Specialist in Education Degree
The program of study leading to the Specialist in Education degree (Ed. S.) will be designed for each student so as to achieve proper balance between the experiences required for training as a specialist and those required for development as a professional educator working with other educators. The program will therefore be tailored to serve the needs and objectives of the individual student.
A minimum of 30 semester hours beyond the master's degree, in approved upper-level courses, will be required in the Ed. S. program. At least 15 semester hours must be taken in courses numbered at the 7000 level and no course below the 6000 level shall be counted for credit unless written approval is obtained from the student's advisory committee, the chairperson of the department in which the student is majoring, and the Associate Dean of the College of Graduate Studies.
Although a thesis is not required in the specialist program, the student is expected to become well acquainted with research in the field of specialization and to demonstrate competence in research methodology. In order to satisfy these expectations, the student must earn at least three (3) semester hours in courses of a laboratory and/or field experience nature and three (3) semester hours in an independent study project.
Admission To Candidacy
Graduate students in a program leading to the Specialist in Education degree should make application for admission to candidacy immediately following the completion of fifteen (15) semester hours of graduate credit. If application is not made by the time 15 hours are completed, the student may not be permitted to register for subsequent work until the application is approved. The requirements which must be met before approval of admission to candidacy are:
The achievement of Full Standing
The completion of at least fifteen (15) semester hours of graduate credit with a minimum quality point average of 3.0.
The written approval by the student's advisory committee.
The written approval of the chairperson of the major department.
Successful completion of any examination which may be required by the student's department for admission to candidacy.
If the student's application for admission to candidacy is not approved due to academic deficiencies, the student cannot continue graduate study with a major in any of the departments of the college in which he/she is studying.
Students in the counseling program within the Department of Counseling and Psychology will take the national Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE) during their first semester of study. This examination will be diagnostic in nature and must be passed to graduate from a counseling Ed.S. program.
Final clearance for candidacy will be achieved only upon recommendation by the department in which the student is majoring, subject to approval of the Associate Dean of the College of Graduate Studies.
Prior to admission to candidacy the student may be required to remove certain deficiencies resulting from insufficient background preparation for the specific field or from the absence of certain prerequisite courses essential in preparation for pursuing the proposed specialist program. The candidacy step should not be confused with the final comprehensive examination which is required of all degree candidates and which has been explained previously in the general regulations section of this catalog.
Transfer And Other Credit
Each candidate for the Ed.S. degree must complete a minimum of 24 semester hours credit at Tennessee Technological University.
A maximum of six (6) semester hours of transferred work with a minimum grade of "B" in each course may be included in the student's program of study. Such work must have been completed at an accredited institution which offers the Master's, Specialist's and/or Doctor's Degree (for a list of accrediting agencies recognized, refer to the U.S. Department of Education website). Credit earned through correspondence or extension courses will not be accepted toward the Ed.S. Degree.
Department of Curriculum & Instruction
A maximum of twelve (12) semester hours of transferred work with a minimum grade of "B" in each course may be included in the student's program of study with approval from advisor, department chair, and dean. Such work must have been completed at an accredited institution which offers the Master's, Specialist's and/or Doctoral Degree. Credit earned through correspondence or extension courses will not be accepted toward the M.A. Degree.
Credit by special examination is not permitted at the graduate level; however, special examinations to determine competency or proficiency in courses where credit has already been earned but is currently out-of-date may be permitted during a period of up to three (3) consecutive semesters immediately following the six-year time limitation. Special examinations may also be permitted to validate transfer credit, but the credit must be originally earned as graduate credit and not undergraduate credit.
Other Regulations
In addition to these specific requirements for the Specialist in Education Degree, all candidates will be expected to comply with general regulations of the Graduate School. (See Regulations and Degree Requirements in previous sections of this catalog.)