Athens, Ga. – The University of Georgia College of Education has received a full seven-year continuance of accreditation of its undergraduate and graduate teacher preparation programs from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.
“We are very pleased that our teacher preparation programs have received full accreditation from NCATE. This is clear evidence that our programs meet rigorous standards relating to educational knowledge, skills and professionalism,” said Craig H. Kennedy, dean of the College of Education. “Our faculty, students and staff who helped achieve our continuing accreditation are exceptional and we should all be proud of this milestone.”
To maintain accreditation, the college underwent a rigorous review requiring it to demonstrate a continued commitment to meeting or exceeding NCATE and Georgia Professional Standards Commission benchmarks for its certification programs. Nine reviewers-five from NCATE and four from the GaPSC-assessed the college’s 47 initial certification programs and endorsements for educators, as well as its graduate programs.
UGA’s next accreditation visit is scheduled for spring 2020.
The College of Education is one of the largest and most diverse institutions of its kind in the nation with 14 undergraduate majors and 34 graduate programs. Its overall graduate program ranked 33rd in the nation among public universities, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2014 edition of “America’s Best Graduate Schools.” The college also has six graduate specialties that rank in the publication’s top 10: technical/vocational (first), counseling and personnel services (second), secondary education (third), elementary education (fifth), higher education administration (sixth) and curriculum/instruction (ninth).
The education college has graduated 12,646 students overall during the previous decade and has more than 59,000 living alumni. In addition, its faculty has brought in more than $14 million in extramural support during the 2013 fiscal year to fund research and training activities in Georgia.
The U.S. Department of Education recognizes NCATE as a professional accrediting body for colleges and universities that prepare teachers and other professional personnel for work in elementary and secondary schools. NCATE-accredited colleges of education are expected to ensure that teacher candidates are effectively trained to be professionals in educational settings.