| Degree: | Education Specialist (Ed.S.) |
| Department: | School of Education Building 85, Room 125 (850) 474-3263 or (850) 474-2870 http://uwf.edu/education/ |
| College: | Professional Studies |
This program is designed primarily for professionals who hold positions of leadership in education or who aspire to provide educational leadership. The purpose of the program is to develop and enhance the functional capability of educational leaders. The research component is practitioner-oriented with emphasis on the utilization of research findings for decision making.
The degree is designed to meet the educational needs of regional place-bound, full-time employed professionals. Successful applicants should have experience in the field of education. The Ed.S. Program will prepare professionals in the community to assume administrative and leadership positions.
The Florida Department of Education requires that all students graduating with a graduate degree in Educational Leadership must pass the Florida Educational Leadership Examination (FELE) as a condition of completing their degree and receiving certification for school administration.
Admission to the Ed.S. program is a selective process, therefore, meeting the minimum eligibility criteria stated below does not guarantee admission into the program in the School of Education. Applicants for the specialist program must meet all University and School of Education admission requirements. Preference for admission will be given to those students whose credentials indicate the greatest promise of academic success in their chosen course of study.
In addition to the University graduate admission requirements described in the Admissions section of the catalog, the department bases decisions for regular admission on a holistic review of credentials in which the following criteria are used to assess the potential success of each applicant:
All approvals for admission to the School of Education are subject to reevaluation as the student progresses through the program. Students denied admission or removed from the program may appeal the decision to the Dean, College of Professional Studies.
School of Education students are expected to adhere to the Principles of Professional Conduct for the Education Profession in Florida and national standards of conduct associated with professional, accreditation, and state agencies. Students who are struggling to meet content and/or disposition standards and/or competencies may be referred to the RtI process. Any student who is referred for an RtI and does not successfully complete the intervention process may be denied continued enrollment in any professional education program.
In addition to general University degree requirements, students seeking the Ed.S. in Educational Leadership must meet the requirements listed below.
| EDF 6404 | Educational Statistics I | 3 |
| EDF 6481 | Educational Research | 3 |
| Total Hours | 6 | |
To be eligible for the Ed.S., a student must complete all requirements listed in the Graduation and General Degree Requirements section of this catalog along with the specific course requirements listed below. Students are required to receive at least a B- or above in all course work.
All students must complete a comprehensive examination prior to graduation.
| EDF 6475 | Qualitative Research I - Methods | 3 |
| EDF 7407 | Educational Statistics II: General Linear Model | 3 |
| EDF 7685 | Educational Foundations: A Philosophical and Multicultural Analysis | 3 |
| EDG 7346 | Advanced Analysis of Curriculum and Instruction | 3 |
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| Instructional Management and Technology | ||
| Instructional Technology for Educational Leaders * | ||
| Total Hours | 15 | |
| * | EME 6317 is required for students in the Ed. Leadership Option. |
| EDA 7217 | Effective Communication Techniques | 3 |
| EDA 7423 | School Reform: Research to Practice | 3 |
| EDA 7931 | Seminar with High Performing Educational Leaders | 3 |
| Electives (approved by program advisor and department chair) | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 21 | |
In addition to completing required coursework, students in the Educational Leadership Certification Option must:
| EDA 5191 | Leadership in Education: School Improvement Theory and Practice | 3 |
| EDA 6063 | Introduction to Educational Leadership | 3 |
| EDA 6222 | Administration of School Personnel | 3 |
| EDA 6232 | Law and Education | 3 |
| EDA 6240 | Introduction to School Finance | 3 |
| EDA 6503 | The Principalship | 3 |
| EDF 6460 | Foundations of Measurement | 3 |
| EDG 6285 | Data Driven Decisions Using Standardized Student Achievement Data | 3 |
| Total Hours | 24 | |
