Find out more about Valdosta State University

You can train to teach French or Spanish with the Master of Arts in Teaching in Education / Foreign Language Education from Valdosta State. This online foreign language master’s degree offers a fifth-year program for those with a bachelor’s degree. The program leads to initial teaching certification.

As this foreign language program leads to initial certification, educators with current certification in any subject benefit from finding a different program. Successful candidates may be eligible for the ESOL endorsement.

Besides studying French or Spanish at the graduate level, students explore such topics as:

• Cultural perspectives for ESOL
• ESOL methods
• Applied linguistics
• Serving students with diverse needs

Valdosta State University offers the online BBA with a concentration in Management. Students in the management program hone their critical thinking skills, develop an appreciation of diverse cultural perspectives, and learn how to address policy disputes and deal with social issues. The program in management is designed to prepare students for careers in business management and focuses on key areas of management education, including organization behavior and development, human resources management, information systems, operations management and small business management. 

The field of management involves overseeing people, businesses and organizations with the goal of ensuring that resources are used properly and efficiently. Managers work in a variety of fields including retail, industry, hospitality, production, human resources and more and are essential figures in the success of these organizations. Many managers go on to successfully open and operate their own businesses.

Valdosta State University offers the online BS in Organizational Leadership. Students will learn about organizational leadership as it relates to and impacts individuals, communities and society from a variety of perspectives. Students will learn to express themselves effectively, develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and gain an understanding of ethical principles underlying both research and practice in organizational leadership.

Potential career opportunities:

• Training and Development Specialist
• Customer Service Manager
• Nonprofit Administrator
• Corporate Coach
• General Manager
• Career Planner
• IT Manager
• and much more

Valdosta State University offers the online Doctor of Public Administration. The DPA is a practitioner-based terminal degree designed for those wanting to advance their careers in government, non-profits, or non-government organizations (NGOs). Coursework further enhances the essential leadership, management, communication, and problem-solving skills required in today’s professional environment. The program builds upon the students’ experience and aids in the development of information and applied research skills needed for professionals currently in the field of public administration. 

Potential career opportunities:

• Environmental Health Administrator
• Nonprofit Chief Operation Officer
• Parks and Recreation Management
• Economic Development Director
• Public Relations Consultant
• College Professor
• Town Manager
• and much more

Valdosta State University offers the online MPA. This degree will provide a comprehensive understanding of public administration and government, basic skills and a broadened perspective required of manager/administrators, strong oral and written communication skills, knowledge of current technology used in the fields, sensitivity of diverse groups, and distinguished analytical abilities. It is designed to allow in-service professionals the opportunity to meet the degree requirements in a swift, convenient manner. The MPA offers the Public Sector Management and Public Policy concentrations online.

Potential career opportunities:

• Assistant City Manager
• City Administrator
• Budget Director
• Budget Analyst
• City Manager
• and much more

Prepare for a career helping your community and beyond with this online criminal justice degree. This program provides a strong foundation in the criminal justice system, examining its structure and function. Learn how the criminal justice system applies to adults and juveniles. The curriculum focuses on criminal laws on the state, federal, and local levels and how they relate to the U.S. Constitution.  

This online criminal justice degree is flexible. Study wherever it is convenient, saving time and money by not commuting to campus. Balance your education with your personal and professional obligations.

The online Master of Science in Criminal Justice program prepares students for careers in law enforcement, crime analysis, criminalistics and criminal justice instruction, and prepares them to continue their educations in law school or doctoral programs. The curriculum includes the structure and function of the criminal justice system as it applies to adults and juveniles along with the study of criminology theories, scientific research techniques, statistical techniques in the study of crime, and an examination of criminal justice systems around the world. You will choose from two tracks: applied criminal justice which focuses on courts, corrections, or law enforcement, or research and theory which explores the causes and correlations of crime theoretically and analytically.

