Education Specialist, Ed.S.

The Educational Specialist Degree in Elementary Education is a 36-42 semester hour program designed to meet the needs of educational professionals seeking a higher level of licensure and a more in-depth knowledge about best practices, research, teaching/learning, and curriculum & instructional improvement in elementary education. This degree builds on an existing Class AA License in elementary education. Problem-solving, research, and writing are integrated with the coursework, in order to foster technology integration, constant reflection, and data-driven assessment.

There is an option for the candidate with a 4-8 alternate route license to add-on the K-6 license.

The Specialist degree program in Educational Leadership program offers an in-depth review of teaching/learning, technology integration, assessment, statistics, educational diversity, law, public policy, curriculum development, and leadership development. Coursework is combined with internship experiences in the educational setting in order to foster problem solving and theoretical application alongside mentors who are practicing school leaders. Reflective seminars are facilitated by university professors to provide for purposeful collaboration with cohort members.

Two program tracks are available in the Ed.S. in Educational Leadership program. Candidates can choose either track:

• K-12 Administration
• Curriculum and Instruction

The K-12 Administration Ed.S. track prepares you with competences for meeting the SLLA standards, such as:

• Setting a widely shared vision for learning
• Developing a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth
• Ensuring effective management of the organization, operation and resources for a safe, efficient and effective learning environment
• Collaborating with faculty and community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs, and mobilizing community resources
• Acting with integrity and fairness in an ethical manner
• Understanding, responding to and influencing the political, social, legal and cultural contexts

Upon completion of Curriculum & Instruction Ed.S. program, students will be able to:

• Support learning for a diverse student population through the use of technology
• Demonstrate knowledge of trends and issues in education to promote social change and make a positive impact in the school and the community
• Evaluate, measure and assess effective instructional practices and curriculum development strategies
• Utilize data-driven assessments to promote continuous improvement in learning and teaching

Graduates of the Ed.S. in Educational Leadership must pass the School Leaders Licensure Assessment (SLLA), before they can apply for the Class AAA License in Administration.

Courses are also available to candidates in two delivery methods: traditional or online (MC7).

Traditional Program Option

Coursework and internship experiences for both tracks of the Ed.S. are offered during a traditional semester: Fall, Spring, and Summer. Courses are offered on a rotating basis and advisors work closely with candidates to maximize time spent in completion of the program of study.

MC7 Online Program Option

With the launch of the MC7 online delivery system in Summer 2018, both tracks of Ed.S. courses are arranged in a specific sequence and are offered in six (6), 7-week terms which correspond with the fall (fall term 1 & 2), spring (spring term 1 & 2), and summer (summer term 1 & 2) semesters. The MC7 course rotation has been constructed to allow candidates who are full time (typically 2 classes per 7-week term) to complete their coursework in 12 months. For those students choosing part time (typically 1 class per 7-week term), the coursework can be completed in 24 months.

For additional information regarding the MC7 online program option including the course descriptions and rotation, please use the link provided below.

Ed.S. in Educational Leadership Online Track Options: