Bachelor of Science in Education
Paraprofessional to Teacher
Online
120 credit hours
*
4 years
Program Highlights & Benefits
Flexibility
Practical Focus
Supportive Environment
Work experience credit offered to qualified paraprofessionals
For
- Paraprofessionals or school personnel who do not hold a bachelor’s degree
- Career-changing professionals who do not hold a bachelor’s degree
What You Learn
The Bachelor of Science in Education leads to Georgia certification (T4) and provides both knowledge of the content and instructional strategies required of the preferred certification area.
How You Learn
Students coming into this program may be working full-time in schools or another career, so we understand that our program must be both high-quality as well as flexible.
Lower Division General Education Coursework:
Students at Thomas University are required to complete specific groups of courses from a variety of fields to ensure exposure to different ideas and ways of thinking. The General Education curriculum must be completed during the freshman and sophomore years and include courses designated in the categories of Core Skills, Knowledge Foundations, Creativity, and Inquiry. Courses are delivered asynchronous online.
Upper Division Major Coursework:
Because highly experienced faculty deliver courses in the Bachelor of Science in Education Program synchronously and asynchronously online, students will be part of an educational program tailored to meet their personal and professional needs. We employ a cohort model with Spring and Fall semester courses meeting for 16 weeks every other week on Saturdays, with independent online coursework in the off weeks. In the Summer semester, courses will meet each Saturday for 8 weeks. Field experiences will be offered in localities where students live.
Career Outcomes
Completion of the BS program curriculum and passing the appropriate Georgia Certification Exams leads to a Bachelor’s degree and will result in the student being eligible for Georgia certification (T4). Content areas include Elementary Education, Special Education Elementary Education, Special Education General Curriculum, Middle Grades (content specializations in Math, English, Social Studies, Reading), Secondary Math/English/Science, and Computer Science.
Degree Requirements
Computer Science
| Course # | Title | Hours |
| Lower Division Coursework | ||
| University Studies (Exempted with 24 transfer hours) | 3 | |
| English Composition | 6 | |
| Speech Communication | 3 | |
| Mathematics | 3-6 | |
| Cultural Foundations | 6 | |
| Creativity | 6 | |
| Inquiry | 9-12 | |
| Open Electives | 20 | |
| Upper Division Major Courses | ||
| CSC 301 | Computer Science Systems | 3 |
| CSC 310 | Introduction to Programming | 3 |
| CSC 320 | Data Management Concepts | 3 |
| CSC 330 | Technology in a Global Society | 3 |
| CSC 401 | Computer Architecture | 3 |
| CSC 410 | Network/Cloud | 3 |
| CSC 420 | Introduction to Cyber Security | 3 |
| CSC 430 | Project Management | 3 |
| EDU 301 | Teacher Candidate Orientation | 1 |
| EDU 316 | Teaching Methods & Strategies | 3 |
| EDU 320 | Teaching Diverse Learners | 3 |
| EDU 327 | Methods and Strategies for Teaching Early Adolescent Leaners | 3 |
| EDU 340 | Assessment Strategies to Improve PK-12 Learning | 3 |
| EDU 350 | Instructional Technologies in the PK- 12 Classroom | 3 |
| EDU 428 | Developing Pedagogical Content Knowledge | 3 |
| EDU 431 | Student Teaching | 15 |
| EDU 468 | Educating Exceptional Learners | 3 |
| EDU 490 | Special Topics | 3 |
| MTH 140 | College Algebra | 3 |
| RDE 450 | Reading in the Content Area | 3 |
