Undergraduate Election Administration Certificate

Elections are an essential public service in a representative democracy. Over 8,000 election officials and more than 100,000 poll workers administer elections in the United States (National Conference of State Legislatures). While state and local governments provide training for these election administrators, Georgia College & State University is the only academic institution in the state of Georgia—and one of the few in the United States—to offer academic certificates in election administration.

Through its undergraduate and graduate election administration certificates, the Department of Government and Sociology at Georgia College aims to encourage public service careers in elections and to contribute to the critical need for professional development in the field of election administration. Courses examine the administrative, political, and legal issues that surround election administration and require students to apply their coursework through internships at the undergraduate level and through internships or independent research at the graduate level.

Georgia College’s undergraduate election administration certificate will prepare students for the election administrative environment and encourage public service in election administration.

Georgia College’s undergraduate election administration certificate includes a selection of courses that examine the constitutional, legal, political, and administrative environment of American elections. In addition, the certificate provides a transformative learning experience by requiring students to participate in the administration of elections through internships with local or state governments.

Certificate Requirements