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

Program Description

The Ed.S. program in Special Education at Columbus State University provides advanced professional and pedagogical studies that develop expertise in the knowledge, skills, and habits of accomplished teachers. Candidates choose to complete a specialization in either Special Education Administration or Adaptive/assistive Technology Services.

The Ed.S. candidate develops expertise in studies of content, pedagogy, research, reading, and psychological foundations.  Programs develop the knowledge and skills reflected in the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) propositions.

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements for regular admission to the Ed.S. degree program are as follows:

• A graduate degree from an accredited college or university in a major related to the planned field of study;
• Possess or be eligible for a Georgia Professional Level Five Teaching Certificate (or equivalent) in Special Education;
• Present a 3.00 GPA or higher on all prior graduate work attempted;
• Provide two letters of reference attesting to a high level of professional skills;
• Satisfactory scores on the verbal subtest and either the quantitative or analytical subtest of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), or a valid renewable teaching license at the T-5 level;
• Successfully complete a formal interview with special education faculty with a recommendation for admission;
• Additional admission criteria may be applied at the department level.  Admission decisions are appealable to the College of Education Graduate Appeals Committee.

Online Options

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

Career Opportunities

The Ed.S. program is designed for teachers and other leaders who want to influence practice outside of the immediate classroom or school system. The degree leads to certification at the sixth year level.

Faculty

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. Six (6) to eleven (11) hours in education core courses are required in each program leading to the specialist in education degree. A graduate student’s program, planned cooperatively with an advisor from the College of Education, 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 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.

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 also 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