College of Education
The College of Education consists of the departments of Counseling and Clinical Programs; Curriculum and Instruction; Educational Technology, Administration, and Foundations; and Physical Education and Leisure Management. The dean’s office is located in 131 Jordan Hall.
Mission Statement
The mission of the College of Education is congruent with and complements that of Columbus State University. The College of Education has adopted the guiding principle, "Creating Opportunities for Excellence," to support its mission ...to guide individuals in the process of becoming skillful, competent, knowledgeable, and reflective professionals.
The opportunities envisioned are:
For professional education — To achieve excellence by guiding educators as they develop the proficiency, expertise, and leadership consistent with their professional responsibilities and duties.
For counseling — To achieve excellence by guiding professionals as they develop expertise and leadership to strengthen individuals, families, education programs, communities, and community agencies.
For health, fitness and leisure management — To achieve excellence through guiding leisure management professionals as they develop the knowledge, competencies, and attitudes they will need in administration, management, and other community education roles.
Teacher Education Programs
The preparation of elementary and secondary school teachers is accomplished through the joint efforts of the College of Education and other academic units of the university. Teacher education programs, typically, are closely structured; therefore, students should select a teaching field during the sophomore year and follow the appropriate curriculum after declaring a major.
Columbus State University’s teacher education programs are approved by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission and accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). Successful completion of an approved program earns the university’s recommendation for a professional teaching certificate. To receive the certificate, an individual must also perform satisfactorily on the Praxis II test.
Students desiring a bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, or bachelor of music degree may also take the professional education course sequence for certification. Students should consult the College of Education for advice concerning appropriate courses for certification.
Teacher education programs leading to the Bachelor of Science in Education degree are offered in the following fields:
- Early Childhood Education (Grades P-5)
- Middle Grades Education (Grades 4-8)
- Concentrations in:
- Language Arts/Social Studies
- Science/Mathematics
- Concentrations in:
- Secondary Education (Grades 7-12)
- Majors in:
- English
- Mathematics
- General Science (with a teaching field emphasis in either biology or chemistry)
- History
- Social Science
- Majors in:
- All level fields (Grades P-12)
- Art Education
- Health, Physical Education, and Sports Science
- Music Education (BM degree)
- Special Education--Mental Retardation
- Theatre Arts
Admission to the Teacher Education Program
Upon enrollment, a student is assigned an advisor from the College of Education. During the sophomore year, students intending to complete a teacher education program declare a major and make formal application to the program. Normally, this occurs after the student has completed three semesters of college work. Application is made to the chair of the department offering the student’s intended major. Admission to the program is based on the following:
- completion of EDUF 2215 with a grade of C or better
- completion of 45 semester credit hours of course work in the core with a grade point average of 2.50 or better, including transfer credit, and a minimum institutional grade point average of 2.75
- satisfactory performance on the Regents’ Test
- satisfactory performance on the Praxis I test
- completion of nine semester hours at Columbus State University
- approval by department chair
- good academic standing during the semester in which admission is requested
Additional admissions criteria may be applied at the departmental level.
Admission requirements are appealable to the College of Education undergraduate appeals committee. Upon acceptance, a student is admitted to the program. Subsequent advisement is based on the declared major.
Retention in the Teacher Education Program
A review each semester by the associate dean to determine retention in the teacher education program is based on the following:
- Maintenance of a 2.75 institutional grade point average.
- If the grade point average falls below 2.75, the student has one semester to raise the grade point average to 2.75 or the student must re-apply to the teacher education program under the current admission policies.
- Not less than a C grade in field and professional courses. Only 10 percent of the professional and field courses may be repeated at Columbus State University or another accredited college. Correspondence courses will not be accepted in field or professional courses.
- Students who fail to complete a degree program after three years from date of admission to teacher education will be excluded from the program and required to re-apply under current admission policies.
Admission to Student Teaching
Students will spend one semester in full-time teaching activities under the supervision of a classroom teacher in elementary and/or secondary schools. Guidelines for admission to student teaching are as follows:
- Application for student teaching must be made by the end of the first week of classes one year prior to the semester that placement is requested. Applications should be made to the coordinator for school services.
- Students should not hold outside employment during the semester of student teaching.
- Students should complete all professional courses and a minimum of 90 percent of field courses prior to student teaching.
- Students must earn at least a C grade in each field course; earn a least a C grade in each professional course; and maintain a total grade point average of 2.50 or better based on total hours attempted, and an institutional grade point average of 2.75 or better.
- Students must be members in good standing in the teacher education program prior to application for admission to student teaching.
- Students must be recommended by both the academic advisor and the coordinator for school services.
- Student teaching placements are the responsibility of the coordinator for school services.
Recommendation for Certification
To be eligible for recommendation by Columbus State University for a Georgia professional teaching certificate, students must complete an approved program and meet the following criteria:
- Graduate from Columbus State University
- A 2.5 grade point average on all work attempted, and a 2.75 institutional grade point average
- Not less than a C grade on all professional and field courses presented for graduation
- Successful completion of the Praxis II test
Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification
Columbus State University offers initial teacher preparation programs to qualified men and women holding baccalaureate degrees but not previously certified to teach in Georgia. Each post-baccalaureate program is equivalent to the institution’s program approved by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (PSC). Upon completion of a post-baccalaureate program, the graduate student earns an institutional recommendation for a teaching certificate subsequently issued by the PSC, which is identical to the certificate earned by graduates of a Columbus State University baccalaureate teacher education program. Columbus State University is accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). This feature, because of various reciprocity agreements among many states, facilitates the process of seeking a license to teach outside Georgia.
Admission to Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Education
Persons intending to complete a post-baccalaureate teacher preparation program must first be admitted to Columbus State University (typically as non-degree graduate students) and subsequently must apply for and be admitted to teacher education.
Please note that admission to Columbus State University is not equivalent to admission to teacher education. Enrollment in many major courses requires admission to teacher education. Applications for post-baccalaureate admission to teacher education are available from the office of the dean, College of Education, or the appropriate academic department.
Minimum criteria for post-baccalaureate admission to teacher education are:
- an overall undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or better or a GPA of 2.75 or better during the final two years of undergraduate study (typically, the junior-senior years)
- good academic standing during the semester of application
- passing score on the Praxis I test
- successful completion of a brief essay
Candidates who do not meet these criteria may seek further guidance, including consideration of extenuating circumstances, from the appropriate department chair, who, in consultation with the faculty, makes all post-baccalaureate teacher education admission decisions.
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