Educational Psychology
Self-paced online Educational Psychology course (Psychology 120). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
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Paraprofessional to teacher in Georgia: GaTAPP needs a bachelor's
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
Going from paraprofessional to teacher in Georgia usually means finishing a bachelor's degree first. GaTAPP, Georgia's alternative route, admits candidates with at least a bachelor's from a GaPSC-accepted accredited institution (Rule 505-3-.05), with a field exception for CTAE. The 60 hours you used for your paraprofessional license can be the first half of that degree.
Why the bachelor's comes first
A paraprofessional license needs an associate degree, 60 semester hours or a test pass. A teaching certificate needs much more. GaTAPP, the Georgia Teacher Academy for Preparation and Pedagogy, is the main alternative route for people already working in schools, and Rule 505-3-.05 says admitted candidates must hold a minimum of a bachelor's degree from a GaPSC-accepted accredited institution. Career, technical and agricultural education (CTAE) fields have their own field-specific rules on GaPSC's site.
So for most aides the order is: paraprofessional license, then bachelor's, then a preparation route such as GaTAPP or a traditional programme.
How your paraprofessional hours carry forward
If you met the license rule with 60 semester hours, you may already be about halfway to a bachelor's. How much carries forward depends on the college that will grant the degree. It reviews each course and decides where it fits.
If you met the rule with the GACE test, you are starting the degree from the beginning, but you still have classroom experience, which helps once you reach a preparation programme.
| Starting point | Typical remaining hours for a bachelor's | First step |
|---|---|---|
| Associate degree | About 60 | Ask a college to review your associate |
| 60 scattered hours | About 60, depending on fit | Ask one college for a written review |
| GACE pass only | About 120 | Start with the college core |
Which subjects to take early
Most bachelor's degrees begin with the same core subjects. Starting there keeps your options open while you decide on a major.
- English Composition 1 and 2
- College Algebra
- Introduction to Psychology and Educational Psychology
- US History 1
- Introduction to Sociology
Working full time while you study
Aides work school hours, which leaves evenings, weekends and summers. Self-paced online courses suit that pattern because there is no fixed class time. A steady plan of one course a month during term and two in summer adds up to roughly 30 credits a year.
Keep one email thread with your college advisor, and ask for a written plan that shows which of your courses count and what remains. Update it each term.
Where UPI Study fits
UPI Study courses are ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended and reach a college via a college transcript. They can help with the core of a bachelor's if the college that grants your degree reviews them and places them on its own transcript. UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited, and we do not offer teacher preparation or GaTAPP.
TESU, UoPeople and Newlane are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit; check their transfer pages, and ask GaPSC or your preparation programme whether a degree from them meets the accreditation rule before you choose.
Questions to ask before you enrol
Three written answers save the most time: from the college, which of your current credits count toward its bachelor's; from the college, which outside courses it will review; and from your district or a GaTAPP provider, what it needs for admission in your subject. GPA and subject requirements vary by field, so check GaPSC's field-specific pages for yours.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask your district's HR office in writing which route and transcript it will use for your paraprofessional license, and ask the college in writing which outside courses it will review, before you enrol.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. ACE and NCCRS review our courses and recommend credit; a college decides whether to give that credit and records it on its own transcript.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
Questions people ask
Can I enter GaTAPP with an associate degree?
For most fields, no. Rule 505-3-.05 requires a minimum of a bachelor's degree from a GaPSC-accepted accredited institution. GaPSC lists a field-specific exception for CTAE; check its site for the fields covered and their requirements.
Will my paraprofessional experience count toward a teaching certificate?
Experience helps with job offers and with the classroom part of preparation programmes, but it does not replace the bachelor's degree. Ask a GaTAPP provider or college of education how it treats paraprofessional experience in your field.
How long does a bachelor's take for a working aide?
It depends on where you start. With an associate degree or 60 counting hours, about 60 more hours remain. At roughly 30 credits a year, that is about two years; more in summer can shorten it.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
English Composition 2
Self-paced online English Composition 2 course (ENG 102). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
US History 1
Self-paced online US History 1 course (HIST 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →Start when you have it in writing
Composition, algebra, psychology and history are all on PRO. Check with your district and college first.
Sources
- GaPSC Rule 505-2-.18 Paraprofessional License (effective July 1, 2020) (official)Three routes: associate degree or higher; two years of college coursework (60 semester hours) above remedial level with a C or better at a GaPSC-accepted accredited institution; or a pass on the GACE Paraprofessional Assessment plus a high school diploma or GED. Requested by the employing LUA under Rule 505-2-.27. Valid 5 years. Renewal under Rule 505-2-.36 while employed as a paraprofessional. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 505-3-.05: Georgia Teacher Academy for Preparation and Pedagogy (GaTAPP)GaTAPP candidates must hold a minimum of a bachelor's degree from a GaPSC-accepted accredited institution, with a field-specific exception for CTAE. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.