Academic Programs

The M.A. program in creative and innovative education (MACIE) is designed for people who wish to further their knowledge about children as creative thinkers and innovative makers. Our graduates work in diverse fields, such as business, nonprofits, the creative arts, kindergarten through 12th grade education and community outreach organizations.

• Education courses provide students with a background in child development theories, learning strategies, critical and creative thinking skills and examinations of children’s lives in contemporary society, all through the lens of creative education
• Additional coursework in business, policy, education or the arts allows students to focus on content that will prepare them for their specific goals
• Apprenticeships connect students with organizations and businesses in the metro-Atlanta area to expand their knowledge and skills in areas such as nonprofit organizations, start-up companies, after-school programs and teacher leadership

Note: This program does not prepare students to earn a Georgia teaching credential.

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.

In response to the growing number of Georgia schools with Dual Language Immersion (DLI) programs, the College of Education & Human Development’s Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education offers a fully online endorsement in Dual Language Immersion. A valuable asset in a world of global connections, bilingualism is an advantage that parents want for their children regardless of their native tongue.

This online endorsement program is designed to prepare teachers like you to meet this need, to be sensitive and responsive to the needs of dual language immersion learners’ and to be advocates for DLI in a variety of educational settings. Coursework is designed to address effective learning environments for bilingual students and methods and materials for engaging DLI students in challenging educational experiences.

The program develops highly prepared teachers who understand DLI education and are teacher-leaders in establishing learner-centered classrooms consistent with the standards of the Georgia Professional Standards Commission and the Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium. It is open to students who are enrolled in a foreign language certification program at Georgia State University and to current educators who hold a Level 4 or higher induction or professional foreign language education certificate from the state of Georgia. The endorsement qualifies successful candidates to teach in kindergarten through fifth-grade dual immersion classrooms.

Credits earned in this program can be applied to the online Master of Education in Elementary Education with a concentration in Dual Language Education.

The Graduate Certificate program is on hold until further notice and will not be accepting applications at this time. Please check back when this program will become available.

The broad field of informatics employs large data sets and includes computer processing and data analysis. This certificate prepares graduate students to perform quantitative analyses on large databases relevant to education and human development within positions in various institutions or as independent consultants.

The certificate benefits students by giving them a focused avenue for pursuing a career in the growing field of data analytics. It benefits society by producing a group of qualified, competent data analysts whose work will lead to the understanding and improvement of programs in educational, business, governmental and other settings.

The educational leadership program advances the development and practice of effective educational leadership.

This program addresses educational leaders’ professional needs and supports their long-term career goals in leading schools, school districts and other education agencies in a complex, highly competitive global environment.

We provide senior-level administrators with the following:

• Knowledge and skills necessary to deal effectively with the complex issues facing education today
• Methods of inquiry necessary to analyze educational problems
• Leadership skills necessary to direct the development and implementation of programs to address those problems and to disseminate the results in various professional and public forums
• Knowledge and applied skills rarely provided in traditional advanced degree programs in educational leadership in an alternative format that meets the needs of senior-level administrators.
• Select concentration in:
  • Advanced Leadership
  • Higher Education Administration
  • Tier II

The Tier II educational specialist (Ed.S.) and Tier II add-on in educational leadership prepares graduates to be effective school and/or system leaders who positively affect student achievement.

Throughout the program, students work on meaningful projects to help them develop the knowledge, skills and dispositions required to lead school and district improvement efforts. Georgia State collaborates closely with its partner districts to help ensure students are being properly prepared to successfully address school and/or district needs.

Candidates who already hold an Ed.S. degree should apply for the 18-hour certification only add-on certificate. Candidates seeking a full Ed.S. degree should apply for the full 30-hour Ed.S. program. Both the add-on and the Ed.S. program lead to Tier II certification.

The certificate allows you to become a supervising administrator for schools and districts in Georgia.

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.