The Online Professional Studies Certificate in Gifted Education prepares teachers to implement best practices in gifted and talented instruction through collaboration, reflection, critical thinking, coaching, data analysis and authentic assessments.
It is designed to meet the current and changing needs of regional teachers and school systems as they strive to upgrade professional skills and teaching effectiveness. This asynchronous, online certificate program is flexible to adapt to the individual school or teacher needs. It is also designed to meet state endorsement add-on requirements in Gifted and Talented.
This certificate program is a teacher-oriented and inquiry-centered program that addresses the complex field of giftedness by offering four-core gifted courses for all participants in the program. These courses use research-based best practices to inform the teachers’ decisions, provide guidance in addressing problems they will encounter in educational roles, and present opportunities to effect change in the environment in which they work. The program is developed so a student may begin with any of the four courses.
Classes
The online graduate certificate requires the completion of four courses for a total of 12 credit hours.
- GTD 611 Understanding and Educating the Gifted Learner [Fall 2024]
- GTD 612 Curriculum for Gifted Learners 3 [Spring 2025]
- GTD 613 Social and Emotional Issues of Gifted Children 3 [Fall 2024]
- GTD 615 Strategies for Gifted Learners 3 [Spring 2025]
Participants who take a leave from the gifted education program and return after more than one year may be required to retake certain courses to update their knowledge, or take additional courses to comply with new program or Virginia licensure requirements.
Application Information
Program Admission Requirements
Applicants must possess an undergraduate degree prior to admission to the program. Applicants who want to achieve the add-on gifted endorsement must hold an appropriate and valid teaching license since this certificate is an Approved Virginia Licensure Program. International applicants must meet Shenandoah University admissions and language certification requirements. For further information, contact the School of Education and Leadership.
The certificate program requirement is the completion of a 12-semester hour program (see below). Students are required to have graduated with a baccalaureate degree with an endorsement in a teaching area. Students must also complete a practicum of at least 48 instructional hours in the area of gifted education. This practicum shall include a minimum of 45 instructional hours of successful teaching experiences with gifted students in a heterogeneously grouped (mixed ability) classroom or a homogeneously grouped (single ability) classroom. One year of successful, full-time teaching experience of gifted students in a public or accredited nonpublic school may be accepted in lieu of the practicum. A mentor holding a valid license with an endorsement in gifted education must be assigned to the teacher.
Application Information
Shenandoah University’s Division Of Education & Leadership provides inquiry-driven, problem-oriented examinations of public education and organizations.
View application deadlines and submit your Shenandoah Application.
Education Application Information
State Reciprocity – SARA
Shenandoah University is a member of NC-SARA, the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements. View the licensure requirements for out-of-state students enrolling in Shenandoah programs leading to licensure. Click on the tab at the bottom of the screen to locate your program. Note that these requirements are subject to change. Please contact your program with questions.
