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.
Special Education, M.A.T.
Excel in special education through Georgia State University’s Master of Arts in Teaching program. Gain expertise from experienced faculty to educate children and youth with disabilities who receive special education services in schools.
A combination of practical courses and hands-on classroom experiences gives the student an opportunity to excel to their fullest potential to become a leader in the field. Classes cater to working professionals, offering flexibility in scheduling. As a teacher candidate, you will work in a cohort model enabling all to have the opportunity to become highly qualified teachers.
Upon completion and a passing score on the appropriate GACE test(s) you will receive a master’s degree and certification in one of five special education areas:
Adapted Curriculum
Those in schools on an adapted curriculum often have a diagnosed intellectual disability. They learn academic skills and functional life skills tailored to their individual needs. In Georgia schools they receive most of their academic instruction in small-group settings. With this concentration, you’ll focus on effective instruction for students on an adapted curriculum from preschool to 12th grade.
Behavior Learning Disabilities (General Curriculum)
Those 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. With this concentration, you will focus on effective instruction for students served in the general curriculum from preschool to 12th grade.
Early Childhood Special Education Adapted
More information coming soon.
Early Childhood Special Education General
More information coming soon.
Deaf Education
You will learn to educate students who are deaf or hard of hearing. You’ll learn to work in schools that use a visual language, including residential schools, day schools and public school programs. You’ll learn about services across a wide variety of placement options and get in-depth coursework and experiences that will develop your skills for teaching in multilingual settings. Upon successful completion, you will be certified to teach deaf children up through 12th grade.
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, M.Ed.
The Master of Education in Special Education program provides students with a depth of knowledge and breadth of skill in educating students with disabilities required of a “master teacher” or an advanced service provider. Typically, individuals who enroll in this program are classroom teachers, behavior support specialists, instructional coaches or related service providers who have experience working with students with disabilities. These experiences may be in public schools, private schools or other alternative learning environments.
The M.Ed. in special education does not lead to teacher certification. Applicants to the MED should carry a teacher certification. Students seeking initial teacher certification should consider our M.A.T. in Special Education.
New for 2020 – We have a new initiative that hopes to recruit, train and support graduate students interested in graduating with an M.Ed. in Special Education. Project BEES scholars will learn to address the academic, behavioral and communication needs of children with high-intensity needs, such as those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) using evidence-based practices grounded in ABA, and will receive mentoring and professional development opportunities. The program is called Project Behavioral Early Education Scholars (BEES) and it can help provide financial support as you study for this degree. Learn more about this funding opportunity.
CAREERS IN THIS FIELD:
- Special education teachers
- School and district-level leaders
- School-based consultants
- Continue to Ph.D. in Special Education
Specialist in Education (Ed.S.) in Literacy Specialist
The online Specialist in Education (Ed.S.) in Literacy Specialist at Georgia State’s College of Education & Human Development is designed to equip educators with expertise to become leaders in literacy education. This program prepares teachers to excel in three key areas:
- Developing interventionist expertise to effectively address reading and writing difficulties.
- Implementing evidence-based literacy programs by understanding literacy development and research on best practices.
- Becoming influential leaders in their schools and districts as literacy coaches, supporting fellow teachers and sharing their expertise.
Teachers aspiring to become literacy specialists will deepen their understanding of current research aligned with the Science of Reading, focusing on how children develop reading and writing skills. This program emphasizes evidence-based best practices for literacy instruction, ensuring teachers are prepared to adapt strategies for diverse student populations, including exceptional and multilingual learners. The program prepares teachers to apply this knowledge by designing interventions, analyzing and assessing curricula, and developing the skills necessary to serve as effective literacy coaches.
This program is a multidisciplinary collaboration between the following departments:
Middle and Secondary Education
Early Childhood and Elementary Education
Learning Sciences
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.
Sport Administration, M.S.
Georgia State University’s Master of Science in Sport Administration degree program prepares students with professional skills and knowledge to thrive in careers in the $300 billion sports business industry.
Graduates who successfully complete this program work in a variety of sport industry segments, including professional sport, collegiate sport, event management, public relations, marketing agencies, non-profits, as well as international sport organizations.
In 2023, the Sport Administration M.S. program was ranked as the #12 graduate program globally and #8 Graduates’ Choice by SportBusiness International.
STEM Education, Post-Baccalaureate Certificate
Georgia State’s graduate certificate in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education is 100 percent online and will help expand your STEM content knowledge in implementing standards-aligned and project-based curricula at the middle and secondary school levels.
Because we know you are being asked to integrate more STEM content into your curriculum, we have designed this post-baccalaureate certificate to help you:
- Understand more about students from diverse backgrounds
- Explore issues of justice and equity in STEM classrooms
- Expand your STEM knowledge through research and community-engaged scholarship
- Network with educators around the nation who are from the varied STEM disciplines
- Develop new digital teaching and learning techniques to better reach your students
The STEM Education certificate will help teachers develop science, mathematical and digital literacies and equip them with tools to better teach their students.
