Undergraduate Catalog 2016-2017

Program Completion Requirements

Teacher Certification

The College’s recommendation for a letter of eligibility for certification by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission in the appropriate area or areas is contingent upon:

  • Completion of the Georgia Educators Ethics Assessments (both entry and exit levels)
  • Completion of all courses in the professional education sequence (each with a minimum grade of “C”);
  • All professional education courses must be completed within 10 years of the student’s graduation date unless approved by the department chair;
  • Application for graduation;
  • Submit documents of all field experience requirements;
  • Successful completion of Professional Development Portfolio (ECE & MG only);
  • Successful completion of the edTPA portfolio;
  • Successful completion of Compass requirements;
  • Attainment of the baccalaureate degree;
  • Clearance on a personal affirmation form reflecting the moral standards and code of ethics of the Georgia Professional Standards Commission and the Piedmont College School of Education;
  • Applications to teacher education and to Internship II may be denied based on information presented in the background clearance. Before being hired by a Georgia Public School System, another background check, including fingerprinting, will be conducted by the system;
  • An overall GPA of 2.5, and a 2.75 GPA for secondary education majors in their content field;
  • A passing score on the Program Admissions Assessments (PAA) tests;
  • A passing score on the appropriate GACE Content Assessments.

Candidates must take and pass the appropriate GACE (Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators) content tests prior to beginning the Internship II semester. Individuals who have not passed the GACE tests will not be permitted to register for Internship II. Candidates who do not pass the GACE content tests may elect to change majors and/or apply to receive the Bachelor of Arts degree in Educational Studies.

Candidates who have not passed the appropriate GACE content tests and who graduate from Piedmont College with the B.A. degree in Educational Studies may apply to return to the College within five years as a certification-only student. A prerequisite for readmission as a certification-only student is successful completion of the appropriate GACE content tests.

For specific information about the certification application process, consult the School of Education Student Bulletin Board website.

In-Progress Grade Policy for the School of Education

Assigning an In-Progress grade “IP” is at the discretion of an instructor with the approval by the Dean of the School of Education. Failure to remove the “IP” by the end of the next semester enrolled at Piedmont College will result in an “F.” For students who do not return to Piedmont, the “IP” must be removed within a calendar year or it changes to an “F.”

A grade of “IP” (in progress) may be used in a limited number of courses approved by the Dean of Education for a candidate who initiates coursework which cannot be completed during the semester because of circumstances, such as a delay in collecting research data, a need for extended work in student teaching, apprenticeships, capstones. The procedures for using the IP grade are as follows:

  • The candidate is expected to initiate the request for an “IP” grade, completing all the items in the candidate section of the form and submitting the form to the course instructor.
  • If the candidate is unable to initiate the request, the instructor may do so by completing all sections and writing “by phone” or “by email” for the candidate’s signature.
  • If the instructor approves the request, it should be forwarded to the Dean of Education no later than the last day of classes for that semester.
  • The Dean makes the final determination if the request is granted and will forward approved requests to the Registrar and instructor. Requests not approved by the Dean will be returned to the instructor who will notify the candidate then assign an appropriate grade.

Courses Approved for In-Progress Grades:

Research courses: An In-Progress grade in graduate research courses may be awarded in cases when the researcher is unable to complete the research as a result of delays beyond his or her control.

EDUC 2251Professional Practice I

1

EDUC 3111Professional Practice II

1

EDUC 3151Professional Practice III

1

EDUC 7795Applied Research Project

1-3

Capstones:

In-Progress grades may be appropriate in individual cases when the prospective presenter and graduate capstone course instructor agree that the presenter should continue development of the capstone into the next semester.

EDEC 7788/EDUC 7788Capstone/Exhibition

3

SPED 7780Capstone Seminar (with required portfolio exhibition)

3

EDS 8880Instructional Leadership in the 21st Century Schools

3

Teaching experience:

An In-Progress grade may be awarded when a candidate’s student teaching, practicum, apprenticeship, or internship is extended by the college.

ART 4498Art Education Internship I

3

ART 4499Art Education Internship II

9

EDEC 3361Internship I, 1-3

3

EDEC 3362Internship I, 4-5

3

EDMG 3360Internship I, 4-5

3

EDMG 3361Internship I, 6-8

3

EDMG 4499/EDEC 4499Internship II (4-8)

10

EDEC 7742Internship II (B-5)

9

EDMG 7742Internship II (4-8)

9

SPED 7742Internship II

9

EDSE 7742Internship I (Fall Semester)

4

EDSE 7743Internship II (Spring Semester)

5

EDSE 4498Internship I (Fall)

3

EDSE 4499Internship II (Spring)

9

ART 7744Advanced Internship in Art

5

ART 7745Advanced Internship in Art

5

EDEC 7744Internship (B-5)

10

EDEC 7745Internship (B-5)

10

EDMG 7744Advanced Internship (4-8)

10

EDMG 7745Advanced Internship (4-8)

10

EDSE 7744Advanced Internship I

3

EDSE 7745Advanced Internship II

3

SPED 7744Advanced Internship I

5

SPED 7745Advanced Internship II

5

*Other courses may be eligible for an In-Progress grade by the discretion of the Dean of the School of Education.