Education Specialist, EdS

Overview

The Education Specialist (Ed.S.) program is intended to help extend professional understanding and practice in the critical area of education. Ed.S. students will develop capacities to think, communicate, and model biblical excellence in educational leadership positions. They will more clearly represent Christ-centered perspectives in the broader society by influencing students, their families, faculty, and staff with competencies specifically designed for Kingdom growth. Students complete a concentration in Educational Leadership. Courses are provided online and in summer intensives. Students must be accepted into the Ed.S. program to enroll in courses. CIU Education Programs are endorsed by the Higher Education Approval Program (HEAP) of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). Program graduates who meet specific requirements are eligible to apply for appropriate ACSI teacher or administrator certificates. ACSI waives the certification fee when applying at the time of CIU graduation.

Purpose

The Ed.S. program strives to produce professionals who lead others in addressing educational needs from a biblical perspective.

Objectives

Candidates will understand, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate:

• Education from a biblical perspective, foundational theories, research findings.
• High-quality educational leadership from a biblical perspective, theoretical approaches, research findings, and alternative models of effective leadership and functioning of organizations, groups, and individuals within organizations.
• Ways to enhance their personal callings and contribute to the quality of an educational setting through leadership, presentation, and publication.

Admission Requirements

In addition to satisfying the general admission requirements of the university, students applying for the Ed.S. are reviewed by a College of Education faculty admission panel, including an interview in person (or electronically). This panel recommends acceptance according to the applicant’s satisfaction of the following criteria:

1. A master’s degree from an accredited institution that provides a relevant foundation for postgraduate studies in educational leadership. (An education or education-related field is the strongly preferred focus of the master’s degree.)
2. Performance in graduate coursework that indicates an ability to be successful in postgraduate studies.
3. A command of the English language as evidenced in a writing sample that demonstrates ability to do postgraduate writing.
4. Sufficient leadership experience to undergird degree program requirements.
5. Administrative or teaching experience (K-12th grade, higher education) and other evidence indicating that the Ed.S. program will enable the applicant to enhance his or her leadership role and contribution to the cause of education.
6. Official GRE test scores or official MAT scores. (The exam must have been taken within the last five years.)

Residency and Transfer Policies

A maximum of nine credit hours of appropriate master’s work may be applied toward the Ed.S. program, as determined by the program director.

Time Limitation

The time limit for completion of all requirements is six years, measured from the date a student begins coursework in the Ed.S. program.

Completion Requirements

Although advisors assist students in planning their courses of study, it is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all requirements for graduation have been met.

• Demonstrate competency of each of the program’s outcomes through satisfactory completion of coursework.
• Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2 (on a 4.0 scale), with no grade below a “B-” applicable to the degree. A maximum of 9 credits of appropriate graduate coursework (“B-” or above) may be applied. (Transfer grades are not calculated in the cumulative GPA.)