency in linguistic and cultural analysis, and the interpersonal skills needed to develop a relevant and sound professional practice.
For students who are interested in pursuing careers working with deaf/hard of hearing children or adults, the B.A. Deaf Studies degree will allow for a concentration in Deaf Education or Sign Language Interpreting.
Elementary Education, B.S.Ed.
The elementary education bachelor’s degree program prepares teachers to work with children in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. The program reflects research and evidence-based practice in the field of early childhood education, elementary education and teacher education.
We offer two concentrations:
- Elementary Education certification (pre-K – 5)
- Elementary Education and Special Education general curriculum (pre-K – 5) dual certification
Our students receive content and pedagogy in all academic disciplines taught in elementary classrooms. There are also opportunities for teacher preparation in English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), as well as in urban education and dual immersion settings.
The program provides integration of the visual, theatrical and musical arts in the context of digital technology. The broad and extensive field-based experiences effectively develop your knowledge and ability to select and implement developmentally appropriate technology, resources and activities for teaching and learning in diverse settings across grade levels.
Education programs leading to professional licensure or certification (nursing, education, social work, counseling, accounting, allied health professions, etc.) may require additional approval from separate licensing boards, depending on the state. Students who live or plan to live outside Georgia and are considering a professional program should contact the appropriate board in their state of residency prior to beginning a course of study. To help students find the best-known contact information for the appropriate state licensing board and for a list of Georgia State program contacts, visit the Student Consumer Information website.
Click the “View Catalog Button” below to see the program breakdown for the dual certification concentration program. For the early childhood education (pre-kindergarten through 5th grade) certification program, visit the program description page.
Exercise Science, B.S.
Georgia State’s BS in Exercise Science prepares students for careers in adult fitness and wellness, worksite health promotion/corporate fitness, personal training, clinical exercise physiology, cardiac rehabilitation and other related fields. Preparation is also provided in biomechanical analysis, program management, sports skills development and enhancement, strength and conditioning, and related topics.
Employers value Exercise Science majors. In every class, at every event, and in every program in which you participate, you practice skills that connect to the competencies employers value most.
- Heath care, exercise, and fitness thrives in team-based environments, and the B.S. Exercise Science curriculum is designed to enhance collaboration skills that will transfer in the field. This is accomplished through group activities and labs.
- The Exercise Science Program integrates critical thinking and problem-solving skills in program-level courses.
- Technology is evolving in the health and fitness industry, and allowing our students to experience and train with the most recent technology to help evaluate the human body is paramount.
- Many classes aim to help students evaluate their strengths and weaknesses and work develop as leaders in the field.
Health and Physical Education & Coaching, B.S.E.
Georgia State University’s Health and Physical Education & Coaching B.S.E with a teacher certification concentration prepares teachers to educate pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade students about physical and motor skills, individual and team sport skills and tactics, physical fitness, nutrition, and health to encourage active lifestyles across the lifespan. Students complete prerequisite classes and apply to the program in the spring of their sophomore year. After completing a series of activity and content classes in both physical education and health education, students will have the opportunity to complete methods of teaching classes in four settings (elementary, secondary, adapted physical education, and health education). Students gain full-time semester-long student teaching placements at both an elementary and secondary (middle or high school). Students who earn teaching certification can serve in a head coach position in public schools in Georgia.
Sport Coaching is teaching in an athletic venue instead of a classroom. This program merges theoretical understanding of psychological, scientific, and pedagogical aspects of coaching with practical experiences to prepare students to succeed in coaching at all levels of sport. Students apply to the program in the spring of their sophomore year. Practical experiences in field-based settings with professional and community coaches, athletic trainers and strength and conditioning coaches underlie the application of theory and practice. The curriculum follows the knowledge and skills outlined by The Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE America) National Standards for Sport Coaches preparing students to be effective leaders and advocates of athletes regardless of the sport. This concentration does not lead to initial teacher certification. Students graduating with a concentration in sport coaching are not currently eligible to serve as head coach in a public school K-12 setting.
Education programs leading to professional licensure or certification (nursing, education, social work, counseling, accounting, allied health professions, etc.) may require additional approval from separate licensing boards, depending on the state. Students who live or plan to live outside Georgia and are considering a professional program should contact the appropriate board in their state of residency prior to beginning a course of study. To help students find the best-known contact information for the appropriate state licensing board and for a list of Georgia State program contacts, visit the Student Consumer Information website.
Human Learning and Development, B.I.S.
