The College of Education and Georgia Perimeter College (GPC) have partnered to offer a bachelor's degree program in early childhood education at the Georgia Perimeter College Newton Campus. The Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S.Ed.) in Early Childhood Education teacher preparation program is the first bachelor's degree program offered on the campus, which opened in June 2007. The B.S.Ed. program prepares pre-service teachers to work in classrooms with children in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade and allows students in the eight-county service area of GPC Newton Campus a new option in completing their education and certification requirements.
 
"The program continues a longstanding and fruitful partnership between the two schools," said Barbara Meyers, associate professor and chair of the COE's Department of Early Childhood Education. "The new GSU/GPC 2+2 program favorably positions both institutions to meet the Board of Regents' call for 20,000 teachers by the year 2020," she added.
 
COE program coordinator Lynne Jordan works closely with GPC faculty and area school personnel to secure the instructional team for both pre-service teacher development and mentoring during the first crucial year in the profession.
 
"Field experience is a vital component of our teacher education program," said Jordan.  "Extensive field experiences allow pre-service teachers to learn how to select materials and activities that are well-suited for children at different age levels and in diverse settings.  All this experience comes in actual classrooms under the supervision of a mentor teacher as well as a university supervisor."
 
For more information about this partnership, click here.