Oct 05, 2024  
National University Volume 86-2 Catalog - September 2023 
    
National University Volume 86-2 Catalog - September 2023 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Education Specialist Degree, EdS


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Education Specialist Degree


Description of Program


The EdS program is designed specifically for professionals who desire continuing education in response to the national and international need for professionals trained to work in diverse organizational settings. This program is tailored for students who aspire to engage in advanced levels of professional practice while increasing leadership and scholarship skills to develop solutions and communicate ideas to diverse stakeholders within a chosen field of study. Each specialization within the EdS prepares students for making informed, ethical decisions and improvements to current educational, organizational, and societal issues.

Please be advised that this program is NOT accredited in Kentucky by the Education Professional Standards Board and is NOT recognized for initial, additional, or renewal of certification or salary enhancement (rank change) for P-12 educators in Kentucky. For more information, please visit the Education Professional Standards Board’s website at http://www.epsb.ky.gov/mod/page/view.php?id=12.

Click here for potential career opportunities within the EdS.

Learning Outcomes


  • Develop skills to support educational practices across diverse instructional and organizational settings
  • Communicate with diverse audiences about educational theories, research, and practices
  • Analyze professional skills, dispositions, and technology options for learning and educating diverse groups
  • Apply evidence-based solutions for addressing educational, organizational, and societal issues
  • Analyze current research, theories, and instructional practices in educational and organizational environments

Basis for Admissions


Admission to the Education Specialist (EdS) program requires a conferred post-baccalaureate master’s degree and/or doctoral degree from a regionally or nationally accredited academic institution or an international institution determined to be equivalent through an approved evaluation service.

Degree Requirements


The EdS Program may be completed in 33 credits. An Academic and Finance Advisor or Enrollment Specialist evaluates each student individually and works with the student to create an academically sound Learning Plan based on prior academics and their professional goals.

The University may accept up to 12 semester credit hours in transfer with a maximum of 9 semester credit hours in transfer eligible toward the specialization courses in the Education Specialist degree for graduate coursework completed at an accredited college or university with a grade of “B” or better. Transfer credit is only awarded for course work that is evaluated to be substantially equivalent in content with the required course work for the EdS program. See the Transfer Credit Policy  for additional information.

Individuals with a previously completed master’s degree will meet the basis of admission to the Education Specialist Program. Students enrolled in the Education Specialist program are required to complete foundations, scholarly writing, specialization courses, and the capstone course with a Grade Point Average of 3.00 (B) or higher.

The Education Specialist (EdS) program emphasizes an applied, project based approach to development of appreciable improvements in the body of educational practice. The EdS attracts individuals who are primarily professionals either at the PK-12 level or the higher education level. (Enrollment managers, superintendents, principals, teacher leaders, and education faculty who primarily teach - not do research, educational consultants, trainers in organizations). The EdS capstone focuses on solving a problem in the workplace or in the professional field of education and results in a “product” or solution. This degree is also intended to help students increase their own workplace Leadership Skills.

Time to Completion


The University allows 5 years to complete all education specialist programs of 33 credits or less.

The median time to completion for this program is 23 months.

Time to completion varies depending upon the pace in which a student completes courses and the number of transfer credits accepted. As most students are working adults, balancing educational, professional, and personal commitments, our academic and finance advisors will work with you to develop a program schedule that works best for your needs.

Students following the preferred schedule designed by the Dean for this program, and applying no transfer credits, can expect to finish in as little as 18 months.

Certification and Licensing


The Sanford College of Education serves educational leaders by providing online graduate studies in education to reach worldwide populations. The EdS program is designed to reach national and international markets and does not purport to provide licensure or certification in any particular state or country.

Course Sequence


The EdS in Education requires two Foundations courses, six Specialization courses, two Research courses, and one Capstone course for a total of 33 credit hours.

Both the Education Specialist (EdS) and Educational Specialist in Educational Leadership (EdS-EdL) require all foundations courses and specialization or core courses be completed prior to students starting the capstone course

Curriculum and Teaching (CT) Specialization


The nature and purpose of the Curriculum and Teaching specialization is to provide teacher -learners the knowledge, skills, and professional competencies that will enhance their instructional practice and leadership. You will have the opportunity to explore, examine, and evaluate contemporary teaching and instructional practices, including the evaluation of broader curriculum programs.

E-Learning (EL) Specialization


This specialization integrates curriculum development, instructional design and course delivery using technology and online learning management systems. The specialization focuses on providing a knowledge base of current research for the planning and implementation of teaching and delivery modalities using instructional design methodologies incorporating educational media.

Early Childhood Education (ECE) Specialization


In this specialization, you will build on your existing knowledge and skills in early childhood education as you focus on advanced practice. This focus will include curriculum, assessment, and program administration that aligns with research on the growth and development of young children. You will also investigate early childhood literacy and literature along with the roles of families, caregivers, schools, and communities as partners in early childhood education. This specialization supports your development as an advanced practitioner in the field of early childhood education.

