Specialist in Education in Special Education

The Ed.S. with a Major in Special Education is an online, 30-hour program offering two (2) concentrations that prepare you for roles as educational professionals in the field of special education. The program helps you gain a deep understanding of key issues in special education. You will reflect on your own perspectives and teaching philosophy, explore how history, laws, and court cases have shaped the education of students with disabilities, and build the skills to analyze and conduct research through inquiry-based learning. This advanced program is designed to revitalize classroom pedagogy and provide a path for inclusive leadership, both of which are increasingly vital to the betterment of education for all learners.

The Ed.S. in Special Education offers two concentrations designed to prepare you for leadership roles in the field:

• The Special Education Advanced Concentration provides you with the skills necessary to synthesize theory and practice through further examination of theoretically-based curriculum development, understanding of global education issues, and inquiry into making education beneficial for individuals with exceptionalities. If you choose this concentration, you may seek to advance your knowledge in special education as practitioners and teacher leaders. 
• The Special Education Leadership Concentration provides a path to Tier 1 Certification (12 of 18 required credit hours) and is fully online. It is professionally oriented and candidates for the program are expected to currently be employed in a professional role in an organization providing professional educational services (e.g., school, regional educational service agency, department of education). In order to fulfill the required 18 hours, you will transfer to the Tier I Leadership program after you finish the Ed.S. to complete the two remaining courses (6 credit hours), both of which are offered every semester. No additional application fees will be incurred as long as these two (2) courses are completed within three (3) semesters following the awarding of the Ed.S. 

Additionally, you will be required to take the GACE Leadership Ethics Exit Exam as well as the current Leadership Content Exam. Field activities and Key assessments accompany each EDL course to provide synthesis of the practical and theoretical knowledge necessary for today’s inclusive educational leader. 

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 requirements 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:

For the Special Education Advanced Concentration: 

• An earned Master’s degree in professional education or a related field from an accredited institution, i.e., Curriculum & Instruction, Educational Leadership);
• Clear Renewable Georgia Teaching Certificate or departmentally-approved equivalent;
• At least two (2) years of professional experience in teaching, administration, or related field;

For the Special Education Leadership Concentration: 

• An earned Master’s degree or higher in professional education or a related field from an accredited institution, i.e., Curriculum & Instruction, Educational Leadership,

• Clear Renewable Georgia Teaching Certificate or departmentally-approved equivalent;  

• Professional Resume demonstrating evidence of at least two years of teaching experience

• Recommendation Form from school system administrator or designee 

• EDL Mentor Form demonstrating that the mentor is actively employed in a leadership position in a P-12 school or LUA and holds a clear, renewable PSC Leadership Tier I (FLD700) or Leadership Tier II (FLD710) Certificate Field.  

• GACE Leadership Ethics Assessment Completion Certificate 

• Candidates are required to be employed as teachers or administrators in a traditional public school district, a charter school district, a charter school, or an independent school. By PSC regulation, candidates must be referred for admissions by their respective schools/districts, and Kennesaw State University must hold a Performance-Based partnership with the referring district.

* Individuals not holding a special education field on their PSC certificate will be required to pass the Special Education General Curriculum GACE assessment(s), thereby qualifying them to add the special education field, before the PSC will grant an upgrade to the teaching certificate.   

** Individuals applying for the Special Education Leadership Concentration who do not hold a Georgia teaching certificate may be considered for admission with approval by the Educational Leadership department.

Transfer Credit

Up to 25% of the total credit hours for the EdS program may be transferred in from outside institutions upon the approval of the program coordinator. 

The Specialist in Education in Special Education program leads to Professional Licensure.

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. The Professional License Disclosure link opens in a new tab. 's Professional License Disclosure

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Georgia Professional Standards Commission