| RDE 455 | Diagnosing & Remediation Reading Difficulties | 3 |
Elementary Education
| Course # | Title | Hours |
| Lower Division Coursework | ||
| University Studies (Exempted with 24 transfer hours) | 3 | |
| English Composition | 6 | |
| Speech Communication | 3 | |
| Mathematics | 3-6 | |
| Cultural Foundations | 6 | |
| Creativity | 6 | |
| Inquiry | 9-12 | |
| Open Electives | 20 | |
| Upper Division Major Courses | ||
| ECE 326 | Developmentally Appropriate Practices for Pre-K and Kindergarten | 3 |
| ECE 440 | Interdisciplinary Teaching through Art, Music, and Physical Education/Health | 3 |
| ECE 460 | Social Studies Curriculum Development | 3 |
| ECE 470 | Mathematics Curriculum Development | 3 |
| ECE 480 | Science Curriculum Development | 3 |
| EDU 301 | Teacher Candidate Orientation | 1 |
| EDU 316 | Teaching Methods & Strategies | 3 |
| EDU 320 | Teaching Diverse Learners | 3 |
| EDU 327 | Methods and Strategies for Teaching Early Adolescent Leaners | 3 |
| EDU 340 | Assessment Strategies to Improve PK-12 Learning | 3 |
| EDU 350 | Instructional Technologies in the PK-12 Classroom | 3 |
| EDU 428 | Developing Pedagogical Content Knowledge | 3 |
| EDU 431 | Student Teaching | 15 |
| EDU 468 | Educating Exceptional Learners | 3 |
| EDU 641 | SPED Ethics, Policies, & Procedures | 3 |
| EDU 642 | Curriculum Design and Adaptation in SPED | 3 |
| EDU 643 | Methods of Teaching Students with Special Needs | 3 |
| RDE 452 | Teaching Reading | 3 |
| RDE 454 | Children’s Literature | 3 |
| RDE 455 | Diagnosing & Remediation Reading Difficulties | 3 |
Special Education with Elementary Education
| Course # | Title | Hours |
| Lower Division Coursework | ||
| University Studies (Exempted with 24 transfer hours) | 3 | |
| English Composition | 6 | |
| Speech Communication | 3 | |
| Mathematics | 3-6 | |
| Cultural Foundations | 6 | |
| Creativity | 6 | |
| Inquiry | 9-12 | |
| Open Electives | 20 | |
| Upper Division Major Courses | ||
| ECE 326 | Developmentally Appropriate Practices for Pre-K and Kindergarten | 3 |
| ECE 440 | Interdisciplinary Teaching through Art, Music, and Physical Education/Health | 3 |
| ECE 460 | Social Studies Curriculum Development | 3 |
| ECE 470 | Mathematics Curriculum Development | 3 |
| ECE 480 | Science Curriculum Development | 3 |
| EDU 301 | Teacher Candidate Orientation | 1 |
| EDU 316 | Teaching Methods & Strategies | 3 |
| EDU 320 | Teaching Diverse Learners | 3 |
| EDU 327 | Methods and Strategies for Teaching Early Adolescent Leaners | 3 |
| EDU 340 | Assessment Strategies to Improve PK-12 Learning | 3 |
| EDU 350 | Instructional Technologies in the PK-12 Classroom | 3 |
| EDU 428 | Developing Pedagogical Content Knowledge | 3 |
| EDU 431 | Student Teaching | 15 |
| EDU 468 | Educating Exceptional Learners | 3 |
| EDU 641 | SPED Ethics, Policies, & Procedures | 3 |
| EDU 642 | Curriculum Design and Adaptation in SPED | 3 |
| EDU 643 | Methods of Teaching Students with Special Needs | 3 |
| RDE 452 | Teaching Reading | 3 |
| RDE 454 | Children’s Literature | 3 |
| RDE 455 | Diagnosing & Remediation Reading Difficulties | 3 |
Special Education General Curriculum
| Course # | Title | Hours |
| Lower Division Coursework | ||
| University Studies (Exempted with 24 transfer hours) | 3 | |
| English Composition | 6 | |
| Speech Communication | 3 | |
| Mathematics | 3-6 | |
| Cultural Foundations | 6 | |
| Creativity | 6 | |
| Inquiry | 9-12 | |
| Open Electives | 20 | |
| Upper Division Major Courses | ||
| EDU 301 | Teacher Candidate Orientation | 1 |
| EDU 316 | Teaching Methods & Strategies | 3 |
| EDU 320 | Teaching Diverse Learners | 3 |
