Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Health and Physical Education

ADMISSION DEADLINES

• Summer Semester: April 15
• Fall Semester: No Admission
• Spring Semester: No Admission

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

• Online Graduate Application
  • Application Fee 
  • Apply Online
• Official transcript from your bachelor’s degree-granting school and from any graduate coursework.
  • Transcripts of coursework completed in-residence at VSU will be obtained by the Graduate School
  • Must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited institution.
  • Must hold a valid level four professional certificate in Georgia or a reciprocal state in health education and/or physical education. 
  • Minimum undergraduate GPA or combined undergraduate and graduate GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 Scale. (Minimum GPA requirements may be met by an alternative pathway listed below). Verification of Employment and Years of Teaching Form
    • Applicants must be currently employed as a health and/or physical education teacher in a P-12 school setting for at least 20 hours per week (half-time).  Students will be required to complete coursework each enrolled semester that will require a minimum amount of time in a grade P-12 health and/or physical education school/classroom setting.

ADMISSION BY ALTERNATIVE PATHWAY REQUIREMENTS

Must have a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA or combined undergraduate and graduate GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale AND meet requirements for one of the following alternative pathways:

• Alternative Pathway 1: Have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in all coursework attempted while registered as an upper-division undergraduate student working towards a bachelor's degree (i.e. 3000 and 4000 level coursework); or
• Alternative Pathway 2: Have a minimum GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale in all graduate coursework (must have completed at least 6 credit hours of graduate work in which a letter grade was awarded); or 
• Alternative Pathway 3: Have an undergraduate GPA earned ten or more years prior to admission AND hold at least three years of teaching experience in health and/or physical education.

 

• Distance Learning Exemption of the VSU Medical Form
  • The form must be completed and signed by the student/applicant.
  • This form must be received prior to enrollment, NOT prior to admission.
  • Applicants who are currently enrolled, and those who attended VSU in the past, are not required to resubmit the Medical Form
• Verification of Lawful Presence (For applicants who believe they qualify for in-state tuition or a residency waiver.)
  • This is not required for individuals who do not qualify for in-state tuition or a residency waiver.
  • This must be received prior to enrollment (if applicable), NOT prior to admission.
  • Citizenship documentation is needed for any applicant who wishes to be considered for in-state tuition.
  • Check out a complete list of accepted documents and residency information here.

Unless otherwise indicated above, all required documents must be received on or before the admission deadline for your file to be reviewed. It is the applicant's responsibility to allow adequate time for document delivery and to en-sure receipt of documents. Please allow at least 7-10 days for delivery by mail.

IMPORTANT PROGRAM INFORMATION

• The M.Ed. admits applicants for summer semester.  
• Since the M.Ed. in Health and Physical Education is a fully online program, candidates must:
  • have access to a reliable computer with Internet access.
  • possess and have working knowledge of software such as Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, and Flash Player.
  • have access to video recording equipment and general working knowledge of how to upload and/or burn media to computers.
• Students will only be admitted as Regular status students.
• Only qualified program graduates with an appropriate level four certificate in Georgia (or a comparable and reciprocal certification from other states) may be eligible for level five certification.  Georgia applicants are encouraged to use the GaPSC Upgrade Advisor in their MyPSC account to confirm program/upgrade eligibility.
• Out-of-State applicants are strongly encouraged to confirm that this program complies with the requirements of their respective state educator licensing agency prior to applying.  It is the applicant's responsibility to determine if there are additional requirements for educator certification by the respective agency. 

INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS

The M.Ed. in Health and Physical Education is a fully online program. Federal homeland security guidelines state that student visas cannot be issued for online programs.

Prospective students whose first language is not English and those who completed coursework or degrees outside the U.S., please review the information below for specific information and guidelines.

• Note: To meet minimum eligibility requirements for this program applicants must hold a clear/renewable teaching certificate (T-4 or higher) in the state of Georgia or a related certificate in another state.
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Exam or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) – Applicants whose first language is not English (based on country of citizenship) must submit official scores on the TOEFL exam or IELTS exam. International applicants whose first language is not English but who have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher from a U.S. institution may be exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS requirement.
• Evaluation of International Transcripts - Applicants who have completed coursework at an institution outside of the United States must submit a course-by-course evaluation of the coursework.  This transcript evaluation must be completed by an international education credentials evaluation service such as Josef Silny, ECE, etc.  The transcript evaluation does not replace the transcript requirement. Official transcripts are still required.

HAVE QUESTIONS?

For admission questions about this program, please contact the Graduate School by phone, email, or stop by our office.

• Call Us: 229-333-5694 
• Email Us: gradschool@valdosta.edu
• Visit Us: Converse Hall (Main Campus), Third Floor, Suite 3100

For additional program details contact the Program Coordinator: Dr. Han Chen, email: hanchen@valdosta.edu, phone: 229-333-7161.

Retention, Dismissal, & Readmission Policies

1. After admission, courses taken more than seven years prior to the semester of degree completion cannot be used to meet graduate degree requirements or admission to doctoral candidacy requirements unless otherwise indicated by individual program requirements. 
2. No more than 6 semester hours of academic work may be transferred from another institution into a College of Education graduate program. Transfer credit will be evaluation after admission by the academic department.
3. Earning grades below “B” in graduate courses will result in the following consequences: Students admitted Fall 2011 and thereafter will be dismissed from the Graduate School if they accumulate three or more academic deficiency points unless otherwise indicated by individual program policy. A grade of “C” (although it may be credited toward a degree) equals one deficiency point. A grade of “D,” “WF” or “F,” or “U” (none of which will be credited toward a degree) equals two deficiency points. Candidates admitted BEFORE Fall 2011 and receiving two grades below “C” (“D”, “F”, “WF”,“U”) will be dismissed from the program. One grade below a "C" results in a warning.
4. If dismissed from the program a student must not be enrolled for two semesters. Application for readmission may be initiated during the second semester. Readmission is not guaranteed, and prior academic performance and student conduct/disposition in the program will be considered. The academic program reserves the right to place specific conditions and contingencies on any offer of readmission.
5. Candidates (regardless of status) who have been admitted to the M.Ed. degree program in Health and Physical Education at VSU who take coursework outside this M.Ed. program may not apply that coursework toward the M.Ed. degree in Health and Physical Education.

Graduation

1. A 3.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA) is required for graduation. No grade below a “C” will be credited toward the degree.
2. Students must submit an application for graduation one semester prior to their expected graduation date.
3. Students will complete an advanced portfolio.