You can choose from a multitude of concentrations with the Doctor of Education in Curriculum & Instruction. This online doctoral degree offers choices in specialty concentrations besides the usual (science, art, math, history, etc.). Your choices include the following subject areas:

• Behavioral sciences
• Architectural drawing/design
• Political science
• Trade and industrial fields, and more.

Taught by a quality faculty with real-world experience, the online curriculum and instruction program is designed for your busy schedule. This innovative program includes practical opportunities for you to apply theoretical foundations to curricular and instructional challenges.

You can become an ethical, capable, and diverse educational leader with the Doctor of Education in Leadership from Valdosta State. This online education administration doctoral degree trains you to lead 21st-century educational organizations.

Working with your academic advisor, you select a cognate area that aligns with your professional goals. Besides Organizational Leadership, you can choose from such cognate areas as:

• Curriculum leadership
• Technology leadership
• Higher education leadership
• Special education leadership

Through the online education administration doctoral program, you develop skills and knowledge in the core curriculum and research courses. You then apply this information to develop solutions to the complex world of organizational improvement.

You can earn your Tier II Georgia certificate in Educational Leadership with the Education Specialist in Educational Leadership from Valdosta State. This online program incorporates clinical practice for hands-on practice.

Through a comprehensive education administration program, you learn the frameworks of educational leadership, from theory to practice. Performance-based activities help develop your competency to be an educational leader.

Besides engaging in curricular and instructional activities, your studies will have you:

• Engage in problem analysis
• Collect relevant data
• Team problem-solving
• Instructional supervision

You learn how to use technology both in the classroom and in the office. Other skills include budgeting, staff development, data analysis, and operations. The result is an integrated experience imparting leadership and management abilities.

You can enhance your students’ learning environment with the Education Specialist in Instructional Technology / P-12 Technology Applications. This online instructional design program allows the selection of elective courses for a concentration. Concentration areas include the following:

• Online teaching
• Multimedia
• Technology leadership
• Adult education

Students of this online instructional design program learn to apply their knowledge and implement new technology tools. Graduates find success as instructional technologists, technology coaches, or coordinators in public schools.

You can train to become an instructional technologist or technology coach/coordinator with the Education Specialist in Instructional Technology / Technology Applications for Non-P-12 School Personnel. This online instructional design program provides an interactive educational model for educators with busy schedules.

Courses within this online instructional design specialist degree focus on leadership and technology. Topics of study include the following:

• Technology tools for training and education
• Leadership in instructional technology
• Professional development and program evaluation
• Technology for learning environments

Students gain skills to apply the tenets of IT theories. They also develop competencies in instructional design, technology tools, and project management. Graduates find success in careers that rely on the use of technology in training. Many work in higher education, health fields, the military or government, as well as business and industry.

You can become a leader with the Education Specialist in School Counseling from Valdosta State. This online school counseling specialist program trains you to use advocacy, collaboration, consultation, and data analysis to assist all students. 

Besides participating in a school counseling practicum, you will study such topics as:

• Cognitive behavior therapy
• Social justice
• Crisis counseling
• Child psychopathology

Through the online school counseling coursework, you learn to provide personal, academic, and career counseling for diverse student populations. As a graduate of this program, you can help your students achieve high levels of academic success.

You can increase your expertise in special education with the Education Specialist in Special Education from Valdosta State. This online specialist program focuses on developing your skills to take on advanced teaching positions as well as leadership roles in special education.

The program appeals to those with a master’s degree in special education or related fields like vocational rehabilitation, deaf education, or speech-language pathology. Graduates use data analysis to develop programs for the development of all learners.

Potential careers include:

• Teacher, T-6 certification
• Special education coordinator
• Special education administrator
• Director of programs for individuals with disabilities

You can gain the foundations for effective collaboration with colleagues, parents, and students with the Education Specialist in Teacher Leadership from Valdosta State. This online teacher leadership graduate program prepares you to meet the GaPSC Teacher Leadership standards.