Teaching and Learning, Ph.D.
The Ph.D. major in Teaching and Learning is designed to prepare you as a professional educator for leadership positions by developing a substantial knowledge base in one of the following areas of concentration:
- Language and Literacy Education
- Mathematics Education
- Music Education
- Science Education
- Social Studies Education
- Teaching and Teacher Education
In addition, the program prepares professional educators as scholarly inquirers who ask thoughtful questions, who can conduct sound inquiry and who can recommend informed policy.
Tier I Educational Leadership, M.Ed.
The Tier I Educational Leadership M.Ed. program is designed around a set of academic and site-based experiences that provide knowledge and skills for candidates seeking a stronger understanding of the dynamics of educational leadership.
This self-select program leads to Tier I leadership certification in Georgia. This allows an individual to serve as an assistant principal or/in district-level leadership positions that do not supervise principals.
The program design gives students a comprehensive understanding of beginning leadership concepts and activities. Students develop the dispositions required to lead school and district improvement efforts by focusing on linking theory, research and practice to positively affect student outcomes.
If a student has a masters already and they wish to receive Tier I certification they can visit our Educational Leadership, Tier I Certificate page.
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.
UACM Elementary Education Certification, ESOL Endorsement and Master’s Program, M.A.T.
Georgia State University’s UACM Elementary Education Certification, ESOL Endorsement and Master’s Program, M.A.T. is an exciting alternative teaching certification and master’s degree program that celebrates urban education of elementary school students (pre-kindergarten through 5th grades). Each year, up to 25 master’s degree students are accepted into a new cohort.
This program promotes the success of elementary students taught in urban schools through the development of competent, equity-oriented, caring, empowered teachers who are change agents inside and outside the classroom. We believe teaching is a profession and our team of experienced and dedicated faculty guide our candidates to become experts in the field of teaching and learning.
For more information about this program and the Urban Accelerated Certification and Master’s Program (UACM), visit our website.
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.
Georgia State’s Urban Education Endorsement is offered at both the undergraduate and graduate level to provide you with specialized preparation for teaching in urban settings regardless of where you are in your teaching career. You will develop a broad understanding of urban schools and communities, emphasizing the social, economic, political and historical factors that shape urban schooling. You’ll learn culturally responsive teaching strategies that intellectually, socially and emotionally empower students. Teachers pursuing this endorsement may be enrolled as non-degree students or in specific programs.
This multidisciplinary online teaching endorsement is offered through the Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education, the Department of Middle and Secondary Education and the Department of Educational Policy Studies. You will learn to create connections between theory and practice, moving beyond stories of school failure to identify and cultivate educational assets within urban schools and communities to empower learners.
The undergraduate-level endorsement can be added by undergraduates admitted to a teacher education program with a 2.5 undergraduate GPA and a pre-service teacher certificate. View the tab below or the undergraduate catalog for admissions requirements.
The graduate-level endorsement is offered to certified teachers or those admitted to a Georgia State initial teacher preparation program who hold a pre-service certificate. View the tab below or the graduate catalog for admissions requirements.
Urban Education, Minor
The minor in urban education provides undergraduate students with knowledge and experiences in urban education. Students select from course experiences offered from across departments in the College of Education & Human Development.
World Language Teacher Graduate Certificate
The Georgia State University online World Languages Teacher Graduate Certificate is essential to successful classroom teaching and student learning. Earning this online graduate certificate will not only improve your classroom practice but will also help you more effectively engage your students in learning activities that help your students develop proficiency in world languages.
This online certificate is for individuals who hold a university undergraduate or graduate degree (with a GPA higher than 2.50) who are interested in being recommended for clear and renewable k-12 teaching certification by the Georgia Performance Standards Commission (GaPSC) to teach a world language (Spanish, French, German, Chinese or Korean).
Students in the Department of World Languages and Cultures may apply nine credits from their program (FORL 6128 and electives FORL 8125 and FORL 8126), leaving only 9-12 more credits needed to be recommended for a renewable certificate.
The curriculum integrates social justice and equity principles and is grounded in educational theory, research and best teaching practices. Students take specialized education and content courses throughout the program 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 committed to excellence in education.
This program also includes the option of pursuing a Dual Language Immersion endorsement online and on campus for individuals with an interest in teaching elementary school courses (typically math, science and social science) in the target language with additional coursework.
For individuals seeking a master’s degree with teaching certification, the 30-credit Masters of Interdisciplinary Studies (MIS) in World Languages Education program, available online and on campus, allows program graduates to explore multidisciplinary teaching with the possibility of an endorsement (ESOL, DLI or Urban Education) or to deepen their mastery of the target language. The World Language Teacher Graduate Certificate is embedded in the 30-credit M.I.S. in World Languages Education. Thus, the M.I.S. leads to a teaching degree with a clear and renewable (T5) induction certificate in the state of Georgia with a step advance on the pay scale above the (T4) certification only.
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.