Skip to content Skip to main navigation Report an accessibility issue

Specialist in Education (EdS)

The Specialist in Education (EdS) degree is offered with a major in teacher education. This degree is designed for those students who already possess a master’s degree in education. The department offers a Distance Education option for individuals who hold a master’s degree in education and who are employed as a Job-Embedded practitioner. It is recommended that students who apply for the EdS have at least three years of related work experience.

Admissions, Tuition and Fees, and Financial Aid Information

Apply here

The student’s program involves a minimum of four semesters of study totaling not fewer than 60 semester hours of graduate credit beyond the baccalaureate degree. A minimum of 6 hours is required outside the concentration.

A student admitted to the program with a master’s degree or with acceptable work beyond the master’s degree may have program requirements modified upon recommendation of the student’s committee, however, no modifications will be permitted in examination and research requirements, nor in the minimum 6 graduate hours required outside the concentration.

All prior coursework accepted toward the degree must be related to the student’s program objectives. A maximum of 6 hours beyond the master’s degree may be transferred from another institution to an EdS program.

Courses numbered at the 400 level required for teacher certification through UT may not be taken for graduate credit and used as coursework in the major. At least one-half of the last 30 semester hours of work, exclusive of thesis courses must be in the 500- or 600-level courses.

A committee of at least three faculty members is assigned to each student.

A minimum of two members of this committee must represent the unit or major area. Its responsibilities include formulating the student’s program of coursework, supervising progress, recommending admissions to candidacy, directing research, and coordinating the qualifying and final examinations.

Admission to candidacy indicates agreement that the student has demonstrated the ability to do acceptable graduate work and that satisfactory progress has been made toward a degree. This action usually connotes that all prerequisites to admission have been completed and a program of study has been approved.

The Admission to Candidacy form must be signed by the student’s committee and list all courses to be used for the degree, including transfer coursework.

This form is submitted to the Office of the University Registrar before the student has completed 15 hours of coursework in the EdS program. A qualifying examination may be required for admission to candidacy if the student has a master’s degree earned six years or more prior to admission to the program. This examination may be written and/or oral.

See the program descriptions for a list of thesis, problems in lieu of thesis, and non-thesis options.

In the non-thesis program, a candidate will study research methods and findings and will demonstrate skill in adapting them to professional needs as defined by the major department.

In the thesis program, or problems in lieu of thesis, 6 hours of research credit (518 or 503) must be earned in preparation of an acceptable piece of work. the student must continue to register for thesis or problems while working on the project, including the semester it is accepted by the Office of Graduate Student Services on behalf of the Graduate Council.

This thesis must be prepared according to the regulations in the most recent Guide to the Preparation of Theses and Dissertations, and approved by the student’s committee prior to submission to the Graduate Student Services for final approval and acceptance.

A candidate presenting a thesis, or problems in lieu of thesis, must pass an oral examination covering the student’s research and program of study. A non-thesis student must pass a final written, or written and oral examination, on all work offered for the degree. The examination is not merely a test over coursework, but a demonstration of the candidate’s ability to integrate materials in the major and related fields. Each examination should be scheduled through the academic department at least two weeks prior to the examination and will be conducted in university-approved facilities by the student’s committee. In case of failure, the candidate may not be reexamined until the following semester. The result of the second examination is final.

Candidates have six calendar years from the time of entry into the last 30 hours of their degree programs to complete the EdS degree.