The online teacher leadership program covers curriculum and instruction as well as assessment. Other topics of study include:

• Modeling best practices in instruction
• Collaborating with colleagues in data analysis to improve student learning
• Fostering a positive school culture
• Designing assessments as a team

Upon completion of this online degree, graduates sit for the appropriate Georgia content assessment. Candidates can earn the P-12 Service Certificate in Teacher Leadership (Level 6 certification).

You can earn your initial teaching certificate in ESL with the Master of Arts in Teaching in Education / English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) from Valdosta State. This online ESL master’s degree also imparts an endorsement of English to Speakers of Other Languages for Georgia-certified teachers, school counselors, and speech and language pathologists.

Besides learning the foundations of second language acquisition and teaching English grammar for ESOL, the online ESL master’s degree program provides training in such areas as:

• Assessing ELLs
• Professional development
• Clinical practice
• Applied linguistics

Educators who hold their teacher certification, regardless of the subject matter, should find an ESL program better suited to their needs. Enrollees of this program may opt for part-time or full-time studies to fit their schedules.

You can train to become an athletic director, certified health educator, or corporate trainer with the Master of Arts in Teaching in Education / Health & Physical Education from Valdosta State. This online physical education and coaching master’s degree can also prepare you for positions as a nutrition educator, sports camp director, or wellness coordinator.

The program offers two tracks. Track one benefits those not employed in a P-12 setting. Track two is for those who are working in a P-12 setting. Topics of study for the online physical education and coaching program include the following:

• Special populations and diversity in sport and physical education
• Student teaching in health and physical education
• Nutrition for health and human performance
• Management of physical education programs

Valdosta State University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in Special Education / Deaf & Hard of Hearing Education. This online special education master’s degree imparts assessment skills, instructional strategies, the use of technology, and instruction modification methods.

Graduates of this special education program demonstrate their mastery of the content knowledge by passing the state-required content assessment in deaf education. Potential careers include the following:

• Audiologist
• Behavior specialist
• Camp director
• Early intervention specialist

Furthermore, graduates find success within education as adapted physical education teachers, hard-of-hearing educators, school counselors, and special needs teachers.

You can earn initial teacher certification to work with P-12 students with mild to moderate disabilities through Valdosta State’s Master of Arts in Teaching in Special Education / General Curriculum. This online special education master’s degree focuses on implementing evidence-based interventions that improve the learning and behavior of your students.

The experienced faculty use applied assignments for you to enact in your own classroom. You learn to collect data on your students’ performances to differentiate instruction. Other outcomes of this online special education program include:

• Writing Individualized Education Plans
• Using evidence-based methods of teaching
• Communicating appropriately with others to facilitate collaboration
• Addressing the communication and language issues of students with disabilities

You can pursue a career in teaching adult and career education with the Master of Education in Adult & Career Education from Valdosta State. This online adult education master’s degree prepares graduates to work with adult learners in career education in such contexts as:

• Secondary and postsecondary education
• Private workforce education
• Government agencies

This online adult education master’s degree offers two areas of emphasis—Workforce Education & Development and Career & Technical Education. The online coursework allows flexibility not found in a traditional classroom.

Students learn to use technology in teaching. The program also encourages life-long learning. Candidates can earn their Microsoft Office Specialist Certification to increase their employment chances as well as build confidence in their computer skills.

Educators from a broad range of subject areas and classroom environments can enroll in the online master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction - Accomplished Teaching in order to advance their career goals. Professionals have an opportunity to interact and gain leadership skills through a collaborative online environment.

This degree program is coordinated through the University System of Georgia and offered in partnership through:

• Columbus State University
• Georgia Southern University
• Valdosta State University

You can earn your Tier I Georgia certificate in Educational Leadership with the Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Valdosta State. This online education administration master’s degree provides a comprehensive program of study. Candidates learn such topics as:

• Curriculum development
• Student and program evaluation
• Staff development
• Data analysis

The online education administration program develops your leadership and management abilities. Students engage in collaborative problem-solving, instructional supervision, and problem analysis.

