Special Education and Assessment, EdS

Program Description

The Specialist in Education: Special Education and Assessment degree is designed to provide the graduate with the qualifications necessary to complete educational testing to provide diagnostic and intervention services for students with special needs in K-12 settings. Candidates enter with a Masters degree in Special Education, Counseling, School Counseling, Counseling Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Educational Psychology, Education or related degree and complete 33 additional credit hours of graduate coursework in Counseling, Psychology, and Special Education; 21 of which must be completed post-Master’s and within 8 years of degree completion. Students earning the EdS degree are prepared for certification by Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) as a School Psychological Examiner.

Admission Requirements

Admission requires:

Completed Graduate College Application in the Grad CAS system.
Submission of official transcripts showing all previous college course work.
Master’s degree in Special Education, Counseling, School Counseling, Counseling Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Educational Psychology or Education with an overall GPA of 3.00 or higher.
State Department of Education (PreK-12) initial certification in a teaching field OR school counseling certification.
Supporting documents:

Letter of interest (addressing why you want to pursue this degree).
EDS application via Grad CAS
Current official transcripts
Three official letters of recommendation (preferably from faculty familiar with the candidate’s academic work and at least one from an employer)

The priority deadlines for receipt of all application materials (includes application, transcripts and references) for admission in the Summer semester is March 1, to Fall semester is April 1 and for Spring semester is October 1 of the preceding year.

Prerequisite Requirements

State Department of Education PreK-12 initial certification in a teaching field or school counselor certification; and
Prior completion of a course in Introduction to Special Education or Psychology of the Exceptional Child with a grade of “C” or higher (undergraduate or graduate accepted). {If this is not met, SPE 715 Foundations in Special Education, will be required}

Degree Requirements

Total credit hours required for graduation is 33. At least 21 of the hours must be completed at Missouri State University, and at least 21 credit hours must be completed post-Master’s degree within 8 years of degree completion.

Note:

For students accepted into the EdS program with a Masters degree from another institution that did not require either a substantial seminar paper or thesis, a writing/research project in lieu of seminar/thesis or completion of SPE 788, Seminar, will be required to be completed prior to graduation. This project will be completed with the assistance and guidance of the EdS program coordinator or through completion of SPE 788. Further, the EdS program coordinator will evaluate transcripts for each incoming EdS student and may specify further prerequisite coursework, as needed.

Comprehensive Examination and Research Requirement

Students will complete a comprehensive examination upon completion of the Specialist Core. Students will be required to have completed a thesis or seminar project in their Master’s degree. For those not meeting this requirement, a completion of a thesis/seminar equivalent project or completion of SPE 788 will be required prior to completion of the EdS degree.