What does it cost?

Check out our cost calculator or visit student financial services for information on estimated costs.

63.4% of Perimeter College students receive financial assistance.

How long will it take?

The typical pathway requires 60 semester hours — 42 hours in core curriculum and 18 hours in pathway courses.

Where will I take classes?
Alpharetta, Clarkston, Decatur, Dunwoody, Newton, Online

All required classes to earn a degree can be completed online.

Application Deadlines View Admissions Requirements

Fall Semester (starts in August) — Due by August 1
Spring Semester (starts in January) — Due by December 1
Summer Semester (starts in late May) — Due by May 1

Education -- Early Childhood Education Pathway, A.S.

What Is Teacher Education?

Education is a pathway that helps to prepare future teachers by learning educational philosophies, policies, attitudes, behaviors and instruction in order to effectively perform the duties associated with the position of a classroom teacher. Through introductory courses in the field, students will learn to think critically about key issues that affect 21st-century learners in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade classrooms.

Why Education as a Pathway?

At Perimeter College, students take introductory gateway courses in education that help them to explore issues related to the teaching profession. The courses include the history and foundation of the field of education, critical issues associated with the field, diversity issues in strategies and education to support 21st-century learners.

If you are excited by the idea of working with children and introducing them to ideas they will carry for a lifetime, the educational field may be for you. At Perimeter College, students may study Early Childhood, Middle Grades, Secondary School or Special Education. Students also may study Health/Physical Education.

Students focusing on Early Childhood, Secondary Education or Health/PE may take many courses online, but some courses may require campus attendance. Students concentrating in Special Education or Middle Grades or Health/PE may take required classes online.

Students should consult with their advisors to confirm availability of online courses and find out about requirements or additional costs that may be associated with those courses.

A note on pathways: A pathway is an advising guide to help students prepare for their intended bachelor's degree major. By following the course of study outlined in the appropriate Associate of Arts or Associate of Science pathway, students will have the necessary prerequisite courses to continue in their chosen disciplines. A pathway is not a major and will not be represented on the diploma.

Students should consult with advisers to confirm availability of online courses and requirements or additional costs that may be associated with courses. Students should check with advisers about which campuses offer the courses they need. Typically, core courses required for pathways can be taken at most locations and online, while pathway-specific courses may require attendance at a particular location.
Pathway Details

The Early Childhood Education pathway requires 42 hours of Core Curriculum and 18 hours of courses appropriate to the pathway. For up-to-date curriculum requirements, please visit the catalog.

As part of Georgia State University, Perimeter College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools: Commission on Colleges (SACS-COC) to award associate degrees. Successful completion of a pathway at Perimeter College leads to an Associate of Arts or an Associate of Science degree. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Georgia State University.

Field Placement Requirement

All three education courses (EDUC 2110, EDUC 2120, EDUC 2130) offered require field placement. Students must complete 10 hours of field placement in each education course. Students also should understand they are required to do a background check and to get tort liability coverage while taking field placement. The criminal background check is about $50-$75 and Tort Liability is about $15-$50. Students are required to complete these hours whether they are out-of-state or abroad.

For more information, please visit the Office of Field Placement

Below is the full list of majors we prepare students to pursue and attain.

Early Childhood Education (Birth-Grade 5)
  • Birth through Kindergarten
  • Early Childhood Education (P-5)
  • Special Education General Curriculum / Early Childhood Education (P-5)
Middle Grades Education (Grades 4-8)
  • Middle Grades Language Arts
  • Middle Grades Math
  • Middle Grades Reading
  • Middle Grades Science
  • Middle Grades Social Science
Secondary Education (Grades 6-12)
  • Behavioral Science
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Earth/Space Science
  • Economics
  • English
  • Geography
  • History
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Political Science
  • Science
  • Speech
Education Fields (Grades P-12)
  • Art
  • Dance
  • Drama
  • English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
  • Gifted
  • Health
  • Health and Physical Education
  • Music
Special Education (Grades P-12)
  • Special Education Adapted Curriculum
  • Behavior Disorders
  • Deaf Education
  • Special Education General Curriculum
  • Learning Disabilities
  • Physical and Health Disabilities
  • Special Education Preschool (Ages 3-5)
  • Visual Impairment
Foreign Languages (Grades P-12)
  • American Sign Language
  • Arabic
  • Chinese (Mandarin)
  • Farsi
  • French
  • German
  • Greek (Classical)
  • Hebrew
  • Hindi
  • Italian
  • Japanese
  • Korean
  • Latin
  • Portuguese
  • Russian
  • Spanish
  • Swahili
  • Turkish
  • Urdu

Description

Careers

Job opportunities for teachers vary, with multiple paths from which to choose:

  • Kindergarten
  • Elementary School
  • Middle School
  • Secondary School
  • Special Education

For potential job and salary information, visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Contacts

Admissions and Curriculum Inquiries

Admissions
For help with applying or admissions, please review our website, visit a campus office, or contact us at 404-413-2500.

John C. Redmond, Department Chair of Cultural and Behavioral Science
[email protected]
770-274-5402

Michael Wallace, Administrative Assistant
[email protected]
770-274-5588

Alpharetta Campus

Adam Stone, Associate Department Chair of Social Science
[email protected]
678-240-6231

Contessa Paige, Administrative Assistant
[email protected]
678-240-6037

Clarkston Campus

George Vargis, Associate Department Chair of Social Science
[email protected]
678-891-2402

Mary Brown, Administrative Assistant
[email protected]
678-891-3368

Decatur Campus

Mark Flowers, Associate Department Chair of Social Science/Business
[email protected]
770-278-1333

Donna McLean, Administrative Assistant
[email protected]
678-891-2613

Dunwoody Campus

John C. Redmond, Department Chair of Cultural and Behavioral Science
[email protected]
770-274-5402

Michael Wallace, Administrative Assistant
[email protected]
770-274-5588

Newton Campus

Salli Vargis, Associate Department Chair of Social Science/Business (Starting Fall 2019)
[email protected]
770-278-1360

Lakita Williams, Administrative Assistant
[email protected]

Online

Ursula Thomas, Associate Department Chair of Cultural and Behavioral Science – Online
[email protected]
770-274-5408

Patricia Cooper
[email protected]
678-212-7513

Perimeter College Logo140 Decatur Street SE
Atlanta, GA 30303

The information shared here provides an overview of Georgia State’s offerings. For official details on admissions requirements, tuition, courses and more, refer to the university catalogs.