Frequently Asked Questions

The Add-On P-12 Certificate as a Reading Specialist is intended for individuals who have already earned an M.Ed. in another field but who wish to obtain the P-12 certificate. It requires all four Reading courses required for the M.Ed. in Reading (that is, the three Endorsement classes plus READ 7230 Issues and Trends in Reading). The Add-On also requires passing the GACE.

The Endorsement matches the grade levels of your initial certification. The Certificate allows you to teach reading from preschool through grade 12.

Yes. You may take three graduate courses as a nondegree student before entering the M.Ed. program. These three courses could be those required for the Endorsement. OR, if you are already M.Ed. program, you may apply for the Endorsement as soon as you finish the three courses.

No, but should you choose to go on and work toward a degree, you will have to submit test scores.

Yes. Keep in mind, however, that the state permits you to claim a religious exemption if you choose. You must still submit the form, however.

You must take two of the three Endorsement classes from Georgia Southern, and the third course must be from an institution with a PSC-approved Reading Endorsement program.

Go to www.gapsc.com and download the application for certification packet. Complete the forms and mail them to the Education Advisement Center, Georgia Southern University, P O Box 8029, Statesboro, GA 30460 along with a note requesting that the completed forms be returned to your school system office. Or to have a set of forms mailed to you, call the Student Success Center at 912-681-0698.

No.

No.

Yes, but you may wait until after you complete the M.Ed.

Yes, the Board of Regents allows two graduate courses from an accredited university to be used as part of your master’s. They must be approved by your advisor. Be aware that transfer credits may not be earned during the semester you intend to graduate because your grades cannot be confirmed in time to clear you for graduation.

There are three requirements and you will be responsible for overseeing them.

First, you must have a Program of Study on file with the Graduate School. You can download this one-page form from this site and complete it as you progress. When you have decided on the last of your electives, fax it to your advisor. He will double-check it and submit it for you.

Second, near the beginning of the term you plan to graduate, you must apply for graduation. There is a one-page form for this purpose, and it requires a $50 fee.

Third, during the term you plan to graduate, you must participate in the Exit Experience. (This is in lieu of the old Exit Exam.) The Exit Experience is entirely online. To participate, notify your advisor of your intent to graduate near the beginning of the term. (You will need to tell him, because he will not be keeping up with your specific plans.) He will then add you to the online course. There is no fee for this course, and it is not really a course at all, in the regular sense. It simply brings new graduates together, virtually speaking, to respond to some overarching questions and to share each other’s responses. There are no chats, so scheduling is very flexible. It will not interfere with the regular courses you will be taking. Once you have completed the Exit Experience, your advisor will notify the Graduate School.