Nov 23, 2024  
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog

Teaching and Leading, Ed.S.


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Jim Allen, Ed.D., Graduate Program Director

Purpose

The Education Specialist degree in Teaching & Leading is for teachers who wish to enhance their teaching, leadership and mentoring skills. This program would engage students in learning and practicing principles and skills of collaboration, mentorship, and research-based practice, leading to improved skills for graduates, the teacher candidates under their influence, and the P-12 students in their classrooms. Program completers would be eligible for rank change (Rank 1) in Kentucky.

The program requires 30 credit hours of graduate level coursework earned beyond the Master’s degree and initial teacher certification. Kentucky Teacher Standards, Advanced Level, are met through an action research project and other program experiences.

Contact Information

Teacher Education Graduate Office - MEP 263C gradedu@nku.edu or 859-572-1567

Admission Requirements and Process

All admission requirements should be submitted to the Office of Graduate Education in Lucas Administrative Center, AC 302, before the application deadline (available on the Office of Graduate Education web page). Applicants whose admission requirements are not complete by the application deadline will be considered for admission if space is available.

To be eligible for admission, applicants must submit:

Official transcripts sent from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended. One transcript must show successful completion of master’s degree in education or in the content area of the applicant’s teaching certificate.

A copy of the applicant’s Kentucky teaching certificate showing certification at the Rank II level, or out-of-state equivalent.

Supplemental application.

International students or students whose native language is not English should contact International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) to inquire about policies regarding official transcript evaluations and English proficiency.

Transcript evaluations and TOEFL/IELTS scores are required for admission to this program. ISSS may be reached by telephone at 859-572-6571 or by e-mail at isss@nku.edu.

Application Review and Deadlines

Only complete application files will be reviewed. Admission will be offered to the number of applicants sufficient to meet enrollment limits. Applicants whose application files are not complete before the priority deadline may only be considered for admission if enrollment limits have not yet been met. The following is the review schedule:

Completed application files received by the priority deadline of: Will be reviewed in the month of: For admission in this term (or later:) Decision letter will be e-mailed on or near:
July 1 July Fall July 15
November 1 November Spring November 15
April 1 April Summer April 15

Admission decisions are not made based on a single admission criterion. Applicants’ files are evaluated holistically when estimating an applicant’s qualifications. Therefore, submitting the required admissions documents or attaining the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to the program.

♦ Indicates prerequisite.

 

Curriculum Requirements


Core Courses (15 credit hours)


Elective Course (0-3 credit hours)


Candidates in concentration areas requiring only 12 credits will select a course based on his/her statement of professional goals with approval of the advisor and the graduate program director to strengthen instructional design and teaching competence.

Concentration (12-15 credit hours)


Candidates will select one of the following concentrations:

Content Option


Candidate takes 12 credit hours of content courses in area(s) of his/her teaching certification. Courses meeting the content component must be approved by the student’s advisor and the Teacher Education Graduate Office prior to student enrolling in the courses.

Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education (Birth to Kindergarten)


For IECE Certification: Completion of all courses (21 credit hours) and Praxis exam(s) as required by KYEPSB.

This is an option designed to assist teachers with an existing elementary or special education teaching certificate to achieve the IECE certificate.

Moderate and Severe Disabilities (P-12)


Candidate must complete the following courses or course equivalencies to pursue the moderate to severe certification:

Gifted Education (P-12)


For Gifted and Talented Endorsement: Completion of all courses (12 credit hours) and Praxis exam(s) as required by KYEPSB.

Prerequisite to starting the endorsement: One year of full time teaching experience.

Students must take EDG 621  and EDG 623  before they will be permitted to enroll in EDG 625  and EDG 627 .

Reading (P-12)


For Reading Endorsement: Completion of all courses (16 credit hours) and Praxis exam(s) as required by KYEPSB.

Environmental Education (P-12)


For Environmental Education Endorsement: Completion of 12 credit hours in accordance with the environmental education endorsements to meet the NAAEE Guidelines for the Initial Preparation of Environmental Educators Standards.

