Gifted and Talented Education Certificate
Welcome to our gifted and talented certificate program, designed to empower undergraduate teacher leaders and graduate students in North Carolina and beyond. Our program is dedicated to equipping educators with the tools and expertise to support the needs of all gifted and talented students. Through comprehensive training, participants learn to dismantle barriers within gifted programming, create equitable identification systems, and cultivate inclusive learning environments. Our mission is to foster a community of educators committed to promoting fairness, understanding, and inclusivity in education. Join us in making a meaningful impact on the landscape of gifted education in North Carolina and beyond.
Contact Us
Academically and Intellectually Gifted Faculty
Dr. Angela Novak
Associate Professor
LSSE
novaka17@ecu.edu
252-328-6649
How is this certificate related to other education programs?
- The Bachelor of Science degree offers a concentration in AIG which includes all 4 of the GIFT certificate courses. This certificate enables students to graduate with a certificate in addition to the concentration, as the add-on to the professional educator’s licensure through the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NC DPI) is only available once students complete their Beginning Teacher years of service, assuming they meet all requirements.
- There is also a non-degree post-baccalaureate teaching certificate (PBTC) opportunity in which educators can pursue the GIFT certificate at the undergraduate level (lower cost point than graduate courses) and earn their add-on licensure on their professional educator’s licensure through NCDPI. This certificate feeds into this program with the same benefit; however, the certificate does not require an active teaching licensure. Those that earn the certificate but do not have a professional educator’s license will not qualify for the add-on through NC DPI.
- The MAEd offers a concentration in AIG which includes 3 of the GIFT courses. MAEd students elect to add the fourth course to earn the certificate through ECU and add-on through DPI. Courses that overlap the MAEd and certificate/add-on are counted for both programs.
Course Work
It’s not too late! Have you already taken some or all of the GIFT courses? You can still apply for the certificates and complete the final courses! Current degree-seeking graduate students can submit a request to add a new certificate, current GNDS add-on and returning students, submit a new application for a certificate. PBTC process is coming soon!
Undergraduate: Required courses
- GIFT 4000 Diverse Gifted and Talented Children
- GIFT 4100 Foundations of Gifted and Talented Education
- GIFT 4200 Instructional Practices in Gifted and Talented Education
- GIFT 4300 Creativity, Critical Thinking, and Problem Solving in Gifted and Talented Education
Optional: GIFT 4400 (Special Topics in Gifted and Talented Education) can replace one required course with advance approval of Dr. Novak.
Graduate: Required courses
- GIFT 6000 Diverse Gifted and Talented Children
- GIFT 6100 Foundations of Gifted and Talented Education
- GIFT 6200 Instructional Practices in Gifted and Talented Education
- GIFT 6300 Creativity, Critical Thinking, and Problem Solving in Gifted and Talented Education
Optional: GIFT 6400 (Special Topics in Gifted and Talented Education) or EDUC 6400 (Critical Race Studies in Education) can replace one required course with advance approval of Dr. Novak.
| 2023-24 Undergraduate Tuition & Fees | 2023-24 Graduate Tuition & Fees |
|---|---|
| Resident (in-state): $204.79 per credit hour | Resident (in-state): $289.55 per credit hour |
| Non-resident (out-of-state): $883 per credit hour | Non-resident (out-of-state): $1,020.05 per credit hour |
Fixed tuition rate for eligible North Carolina residents is $169.69 per credit hour
Both the undergraduate and graduate certificates require 15 credit hours to complete.
Note: Tuition rates are subject to change; see the ECU Cashier’s Office website for additional details. Students are able to apply for and use financial aid for graduate certificates, but not undergraduate certificates.
View course descriptions on the Office of the Registrar’s University Catalogs website. 4000-level courses can be found in the undergraduate catalog and 6000-level courses are in the graduate catalog.
Eligibility for Professional Licenses
Undergraduate
After Post-Baccalaureate (PBTC) students successfully (complete with a C or better) take the four GIFT courses (GIFT 4000-4300) and if they hold a professional educator’s teaching license, they are eligible to apply to NC DPI for the Academically and Intellectually Gifted (AIG) add-on to this teaching license at the A level. When undergraduates successfully complete their Beginning Teaching experience after they graduate college and clear their provisional licensure, they can apply to NC DPI for their AIG add-on, if they successfully completed (with a C or better) the four GIFT courses (GIFT 4000-4300) at the same time as they apply for their professional educator’s license at the A-level.
Graduate
After graduate students successfully complete four courses (complete with a C or better) in gifted education (GIFT 6000-6300) and if they hold a NC professional educator’s teaching license at the M-level, they are eligible to apply to NC DPI for the Academically and Intellectually Gifted (AIG) add-on to their professional educator’s teaching license with ECU’s recommendation at the M-level.