Education Specialist Degree Programs
The Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degree program is an advanced graduate program that provides students an area of educational specialization with emphasis on practice. Ed.S. programs are offered in these major areas: Administration and Supervision, Guidance and Counselor Education, and Curriculum and Instruction.
Education Specialist Program Areas
Administration and Supervision: The Department of Educational Leadership offers the Education Specialist degree. Patterns of study are available that enable advanced graduate students to fulfill individual career goals, be they licensure for advanced administrative positions in public and private schools district administrator, vocational director, administrative specialist, and/or building administrator; or in the area of organizational leadership. Details concerning these programs, the coursework and the requirements for admission and graduation may be obtained from the Department of Educational Leadership.
Guidance and Counselor Education: The Department of Counselor and Human Services Education offers the Education Specialist Degree program in two areas of concentration: Counseling and School Psychology. The Counseling program is highly individualized and offers the counselor the opportunity for advanced study and training in specialized areas of interest. In addition, the student may receive advanced clinical training in diagnosis, individual, group, or family clinical counseling. This program meets the educational requirements for licensure through the State of Ohio as a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC). The School Psychology program is designed to meet the sixth- year requirement toward basic certification for those students enrolled in the program. It also provides the opportunity for school psychologists to develop an individual program for advanced study and training. After completing the Master's degree, typically students decide to pursue either the Ed.S. or doctoral degree. The Educational Specialist Degree course work is not transferable to the doctoral program and therefore the Ed.S. is considered to be a terminal degree. Details concerning these programs may be obtained from the chairperson of the Department of Counselor and Human Services Education.
Curriculum and Instruction: The Education Specialist degree in Curriculum and Instruction is designed to meet the needs of persons involved with the curriculum, teaching and supervision aspects of discipline-centered areas of study. The degree will satisfy requests from teachers and supervisors who want an education beyond the Master's degree as a specialist but who are not interested in a doctoral degree. The particular areas represented are Educational Technology, Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education, Secondary Education, Special Education and Vocational Education. For the program and requirements of a specific area, contact the department chairperson.
Admission to Ed.S. Programs
General admission requirement for the Ed.S. programs include:
1. A Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.
2. Completion of a
Master's degree from an accredited institution with a minimum GPA of 3.0 (4.0 scale).
General Requirements for the Ed.S. Program1. The completion of a minimum of 32 semester hours of approved graduate coursework beyond the master's level with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
2.All coursework for the Ed.S. must be taken within a six-year period preceding the date the degree is awarded.
3.Most programs require the completion of a capstone experience, which may include field experiences, internships, projects, etc.
4.No more than six semester hours of credit from workshops and independent study may apply to the degree.
5.Each student is required to develop a plan of study with his/her adviser that specifies the coursework that must be completed to fulfill degree requirements. This plan must be filed prior to the completion of 15 hours and must be approved by the adviser, the Associate Dean of the College of Education and Allied Professions and the Associate Dean of the Graduate School. Forms are available in the college's Student Services Center.