The Ed.S. program at UWF is a 30-semester hour post-master’s degree inclusive of a competency-based portfolio. The program is designed primarily for professionals who hold positions of leadership in education and training, social sciences, or the military. The purpose of the program is to develop curriculum-related content experts through advanced knowledge, contextualization, and requisite skills of individuals who work in a variety of leadership settings. The research component is practitioner-oriented with emphasis on the utilization of research findings for decision-making and problem solving. Student backgrounds include, but are not limited to, public school personnel, community college and university personnel, social and health-related personnel, and military personnel.

Ed.D. students who have successfully completed 30 semester hours including a competency-based portfolio and would like to earn an Ed.S. degree should contact the Ed.S./Ed.D. academic advisor to determine eligibility. A student entering the Ed.S. program has the opportunity to apply to the Ed.D. after completion of the program. Three of the core courses, EDF 7404 Quantitative Methods and Educational Statistics I, EDF 7475 Qualitative Research I - Methods, and EDF 7442 Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, will transfer to the Ed.D. program upon successful application and acceptance. If the student takes the exact sequence of courses offered in the area of focus, then all five courses taken will transfer into the Ed.D. program within the same area of focus. On the other hand, if a student wishes to enroll in a different Ed.D. area of focus from what was taken in the Ed.S., it will be handled on a case-by-case basis.  

Admission Requirements

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. 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 School of Education 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:

• Master's transcripts and GPA
• Current Resume 
• Submission of a letter of intent that includes answers to the following prompts:
  • What personal and professional goals do you hope to meet through earning an Education Specialist degree, and why do you think the UWF Education Specialist degree in Curriculum and Instruction is a good fit for your goals?
  • What special knowledge, skills, and experiences would you bring to the chosen academic area of focus and how are these aligned with the mission of the Education Specialist degree program in Curriculum and Instruction as a whole? If you have had experiences that may have affected your academic performance, please provide explanatory context.
  • Be careful to select an area of focus, articulate how your skill set and experiences align with its description, and show how these will impact your career trajectory.
    Note: Your responses to the three prompts should be no less than six pages typed, double-spaced, 12-point font size in Times New Roman.

Students are strongly encouraged to remain in close contact with school faculty mentors, the academic advisor, and the Ed.D./Ed.S. Program Office to ensure that all application materials are submitted in a timely manner. There is one admission cycle per year for the Fall semester.

Degree Requirements

To be eligible for the Ed.S., a student must complete all requirements listed in the Degree Requirements section of this catalog along with the specific course requirements. Students are required to receive at least a "B" or above in all coursework.

Students will complete the 15 semester hour professional core and complete 15 semester hours of area of focus courses. The areas of focus are as follows: Administration and Leadership Studies, and Curriculum & Assessment. Fulfillment also includes the successful completion of a competency-based portfolio tailored to the student's professional goals and area of specialization.

Tracks, options, areas of focus, and specializations are an informal designation used by graduate programs to indicate areas of emphasis and research but have no formal significance. They do not appear on the student transcript and diploma. 

This program requires a significant amount of writing, all of which must follow the APA guidelines. Students should complete the online APA tutorial before the end of the first semester of enrollment to assist them in mastering APA style. EDF 7404 Quantitative Methods and Educational Statistics I presumes an understanding of basic statistics. 

Program Requirements (30 sh)

Students will complete 30 semester hours made up of Professional Core (15sh),  and Electives (15sh).

Professional Core (15 sh)

Area of Focus Electives (15 sh)

Students will select five courses with advisor approval from one of the following areas of focus.

• Administration and Leadership Studies
• Curriculum & Assessment