Program Description

The Ed.S. with a Major in Special Education is an online, 27-hour program that prepares candidates to be leaders in the field of special education. The program prepares candidates to be knowledgeable of critical issues within the field of special education, to engage in critical reflection of their personalities and epistemologies as practitioners, to understand how historical legacies, legislation, and litigation have served to both include and segregate students with disabilities, and to engage in inquiry based learning as both consumer and producer of research.

The Ed.S. with a major in Special Education offers two (2) tracks that prepare candidates for roles as inclusive, educational professionals. The first, the Special Education Track, which is fully online, provides candidates with the skills necessary to synthesize theory and practice through further examination of theoretically-based curriculum development, understanding of global education issues, and inquiry into making education equitable, democratic, humane, and socially just. Candidates who choose this track may seek to advance their knowledge in special education as practitioners and teacher leaders.

The second track, which provides 12 of the 18 hours required for Tier 1 Educational Leadership Certification and is fully online, is highly professionally-oriented. Candidates for the program are expected to currently be employed in a professional role in an organization providing professional educational services (e.g., school, regional educational service agency, department of education). In order to complete the required 18 hours, candidates will transfer to the Tier I Leadership program after they finish the Ed.S. to complete 6 additional hours, i.e., EDL 7601 and EDL 7615, both of which are offered every semester. Additionally, before applying to Tier I, candidates will take the GACE Leadership Ethics Exam (CODE 380). When candidates complete the “add-on” semester, they’ll take the GACE Leadership Content Exam.  Field activities and Key assessments accompany each EDL course to provide synthesis of the practical and theoretical knowledge necessary for today’s inclusive educational leader.

Program Student Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete this program will be able to: 

1. Foster a responsive, learner-centered educational environment that promotes collaboration and democratic participation for student learning and may include co-teaching.
2. Demonstrate pedagogical approaches which incorporate contextual, theoretical/conceptual, and practical influences on the learner and learning.
3. Advance teaching and learning through the innovative use of technology based on sound educational theory and knowledge of the learner.
4. Demonstrate in-depth foundational knowledge of content-based research, scholarship, and socio-political influences in the teaching field and use this knowledge to analyze and interpret problems and implement solutions within their profession.
5. Demonstrate and apply various types of assessment to inform the learner’s ability to analyze, monitor, and improve their learning as well as interpret and use data to inform their own pedagogical effectiveness.
6. Engage in scholarly, applied research to advance knowledge of teaching, the learner, and/or learning.
7. Reflect on their professional, scholarly practice, and analyze the ways in which they have changed in their thinking, beliefs, or behaviors toward improved learner-centered practices. 
8. Support academic and linguistic needs of the learner, enhance cultural understandings, and increase global awareness of all students.
9. Demonstrate professional dispositions, fluency of academic language in a variety of contexts, and ethical practice expected of a scholar-practitioner.

This program is a part of the Leland and Clarice C. Bagwell College of Education .

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Admissions, Enrollment, and Graduation Criteria

Admissions Criteria

The following are program-specific criteria beyond the general Graduate Admissions  requirements. To be considered for admission to this program, the following application materials must be submitted to the KSU Graduate Admissions Office:

For the Special Education Track: 

• An earned Master’s degree in professional education or a related field from an accredited institution, i.e., Curriculum & Instruction, Educational Leadership;
• Clear Renewable Georgia Teaching Certificate (not necessary for applicants not seeking certification) or departmentally-approved equivalent;
• At least two (2) years of professional experience in teaching, administration, or related field;
• A minimum Graduate GPA of 2.75;
• Online Graduate Application. There is a non-refundable $60 application fee
• Submit official transcripts from EACH college attended, including those institutions where degrees were NOT earned. Official transcripts are those in a university sealed envelope.
• Teaching Certificate or a departmentally-approved equivalent.
• Professional Resume documenting education, teaching experience, volunteer and service accomplishments and record of leadership activities.
• Professional Reflection Statement a) addressing your professional teaching and academic goals, and (b) identifying areas of educational interests.
• Two Letters of Recommendation from individuals that reference your academic and professional background.

For the Tier 1 Educational Leadership Certification Track: 

• An earned Master’s degree or higher in professional education or a related field from an accredited institution, i.e., Curriculum & Instruction, Educational Leadership,.
• Employment in a professional role in an organization providing educational services in an organization or district who has a documented partnership agreement in place with the Department of Educational Leadership;
• Minimum GPA of 2.75;
• Educational Leadership Mentor (Mentor must meet the criteria specified on the Educational Leadership Mentor form available on the graduate admissions website);
• Transcripts from each college attended;
• 2 years of professional teaching or administrative experience prior to admission consideration;
• Professional Resume;
• Online Recommendation Form;
• Georgia Ethics for Educational Leadership Exam;
• Graduate GPA. GPA will be utilized with other admission criteria to determine program eligibility.

Admission Criteria for Unique Cases

Currently there are no exceptions to the admission requirements.

Transfer Credit

Up to 25% of the total credit hours for the Ed.S. program may be transferred in from outside institutions upon the approval of the program coordinator. 

Enrollment Criteria

This program does not have specific enrollment requirements. 

Graduation Criteria

Each student is expected to meet the requirements outlined in Academic Policy 5.0 PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS & GRADUATION .

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Program Course Requirements