English Language Learning (ELL) Specialization


The pedagogy of language acquisition is of great importance in not only today’s classrooms, but also the businesses and organizations with which we all interact. The English Language Learning (ELL) specialization in the EdS-Ed program will help you to build on your existing knowledge and skills to improve the teaching, assessment, and curriculum development for ELL programs. The final course offers you the opportunity to consider significant issues in ELL education. Please note that, if you are seeking ELL/ESL certification, you should verify with appropriate state officials that this specialization meets applicable certification requirements.

General Education Specialization


The General Education specialization allows students to select courses from a broad range of electives to fit their personal and professional goals.

Students may take education courses at the 7000 or 9000 level including up to two courses from other fields (Psychology, Technology and/or Business) to fulfill their specialization requirements. Additional courses (i.e., more than two courses) from other disciplines may be considered to fill this requirement, with Dean approval.

Instructional Leadership (IL) Specialization


Leaders are needed to assist school districts and state educational boards with improvement of instructional capacities in our schools. This specialization provides a strong background in the supervision of instruction and the ability to assess and interpret data. The specialization focuses on instructional improvement and reform to enhance student achievement.

International Education and Globalization (IEG) Specialization


The International Education and Globalization specialization focuses on educational phenomena, practices, institutions, and organizations within different societies and cultures. This specialization includes an exploration of international organizations, policies, initiatives, and challenges faced by international and global practitioners. Further, this specialization prepares individuals to apply the concepts of organizational training, development, and leadership to the design, management, and evaluation of programs, institutions, and organizations. Additionally, this specialization will examine issues, challenges, and opportunities related to culture and society; as well as conflict, mediation, and resolution. Finally, this specialization explores the concepts of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in international and global contexts to enhance strategies and policy for practitioners.

Leadership in Higher Education (LHE) Specialization


This specialization prepares you to lead in a variety of higher education institutions. You will examine leadership across different functions, such as student services, strategic planning, and academic program and curriculum development, as well as different types of institutions, such as public, private, for profit, and non-profit. You will also explore the leader’s role in other institutional operations related to legal and financial considerations. 

Organizational Leadership (OL) Specialization


Designed for professionals aspiring towards leadership roles in education, corporate, government, or community organizations, this specialization equips students with the tools necessary to make things happen in any organization. This specialization concentrates on the strategies to forge alliances, build confidence, and inspire a shared vision. This curriculum is grounded in applied research and provides exploration of issues and resolutions in contemporary organizations.

School Safety, Security and Emergency Management (SEM) Specialization


The school safety, security, and emergency management specialization is designed to allow learners to focus on the three areas unique to the specialization title. Students who feel safe and secure at school are better able to learn by engaging with the curriculum, their teachers, and their peers. This specialization offers K-12 professionals and other related emergency management or district management personnel the opportunity to learn about diverse topics such as technologies to manage safety, security, and emergencies; threat assessments of people and facilities; restorative justice, and other alternatives to student discipline; and how to contribute, implement and improve school safety plans. Further, a theoretical underpinning of these issues and the needed response will be examined. Learners will demonstrate their proficiency through a capstone project in the final specialization course.

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Specialization


The Social Emotional Learning (SEL) specialization is focused on mid-career or advanced classroom teachers, school counselors or psychologists, and school/district administrators who desire a more intensive examination of the five core competencies identified by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL): self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision-making, relationship skills, and social awareness. From a practitioner’s perspective, you will examine how these competencies are applied across classrooms, schools, homes, and communities. While individuals outside of the K-12 school context would benefit from the specialization, the courses do use a K-12 lens.

Special Education (SE) Specialization


The program is designed for students who work with gifted and disabled students in a variety of settings. The course offerings in this specialization cover a wide spectrum of issues related to individuals with disabilities, including the development and characteristics of students, learning differences, and instructional strategies to address the needs of these students. Additionally, the specialization will provide the skills to plan, assess, and deliver instruction to students with mental, physical, behavioral, learning disabilities, and the gifted student.

Sport and Athletic Management (SM) Specialization


The Education Specialist degree with a specialization in Sport and Athletic Management provides educators with leadership expertise in this growing field. The program is designed to allow students the ability to increase their understanding of the field of Sport and Athletic Management through practical application and doctoral research on the influences that impact sports and athletics. The program includes a combination of science-based academics, research methods, and real-world experience with an emphasis on the ever-changing financial, legal, political, and marketing concerns within the sports industry.

Trauma-Informed Educational Practices (TRA) Specialization


The education specialist degree will build on fundamental knowledge and skills related to teaching and learning with a focus on specific trauma-informed educational practices. The focus of this degree will extend across various educational settings and populations and further enhance your knowledge of the fundamentals of a trauma-informed approach to education, how trauma manifests in different populations and communities, specific trauma-informed strategies for the classroom, and strengthening resilience among both students and educators.

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