Policies and Procedures for Field Experiences, Internships and Clinical Practice - Initial Teacher Preparation

Field Experience Placement Policies

Field placements are critical to the preparation of candidates in our teacher education programs. Georgia Southern University and its Partner Schools place great importance on field experiences.

• All field experiences are coordinated between the Office of Field Experience and Clinical Practice; academic programs; and Partner Schools.

• An attempt will be made to place two or more teacher candidates in a school. An exception to this clustering policy could be rendered by a program or department. This exception would be a result of specialization required of the clinical supervisor. (This does not apply to candidates in an online Master of Arts in Teaching program).

• One geographical area will serve Georgia Southern’s teacher candidate population.

  • For undergraduate teacher candidates, the primary area is approximately 70 miles from each Georgia Southern campus. Candidates can expect the maximum one-way travel to a school site to be 70 miles or less from each Georgia Southern campus. 

  • For graduate teacher candidates, field experiences, including clinical practice, for students in the online M.A.T. in Elementary Education, Health and Physical Education, Spanish, and Special Education will be considered in the Georgia region in which they are located. Field experiences for the M.A.T. in Secondary Education, or Middle Grades Education can occur anywhere in Georgia if the candidate is a teacher of record.  If not a teacher of record, field placements will take place within a 70 mile radius of the Georgia Southern Statesboro or Armstrong campus. 

• All field placements and clinical practice assignments are identified and assigned by the program director/coordinator. Placements are not negotiable.

• Teacher candidates seldom receive a field placement at a school site where they have had a previous field experience placement. This policy provides candidates with diversity in placements and teaching experiences. The exception to this policy is year-long placements during the senior year.

• Teacher candidates are not placed in schools where they have attended, relatives are employed, or relatives are enrolled as students.

• Students must maintain liability insurance while participating in any field experience or clinical practice.

• Teacher candidates that have an identified disability requiring accommodations during a field experience or clinical practice must consult with the Student Accessibility Resource Center the semester prior to the field experience to discuss accommodations. All teacher candidates must successfully demonstrate their ability to meet, with or without accommodations, the standards and expectations of the teaching profession.

• Teacher candidates are limited to enrolling in a maximum of 12 semester hours during the clinical practice semester. The exception to this is when a candidate is enrolled in TCLD 4235  and/or COED 3610 .

• Candidates enrolled in a Master of Arts in Teaching program can only accept employment in a Georgia school that meets the GaPSC requirements. See rule 505-3-.01, section 4 (iv).

• Candidates enrolled in a Master of Arts in Teaching program and hired by a school system as a Teacher of Record must be teaching in the content area of the certification they are seeking.

• Candidates enrolled in a Master of Arts in Teaching program and hired by a school system as a Teacher of Record must be teaching full time in the content area of the certification they are seeking during their semester of clinical practice/internship.

Intervention Policies for Field Experiences and Clinical Practice

• Candidates are allowed a maximum of two (2) Professional Support plans (A/B) (each for different areas of difficulty) per field experience, or clinical practice.
• Candidates are allowed a maximum of one (1) Probationary Status per field experience, or clinical practice.
• Candidates may repeat each field experience, or clinical practice one (1) time.
• Withdrawing without academic penalty, withdrawing failing, or withdrawing at the recommendation of the program faculty from a field experience, or clinical practice will be considered one (1) attempt at that field experience.
• When school personnel request that a candidate be removed from the school for performance or professional reasons the placement will end immediately. A new field placement will rarely be identified until the following semester.

Requirements for Admission to Clinical Practice (Undergraduate Students)

Clinical practice is required in all teacher preparation programs at the initial certification level. In order to participate in clinical practice, an undergraduate teacher candidate must:

1. Meet all admission and retention requirements for the Teacher Education Program.
2. Have earned an overall cumulative GPA of 2.50 or higher on all college coursework attempted.
3. Students must earn a minimum grade of “C” in all professional education and all teaching field coursework. For Georgia Certification, a grade of “B” or higher is required in the program specific Special Education course.  
4. Prior to clinical practice, complete all coursework in the program of study. Exceptions are TCLD 4235  and COED 3610 .
5. Attempt the GACE Content Assessment appropriate to the field.
6. Possess valid liability insurance.
7. Pass the Georgia Educator Ethics (360) Assessment.
8. Possess a Preservice Certificate from the Georgia Professional Standards Commission.

Note: School districts may have additional requirements for student teachers/interns placed in their schools. Student teachers/interns must meet these additional requirements.

Requirements for Admission to Clinical Practice (Graduate Students)

Clinical practice is required in all teacher preparation programs at the initial certification level. In order to participate in clinical practice, a graduate teacher candidate must:

1. Meet all admission and retention requirements for the Teacher Education Program.
2. If not required for program admission, attempt the GACE Content Assessment for the field of certification.
3. Possess valid liability insurance.
4. Pass the Georgia Educator Ethics (360) Assessment (if not completed for program admission).
5. If not employed as a Teacher of Record, possess a Preservice Certificate from the Georgia Professional Standards Commission.
6. Candidates employed as Teachers of Record must be teaching full-time in the area of certification they are seeking during the semester of clinical practice/internship.

Note: School districts may have additional requirements for student teachers/interns placed in their schools. Student teachers/interns must meet these additional requirements.

International Study Opportunity

International student teaching exchanges may be available. Information can be obtained from the Office of Field Experience and Clinical Practice.