The College of Education's Department of Early Childhood Education now offers a Bachelor of Science in Education Birth Through Five (B-5) Teacher Education degree program, the first of its kind in Georgia.
In the past, early education certifications have been limited to pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. The B-5 program is designed to extend the age range of students that teacher candidates are qualified to teach.
"A significant number of young children in Georgia are cared for and receive child development programming outside of the home," says Ruth Saxton, a clinical assistant professor in early childhood education and B-5 coordinator. "With the B-5 license, we will be preparing teachers to meet the needs of those children and families."
Through an articulation agreement between the University System of Georgia and the Department of Technical and Adult Education, the B-5 program has the unique ability to prepare both incoming Georgia State freshmen and experienced teachers who have completed course requirements at technical and two-year colleges. Teachers who complete the B-5 certification will receive a Preschool Special Education endorsement.
The program combines disciplines such as teacher education, child development and special education. Required courses include those in the departments of early childhood education, educational psychology and special education, and kinesiology and health, as well as in the College of Arts and Sciences' sociology department. Five of the major's 13 courses also focus on building competencies to work with children with disabilities and their families in a comprehensive approach.
For more information on the Birth Through Five program, click
here.
