What is an Education Specialist (EdS) in Curriculum and Instruction?
In the field of education, experienced professionals know there’s always more to learn in order to expand their skillsets and find new methods and practices to become even more effective and impactful educators.
Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, offers a unique Education Specialist (EdS) degree in Curriculum and Instruction for those who have completed their master’s degrees, but want to enhance their education and become specialized in the field of Curriculum and Instruction.
MU students in the EdS in Curriculum and Instruction program take such courses as: Curriculum Development; Curriculum Theory; Theories, Models and Research of Teaching; Social & Political Determinants of Curriculum; and more.
This graduate program in Curriculum and Instruction is offered in the College of Education and Professional Development (COEPD), which is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
Why Study Curriculum and Instruction at Marshall?
MU’s EdS degree program is for experienced, post-master’s degree candidates seeking to advance their professional knowledge and application in the area of Curriculum and Instruction.
This graduate degree program is the only one of its kind offered among graduate schools in West Virginia.
Most students in the EdS degree program are experienced classroom teachers; or school, county, and state-level coordinators or administrators in the K-12 system. Others come from various occupation backgrounds such as health and nursing / hospital personnel; community social and behavioral agencies; business, law, and government; and community college and adult technical education settings.
EdS program goals. MU’s graduate program to become an Education Specialist is designed for students to accomplish these goals:
Achieve personal and professional growth as a life-long learner
Use current educational technologies to conduct action research
Obtain current, in-depth knowledge in the area of Curriculum and Instruction
Demonstrate ethical and moral standards in conducting educational research with human subjects
Develop proficiency in technical / research writing for communicating in the specialist discipline
Benefits of an EdS degree. This graduate program in Curriculum and Instruction enables successful candidates to:
Qualify for advancement in an existing professional career
Meet advanced salary classifications within the K-12 education sector
Acquire new positions with a given specialist discipline
Qualify for admission to Marshall University’s Doctor of Education (EdD) in Curriculum and Instruction program. [link]
Other candidates may simply wish to pursue this EdS degree for personal and professional accomplishment as lifelong learners.
EdS degree-seekers can complete this 30-credit program full-time in 3-4 semesters. Part-time students can complete the Education Specialist degree anywhere from 5 semesters (taking 6 credit hours per semester) to 10 semesters (taking 3 credit hours per semester).
The EdS program has two curriculum components:
The Core component includes courses in basic research skills. Several of the courses are offered in a hybrid format.
The Content component includes courses in Curriculum and Instruction, some of which are also available in a hybrid format.
Expert faculty. EdS program students learn with excellent faculty members who successfully deliver course content and principles. MU professors are experienced in teaching advanced educational research principles and concepts. The Education Specialist degree program is highly collaborative and engaging.
Gateway to the EdD degree program. The Education Specialist degree program can serve as a gateway to Marshall University’s doctoral (EdD) program in Curriculum and Instruction, given that the requirements in these two programs overlap considerably.
Career Outlook for Curriculum and Instruction
What can you do with an Education Specialist degree?
The Education Specialist in Curriculum and Instruction degree is not considered a career-based program to seek employment. Instead, the EdS degree program is an opportunity for candidates to prepare for practice in specific professional settings and in related roles such as counseling, classroom teaching, school administration or school psychology.
Education specialist jobs. For the most part, EdS program candidates are seeking to deepen their skills and advance in their current positions or organizations. Most students are already employed in a range of professional career roles, including: school counselors; public school teachers; university, community college and higher education classroom teachers; college personnel in student affairs, admissions, and registration; school administrators and supervisors; social agency personnel; and higher education coordinators and directors.
EdS degree learning outcomes. MU graduates with the EdS degree bring job-ready skills to their professional work, including abilities to:
Apply existing and emerging technologies to plan for or to conduct research
Design plans for investigating an educational issue or problem in a social-behavioral, research context
Acquire current and in-depth content and knowledge in the Curriculum and Instruction specialist discipline
Incorporate ethical, legal and moral standards for designing and conducting educational research with diverse groups.
Develop proficiency in technical writing for preparing quantitative manuscripts and related documents.
Relate the concepts and principles of advanced educational research as a way of thinking and knowing.
Acquire dispositions for personal and professional thinking, productivity and continue inquiry for lifelong learning.
Opportunities for Curriculum and Instruction EdS Candidates
In the College of Education and Professional Development, Marshall students can choose from a wide range of degree and professional development programs, continuing education opportunities, and services that address needs of adult learners who are primarily fully employed students. The College provides professional/technical expertise and is actively involved in addressing regional and state-level educational, mental health and social issues.
In addition to teacher education programs and doctoral programs in Curriculum and Instruction, and Leadership Studies, COEPD offers these service programs: Appalachian Studies Association, West Virginia Autism Training Center, HEART Tutoring Program, June Harless Center for Rural Education Research and Development, Higher Education Learning Program (H.E.L.P.), MU Child Development Academy, MU Early Education Center, MU Computer Based Testing Center, and Professional Development Schools Partnership.
Program Benefits
MU students in the Education Specialist in Curriculum and Instruction degree program have access to two computer labs on-campus for independent study and to complete course requirements. EdS students also are able to complete selected courses online, which can help with busy work schedules and other responsibilities.
MU students in the EdS degree program also gain research and writing experience through their capstone course, which requires the preparation of a written report, focusing on a research problem, experiment or field project in education. Candidates also prepare an original educational research article that can be submitted to a professional publication. A Technology Issues Report requires Education Specialist candidates to critique published research about instructional technology issues.