Apr 23, 2024  
2023-2024 Graduate Catalog 
    
2023-2024 Graduate Catalog

Curriculum and Instruction, Ed.S.


College: Education

Concentrations:

  • Counselor Education*
  • Elementary Education
  • Higher Education, Administration*
  • Instructional Technology
  • Mathematics Education
  • Measurement and Evaluation
  • Reading-Language Arts Education
  • School Psychology
  • Special Education
  • Vocational Education*

Note – not all concentrations are available to begin every semester. Prior to submitting the admission application, check with the Graduate Director to confirm if the concentration of interest is available.

*These concentrations are only available to students already in them.

 


The Ed.S. degree is designed to provide professional educators with an opportunity to develop competencies in areas of special needs and interests. Consequently, the major has few required courses, and each student’s program of study is individually planned in consultation with a graduate faculty committee.

Admission Information

Must meet University Admission and English Proficiency requirements as well as requirements for admission to the major.

  • Students are considered for this degree on a case-by-case basis.  Please contact the Graduate Coordinator prior to applying.
  • The School Psychology Concentration only starts in the fall.  This is a limited access program, which means that only a limited number of students are accepted each year.

A complete application includes the following:

  • Have a master’s, or equivalent, from an accredited college or university.
  • GRE scores (Note: Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical Writing scores are required).
  • Statement of professional goals. In a 2-3 page statement, explain your immediate, intermediate, and long term goals as well as your research interests. Professional goals and research interests must be compatible with the relevant concentration area.
  • Three letters of recommendation from professionals who are familiar with your scholarship and work history.
  • Provide evidence of at least three years of successful work experience in relevant professional roles.
  • Participate in an oral interview with two or more faculty members.
  • Demonstrate the ability to write professionally by submitting a scholarly paper completed as part of your prior course work.  Or May be required to demonstrate the ability to write professionally by submitting a spontaneous writing sample at the time of the interview.
  • Receive endorsement by the majority of tenured and tenure-earning faculty members in the department.
  • If invited for an interview, present self professionally in an oral interview with two or more faculty members and graduate students.

 

Curriculum Requirements


Total Minimum Hours - 30 Credit Hours Minimum

  • Core - 7 Credit Hours
  • Concentration - 18 Credit Hours Minimum
  • Thesis/Project - 2 Credit Hours Minimum
  • Remaining hours needed to get to the total minimum hours are selected with the Graduate Director.

Note: Students may be required to take additional hours depending on the course of study, and/or academic deficiencies.  Courses at the 5000 level are inappropriate; and a minimum of 15 hours should be taken at the 7000 level.

 

Concentration Requirements (18 Credit Hours Minimum)


Students must select on of the concentrations below:

Counselor Education Concentration (26 Credit Hours)


Designed to provide professional counselors with an opportunity to develop competencies in areas of special needs and interests. Consequently, each student’s program is individually planned in consultation with a faculty advisor.

This concentration is only available to students already in the concentration.

Elementary Education Concentration (18 Credit Hours Minimum)


Prepares in-school leaders with expertise in instruction and program development in a variety of educational settings.

Higher Education, Administration Concentration (18 Credit Hours)


The Ed.S. in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Higher Education Administration is an applied, advanced professional degree that prepares individuals with research-based knowledge and skills for leadership positions in both community colleges and universities.

This concentration is only available to students already in the concentration.

Students complete 18 credit hours selected from the following courses:

Instructional Technology Concentration (27 Credit Hours)


Designed to prepare students for leadership in technology related positions.  Courses include an array of topics including instructional design, distance learning, authoring, instructional graphics, and project management.

Mathematics Education Concentration (21 Credit Hours)


Prepares specialists for classroom instruction or leadership/supervisory roles.

The following courses are required:

Measurement and Evaluation Concentration (18 Credit Hours)


Prepares practitioners and teachers for the broad field of Adult Education. This includes public and proprietary schools, and non-school based settings such as business and industry, the professional associations, community agencies, and governmental units.

