Educational Specialist (Ed.S.)
Special Education General Curriculum
Program Highlights & Benefits
Synchronous online format for flexibility and convenience
20 month completion time, including breaks
No GRE or admission tests
No weekend classes
For
Candidates admitted to the Ed. S. degree in Special Education General Curriculum must hold a Master’s degree and possess a Georgia professional T-5 or higher certificate (or comparable professional certificate from another state) and have at least 1 year certified teaching experience.
The goal of the EdS in Special Education is to prepare educators in the field of special education who serve as educational agency (i.e., school-building, school district, RESA, state department) leaders of special education programs, and who provide instruction or instructional support to all students in grades P-12, including those with disabilities whose individual education plan indicates instruction using the general statewide assessments.
How You Learn
This program is available in synchronous online format.
Synchronous Online Option: This is a fully online cohort. For five nights out of each 8-week course, an online class session will be held from 5:45 to 8:45 p.m. during which you are required to sign in and actively participate. These synchronous online class meetings will be supplemented by additional online activities which may include assignments, webinars or chats, materials, discussion threads, assessments and/or group activities completed electronically outside of class. Following this schedule, you will complete the program in less than 2 years.
*Admission to graduate programs at Thomas University is determined by reviewing a combination of factors including the candidate’s GPA, references, work experience and statement of purpose. Additional documents and/or interview may be requested as part of the admission process. The GPA will be considered in context of the cumulative GPA for that bachelor’s degree, work experience, relevant credentials, other undergraduate and graduate course work, the strength of the student’s personal and professional goal statements, reference letters, and academic history. Applicants may be required to take a three (3) credit hour writing course and/or additional requirements as deemed appropriate by the Division. Applicants with a cumulative GPA lower than 2.75 may be considered for admission by the prospective graduate division. Consult with your admission representative.
Career Outcomes
The goal of the EdS in Special Education is to prepare educators in the field of special education who serve as educational agency (i.e., school-building, school district, RESA, state department) leaders of special education programs, and who provide instruction or instructional support to all students in grades P-12, including those with disabilities whose individual education plan indicates instruction using the general statewide assessments.
Candidates who successfully complete this program and other requirements of the state certification agency (PSC) may be eligible for Georgia Level 6 certification. Teachers with certification in this area are infield to teach students in grades P-12 with disabilities who receive instruction using the general education curriculum and participate in the general statewide assessment, as well as students in special education preschool (ages 3-5 years).
Degree Requirements
| Course # | Title | Hours |
| RSC 600 | Introduction to Graduate Programs | 3 |
| EDU 604 | Observation and Analysis | 3 |
| EDU 611 | Leading the Professional Learning Community | 3 |
| EDU 615 | Educational Law | 3 |
| EDU 617 | Using Data to Improve Schools | 3 |
| EDU 618 | Building Collaborative Teams | 3 |
| EDU 619 | Action Research for Teacher Leaders | 3 |
| EDU 638 | Improving Colleagues Communication w/ Families and Community | 3 |
| EDU 651 | Education Policies in Special Education | 3 |
| EDU 652 | Advocacy and Leadership in SPED | 3 |
| EDU 653 | Critical Analysis of Special Education Literature | 3 |
| EDU 699 | Advanced Candidate Program Completion | .5 |
| Total Hours: | 33.5 |
Please Note:
This course outline is tentative and is subject to change. Courses may be offered in a different order than outlined above.
Admissions Requirements
- Be currently employed in a full-time position in a PK-12 school. Under special circumstances a student may be considered for admissions who is not employed in a full-time PK-12 position. The admissions decision rests with the Program Director of the program for which the applicant is applying.
- Must have a master’s degree in a relevant field from a regionally accredited college or University.
- Report a minimum GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale from their bachelor’s degree or undergraduate coursework and in any other graduate course work. Applicants with a GPA lower than 2.75 may be considered for provisional admission by the respective Graduate Council. Any candidate provisionally admitted may be required to take a 3-credit hour writing course, and other requirements may be prescribed by the Division and/or Graduate Council.
- All applicants must have 1 year of teaching experience and a full-time position in a PK-12 school.
- Required program of study courses submitted for transfer credit older than 5 years will be reviewed by the Program Director or Division Chair for acceptance of transfer credit.
Along with proof of the above criteria, teachers are required to submit the following along with their application for Graduate Admissions:
- A personal statement of career and educational objectives (maximum two pages). Prospective candidates must explain any extenuating circumstances which may have had an adverse impact on previous academic performance. Additionally, applicants must explain the circumstances surrounding any ethics reprimand on their certificates and/or a GPA below 2.75.
- Official transcripts from all institutions where a degree was awarded and all institutions where graduate coursework was completed, even if a degree was not awarded attended, to be forwarded directly to the Office of Admissions from the schools attended.
- Three professional or academic references (2 colleagues and 1 administrator/supervisor).
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