You can become a more proficient teacher with Valdosta State’s Master of Education in Elementary Education. This online elementary education master’s degree provides comprehensive training in early childhood development to increase your effectiveness in teaching P-5.

Through the online elementary education coursework, you gain expertise in child development and learning. Other learning outcomes include the following:

• Develop learning environments to enhance the social, intellectual, physical, and cultural needs of young children
• Create and implement assessments
• Master knowledge in learning, ethics, and law

You can prepare for a professional career in physical education with the Master of Education in Health and Physical Education from Valdosta State. This online program provides a solid foundation to teach those in PreK-12, both in and outside the classroom.

Through coursework and fieldwork, you gain expertise in helping others achieve health and wellness. You have access to such technologies as heart rate monitors, LiveText, pedometers, and various software applications to promote school health and physical education instruction.

This online physical education and coaching degree falls under the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education. The Georgia Professional Standards Commission approves this program.

Graduates qualify for roles in education and beyond. Many find careers in such positions as:

• Certified health educator
• Corporate trainer
• Nutrition instructor
• Sports camp director

Professionals outside of education become IT leaders in business with the Master of Education in Instructional Technology / Non P-12 Technology Applications from Valdosta State. This online instructional design master’s degree provides the knowledge and skills in instructional technology with applications beyond schools.

Besides core courses, students can opt for a guided elective track theme. Within this Non P-12 Technology Applications concentration, you can opt for a track in areas such as multimedia design and production or technology director/leadership.

To develop your knowledge base, you will study the foundations in instructional design and technology. Other topics of study include the following:

• Digital literacy and citizenship
• Instructional design and technology integration
• Creation and management of digital learning environments

You can improve your students’ performance using technology through the Master of Education in Instructional Technology / P-12 Technology Applications. This online instructional design master’s degree trains you to integrate technology in your classroom for better student outcomes.

The knowledge and skills gained through the online instructional design program follow standards set by the following:

• Association for Educational Communications and Technology
• Georgia Professional Standards Commission
• International Society for Technology in Education

You can become a school media specialist with the Master of Education in Instructional Technology / School Library Media from Valdosta State. This online library science master’s degree imparts expertise in IT for school libraries.

Besides participating in an internship, students learn about such topics as:

• Digital literacy and citizenship
• Instructional design and technology integration
• Creation and management of digital learning settings
• Collection development and maintenance

Those who successfully complete this online library science program can pursue the GaPSC Service certification at Level 5 in Media Specialist.

The online M.Ed. in Middle Grades Math and Science degree provides an opportunity for licensed teachers to gain advanced training and further professions. This accredited program is jointly offered through Valdosta State University and the University of North Georgia. Students apply to either school, and faculty from both schools work in partnership to teach courses.

You can prepare to work in academic, public, or special libraries with the Master of Library & Information Science from Valdosta State. This online library science master’s degree blends the disciplines of information technology and traditional library science.

This non-thesis library science program follows a fully online format. The flexibility allows students to continue to work as they earn their degrees. Through the online library science coursework, you will gain expertise in administration, resources for clients, and technical knowledge.

You can choose from an optional track in such areas as:

• Cataloging and classification
• Library management
• Reference sources and services
• Technology

You can gain certification in library media with Valdosta State’s School Library Media Certification. This online library science certification provides opportunities to practice the standards set by the American Association of School Librarians.

Through the online library science coursework, you develop expertise in instructional technology. Topics of study include the following:

• Digital literacy and citizenship
• Instructional design and technology integration
• Creation and management of digital learning environments
• Information resources and services

Explore the human mind and nature of behavior with this online BS in Psychology from Valdosta State. You’ll focus on the factors that influence human behavior and thus, be prepared to work in a variety of industries. Study includes motivation, perception, personality, cognition and learning to name a few. As a fully online program, you can study around your existing work schedule. Coursework samples include:

• Abnormal Psychology
• Statistical Methods in Psychology
• Experimental Psychology
• Industrial/Organizational Psychology