Associate Degree
Elementary Education
An affordable path to quickly become a teacher’s assistant, library assistant, or daycare instructor. This associate’s program transfers to a bachelor’s degree.
Talk to an Enrollment CoachThe Elementary Education program prepares students for transfer to education programs at four-year institutions. It provides students with fundamental knowledge, competencies, and skills necessary to teach by emphasizing contemporary theory and research. Students participate in diverse field experiences and receive the additional content preparation in mathematics and life, earth and physical science deemed necessary for educators of young children.
What You Will Learn
Students will examine and understand the issues facing schools in today’s diverse society, including socioeconomic distinctions, gender, race, ethnicity, special education and the changing standards for future educators.
Students will explain the implications of current issues and trends relating to the education profession community for classroom practice.
Students will analyze specific psychological theories by examining teaching and learning processes.
In-Class or Online
Whether you want to attend classes online, or at our historic Milledgeville campus, or at any of our eleven satellite locations, we have a convenient option just for you.
Leadership. Character. Civility.
Attending GMC is about more than just earning a degree. We prepare our graduates to stand out in the world by teaching leadership skills, character education, and ethics. GMC grads have the grit and determination to be successful in an ever-changing job market.
Why pay more for the same degree?
Thanks to our Transfer Agreements, GMC students can take their college credits with them to dozens of other colleges and universities. Why pay more for core curriculum when you take the same accredited courses at GMC for less, and then transfer to the four-year college of your choice? Here’s a cost comparison:
“I will finally be graduating with my Bachelors of Supervision and Management this month. I would not have been able to achieve this milestone without the guidance of those at GMC. I will forever be grateful for all the things I have learned during my time here.”
Recent Grads
“I knew that this was the school that I needed to take my academic journey to the next level! Throughout my time here at Georgia Military College, I had by far some of the best experiences! GMC opened so many doors for me during my time here and molded me into a person of more defined character”
– Shemar Bryant
“I am a mom of 3 kids all under the age of 10. So on top of being a mom and wife, I also work at a children’s hospital in the PICU. I am a wife to an army veteran , who also serves in the National guard, so a lot of the time I am doing the mom thing alone . I went to Georgia Military college to get my pre reqs for nursing school done. It hasn’t been easy, and the teachers have always had my best interest and wanted me to succeed. There hasn’t been one time where I had a teacher who didn’t care. I am currently applying for nursing schools in my area to get my RN BSN. If I had to do it all over again, I would still choose Georgia Military College.”
– Courtney Morton
“I enrolled with Georgia Military College in the winter 2021 term after graduating from high school in the fall of 2020. GMC has really furthered my education especially in Kinesiology and Physical Therapy. Without the help of GMC officials and staff, I do not think I would be able to graduate as early as I am today. After graduating from GMC on May 28th, I plan to enroll in the Physical Therapy Assistant Program (PTA) at Albany State University (ASU) to earn my PTA license. In conclusion, Georgia Military College has really excelled me to greater heights educationally and socially.”
– Kemuel Terry
Concentration Courses
This early care education course is designed to enable P-5 teachers to develop a basic understanding of the scientific principles of the life and earth sciences. This course will utilize research-based techniques necessary to teach these concepts in order to meet the diverse needs of learners across P-5 grade environments. Topics will include the characteristics of life, biodiversity, heredity, energy flow, interdependence of life, cellular structure and function, earth systems, astronomy, and the biosphere.
Prerequisite: RDG 099 or Placement
This early care education course is designed to enable P-5 teachers to develop a basic understanding of the scientific principles of the physical sciences and astronomy. The course with lab included will emphasize lecture material and hands-on experiences to enhance the quality and quantity of science taught to young students.
This course is designed to equip future teachers with the fundamental knowledge of understanding culture and teaching children from diverse backgrounds. Specifically, this course is designed to examine 1) the nature and function of culture; 2) the development of individual and group cultural identity; 3) definitions and implications of diversity, and 4) the influences of culture on learning, development, and pedagogy. This course has a required ten-hour field experience component. The field experience, in a public school, must be successfully completed in order to receive a passing grade in the course.
This course engages students in observations, interactions, and analyses of critical and contemporary educational issues. Students will investigate issues influencing the social and political contexts of educational settings in Georgia and the United States. Students will actively examine the teaching profession from multiple vantage points both within and outside the school. Against this backdrop, students will reflect on and interpret the meaning of education and schooling in a diverse culture and examine the moral and ethical responsibilities of teaching in a democracy. This course has a required ten-hour field experience component. The field experience, in a public school, must be successfully completed in order to receive a passing grade in the course.
This course allows students to explore key aspects of learning and teaching. The students will examine their own learning processes and those of others, with the goal of applying this knowledge to enhance the learning of all students in a variety of educational settings and contexts. This course has a required ten- hour field experience component. The field experience, in a public school, must be successfully completed in order to receive a passing grade in the course.
This course is an Area F introductory mathematics course for Early Childhood Education majors. This course will emphasize the understanding and use of the major concepts of number and operations. As a general theme, strategies of problem solving will be used and discussed in the context of various topics. This course may only be used to satisfy the Area F requirement for Early Childhood Education or General Studies majors.
Hiring Partners
GMC is fortunate to have partnerships with a wide range of businesses who hire our graduates. Here are a few of our partners:
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How much does college cost?
The average cost for one year of college varies widely. GMC is lower than most public and private institutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
About This Program
The Elementary Education program provides students with fundamental knowledge, competencies, and skills necessary to teach by emphasizing contemporary theory and research. Students participate in diverse field experiences and receive the additional content preparation in mathematics and life, earth and physical science deemed necessary for educators of young children.
Program Dean
Ben Cairns, bscairns@gmc.edu
Program Benefits
Students graduating with an Associate Degree in Elementary Education are qualified to become paraprofessionals (with an exam), teacher assistants, library assistants, day care instructors, etc. In addition, students will amass transferable skills in communication, time management, critical thinking, problem solving, planning/organization, leadership, and interpersonal skills. Students graduating with a 4-year degree in early childhood education and passing the Georgia Assessment for the Certification of Educators (GACE) exam (this type of test has a different name for each state) will be qualified to teach in grades PreK-5th grade.
Cost for the Degree
Average Cost for this Degree:
$8,280
Why choose GMC?
Explore GMC’s flexible course formats to craft the college experience that works best for you.
2017
9th
7th
Top 25
Academic Excellence.
Since 1879.
We’ve been educating bright minds for well over a century. That’s why a degree from GMC means more than just a great education. It means success.
