POLICIES AND PROCEDURES SPECIALIST DEGREE (Ed.D.)

This program may require courses on the Boca campus 

 EDUCATION SPECIALIST DEGREE (Ed.S.)

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

The Education Specialist Degree (Ed.S.) in Curriculum and Instruction is designed for students who wish to continue graduate studies beyond the Master’s (M.Ed.) degree but do not desire the Doctor of Education Degree, which requires additional course study and a research dissertation. 

 The Education Specialist Degree requires a minimum of 36 semester hours above the M.Ed. degree; at least a 3.0 on all course work taken; enrollment in one semester of full-time graduate study (university residency requirement); and successful completion of a 3-hour written exit examination based upon the student's approved program of study.  Residency refers to the total number of credits that must be taken in one semester; it does not imply that students need to leave their jobs to fulfill on campus requirements.

Acceptance of prior course work into the Educational Specialist program is at the discretion of the student’s committee. The degree must be completed within 7 years from the date a student is admitted to the Ed.S. program.

I. Admission Procedures

Admission requirements include the following documentation:

___  Appropriate educational experience is strongly suggested and may be required for certain certifications and positions.

___   A master’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university

___   An overall grade point average of 3.0 or better in the last 60 semester hours of undergraduate work prior to the granting of the bachelor’s degree

___   An overall grade point average of at least 3.25 or better on all graduate work attempted

___   A score of 1,000 or better on the general section of the Graduate Record Examination, representing only the quantitative and verbal combined scores.  However, all three scores are reviewed.  (Scores may not be more than 5 years old.)

___   Letters of recommendation from two professional supervisors/colleagues

___   A one page statement explaining your professional goals and reasons for desiring this degree

___   Additional admission requirements exist for International Students.  Contact the FAU Office of International Students and Scholars and the Office of Graduate Studies and Admissions for these requirements.

___     APPLICATIONS ARE NOT REVIEWED UNTIL ALL DOCUMENTS ARE RECEIVED. 

Application Sequence

 ___   Obtain an “FAU Graduate Application” form from the University Office of Graduate Admissions, or the Office of Academic and Student Services in the College of Education, or download and mail the application from the Web site

___   Submit by the deadline date to the FAU University Office of Graduate Admissions:

·   The graduate application form.

·   The non-refundable fee.

·   Official transcripts from all previous institutions.  Official transcripts are those that have been sent from the Registrar’s Office of each institution and received at FAU University Office of Admissions in unopened envelopes.

·   Official GRE scores report from the testing service.  It is university policy that scores may not be more than 5 years old.

·   Verification statement of teaching experiences (or appropriate educational experiences).

·    Letters of recommendation from two professional supervisors/colleagues.

·    A one page statement of professional goals.

 Note: candidates may not take more than 12 graduate credits at FAU above the master’s degree prior to being programmed. 

 ___   After the completed application has been processed by the College of Education, the candidate will be contacted by the Chairperson of the Department of Teacher Education to schedule an interview.  APPLICATIONS ARE NOT REVIEWED UNTIL ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.

 ___   After the interview, and when all admission requirements have been satisfied, an official notification recommending admissions to the specialist program will be issued by the Chairperson of the Department of Teacher Education.  This letter of admission will indicate the name of the student’s advisor.

         At this point, the student must obtain three documents:

1)      an FAU Graduate Catalog

2)      the FAU Graduate Policies and Procedures Manual

3)      the Department of Teacher Education Program Handbook (available from the Department of Teacher Education Office).

Graduate Student Organizations

Students are encouraged to seek the assistance of and participate in the university graduate student organizations.  Two graduate support organizations are:

1)      The Agency for Graduate Concern (AGC) at http://www.agc.fau.edu/located on the Boca Raton campus, University Center, room 221.  This university wide support network offers assistance to graduate students on all seven campuses.  The AGC works in conjunction with Student Government and the administration to continue improving and increasing programs, services, and funding for FAU graduate students.   An e-newsletter offers up-to-date information regarding grants (funding for travel and research), scholarships, and program information

2)      College of Education Student Advisory Council (SAC): This organization offers Graduate students many university and college events and benefits (such as travel expenses to conferences.) http://www.coe.fau.edu/sac

3)      For Funding inquires go to http://www.fau.edu/dsr.

4)      The University Center for Excellence in Writing assists Graduate Students.

II.  Program of Study Procedures 

___   Upon notification of admission, the candidate must contact the assigned advisor to design a program of study.

___   It is the candidate’s responsibility, with the guidance and approval of the chair, to select 2 additional committee members.

