State Requirements for Initial Certification   

The Georgia Professional Standards Commission requires students to complete a state approved program, including student teaching, before applying for certification in the State of Georgia.  Mercer has state-approved programs in the following areas for initial (first time) certification:

Ø       Early Care and Education (Birth-through-Five) (Henry County)
Early Childhood/Special Education: General Curriculum (P-5) (RACS and Macon Residential, as the Holistic Child program)

Ø       Middle Grades (4-8)

Ø       Secondary (6-12) - Macon Residential and Atlanta

• Biology (developmental approval from the PSC pending)
• Chemistry (developmental approval pending)
• Earth/Space Science (developmental approval pending)
• Economics (Atlanta only) (developmental approval pending)
• English
• Geography (Atlanta only) (developmental approval pending)
• History
• Mathematics
• Physics (Atlanta only) (developmental approval pending)
• Political Science (developmental approval pending)

Ø       P-12 Music Certification - Macon Residential Only  

In order for Mercer University to recommend a candidate for certification in the state of Georgia, the candidate must do the following:

• Successfully complete the student teaching or internship experience
• Complete all program requirements with the minimum GPA (2.75 for undergraduate students; 3.0 for graduate students)
• Submit transcripts showing the necessary degree
• Pass the appropriate GACE Content Assessment for the field of certification sought
• Submit to the Certification Officer a completed Application for Certification (The Application for Certification asks candidates to explain and document any criminal history they might have.  Failure to disclose correct history may make the candidate ineligible for a teaching certificate in the state of Georgia.)  

The Certification Officer will meet with all student teachers and interns at the beginning and end of the final clinical experience to advise them on the certification application process.

   
Tift College of Education’s Role and Responsibilities

• to provide a letter from the Teacher Education Admissions Officer regarding admission status.  For those students holding a bachelor's degree and pursuing initial certification through the certification only programs, the letter will outline courses to be taken.  However, the student is responsible for following this program outline.  
• to provide advising as outlined in the programs section of the Teacher Education Handbook to ensure a student's completion of a state approved program.  
• to provide instruction concerning the application procedure for teacher certification in the State of Georgia to those students completing student teaching 
• to complete college recommendation forms and submit teacher certification packets to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission.               

Student’s Role and Responsibilities

• to seek and to follow advising to ensure completion of the state approved program.
• to attend the teacher certification seminar at completion of the student teaching experience.
• to submit certification checklist, application packet, complete copies of GACE scores, and official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended to the Office of Certification.

Undergraduate Graduation w/o Certification 

A student admitted to the Teacher Education Program may apply to receive a degree in Education without certification:

1.       when a student realizes that teaching is no longer his/her chosen profession, but he/she wishes to complete an education degree without certification rather than changing major   OR

2.       when career goals require a degree in education without teacher certification
OR

3.       when circumstances prohibit loss of employment while student teaching

A student receiving a degree in Education without certification must:

1.    notify his/her advisor, in writing, no later than the semester prior to student teaching of the desire to pursue an Education degree without certification, naming one of the three reasons listed above as the basis for the request;

2.    complete the appropriate agreement form and submit it to the advisor.  The advisor will forward the form, with his or her signature, through the appropriate Chair to the Dean and the Certification Office, where it will be filed.

3.    with the exception of student teaching, successfully complete all the courses and field experiences (including Practicum) required for a degree;

4.    follow all policies and procedures and regulations outlined in the Teacher Education Handbook and Mercer University Catalog related to teacher education;

5.    satisfy the full admission requirements for teacher candidacy and the criteria for progression;

6.    with the approval of his/her advisor, select and complete fifteen (15) additional semester hours of electives.  These 15 semester hours of electives replace the student teaching requirement.

A student who chooses to receive the Bachelor’s Degree in Education without certification is not eligible for recommendation for certification by the Tift College of Education until such time that the student successfully completes all certification requirements through the Tift College of Education.

You can download a copy of the Graduation without Certification Statement of Agreement here.

Time Limit Policy

 

Certification requirements should be completed as soon as possible, usually within three years from the time of admission to teacher candidacy to ensure certification in a timely manner.  However, any new certification requirements enacted at the state level may be applicable to any or all certification programs. Students will be advised of any such changes and will be assisted in meeting any new requirements.

Students have five years from the date of completing coursework toward certification to be recommended by Mercer University for initial certification.  After five years have lapsed, a student’s program of study will be reviewed, and additional coursework may be required before a recommendation will be made for initial certification.

Advanced Certification

The completion of a graduate program (with the exception of the MAT, which is an initial certification program) will make the candidate eligible for an add-on to a current certificate, a certificate renewal, or a certificate upgrade due to a higher degree.  Certification application forms are available in the Tift College of Education offices.  Each candidate applying for a certificate or certificate change through Mercer must submit the appropriate paperwork and official transcripts to the appropriate Certification Officer.  Certification rules change periodically, so certification applicants should be certain that they are filing the correct paperwork and providing the correct documentation so that their recommendation forms will be processed promptly.  Failure to complete the forms correctly or to provide full documentation may result in a delay in certification.  A student who does not apply for his/her certificate within five years of program completion may be required to take additional course work in order to meet current certification requirements.