Education Specialist (Ed.S.)

Why UM-Flint

What Sets UM-Flint's Education Specialist (Ed.S.) Program Apart?

FOCUS:

UM-Flint’s Education Specialist degree is a post-master’s program which focuses on applied learning and preparation for executive leadership assignments. The program is designed to prepare practicing teachers and educational leaders to assume greater professional roles in their building and/or in administration and supervision.
The program offers concentrations in central office Curriculum and Instruction leadership or in executive level Educational Leadership. The Ed.S. is ideal for educators seeking a well-structured post-master's program, as well as those considering eventual doctoral study.

FLEXIBILITY:

Students in the Education Specialist program enjoy a unique blend of online coursework coupled with once-per-month, in-person classes.
Saturday classes held on the UM-Flint campus or at the UM-Flint Magahay Center in Sterling Heights.
The Education Specialist program is a part-time program encompassing 30 credit hours over 20 months.

RESOURCES:

The faculty includes current and former K-12 superintendents, who bring real-world knowledge and experiences to the classroom.
The cohort structure within the program emphasizes team-based project work and enables students to develop a stronger support network for personal and professional development.
UM-Flint is part of the world-renowned University of Michigan system, making it possible for students to tap additional resources at the Dearborn and Ann Arbor campuses.

RESULTS:

UM-Flint’s Education Specialist degree program is designed to benefit K-12 educators looking to build upon their background and skills, teachers and administrators with an ultimate goal of a doctoral degree, and those interested in administration or curriculum roles in higher education.
The program is approved by the Michigan Department of Education and students are eligible for the Michigan Central Office Administrator Certificate upon completion.
This program is also designed for teachers who want to be more effective in the classroom, undertake building-level curriculum leadership assignments, or who aspire to be curriculum directors at the K-12 level.

Admission

Admission Requirements

Completion of an MA or MS in an education-related field from an accredited institution
A minimum overall graduate school grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, 6.0 on a 9.0 scale, or equivalent
At least 3 years of work experience in an educational setting

Note: Admission to the Ed.S. program does not guarantee subsequent admission to the UM-Flint Doctor of Education program.

Applying

To be considered for admission, submit the following to the Office of Graduate Programs, 251 Thompson Library:

Application for Graduate Admission
$55 application fee (non-refundable)
Official transcripts (undergraduate and graduate) from colleges and universities that issued your bachelor and master’s degrees
An essay of at least 250 words describing your reason for seeking admission to the program.
Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Educational Leader Evaluation, which should be completed by a person who has been your supervisor at some point during the last three years
Three letters of recommendation, at least one of which is from a professor in a class taken at the graduate level, addressing your potential for success in the program
International students must submit additional documentation. Visit the International Students page for details.

Application Deadlines

The program has rolling admissions and reviews completed applications each month. To be considered for admission, submit all application materials to the Office of Graduate Programs on or before the application deadline:

Fall (early deadline*) – May 1
Fall (final deadline) – August 1

* You must apply by the early deadline to be eligible for scholarships, grants, and research assistantships.

The final application deadline for international students is May 1 for the fall semester.

Courses

Education (Education Specialist)

The Education Specialist (Ed.S.) program is designed to be completed in 18 months, consisting of two courses each semester beginning in a Fall semester. The program includes two field-based practicum and culminates with the final practicum and capstone course in the Winter semester of the next academic year. The on-campus component involves a full day meeting one Saturday a month for the duration of the program. The remaining coursework is delivered online. The field-based practicum engage students with practicing professionals in experiences and projects relevant to specific areas of leadership interest.

Requirements.

Fall Semester I
EDL 700 - Contemporary Leadership Issues in Education.
EDL 701 - Survey of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment.
Winter Semester I
EDL 702 - Survey of School Reform.
EDL 703 - Survey of Advanced Leadership.
Spring/Summer Semester
Curriculum and Instruction:
EDL 740 - Curriculum Design.
EDL 741 - Instructional Approaches.
or
Educational Leadership:
EDL 750 - Topics in School Law.
EDL 751 - Topics in School Finance, Budgeting, and Facilities Management.

Fall Semester II
Curriculum and Instruction:
EDL 742 - Program Evaluation.
EDL 761 - Practicum I.
or
Educational Leadership:
EDL 752 - Advanced Supervision.
EDL 761 - Practicum I.

Winter Semester II
EDL 762 - Practicum II.
EDL 790 - Capstone Seminar.

A second cohort of the Ed.S. program will now be offered in the Eastern Upper Peninsula beginning Fall 2014.

Educational Leadership Pathway

The Educational Leadership Pathway provides a clear and practical route for educators to advance in their careers by connecting three graduate programs at the University of Michigan-Flint. The Pathway is made up of three levels of graduate degrees in Educational Leadership:

MPA in Educational Administration
Ed.S.
Ed.D.

What sets the Ed.S. program apart from others is the demand to challenge students to think. I use real-world examples combined with coursework to come up with ideas, solutions and questions that further my knowledge and understanding about the educational world. Completing this program will impact my professional success by training me to be a better consumer of information. Too often, educators jump to trust what they read and hear. I have learned to question what I read and hear, as well as to seek out the varying viewpoints of others.

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