___   The student must introduce the program of study to each committee member and obtain the signatures of each member on two forms: the “Appointment of Supervisory Committee” form and the “Program of Studies” form.

___   The advisor of the specialist committee will obtain the signature of the chairperson of the Department of Teacher Education and submit the program to the Director of Academic and Student Services in the College of Education.

·  A maximum of 6 semester hours graduate credit earned from another institution in a non-degree seeking status may be transferred.

·  The advisor must complete the “Audit Form” and attach it with the approved program when courses are transferred into the program.

·  When credits are transferred into the program, they will reflect the beginning date of the signed program.  All specialist work must be completed within seven years of the signed program. 

·  During the entire Ed.S. process, students are required to enroll for at least 1 credit during at least 2 semesters (fall, spring, or summer) of every academic year in order to remain eligible for the degree.

___   If course changes are made in the program, a “Graduate Program Course Change” form must be completed and signed by the advisor then filed with the Office of Academic and Student Services in the College of Education. The candidate is obliged to verbally inform the committee members of this change.

___   If a change is necessary to replace the advisor:

·  The candidate must contact the Department Chairperson to discuss reasons for requesting this change.

·  If a change is recommended, the candidate and the chairperson identify a graduate-level faculty member and secure agreement from that person to serve as the research chairperson.

·  The candidate must verbally confirm with the other members of the committee to see if they will continue to serve on the committee.  If they will not, additional graduate-level faculty must be identified. 

·  The candidate must file a new “Appointment of Supervisory Committee” form with the signatures of the new advisor and committee members.

___      If a committee member change is necessary, the candidate must :

·  Contact the chair.

·  Identify a graduate-level faculty member and secure agreement from that person that he/she will serve as a committee member.

·  File a new “Appointment of Supervisory Committee” form with the signatures of the advisor and reconstituted committee members.

III. Program of Study Minimum Requirement

 The Specialist Degree program requires 36 semester hours beyond the M.Ed.  The program of study includes:

v    Core courses  6 semester hours*

v  Area of Specialization 15 semester hours

v     Electives   12 semester hours

v  Research/Statistics course     3 semester hours*

*  Check pre-requisite requirements for the Core and Research courses on the Web site or in the catalog. 

·  Area of Specialization (cognate) courses should be completed on the 5000 or 6000 level.

·  A minimum of 50 percent of all course work must be in the College of Education and at the 6000 level.

·  The remaining 50 percent of all course work must be approved by the committee.

·  Students must satisfy university residency by maintaining full-time graduate student status for at least one semester.  The semester must include 9 semester hours in the Fall term, or 9 semester hours in the Spring term, or 6 semester hours in the summer term. Full time residency may occur at any point in the program.

·  The semester candidates register for full-time graduate status, they are to contact their advisor and add the dates of residency completion to the program. When credit hours fall below required load, due to dropped courses, status becomes part-time and will not meet university residency requirements.

IV.              Written Qualifying Examination  

Qualifying examination may be taken:

·  When students have completed all but 3 to 6 semester hours of coursework.

·  If a minimum GPA of 3.25 on all graduate work attempted at FAU is maintained.
 

The written qualifying examination is scheduled and administered on one day.  The exam consists of a three-hour written examinations, which is based on the candidate’s program of study and directed by the Educational Specialist chair.

         Procedures

___   It is the student’s responsibility to submit by the deadline the application indicating the semester to take the qualifying examination.  Obtain and return this form to the College of Education Student Services Department. These dates are shown in the Academic Calendar in the FAU Schedule of Courses each Fall and Spring semester.

___   The advisor will notify the Office of Academic and Student Services in the College of Education of the examination results.  Each student is notified in writing, by the Director of Academic and Student Services, of the results of the examination (pass/fail/defer).

·  A student who fails the qualifying examination on the first attempt may re-take the examination during the following semester.  The student must complete and submit with the chair’s signed recommendation a second written application to take the examination.

·  If the student fails the written examination a second time, he/she will be ineligible to continue in the Ed.D. program at FAU.

VI.  Procedures for Graduation  

___   Complete “Evaluation of Specialist Degree Program” form and return it to the Department of Teacher Education

___   Complete the “Application for Graduation” form from the Registrar’s Office. Check deadlines.

___   Order cap and gown.

___   Contact the advisor to remind him/her about the graduation ceremony date, location, and time. 

CONGRATULATIONS!

Commencement convocations are held in the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters.