Secondary Education: Specialist in Education (Ed.S.)

Program Description

Teachers holding a clear renewable T-5 teaching certificate with at least three years of teaching experience may apply for admission to the Specialist in Education (Ed.S.) program. Education Specialist candidates develop content and pedagogical expertise as well as seek to influence educational decisions outside their own classrooms. They become increasingly accomplished teachers who display leadership.

Admission Requirements

• GPA of at least 3.0 on all graduate course work at an accredited United States institution in fulfillment of the requirements for a graduate degree
• A clear renewable teaching license or documentation of eligibility for certification (approved program completion and applicable licensure exam scores)
• The successful applicant must not have a criminal record or discharge from the armed services that would prevent recommendation for related teacher certifications
• Minimum of three years of teaching experience

Online Options

Most graduate education classes meet one evening a week, with some offered online.

Career Opportunities

Successful completion of the Ed.S. allows the candidate to apply to upgrade teacher certification to the T-6 level.

Faculty

Content faculty are members of the College of Letters and Sciences.

Requirements for Graduation

Students admitted as candidates for the Specialist in Education degree must satisfactorily complete a planned program of study and a minimum of 30 semester hours of credit. Eleven (11) hours in education core courses and 19 hours in a concentration area (English, mathematics, science, or social science) are required in the program leading to the specialist in education degree. A graduate student’s program, planned cooperatively with an advisor from the College of Education and Health Professions, will emphasize development both in the teaching field and in professional studies.

These requirements must be met for the completion of the EdS degree:

• Students must earn a 3.0 GPA calculated on all graduate work attempted. "Academic Forgiveness" policy does not apply to graduate studies.
• Students cannot graduate with a grade of "C" or below in more than two (2) graduate courses without an appeal to the College of Education and Health Professions Graduate Council.
• A minimum of 24 semester hours required for the degree must be earned in residence (75%). Asynchronous (online) and distance learning courses administered through Columbus State University constitute courses taken in residence.
• A maximum of six (6) semester hours of transfer credit or courses taken at CSU prior to full admission to a specialist degree program may be applied toward the degree. Courses with earned grades of "C" or below are not accepted. Courses must be approved by the major advisor and department chair.
• Students must complete a research project as the culminating experience for the degree.

Program Requirements

The Ed.S. degree requirements are located in the academic catalog.

Accreditation

Educator Preparation at Columbus State University is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

The Georgia Professional Standards Commission approves all Columbus State University educator preparation programs that lead to initial certification in teaching, school library media, counseling and educational leadership.

Additional Information

For additional information about the program and admission at CSU, contact Dr. Elizabeth Hipps at (706) 568-5092 or email hipps_elizabeth@columbusstate.edu. You can read about additional information and policies such as graduate student classifications, transferring credit, readmission requirements and international students.

Graduate Academic Regulations
Registration Graduate Assistantships Study Loads Class Attendance and Withdrawal Grades and Grade Point Averages	Course Eligibility Repetition of Courses Academic Misconduct Academic Standing Residence and Time Limits Graduation
Graduate Admission
General Requirements Classification of Students Transfer Credit	Readmission Requirements International Students Residency Requirements