Academically Gifted Certification Program

Teachers who work with academically gifted students have a life-long passion for learning. At the University of New Orleans, we understand the unique skills required to serve this population. The Academically Gifted Certification Program offers teachers the opportunity to complete state approved courses required for add-on certification in Academically Gifted.

There are two paths to Academically Gifted Certification: (1) add-on OR (2) M.Ed.

The Add-on Certification is Right for You if:

You already have a Master’s degree
Are certified to teach in Louisiana
Have some experience with academically gifted students
Need a flexible schedule to fit into your busy life
Want to work at your own pace
Want the flexibility of an online certification

Have Questions?

Paul Bole, Ph.D.
Professor and Graduate Coordinator

The M.Ed. with a Concentration in Academically Gifted is Right for you if:

You want to earn a Master’s degree andadd-on certification in Academically Gifted simultaneously
Are certified to teach in Louisiana
Have limited experience with academically gifted students
Want the flexibility of an online Master's degree and certification in Academically Gifted

UNO Courses that Align with State Requirements

LA Department of Education Requirements	UNO Equivalent course
Characteristics/Study of Gifted Individuals	EDSP 5510 Introduction to the Gifted and Talented (offered Fall semesters)
Methods of Teaching the Gifted	EDSP 6540 Educational Strategies for the Gifted and Talented (offered Spring semesters)
Social and Emotional Needs of the Gifted	EDSP 6510 Social and Emotional Needs of the Gifted (offered Spring semesters)
Creativity and Problem Solving OR Curriculum Development	EDSP 6530 Creativity and Problem Solving (offered Summer semesters)
Educational Technology	EDSP 6964 Education Technology (offered Summer semester only)
Practicum, Internship, or three years of successful teaching in academically gifted	EDSP 6950 Practicum or EDSP 6963 Internship (can be arranged for Fall and Spring semesters only)

Click here for a full list of add-on certifications

Important Information

To be eligible for the State to issue an add-on certification in Academically Gifted, endorsement seekers must hold (1) a regular full Louisiana teacher certification AND (2) a master’s degree
Practicum placements require candidates to work with gifted students
The Louisiana Department of Education issues endorsement upon receipt of all required materials submitted by the student. This includes any required PRAXIS examination scores and transcript(s) of the above required course work that meets the Louisiana requirements for that add-on certification/endorsement area. More information from the State Department of Education can be found here.
Courses listed above may not be applicable to other degree programs (e.g. the Master’s of Arts in Teaching)