Specialist in Education

Degree Policies and Requirements

The Specialist in Education program offers additional study beyond the master’s degree for persons preparing for positions in educational leadership. Three areas of specialization are offered: superintendency, secondary school principalship and elementary school principalship.

Advisement

Upon initial registration the student will seek advisement and course approval as stated on the Degree Audit Form from the coordinator of advisement for the Specialist in Education program.

Degree Requirements

Degree requirements for the Specialist in Education program include the following:

Satisfactory completion of a minimum of 32 approved graduate semester hours beyond the master’s degree (at least 11 of which must be at the 700 level) with a minimum grade point average of 3.25 overall and at Northwest.
Two years of teaching/supervisory or administrative experience in elementary and/or secondary schools.

Transfer Credit

A student may transfer up to nine semester hours in no more than four courses from regionally-accredited institutions offering the specialist degree if the courses are appropriate, are approved by the candidate’s advisor, and are graded at a “B” or higher.

Time Limitations

All requirements submitted in fulfillment of the degree must be completed within a period of eight years.

Initial Enrollment

The initial enrollment is the first enrollment term in which a student seeking the Specialist in Education degree is registered.

During the initial enrollment, students seeking admission to the Specialist in Education program must:

Meet all general requirements for admission to the Graduate School set forth by this catalog.
Supply evidence of a completed master’s degree from a regionally- or nationally-accredited institution of higher education with a minimum grade point average of 3.25. Conditional enrollment is allowed if the student has a cumulative graduate GPA between 3.00 and 3.24. The student must achieve a 3.25 GPA in his or her first eight semester hours of graduate study or be subject to suspension for one year. Re-admission is possible after one year by petition to be approved by the Specialist in Education faculty, the Dean of the School of Education, and the Associate Provost of Graduate Studies.
Submit a GRE score with a combined minimum score for the verbal and quantitative sections of 285 and at least a 4.0 on the writing sample section of the GRE. A student who has completed two or more years of satisfactory teaching may substitute the Departmental Admissions Exam (DAE) in place of the GRE.
Submit an application for admission to the Specialist in Education program.
Have three letters of recommendation on file. One letter must refer to the student’s academic qualifications, one letter must refer to employment experience, and one may be a general character reference.
Supply evidence of holding a valid teaching certificate.

Screening Committee

In cases of denial, a student may appeal to the Dean of the School of Education who will order a hearing before a faculty committee; denial of the appeal may be re-appealed to faculty of the Specialist in Education program.

Admission to the Specialist in Education Program

Admission to the program is granted when a student:

Has completed all requirements as listed under “Initial Enrollment.”
Has been approved by the program advisor and graduate dean for entry into the program.

Admission to Candidacy

Admission to candidacy is granted when a student:

Has been admitted to the Specialist in Education program.
Has completed at least 20 semester hours of graduate work in education courses focused upon leadership including:
1. Elementary or Secondary School Administration, 2 semester hours
2. School Supervision, 2 semester hours
3. Elementary or Secondary School Curriculum, 2 semester hours
If taken at the master’s level, none of these hours will count toward the 32 semester hour Ed.S. degree requirements. Other courses taken as a part of another graduate degree will not be counted toward the 32 semester hour requirement.
Has GRE scores on file in the Graduate Office meeting the minimum admissions score, or if applicable, the DAE.
Has earned a minimum of eight semester hours of graduate credit beyond the master’s degree at Northwest approved by the coordinator of advisement for the Specialist in Education degree with a grade point average of 3.25.
Has an approved program of study filed on which admission to candidacy is indicated.

Certification Requirements

In addition to fulfilling the Specialist in Education degree requirements listed, students seeking Missouri certification must:

Successfully complete the course EDCI 62641, Educating the Exceptional Child (if the requirement has not previously been met).
Submit a signed, notarized morality statement if not previously certified in the State of Missouri.

The student has the responsibility of applying for any new certification.

Superintendent Ed.S.

CIP: 130411

Course Requirements

Core Requirements

All students in the Superintendent Ed.S. program are required to complete the following core courses:

EDUC 61569	Multiculturalism in Education	3
EDUC 61681	School and Community Relations	3
EDUC 61695	Philosophy of Education	3
EDUC 61721	Seminar in Problems, Trends, and Issues in Educational Administration and Supervision	1
EDUC 61721	Seminar in Problems, Trends, and Issues in Educational Administration and Supervision	1
EDUC 61723	Writing and Interpreting Educational Literature and Statistics	3

EDUC 61724	Field Study in Administration and Supervision	1-6
	OR
EDUC 61725	Thesis in School Administration and Supervision	2-6

Choose one of the following courses

EDUC 61738	Internship in School Administration and Supervision	1-4
EDUC 61739	Internship in Elementary Administration	2-4
EDUC 61741	Internship in Secondary Administration	2-4

EDUC 61721: must be taken twice with a different topic covered each time.

Additional course requirements

The core requirements and the following courses to total a minimum of 32 semester hours:

EDUC 61665	School Law	3
EDUC 61740	The Superintendency	3
EDUC 61633	Curriculum Design	3
EDUC 61610	Specialized Topics and Projects in Educational Administration	1 to 6

Educational Specialist Elementary School Principal

CIP: 130411

Program Admission/Initial Enrollment Requirements Educational Specialist Elementary Principal:

Initial enrollment is the first enrollment term in which a student seeking the Specialist in Education degree is registered.

Students wishing to pursue a graduate degree in Professional Education in the program area of Educational Leadership must meet the admission requirements of the University and department as stated in this catalog. See admission requirements under specific program descriptions.

The student has the responsibility to work with the department of education within their respective state to determine individual certification requirements.

The Ed.S. applicant must supply evidence of a completed master's degree from a regionally or nationally accredited institution of higher education with a minimum grade point average of 3.00/4.00.

Documentation of one of the following:

*3.75 or higher on the analytical writing measure of the GRE OR

*Successful completion of the Departmental Entrance Exam (DAE) OR

*Valid state teacher (classroom teacher) certificate OR

*National Board Certification

Transfer Credit

A student may transfer up to 9 semester hours in no more than four courses from regionally-accredited institutions offering the specialist degree if the courses are appropriate, not used to complete a previous degree, approved by the candidate's advisor, and are graded at a "B" or higher.

Any courses previously taken to complete another degree cannot count towards the minimum 30 credit hour requirement.

Time Limitations

All requirements submitted in fulfillment of the degree must be completed within a period of eight (8) years. Any courses past the eight-year requirement must be retaken for program credit.

Written Assessment of Competency Mastery

All students seeking an Educational Specialist - Elementary Principal are required to complete the Written Assessment of Competency Mastery. The assessment will include reference to artifacts/course content, their relationship to PSEL/NELP standards, and reflection on personal growth as an educational leader. This assessment will be given during 61739 (Internship).

Research Component

The student will participate in a research component related to the use of data in the field of education. This data project will be completed during the field study (61723).

Required Courses

All courses are required for this program; there are no electives. If a student has previously successfully taken a required course, the student must replace credit hours to obtain a minimum of 30 credit hours with electives provided by the advisor (graduate level courses only).

EDUC 61642	Multicultural Education for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion	3
EDUC 61730	Foundations of Educational Administration	3
EDUC 61731	School Supervision	3
EDUC 61627	Innovative School Leadership	3
EDUC 61786	The Principalship	3
EDUC 61695	Philosophy of Education	3
EDUC 61665	School Law	3
EDUC 61739	Internship in Elementary Administration	2-4
EDUC 61723	Writing and Interpreting Educational Literature and Statistics	3
EDUC 61570	The Middle School	3
Total Credit Hours:		30