| EDU 327 | Methods and Strategies for Teaching Early Adolescent Learners | 3 |
| EDU 340 | Assessment Strategies to Improve PK-12 Learning | 3 |
| EDU 350 | Instructional Technologies in the PK- 12 Classroom | 3 |
| EDU 428 | Developing Pedagogical Content Knowledge | 3 |
| EDU 431 | Student Teaching | 15 |
| EDU 468 | Educational Exceptional Learners | 3 |
| EDU 641 | SPED Ethics, Policies, & Procedures | 3 |
| EDU 642 | Curriculum Design and Adaptation in SPED | 3 |
| EDU 643 | Methods of Teaching Students with Special Needs | 3 |
| RDE 450 | Reading in the Content Area | 3 |
| RDE 452 | Teaching Reading | 3 |
| RDE 454 | Child and Adolescent Literature | 3 |
| RDE 455 | Diagnosing & Remediation Reading Difficulties | 3 |
| Content Specialization | 15 |
Content Specialization Requirements:
| Course # | Title | Hours |
| Middle Grades Language Arts (15 Credit Hours) | ||
| Only offered through the School of Arts and Sciences effective Fall 2023 | ||
| ENG 303 | Argumentative and Persuasive Writing | 3 |
| RDE 454 | Child and Adolescent Literature | 3 |
| RDE 401 | Academic Discourse Applications | 3 |
| Choose two of the following: | ||
| ENG 311 | American Literature Survey I | 3 |
| ENG 313 | American Literature Survey II | 3 |
| ENG 412 | British Literature Survey I | 3 |
| ENG 414 | British Literature Survey II | 3 |
| Middle Grades Mathematics (21 Credit Hours) | ||
| MTH 150 | Pre-Calculus | 3 |
| MTH 250 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
| MTH 340 | Set Theory | 3 |
| MTH 350 | Intro to Probability Theory | 3 |
| MTH 360 | Geometry | 3 |
| MTH 374 | Developing Algebraic Concepts | 3 |
| MTH 475 | Mathematics Problem Solving, Error Analysis and Financial Literacy | 3 |
| Middle Grades Reading (15 Credit Hours) | ||
| RDE 401 | Academic Discourse Applications | 3 |
| RDE 450 | Reading in the Content Area | 3 |
| RDE 452 | Teaching Reading | 3 |
| RDE 454 | Child and Adolescent Literature | 3 |
| RDE 455 | Diagnosis and Remediation of Reading Difficulties | 3 |
| Middle Grades History (15 Credit Hours) | ||
| HIS 201 | United States History and Government I | 3 |
| HIS 221 | World History I | 3 |
| HIS 300 | -or higher Topical Course- | 3 |
| HIS 401 | Encounters with Asia and Africa | 3 |
| HIS 451 | Georgia History | 3 |
Middle Grades Education
| Course # | Title | Hours |
| Lower Division Coursework | ||
| University Studies (Exempted with 24 transfer hours) | 3 | |
| English Composition | 6 | |
| Speech Communication | 3 | |
| Mathematics | 3-6 | |
| Cultural Foundations | 6 | |
| Creativity | 6 | |
| Inquiry | 9-12 | |
| Open Electives | 20 | |
| Upper Division Major Courses | ||
| EDU 301 | Teacher Candidate Orientation | 1 |
| EDU 316 | Teaching Methods & Strategies | 3 |
| EDU 320 | Teaching Diverse Learners | 3 |
| EDU 327 | Methods and Strategies for Teaching Early Adolescent Learners | 3 |
| EDU 340 | Assessment Strategies to Improve PK-12 Learning | 3 |
| EDU 350 | Instructional Technologies in the PK- 12 Classroom | 3 |
| EDU 428 | Developing Pedagogical Content Knowledge | 3 |
| EDU 431 | Student Teaching | 15 |
| EDU 468 | Educational Exceptional Learners | 3 |
| RDE 450 | Reading in the Content Area | 3 |
| RDE 455 | Diagnosing & Remediation Reading Difficulties | 3 |
| Content Specialization (Pick TWO) | 30 |
Content Specialization Requirements:
| Course # | Title | Hours |
| Middle Grades Language Arts (15 Credit Hours) | ||
| Only offered through the School of Arts and Sciences effective Fall 2023 | ||
| ENG 303 | Argumentative and Persuasive Writing | 3 |
| RDE 454 | Child and Adolescent Literature | 3 |
| RDE 401 | Academic Discourse Applications | 3 |