Students must gain their advisors’ approval prior to enrolling in courses. Completion of all courses (12 credit hours).

Instructional Computer Technology (P-12)


For ICT Endorsement: Completion of all courses (15 credit hours).

Prerequisite Course (3 credit hours)

Final Course (3 credit hours)

Note:

*EDG 603  may be taken when the topic fits the specified strand with advisor approval.

**EDG 702  & EDG 703  will take the place of EDG 646  for students enrolled in the education specialist’s degree program.

Special Education not leading to endorsement


Completion of all courses (12 credit hours)

Individually Constructed Planned Program


15 credits selected in consultation with advisor

Autism/Applied Behavior Analysis


Completion of all courses (18 credit hours)

Elementary Mathematics Specialist


This program supports current elementary school teachers in improving their own practice and their school mathematics community. The courses for the program fit into three categories. The first category of courses focuses on mathematical pedagogies for grades K-2, grades 3-5, and interventions across grades K-5 for students with additional needs. The second category of courses address mathematical content that is relevant for teachers teaching grades K-5, including number and operations, algebra and functions, geometry and measurement, and data analysis and probability. The third category contains a leadership course designed to build leadership capacity among elementary teachers in the area of mathematics.

Dual Credit Teaching


STEM Concentration: Computer Science


First Course (must be taken in first semester) (0 credit hours)

Final Course (must be taken in final semester) (0 credit hours)

  •  

    Note: Teachers with no programming experience will be required to take EDG 602  prior to CSC 500 .

     

    At the completion of these graduate courses, teachers will be qualified to teach the following dual credit courses:

    • Elementary Programming (INF 120, 3 credits) - NKU general education course
    • Object Oriented Programming I (CSC 260, 3 credits) - has a corresponding Advanced Placement exam
    • Introduction to Web Development (INF 286, 3 credits)
    • Computer Science Principles - has a corresponding Advanced Placement exam

Liberal Arts/ Social Sciences concentration: Communication


First Course (must be taken in first semester) (0 credit hours)

Final Course (must be taken in final semester) (0 credit hours)

  •  

    At the completion of these graduate courses, teachers will be qualified to teach the following dual credit courses:

    • Public Speaking (CMST 101, 3 credits) - NKU general education course
    • Introduction to Communication Studies (CMST 110, 3 credits) - NKU general education course
    • Media Literacy (EMB 100, 3 credits) - NKU general education course
    • Media in a Diverse Society (EMB 105, 3 credits) - NKU general education course
    • Introduction to Popular Culture (POP 205, 3 credits) - NKU general education course
    • International Popular Culture (POP 250, 3 credits) - NKU general education course

Liberal Arts/ Social Sciences concentration: English


Teachers enroll in and complete the Graduate Certificate in Composition and Rhetoric in the Department of English.

First Course (must be taken in first semester) (0 credit hours)

Select three courses from the options below (9 credit hours):

Final Course (must be taken in final semester) (0 credit hours)

  •  

    At the completion of these graduate courses, teachers will be qualified to teach the following dual credit courses:

    • College Writing (ENG 101, 3 credits) - NKU general education course
    • Advanced College Writing (ENG 291, 3 credits) - NKU general education course

     

Curriculum and Instruction


The curriculum is designed to help teachers certified to teach in middle-12 schools improve their professional skills, extend their knowledge of the subjects they teach, and increase their understanding of the intellectual, philosophical, sociological, psychological, and cultural foundations of effective education.

Total Minimum Ed.S. Program Hours: 30


Exit Criteria


Signed curriculum contract for the Education Specialist in Teaching & Learning degree program.

Signed Codes of Ethics for Kentucky School Personnel and College of Education.

Successful completion of the Education Specialist in Teaching & Learning degree courses, with a minimum GPA of 3.0, for a total of 30 credit hours.

Successful completion of Action Research Project.

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