Educational Administration - Director of Special Education (Ed.S.)

Admission Information  

The general objective of the Specialist in Education (Ed.S.) degree program is to prepare an educational leader who can administer, supervise, and coordinate programs for students requiring special education. Additionally, this individual must have expertise in developing curriculum, provide in-service training to staff, develop, and monitor a service delivery model.

Students completing the personnel-training program will be eligible for a position as a public school Director of Special Education, a Director of a Special Education Cooperative, Administrator of a Special School, or as Principal/Coordinator. The latter is a particularly viable alternative in a rural sparsely populated setting as is the case in the far Midwest. Other endorsements including Superintendent, Elementary Principal, and Secondary Principal are also possible alternatives that may be completed while pursuing the Specialist program in Director of Special Education.

Following the completion of the required coursework, each student must complete an internship experience in the administration and supervision of Special Education. The experience must be under the direction and supervision of the student’s program advisor. The requirement may be waived if the student presents evidence of successful experience as a director, supervisor, or coordinator of special education, who spends at least 50 percent of his/her time in the administration of Special Education.

Students who have completed a major in Special Education or Communication Disorders at the undergraduate or graduate level (M.A./M.S.) usually can meet this requirement by successfully completing two three-hour courses in Special Education.