| Choose two of the following: | ||
| ENG 311 | American Literature Survey I | 3 |
| ENG 313 | American Literature Survey II | 3 |
| ENG 412 | British Literature Survey I | 3 |
| ENG 414 | British Literature Survey II | 3 |
| Middle Grades Mathematics (21 Credit Hours) | ||
| MTH 150 | Pre-Calculus | 3 |
| MTH 250 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
| MTH 340 | Set Theory | 3 |
| MTH 350 | Intro to Probability Theory | 3 |
| MTH 360 | Geometry | 3 |
| MTH 374 | Developing Algebraic Concepts | 3 |
| MTH 475 | Mathematics Problem Solving, Error Analysis and Financial Literacy | 3 |
| Middle Grades Reading (15 Credit Hours) | ||
| RDE 401 | Academic Discourse Applications | 3 |
| RDE 450 | Reading in the Content Area | 3 |
| RDE 452 | Teaching Reading | 3 |
| RDE 454 | Child and Adolescent Literature | 3 |
| RDE 455 | Diagnosis and Remediation of Reading Difficulties | 3 |
| Middle Grades History (15 Credit Hours) | ||
| HIS 201 | United States History and Government I | 3 |
| HIS 221 | World History I | 3 |
| HIS 300 | -or higher Topical Course- | 3 |
| HIS 401 | Encounters with Asia and Africa | 3 |
| HIS 451 | Georgia History | 3 |
Secondary Education English
| Course # | Title | Hours |
| Lower Division Coursework | ||
| University Studies (Exempted with 24 transfer hours) | 3 | |
| English Composition | 6 | |
| Speech Communication | 3 | |
| Mathematics | 3-6 | |
| Cultural Foundations | 6 | |
| Creativity | 6 | |
| Inquiry | 9-12 | |
| Open Electives | 20 | |
| Upper Division Major Courses | ||
| EDU 301 | Teacher Candidate Orientation | 1 |
| EDU 316 | Teaching Methods & Strategies | 3 |
| EDU 320 | Teaching Diverse Learners | 3 |
| EDU 327 | Methods and Strategies for Teaching Early Adolescent Learners | 3 |
| EDU 340 | Assessment Strategies to Improve PK-12 Learning | 3 |
| EDU 350 | Instructional Technologies in the PK- 12 Classroom | 3 |
| EDU 428 | Developing Pedagogical Content Knowledge | 3 |
| EDU 431 | Student Teaching | 15 |
| EDU 468 | Educational Exceptional Learners | 3 |
| RDE 450 | Reading in the Content Area | 3 |
| RDE 455 | Diagnosing & Remediation Reading Difficulties | 3 |
| Content Specialization | 27 |
Content Specialization Requirements:
| Course # | Title | Hours |
| ENG 211 | World Literature I | 3 |
| ENG 212 | World Literature II | 3 |
| ENG 303 | Argumentative and Persuasive Writing | 3 |
| RDE 401 | Academic Discourse Applications | 3 |
| RDE 454 | Child and Adolescent Literature | 3 |
| Choose one of the following: | ||
| ENG 302 | Creative Nonfiction Writing | 3 |
| ENG 304 | Creative Writing | 3 |
| Choose one of the following: | ||
| ENG 311 | American Literature Survey I | 3 |
| ENG 313 | American Literature Survey II | 3 |
| Choose one of the following: | ||
| ENG 412 | British Literature Survey I | 3 |
| ENG 414 | British Literature Survey II | 3 |
| Choose one of the following: | ||
| ENG 339 | Film and Literature | 3 |
| ENG 425 | Shakespeare | 3 |
| ENG 604 | Poetry (Genre Study) | 3 |
| ENG 625 | Studies in Shakespeare | 3 |
Secondary Education Mathematics
| Course # | Title | Hours |
| Lower Division Coursework | ||
| University Studies (Exempted with 24 transfer hours) | 3 | |
| English Composition | 6 | |
| Speech Communication | 3 | |
| Mathematics | 3-6 | |
| Cultural Foundations | 6 | |
| Creativity | 6 | |
| Inquiry | 9-12 | |
| Open Electives | 20 | |
| Upper Division Major Courses | ||
| EDU 301 | Teacher Candidate Orientation | 1 |
| EDU 316 | Teaching Methods & Strategies | 3 |
| EDU 320 | Teaching Diverse Learners | 3 |
| EDU 327 | Methods and Strategies for Teaching Early Adolescent Learners | 3 |
