Special Education, Ed.S.

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The EDS-SPED degree is designed to meet the needs of teachers certified in Special Education who have completed a master’s degree in special education. The program consists of a minimum of 27 graduate credit hours, including an Exit Examination and Research Project. Students who do not have a master’s degree in special education may qualify for entrance to the program through the completion of two 3-credit hour prerequisite courses, or proof of a minimum of three years of full-time experience as a special educator or school-based experience as a speech-language pathologist. In this program, candidates will be required to read, write, and research the major topics in Special Education. Candidates enroll in 15 hours of 7000 and 8000 level special education Content Specialization courses, and 12 hours of special education research. Most of the required courses include a designated artifact that is utilized as a part of the assessment plan for each candidate. Students may begin the program any semester. During the initial advising session, a projected sequence of courses is developed for each student. Any changes in the projected sequence need to be determined jointly between student and advisor in order for the student to be able to complete the program in a timely manner.

Degree Requirements

The program has been designed to meet the needs of individuals who wish to obtain advanced training in Special Education.

Applicants with a Master’s degree in special education must:

Provide proof of a Master’s degree in special education from an accredited institution.

Present a cumulative 3.0 (4.0 scale) grade point average or higher on the last graduate degree earned.

Present a clear and renewable T-5 teaching certificate in special education or service certificate in speech-language pathology.

Document 2 or more years of successful experience as a special education teacher, collaborative teacher working directly with students with disabilities, or speech-language pathologist in the school setting.

Applicants without a Master’s degree in special education must:

Provide proof of a Master’s degree in education from an accredited institution.

Present a cumulative 3.0 (4.0 scale) grade point average or higher on the last graduate degree earned.

Present a clear and renewable T-5 teaching certificate in special education or service certificate in speech-language pathology.

Document 2 or more years of successful experience as a special education teacher.

Submit a personal statement of purpose, not to exceed 300 words, that identifies the applicant’s reasons for pursuing graduate study.

Complete two of the following prerequisite courses: SPED 6701, SPED 6709, SPED 6715, SPED 6721, SPED 6766, and SPED 6776; or provide proof of a minimum of three years of full-time experience as a special educator or school-based experience as a speech-language pathologist.

All out-of-state students must verify with their local certification agency to determine if sought after degree will result in a certification upgrade.

The courses and experiences of the Ed.S. program require a minimum of 27 semester hours. See Area of Special Education advisors for specific program sheets and development of a program of study.

Program Areas and Requirements

Content Specialization (15 semester hours)

SPED 7701 - Program Planning and Evaluation 3 Credit Hours
SPED 7704 - Leadership and Administration of Special Education Programs 3 Credit Hours
SPED 7729 - Special Education Law 3 Credit Hours
SPED 8704 - Multicultural Issues in Education 3 Credit Hours
SPED 8771 - Curriculum Design and Implementation 3 Credit Hours

Research (12 semester hours)

SPED 7782 - Directed Research Readings in Special Education 4 Credit Hours
SPED 8783 - Readings in Research 4 Credit Hours
SPED 8784 - Research Seminar 4 Credit Hours

Comprehensive Exam (0 credit hours)

SPED 8795 - Comprehensive Exam for the Specialist of Education: Special Education 0 Credit Hours