Academic Programs - Science Education
The Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degree is a self-contained degree program intermediate between a masters degree and a doctoral degree both in time and depth. It provides advanced study for those preparing for positions which call for a higher level of competence and specialization than that of the master’s degree but without the heavy emphasis on research of the doctoral degree. Completion of the Ed.S. program in Science Education is intended to prepare students to serve as master teachers, department heads, and science supervisors, and to obtain certification at the T-6 level in the State of Georgia.
Admission requirements:
- Admission to the Graduate School
- Completion of a master‘s degree from a regionally accredited institution
- T-5 certification in science
- Cumulative grade point average of 3.3 in all graduate work
- Minimum Graduate Record Examination (GRE) combined score (verbal + quantitative) of 900 (old scale) or 292 (new scale), including verbal score of 450 (old scale) or 150 (new scale)
Apply to the UGA Graduate School
Incoming Graduate Student Questionnaire
Mimimum Course Work across Master’s and Ed.S. Program*
| Course Areas | Minimum Number of Courses/Semester Hours | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Science Content | 5 courses, 15 s.h. | May include any combination of advanced courses in the student’s science field of greatest expertise (if schedule permits and prerequisites are satisfied) and graduate-level, yet introductory, courses available in many fields, often scheduled during evenings or summer. |
| Science Education | 6 course, 18 s.h. | At least 9 hours must be specific to Science Education. Additional courses from other disciplines may be elected with approval of advisor. |
| Educational Foundations | 3 courses, 9 s.h. | Educational Psychology (EPSY) and Social Foundations of Education (EFND) – at least one from each area |
| Educational Research | 3 courses, 9 s.h. | ESCI 7000 and ESCI 7300 or their equivalents count towards this requirement. ESCI 6990 is highly recommended unless Master’s work included research methodology coursework. Educational Research (ERSH) or Qualitative Methods (QUAL) courses may be appriopriate. |
| Final Research Project | 1 course, 3 s.h. | ESCI 7650 |
| Electives* | Sufficient to reach a total of 30 s.h. across Ed.S. work | Any science or education courses mutually determined to be appropriate by the student and advisor |
| Special Requirements | Students must present their research findings for approval to a faculty committee. |
*Requirements in each area are stated in terms of cumulative work across both the earlier Master’s and current Ed.S. programs. 30 semester hours (s.h.) above and beyond coursework completed for your Master’s Program are required, regardless of how many courses from your Master’s Program are included in your Ed.S Program of Study. Thus, any deficit in the 30 s.h. requirement must be made up through electives taken solely for the Ed.S. degree.
