The Elementary Education major at the University of Georgia prepares students for careers working with children from Pre-K through 5th grade. The major is classified as high demand, attracting far more applicants each year than can be admitted.
The major stresses intellectual work, collaborative inquiry, and active involvement and advocacy in teaching. The first semester, students participate in ethnographic studies of local school communicates. Thereafter, they gain 400 hours of practicum experience through involvement in elementary classrooms where they observe, assist, tutor, manage small groups, and lead classroom activities. The final semester involves full-time student teaching under the mentorship of practicing teachers.
A passing score on the Georgia Assessment for the Certification of Educators (GACE) is required for certification. Additional jobs are available as paraprofessionals, behavior interventionists, and office managers in kindergarten and preschool settings.
Study Abroad Options: Elementary Education in Modena, Italy