ED.S.
All applicants to the Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) program are required to make application to the Graduate School and to the Special Education program within the Department of Communication Sciences and Special Education (CSSE).
Ed.S. Initial Admission Requirements:
1. A master’s degree in special education or closely related field
2. At least 1 year of post-baccalaureate applied work with individuals with special needs
3. A minimum GPA of 3.3 (on a 4-point scale)
4. A minimum Graduate Records Examination (GRE) score of 900, with a minimum score of 450 on each the verbal and quantitative sections (foreign applicants must document a minimum TOEFL score of 550)
5. 3 letters of recommendation that specifically address the applicant’s qualifications to pursue the degree
6. Official academic transcripts from all attended institutions of higher education
Ed.S. Final Admission Requirements:
The special education program faculty will review applications on an ongoing basis. Final acceptance into the Ed.S. program requires support by the faculty at large, and agreement by a faculty member to be the applicant’s major professor. To facilitate this process, all applicants are required to interview with at least three members of the faculty as part of the application process. The applicant is encouraged to review faculty bios to identify faculty members who best align with the applicant’s interests.
Co-requisites to Ed.S. Degree
Students entering the Ed.S. program with master’s level preparation in some teaching or related field other than special education will be required to complete 15 hours of core graduate level knowledge in special education prior to completing the 30 hour Ed.S. program of study. These 15 hours include:
SPED 7010 Advanced Assessment – 3 hours
SPED 7230 Advanced Applied Behavior Analysis – 3 hours
SPED Seminar (choose one from autism spectrum disorders, behavioral disorders, early childhood, intellectual disabilities, or learning disabilities ) – 3 hours
SPED (Methods) – 3 hours
SPED 7440 Practicum – 3 hours