This is an archived copy of the 2020-2021 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.valdosta.edu.

Dr. Debbie Paine, Interim Head
Room 1045, Education Building

The Department of Teacher Education is a multidisciplinary department offering the Master of Education (M. Ed.) degree in elementary education, health and physical education, middle grades math and science education, special education, and deaf education. An Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree is offered in coaching pedagogy in physical education and special education. All of these accredited graduate programs are designed to build upon the professional base of knowledge developed from the undergraduate curriculum and are expected to develop abilities to deal with more of the intricate aspects of the teaching profession. At both master and specialist graduate program levels, candidates acquire the knowledge, skills, and preparation for meeting the standards of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

The department also offers a variety of Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) degrees resulting in clear/renewable initial certification. The M.A.T. program in middle grades and secondary education is designed for candidates who already have their undergraduate degree and who have satisfied content requirements in the area(s) in which they want to teach. This M.A.T. program offers initial certification to candidates in the fields of Agriculture Education, Education, Middle Grades or Secondary Education, or Special Education. The emphasis for the degree is on the development of pedagogical, management, and curricular knowledge and skills needed to become effective teachers.

The M.A.T. with a major in special education-deaf and hard-of-hearing allows VSU students with a B.S.Ed. pre-professional degree in deaf and hard-of-hearing to complete a fifth-year master’s program (M.A.T.) and earn initial certification.

Three collaborative online education program degree options are available: Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with a major in accomplished teaching and the Master of Education with a major in middle grades math and science, both of which emphasize the refinement of instructional skills and the advanced candidate’s development as a master teacher. The Education Specialist in Teacher Leadership emphasizes teacher leadership development and the application of action research skills in educational settings.