This Concentration is individually planned with an advisor to include coursework in systematic planning, test development, program evaluations, research design, and statistical analysis.

Reading-Language Arts Education Concentration (18 Credit Hours Minimum)


Prepares leaders in the field of literacy. The curriculum is designed to promote expertise in literacy research, theory, and practice. Emphasizes a critical analysis of reading policy and the need for applied, community-based research. The concentration extends students’ research and analysis skills so they may conduct program evaluations to guide classroom practice and school-based reform.

Each student will select one particular focus within literacy (e.g. Adolescent & Adult Literacy, Early Childhood Literacy, Elementary Literacy, Literacy and the Arts, Literature in Education, Literacy Policy, Multimedia Navigation and Composition, Reading Processes and Assessment). The student works with a faculty committee to develop his or her particular program of study from the literacy courses below. Other graduate courses related to the area may be approved by the Graduate Director.

Special Education Concentration (18 Credit Hours)


The Special Education Concentration is granted on the demonstration of respect for diversity, scholarship, effective teaching in the teacher education program, skills in systems collaboration, and the ability to do research culminating in a comprehensive examination and a thesis/project. The program focuses on urban special education, special education policy, and university-school partnerships in preparing researchers, teacher educators and educational leaders.

Vocational Education Concentration (18 Credit Hours)


The Ed.S. in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Vocational Education is an applied, advanced professional degree that prepares individuals with research-based knowledge and skills for leadership positions in educational settings that educate, sustain and develop the current and future workforce.

This concentration is only available to students already in the concentration.

Students complete 18 credit hours from the following courses:

Electives (9 Credit Hours)


Graduate level elective courses (9 credit hours) are chosen based upon the student’s individual needs and are approved by the Graduate Advisor.  For some concentrations electives are selected form a set list related to the Concentration.

Students in the Instructional Technology Concentration must select their electives from teh following list:

Comprehensive Exam


After completion of the program of study and the thesis/project, an Ed.S. oral or written comprehensive examination is required. The Examination will evaluate the student’s competence in applying skills and knowledge consistent with the original program goals. Each Ed.S. Supervisory Committee is responsible for developing and administering the examination. it is the responsibility of the Major Professor to ensure that this process proceeds in due course.

Students must be enrolled for a minimum of two thesis or project hours in the semester in which the comprehensive examination is taken. The Major Professor must submit the results of the comprehensive examination using the Verification of of Ed.S. Comprehensive Exam Results form. The verification of results form is to be submitted to the Graduate Support Office (EDU 320) no later than the deadline for submission of term grades in the semester in which the student plans to graduate, in order for the student to meet graduation requirements for that semester.

Tests or Examinations


Students in the School Psychology Concentration must complete the General Knowledge Exam prior to internship. It is recommended that students take both the General Knowledge Examination and the Professional Education Examination (required for degree completion) at the same time. Both of these requirements should be completed as a part of the Ed.S. Degree. Students are also required to take and pass the FTCE School Psychology subject area exam and the National Association of School Psychology Certification Exam (PRAXIS) during the internship year, prior to graduation.

Thesis/Project (2 Credit Hours Minimum)


The student is required to plan and successfully complete an individual thesis or project. The purpose is to provide an opportunity for the student to apply knowledge gained in the major to the resolution of significant needs arising from professional practice. Students are required to enroll for a minimum of two (2) credit hours in the thesis or project course each semester while working on the Ed.S. thesis or project, including the semester in which the thesis or project is submitted to the College Associate Dean for Academic Affairs or the Office of Graduate Studies (School Psychology students). Students must have an oral defense of the project/thesis with their project/thesis supervisory committee. Individual concentrations may have additional requirements. For more information contact the department offering the major/concentration.

Oral defense of the thesis/project

 

Remaining Hours


Remaining hours needed to meet the minimum for the degree are selected in consultation with the Grad Director.  Typically, students take additional thesis or project hours.