| EDU 340 | Assessment Strategies to Improve PK-12 Learning | 3 |
| EDU 350 | Instructional Technologies in the PK- 12 Classroom | 3 |
| EDU 428 | Developing Pedagogical Content Knowledge | 3 |
| EDU 431 | Student Teaching | 15 |
| EDU 468 | Educational Exceptional Learners | 3 |
| RDE 450 | Reading in the Content Area | 3 |
| RDE 455 | Diagnosing & Remediation Reading Difficulties | 3 |
| Content Specialization | 30 |
Content Specialization Requirements:
| Course # | Title | Hours |
| MTH 150 | Pre-Calculus (taken at lower division) | 3 |
| MTH 250 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
| MTH 270 | Calculus I | 3 |
| MTH 280 | Calculus II | 3 |
| MTH 320 | Introduction to Linear Algebra | 3 |
| MTH 340 | Set Theory | 3 |
| MTH 350 | Introduction to Probability Theory | 3 |
| MTH 360 | Geometry | 3 |
| MTH 370 | Discrete Mathematics | 3 |
| MTH 374 | Developing Algebraic Concepts | 3 |
| MTH 475 | Mathematics Problem Solving, Error Analysis and Financial Literacy | 3 |
Secondary Education Science
| Course # | Title | Hours |
| Lower Division Coursework | ||
| University Studies (Exempted with 24 transfer hours) | 3 | |
| English Composition | 6 | |
| Speech Communication | 3 | |
| Mathematics | 3-6 | |
| Cultural Foundations | 6 | |
| Creativity | 6 | |
| Inquiry | 9-12 | |
| Open Electives | 20 | |
| Upper Division Major Courses | ||
| EDU 301 | Teacher Candidate Orientation | 1 |
| EDU 316 | Teaching Methods & Strategies | 3 |
| EDU 320 | Teaching Diverse Learners | 3 |
| EDU 327 | Methods and Strategies for Teaching Early Adolescent Learners | 3 |
| EDU 340 | Assessment Strategies to Improve PK-12 Learning | 3 |
| EDU 350 | Instructional Technologies in the PK- 12 Classroom | 3 |
| EDU 428 | Developing Pedagogical Content Knowledge | 3 |
| EDU 431 | Student Teaching | 15 |
| EDU 468 | Educational Exceptional Learners | 3 |
| RDE 450 | Reading in the Content Area | 3 |
| RDE 455 | Diagnosing & Remediation Reading Difficulties | 3 |
| Content Specialization | 22 |
Content Specialization Requirements:
| Course # | Title | Hours |
| BIO 101 | Principles of Biology I | 4 |
| BIO 102 | Principles of Biology II | 4 |
| BIO 308 | Ecology | 4 |
| BIO 312 | Genetics | 4 |
| BIO 401 | Evolution | 3 |
| Choose one of the following: | ||
| BIO 311 | Conservation Science | 3 |
| BIO 315 | Zoology | 4 |
| BIO 323 | Botany | 4 |
| BIO 351 | Environmental Science | 4 |
| BIO 410/310 | Cell and Molecular | 4 |
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What Teachers Are Saying
"I chose to get my Ed.S. degree in teacher leadership from Thomas University because it provided a convenient and cost-effective degree program. Also, I wanted to complete my degree within a two-year time frame and increase my yearly salary."
"Prior to earning my degree in curriculum and instruction, I opposed using technology in my classroom. The curriculum and instruction program at Thomas University helped me see the benefit technology adds to a classroom environment."
"There are so many takeaways from Thomas University that I can take out into my life. I know now that I can do anything if I put my mind to it. I know how to be a better teacher. I know what it means to be a good leader and role model to others. I also know that one day I can apply ALL of my knowledge and be the best educational leader and/or school administrator I can be."
"Thomas University allowed me to obtain my Graduate degree while still teaching in my classroom. The small class sizes gave me a closer relationship with my teachers, allowing me to have any questions or problems answered immediately."