Education Specialist in the District (EdS)

Features and benefits of the program

• This program prepares students for superintendent licensure in the State of Illinois. 
• The Education Specialist (EdS) degree program is a post-master’s course of study that provides students an area of educational specialization with an emphasis on practice.
• Individuals who have already completed a master’s degree in education or related field are eligible to pursue an EdS. The amount of additional coursework necessary for an EdS degree after obtaining a master’s degree is about the same as that needed to get a second master’s degree.
• The EdS degree provides an avenue to advance a career in education but does not require a dissertation. 
• Students in the EdS program are eligible for financial aid. 

What does completing the program qualify one to do?

• EdS degrees in Educational Leadership qualify individuals for superintendent and principal administrator positions. While principal positions generally only require a master’s degree, many individuals seeking a principal position will obtain an EdS.
• Individuals seeking program coordinator and department director positions may obtain an EdS in order to gain a competitive edge in terms of qualifications compared to someone with only a master’s degree.

Moving from the EdS to a Doctoral Program

The EdS program is designed for students pursuing a superintendent endorsement who do not desire to earn a doctorate at this time. If at a later time the student wishes to earn a doctoral degree, the 30 hours (ten classes) in the EdS Education Specialist program may be applied to a doctorate in Educational Leadership as follows:

• To complete an EdD program, the student would need an additional 31 credit hours (10 classes) and a dissertation.
• To complete a PhD program, the student would need an additional 37 credit hours (12 classes) and a dissertation.