Elementary Education – Certification Only


Why Pursue an Elementary Education Certificate?
Do you enjoy helping and shaping young minds? Perhaps you’ve coached youth sports teams or even a Sunday school class and felt fulfilled. Do you wonder if teaching is your true calling? The good news is that, if you have a requisite education, Piedmont offers a way to obtain teaching certification without having to go back to school full time. An education certificate – including an elementary education certificate – allows you to qualify to become a teacher, or change your teaching focus, in a direct and convenient manner.
Piedmont’s elementary education certificate will help you learn how to teach in a PK-5th grade classroom setting and qualify you for teaching certification in both public and private systems throughout the state of Georgia. This program offers a way for you to shape the leaders of the future – without having to become a full-time student of your own again. And educators are always in need in systems throughout Georgia.

How a Piedmont Elementary Education Certification Helps You
- Become an elementary school teacher without having to pursue a higher degree.
- Learn how to meld the skills and knowledge you have already accrued with classroom fundamentals to become the teacher you were meant to be.
- Create a new and rewarding career without having to go back to school full time.
- Earn certification to qualify for teaching in public and private systems anywhere in the state of Georgia.
Career Opportunities
An Elementary Education Certificate from Piedmont certifies you to teach in both public and independent schools in the state of Georgia. A Piedmont certification also opens doors to a wide range of professional opportunities at schools and school systems throughout the state of Georgia.
An Elementary Education Certification qualifies individuals to teach in Public Schools by providing essential training in child development, instructional methods, and classroom management. It ensures educators are equipped to meet state standards and effectively support the academic and social growth of young learners.
An Elementary Education Certification supports a career in Independent Schools by providing a strong foundation in instructional strategies, child development, and classroom management. It also enhances the ability to deliver personalized, student-centered learning experiences aligned with the unique mission and values of the school.
More About Elementary Education Certificate
Learn more about Elementary Education Certificate and the variety of options available to you as a Piedmont student.
The length of time required to complete the Certification-Only option at Piedmont varies. A minimum of 15 credit hours must be completed in a Piedmont program, unless otherwise approved by the Chair of the department. (add- An Academic advisor will review undergraduate and graduate transcripts to create an individual program of study). Classes are offered face to face, hybrid, and fully online – but not fully online. Certification-Only candidates complete 3 internships. Internship I is observation-based and requires 120 contact hours across the semester; however, work experience as a paraprofessional or provisional teacher may be used for experiential credit for internship I. Internship II focuses on co-teaching and classroom management and requires 360 classroom hours. Internship III (student teaching) is the cumulating experience and requires 600 classroom hours (a semester of full-time teaching). The program can accommodate most paraprofessional and provisional teachers’ work environments as their internship placement.
Piedmont’s elementary education certificate program will provide you with a PK-5 certification for the state of Georgia. Teaching options will include preschools, elementary school (public and private). It also qualifies you to pursue add-on certifications, administrator certifications, counseling, coaching, and other graduate level degree work in or outside of education. Our students typically receive their certificate two weeks after all certification requirements are met (provided paperwork is successfully completed and submitted).
To enroll in Piedmont’s elementary education certificate program, you must have a minimum of a master’s degree with a 2.5 cumulative GPA from an accredited college or university. Applicants must also provide/complete:
- Graduate Admissions Application
- Official, final transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
- Two Professional References
- Personal Affirmation Form
- If you are a returning BA or MA Educational Studies graduate from Piedmont University, you may return within five years as a certification only student. A prerequisite for admission as a certification-only student is successful completion of the appropriate GACE content tests.
(NOTE: If you currently hold a professional teacher certification and want to add another certification, you may apply for the certification only program with only a BA degree).
The elementary education department chair approves certification-only courses, based on a transcript analysis, to meet minimum state certification requirements. Your academic advisor can discuss the criteria for experiential credit and will review your transcript to create an individualized plan specific to your individual needs. Certification-only is not a degree program. All other procedures and requirements of Piedmont University and the College of Education apply. Candidates must apply for and be admitted to Teacher Education at the beginning of the program. To complete elementary education certification requirements, candidates must pass the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE) content examination in their selected certification field. (NOTE: Completion of this course of study does not lead to a degree in education.)
Related Programs
Intrigued by an Elementary Education Certificate? You might also be interested in one of these programs:



Where do I start?
To begin your journey toward becoming an Elementary Education Certificate student at Piedmont University, you can start by applying today! Or, schedule a campus visit and meet with admissions and financial aid advisors, as well as faculty members in education.