Application Deadlines
Applications for this program are accepted throughout the year in fall, spring, and summer.
Application Materials Required for the EdS in Elementary Education K-6
Applicants for an Education Specialist (EdS) program must submit all of the following documentation to Graduate Admissions to be considered for admission:
Graduate Admissions
Jacksonville State University
700 Pelham Road North
Jacksonville, Alabama 36265-1602
Applicants will not be considered for admission until all required documents are received by Graduate Studies.
- Completed JSU Graduate Application for Admission.
- Non-refundable $35. 00 application processing fee.
- Official transcripts from all colleges/universities with degrees posted. To be considered for admission, applicants must hold a degree from a institutionally accredited institution or its foreign equivalent. (Students who have previously attended JSU do not need to request a transcript from the university.)
- Valid Master’s-level professional educator certificate in Elementary Education. ALL certificate(s) must be valid throughout the program and at graduation.
- A teacher with a valid bachelor's-level professional certificate in elementary education and a valid master's-level educator certificate in reading may be unconditionally admitted to a Class AA program in elementary education.
- (ii) A teacher with a valid bachelor's-level professional educator certificate in elementary education and a valid master's-level professional educator certificate in English for speakers of other languages may be unconditionally admitted to a Class AA program for elementary education.
- If an individual is unconditionally admitted to an Alabama Class AA program based on a valid master’s-level professional educator for another state, completes a Class AA program, and subsequently applies for Alabama certification at the Class AA level, then the individual must hold at least a valid Class A Professional Educator Certificate before applying for Class AA certification.
- Background check1. Any candidate applying for admission to a state approved teacher education program shall be required to be fingerprinted for a criminal history background check through the Alabama State Department of Education to the Alabama Bureau of Investigation (ABI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Instructions for completing the background process can be found here.
- Three Graduate Reference Forms completed by individuals who can provide qualitative assessment of the applicant’s potential for success in graduate coursework. Reference forms will be submitted electronically. Instructions for submission will be sent through email to the applicant upon submission of the online graduate application.
- International student applicants must see the International Student Applicants section of this catalog for other application and enrollment requirements.
1 If the candidate holds a valid Alabama professional educator certificate and has already completed a background check through that process, another background check will not be required.
Admission Requirements for the EdS in Elementary Education K-6
Applicants are admitted on a selective basis by the faculty members of the program, upon review of the completed application package.
With departmental approval, applicants may be permitted to enroll for one semester of graduate coursework while completing general application procedure requirements.
Minimum Requirements for the EdS in Education - Elementary Education
An overall GPA of 3.50 is required on all coursework attempted for the education specialist degree. Transfer credit cannot be used to raise the GPA to the required 3.50.
Any course completed for the master’s degree or for master’s level professional educator certification may not be repeated or counted for the EdS degree. Graduate courses at the 400 level will not count as credit towards the EdS degree.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| EFD 615 | Leadership in Education | 3 |
| EFD 620 | Measurement and Evaluation in Education | 3 |
| EFD 645 | Contemporary Challenges in Multicultural Education | 3 |
| EFD 691 | Advanced Research in Education I | 3 |
| EFD 692 | Advanced Research in Education II | 3 |
| EIM 610 | Emerging Technology and Collaborative Tools | 3 |
| Concentration Requirements: | ||
| EED 622 | Education Research Methodology | 3 |
| EED 644 | Developing Publications in Elementary Education Trends | 3 |
| EED or RDG 500+ | 6 | |
| Special Education Requirement | ||
| SPE 500 | Survey Course in Special Education 1 | 0-3 |
| Total Hours | 30-33 | |
30-33 Graduate Semester Hours Required for this Degree
| 1 | Students who have not previously taken the special education requirement at the undergraduate or graduate level must take SPE 500 Survey Course in Special Education (3). |
Graduation and Comprehensive Exam
A comprehensive exam is required for this degree; please see the graduate advisor for full details. All students must apply for graduation by the given deadline of the semester in which they plan to graduate. Please see the Graduation and Comprehensive Exam section of this catalog for more information.
Completion of this program leads to eligibility for Education Specialist professional educator certification in Elementary Education.
Please Note: Teacher education programs are approved by the Alabama State Board of Education and are, therefore, subject to periodic revision resulting from changes in State certification requirements. Subsequently, modifications in students’ programs may become necessary. Students in all graduate level teacher education programs must schedule their coursework each semester with approval of their faculty advisors.
Alabama Class AA Professional Educator Certification Requirements
Issuance of Alabama professional educator certificates is the legal responsibility of the Alabama State Department of Education. Universities cannot issue a professional certificate. To be eligible to apply for certification, a student must meet all required admission criteria and complete a program of study at a college or university that has been approved by the State Board of Education to offer a program leading to the desired certificate. When a student completes the program of study, the institution recommends to the State Department of Education that the appropriate certificate be issued.
- Alabama State Department of Education regulations are subject to change; therefore, it is recommended that students apply for certification upon graduation. During their last semester of coursework, students should contact Teacher Education Services, 207 Ramona Wood Hall, for information about this process. The university cannot recommend any student for certification who has not satisfied all state and university requirements for admission to and completion of an approved program. Please see the Alabama Certification Instructions on the Teacher Education Services website.
- Students certified in states other than Alabama who wish to apply for certification in Alabama upon completion of the education specialist degree must apply for Alabama certification on the undergraduate and master’s levels prior to applying for the education specialist level certification. Earning an education specialist degree at JSU does not automatically entitle a student to an Alabama certificate without first holding the appropriate undergraduate and master’s certificates from Alabama.
- Recommendation for certification must be made within 60 months of program completion. Recommendation after 60 months requires completion of a current program.