Field Experiences

All teacher education and all Educational Studies candidates must complete 300 hours of field experience prior to pre-service teaching. The goal of Practica is to provide grade bands and demographic diversity to ensure breadth and depth of experience. The Student Teaching/Cooperative Education experiences are designed to be year-long with these two majors and with 560 hours each semester. The Field Experience is to provide education majors in their junior and senior years of college with an optimum learning experience in urban public- and state- accredited private school classrooms, and communities, thereby making their transition from student to professional more effective and less stressful. This is accomplished through both Practica and Clinical experiences according to the descriptors outlined by CAEP/GaPSC Standards. Candidates should note that the opportunity to participate in field experiences/pre-service teaching and therefore to finish programs depends on the candidate’s ability to satisfy criminal background check requirements. Student teachers in every program are expected to complete the contest assessment for GACE prior to starting their experience. 

For the students who are Educational Studies, there is a parallel expectation of hours.

For graduate students, there is a practicum experience prior to student teaching. Students who would like to use their contractual work experience to satisfy clinical requirement must have the permission of their advisor and Field Director/Credentialing Officer.