Specialist in Education in Curriculum and Instruction

The 30-hour Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) in Educational Leadership degree is an accelerated, performance-based program for educators. You must hold a Tier I Standard Educational Leadership certificate but do not have a specialist or doctoral degree and are pursuing clear, renewable leadership certification in Georgia (Tier II).

The program offers extensive opportunities for you to apply your knowledge and skills in educational leadership settings. Following the successful completion of the program and state assessments, you will be eligible for the Tier II Educational Leadership certification in Georgia. You can complete the Educational Leadership degree in as few as three semesters.

Educational Leadership Tier II Certification Only

The 18-hour Tier II Certification Only program is an accelerated, performance-based program for educators, and you must hold a specialist or  doctoral degree. Following the successful completion of the program and state assessments, you will be eligible for the Tier II Educational Leadership certification in Georgia. The “Certification Only” program can be completed in as few as two semesters.

GaPSC Requirements

You must complete assessments prior to enrollment and completion in programs that lead to certification (M.Ed., Tier I Certification Only, Ed.S., Tier II Certification Only). The Ethics Entrance Exam must be taken prior to enrollment in certification programs, and the Ethics Exit Exam and GACE or PASL (Tier I and Tier II, respectively) must be taken prior to completion. If you have taken the Ethics Exams in a M.Ed./Tier I program, you do not need to re-take for enrollment into the Ed.S./Tier II.

Graduate Admission Requirements

Graduate admissions criteria varies based on enrollment type. Please visit the Graduate Admissions Requirements site for more details.

Program Admission Requirements

The following are program-specific criteria beyond the general Graduate Admissions requirements. To be considered for admission to this program, the following application materials must be submitted to the KSU Graduate Admissions Office:

Please upload the following documents before submitting your application: 

• A copy of your Georgia Clear, Renewable Teaching, Service and/or Leadership Certificate, out-of-state equivalent or departmentally approved equivalent, not reflecting the Curriculum & Instruction field. To print a copy of your Georgia clear, renewable certificate, you may visit mypsc.gapsc.org. The CIES program Department of Curriculum & Instruction recognizes and appreciates that many independent schools and 21st century learning environments do not require educators to hold traditional state teaching certification.  In such instances, department faculty will make a case-by-case determination as to whether the educator’s qualifications are sufficiently equivalent to a traditional teaching, service or leadership certificate and/or whether the educator has the background necessary to ensure successful completion of the program.

• ONE Mentor Form: This program provides degree candidates with authentic, field-based learning experiences. Completion of these experiences often requires the facilitation of an educator (usually a current administrator or Lead Teacher) who agrees to serve as the candidate’s mentor during his or her degree program. The mentor contact operates as part of a learning team with the candidate and university faculty, ensuring the candidate has an opportunity to complete his or her field experiences and/or working with university faculty and candidates to identify appropriate alternative experiences.  As this program leads to a field addition by the GaPSC, the mentor must meet the GaPSC requirements, as listed on the program Mentor Form available in the application.

• Master’s Degree: Applicants must hold master’s degree in an education-related field.

Transfer Credit

Submit a copy of the Transfer Credit Request Form. A maximum of 25% of transfer credit may be awarded at the discretion of the program director. 

Not all programs are available to residents in all states. Please check the institution's State Authorization and Professional Licensure website(s) to ensure you reside in an authorized state.

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Georgia Professional Standards Commission