Overview

Specialist of Education in Educational Psychology, Gifted and Creative Education

Offered through the College of Education, the University of Georgia’s online Ed.S. in Educational Psychology, Gifted and Creative Education is based on the philosophy that giftedness and creativity are expressed in diverse ways among diverse people; that creativity is a universal potential to be nurtured and enhanced; and that the best education is tailored to students’ specific needs and interests for talent development. This philosophy will be expressed through a focus on instruction, research, and service.

The Ed.S. program requires a minimum of 31 semester hours of coursework and a final written comprehensive examination. After completing the first four courses, you will qualify for the Gifted In-Field Endorsement for the State of Georgia. Graduates from this program may assume a variety of roles including those of college or university professor, classroom teacher, coordinator of school system programs, coordinator in state departments of education, or educational consultant.

University of Georgia online graduate programs are ranked #5 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report in 2019.

Accreditations

The University of Georgia is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate, masters, specialist, and doctoral degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097, or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of the University of Georgia.

Technology Requirements

Computer with current operating system (Windows or Mac). Additional peripherals such as webcam, headphones and printer may be required.
High Speed Internet Access.

Faculty

Assistant Professor, Part-time

Meg Hines

Lecturer, Education

Cost

Tuition & Fees

Online Tuition	$629 per credit hour	31 credit hours	$19,499 USD
Student Fees	$597 per semester	6 semesters	$3,582 USD
Total Program Cost			$23,081 USD

Tuition and fees are subject to change. Tuition is the same regardless of residency. Current tuition and fees are available on the Bursar's Office website. If you register for less than 5 credit hours, student fees are reduced to $372 in that semester.

Online students pay the following fees: Connect UGA, Green, Special Institutional, and Technology. See UGA Tuition and Fees for the complete schedule of fees.

Other Costs

Additional costs may include:

Textbooks
Exam proctoring fees
Technology upgrades

Financial Aid

Visit the Office of Student Financial Aid for information about financial assistance.

Corporate Assistance

Consult your employer about the availability of tuition reimbursement or tuition assistance programs.

Military Assistance

Active duty military, veterans, and military families should visit Veterans Educational Benefits to take full advantage of available financial assistance and educational benefits.

University System of Georgia Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)

The purpose of TAP is to foster the professional growth and development of eligible employees. For more information, see Tuition Assistance (refer to the Distance Learning section).

Admissions

Credit and Transfer

Total Hours Required to Earn Degree: 31 (credit hours)

Maximum Hours Transferable into Program: 6

Only transfer credits from an accredited institution will be considered. If transfer credit is awarded, it will still be necessary to complete the required number of hours to graduate, which will more than likely necessitate additional coursework above and beyond the degree program requirements.

Admission Requirements

Hold Baccalaureate degree from accredited college or university
Have cumulative grade point average for all previous undergraduate courses as being 2.6 or above on 4-point scale
Provide valid Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Miller Analogies Test (MAT) scores
Provide three letters of recommendation from people who know you professionally or as scholar
Develop statement of purposes and goals that can reasonably be met by the degree program
Have access to computer with high-speed internet connection, and email account

Application Checklist

Application – Submit the Graduate School application online. Application fee: $75 Domestic/$100 International (waived for US veterans).
Entrance Exam Scores – Have official entrance exam scores sent to the UGA Graduate School by the testing service. Specify UGA as recipient of the scores, institutional code for ETS reporting: 5813
1. GRE or MAT
2. International applicants must also submit TOEFL or IELTS scores.
Résumé or curriculum vita – Upload to the Graduate School application.
Statement of Purpose – Upload to the Graduate School application. A statement of purpose should clarify your relevant background, interests, and goals, and indicate your intent for the online program.
Transcripts – Upload unofficial transcripts from all institutions attended to the Graduate School application. Send official transcripts after you are offered admission.
Letters of Recommendation – During the online Graduate School application process, name three individuals to serve as references. Upon completion of the online application, those three individuals will be sent an automatically generated email, which they should use to submit their letters of recommendation. Recommendation letters should be from individuals who can evaluate the applicant’s scholarly ability and potential for success in a graduate program. Preferably, at least one letter of recommendation should be from a college professor who has instructed you in a previous program of study.

Application Deadlines

Summer: March 1

International Applicants

Summer: February 15

Registration deadlines vary per semester. The UGA Office of the Registrar website provides up-to-date information on registration dates.

Curriculum

Program Structure

This degree requires a minimum of 31 semester hours of course work beyond the Master’s degree and an Applied Project. Students can pursue programs of study according to their experience in gifted education.

Courses

	Summer Term	Fall Term
Year 1	EPSY 7110e : Characteristics of Gifted Children and Youth EPSY 7060e: Assessment of Gifted Children and Youth EPSY 6990e: Seminar in Gifted Education (1 hour)	EPSY 7230e: Methods and Materials for the Gifted EPSY 7250e: Programming and Curriculum for the Gifted

For subsequent semesters, students will work with their advisors to assemble their programs of study.

Social and Emotional Strand (3 hours)

EPSY 7260e: Supporting the Social and Emotional Development of the Gifted

Diversity Strand (3 hours)

EPSY 7270e: Retention of Ethnic Minorities in Gifted and Advanced Programs
EPSY 7210e: Multicultural Gifted and Talented Education

Creative Strand (3 hours)

EPSY 7240e: Creativity: Instructional Procedures and Problem-Solving Processes
EPSY 8160e: Creativity and Cognition

Educational Psychology Foundations Strand (3 hours)

EPSY 6010e: Human Development for Education
EPSY 6800e: Cognition for Education
EPSY 8160e: Creativity and Cognition

Research Strand (3 hours)

ERSH 7500e: Action Research
EPSY 8160e: Applied Research Methods in Gifted Education
ESPY 6200e: Research Methods in Education

Field Experiences (3 hours)

EPSY 7110e: Practicum in Educational Psychology

Applied Project in Gifted Education (3 hours)

EPSY 7650e: Applied Project in Gifted Education

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