The Human Learning and Development program provides students an opportunity to acquire a career-oriented range of skills and knowledge. Students choose from the coursework in behavior and learning disabilities, counseling, deaf studies, educational psychology, family and community advocacy, learning technologies, research methods and problem-solving, and urban education. Courses are taught by faculty across the College of Education & Human Development’s seven departments.
No application is required for this bachelor’s degree. Students are required to declare two selected disciplines with their academic adviser or online.
Middle Level Education, B.S.Ed.
The B.S.E. in Middle Level Education prepares you to teach in schools in historically marginalized communities by emphasizing political, historical and cultural community contexts and integrating a strong justice and equity orientation.
The Middle Level Education degree program is designed for students who seek a bachelor’s degree and initial teaching certification in Middle Level Education grades 4-8 in two of the following concentration areas:
- English Language Arts
- Mathematics
- Science
- Social Studies
This program leads to a Bachelor of Science in Middle Level Education (B.S.E.) and a clear and renewable (T4) Induction Certificate in Georgia.
Throughout the program, you’ll take specialized courses and gain practical teaching experience in the field. Our program features technology integration and offers study-abroad opportunities. Faculty support planning, instruction, assessment and reflection with colleagues, faculty and partner schools who are committed to excellence in education. Students may also complete three additional classes in order to be English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) endorsed to teach the growing population of English language learners by the time of completion.
Our urban communities need highly skilled, compassionate and advocacy-oriented Middle Level teachers whose content knowledge and instructional practice honor students’ diversity and promote equity.
Education programs leading to professional licensure or certification (nursing, education, social work, counseling, accounting, allied health professions, etc.) may require additional approval from separate licensing boards, depending on the state. Students who live or plan to live outside Georgia and are considering a professional program should contact the appropriate board in their state of residency prior to beginning a course of study. To help students find the best-known contact information for the appropriate state licensing board and for a list of Georgia State program contacts, visit the Student Consumer Information website.
Special Education, B.S.Ed.
The Georgia State University Bachelor of Science in Education in Special Education degree prepares students to teach children and youth with disabilities who receive special education services in schools. Students in the program work closely with faculty who have extensive experience working with children and youth with disabilities and participate in both rigorous, practical coursework and applied classroom experiences.
Teacher candidates who complete the program and receive a passing score on the appropriate GACE test(s) will be certified to teach in one of three special education areas. Our graduates go on to teach in charter, public, private, and specialized schools.
Our two special education certification areas are:
Adapted Curriculum
Students on an adapted curriculum often have a diagnosed intellectual disability, and learn academic skills and functional life skills tailored to their individual needs. In Georgia schools, students on an adapted curriculum receive most of their academic instruction in small-group settings.
General Curriculum
Students with disabilities in the general curriculum follow the same curriculum as their peers without disabilities, but with specialized support and accommodations to meet their needs. In Georgia schools, students on a general curriculum receive most of their academic instruction in general education classroom settings.
Education programs leading to professional licensure or certification (nursing, education, social work, counseling, accounting, allied health professions, etc.) may require additional approval from separate licensing boards, depending on the state. Students who live or plan to live outside Georgia and are considering a professional program should contact the appropriate board in their state of residency prior to beginning a course of study. To help students find the best-known contact information for the appropriate state licensing board and for a list of Georgia State program contacts, visit the Student Consumer Information website.
Sport Administration, B.I.S.
The B.I.S. in Sport Administration prepares you to work in a vast, diverse and complex sport business industry. The sport business industry is among the largest industries in the United States, often listed in the top 10 industries. Size estimates of this industry show it to be somewhere between $422 billion to more than $2 trillion.
Careers range in a myriad of segments, including but not limited to, sport management, sport marketing, sport finance, sport communication, sport hospitality and management, sport facility and event management, sport journalism, public relations, sport coaching, social media marketing, and/or sport or marketing agencies.
The interdisciplinary nature of the program, with hospitality administration, journalism and public relations, and creative media industries-esports provides a wide scope of opportunities for students to focus their efforts.
World Languages Teacher Education, B.I.S.
The Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (B.I.S.) concentration in World Languages Teacher Education provides students an opportunity to further develop their skills and knowledge in French or Spanish language, culture and literary skills while completing requirements recommended for kindergarten through 12th-grade teaching certification to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. World language educators completing the program will be prepared to support multilingual speakers in urban environments to value diverse perspectives and language varieties and to act as responsible global citizens.
This program is grounded in educational theory, research and best teaching practices, integrating principles of social justice and equity. Throughout the program, students take specialized education and content courses and gain practical experience in kindergarten through 12th-grade. Faculty support teacher candidates in planning, instruction, assessment and reflection with colleagues, faculty and partner schools who are committed to excellence in education.