The faculty of the Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders offers the Educational Specialist Degree for
those persons interested in advanced study in the areas of special education. The Education Specialist degree (Ed.S.) prepares educational practitioners for specialized positions in schools or other settings. It is intended to permit practitioners to obtain specialized knowledge and skills or to expand the breadth of their knowledge and skills related to special education.
Relationship to Doctoral Degrees
The Education Specialist Degree is a terminal degree, and should not be viewed as a substitute for the doctorate. It is especially appropriate for those individuals who wish preparation beyond the master’s degree level, but who are not interested in doctoral work with its emphasis on research and college teaching. Work undertaken for a completed Education Specialist Degree will not transfer to a program of study for a Doctoral Degree.
Admission
Admission into an Ed.S. program in Special Education and Communication Disorders (SECD) will be considered for those who meet the following criteria:
1. A masters degree from a fully accredited collegiate institution. (Relevant professional experience is desired).
2. Acceptable academic predictors (undergraduate and graduate GPA: GRE verbal and quantitative and writing percentile ranks, etc.)
3. Three letters supporting the applicant's ability to pursue advanced graduate work.
4. An application for admission which includes identification of an area of specialization and a statement of goals that are to be accomplished in the Ed.S. graduate program.
5. A letter of support and commitment to serve as an advisor from an appropriate faculty member (an advisor must agree to advise a student before that person is granted admission).
6. Professional experience related to the specialization in special education is desired.
Admission recommendations will be determined by the admissions committee of the Division of Special Education graduate faculty.
Supervisory Committee
The student in cooperation with the advisor will recommend the other members of the supervisory committee to the Dean of Graduate Studies who will formally appoint the committee. This committee will be responsible for approving the program of studies, monitoring a student’s progress, administering the comprehensive examination, reviewing and approving the student’s project and recommending the student for receipt of the Educational Specialist Degree. The Supervisory committee will be chaired by the student’s advisor who must be a faculty member in the Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders.
The Program
Each student will be required to pursue a program of study which has an emphasis on the practical aspects of the field of special education. Each student will write a set of goals related to the program, and identify the area of specialization desired within the field of special education.
Generally students in the Education Specialist degree program can specialize in any area of special education. Specializations might focus on disability areas such as emotional or behavioral disorders, learning disabilities, cognitive disabilities, deaf or hard of hearing, visual impairments, and severe disabilities (and might include an added endorsement in one of these areas). Others might focus on age levels of special education students such as early childhood special education or secondary special education and transition. Still others might focus on other related topics such as special education consultation and collaboration, assessment and measurement, program evaluation, law and policy, or similar topics. These are intended to illustrate the range of possible areas of specialization, and not to limit the possible focus of study.
A student’s goals should be as specific as is possible, and should indicate the areas of practice the student is choosing to increase expertise. The goals might also reflect how the student will apply and use research related to this area, and how the student’s skills in supporting areas such as supervision and administration, professional development, distance education, technology or other areas will be increased.
The student will design a program consistent with his/her professional goals in the field. That program will consist of the following:
- At least 66 hours beyond the baccalaureate.
- At least 33 of the hours must be in approved graduate courses offered through the University of Nebraska Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders.
- No less than 24 hours must be completed after the program has been filed with the Graduate College.
- All degree requirements must be completed within eight years from the date of the program’s approval.
A student will design a program in cooperation with his or her advisor, which is consistent with his or her professional goals. For admission each student will write a set of professional goals for the Education Specialist program which will guide the development of the particular course of study. Each student’s program must include:
- Core courses (related to the student’s focus topic(s))
- Related Courses
- Electives
- Research, Statistics and/or Evaluation Courses
- Practica
The specific courses which are included in the student’s program within each of these sections will be determined by the student and advisor and approved by the Supervisory Committee based on the student’s goals. Courses in these five areas may include Masters Degree coursework already completed as is pertinent, as well as additional courses to be taken as a part of the propose Education Specialist Program.
Additional Endorsements or Certificates
If a student chooses to add an additional teaching endorsement or administrative certificate as a part of this program, the student must meet all of the course requirements that are specific to that endorsement or certificate. Students seeking additional endorsements must file an appropriate program of study with the CEHS Teachers Certification office.
Written Comprehensive Examination
A written comprehensive examination developed by the supervisory committee, will be administered when the program is substantially complete. The committee determines the nature and duration of the examination, when the exam will occur on the recommendation of the advisor and will report the results to the Office of Graduate Studies.
Education Specialist Practica
The Practica may include student teaching, internships, externships or other forms of practica. The nature of the practica should relate to the student’s goals and be determined in cooperation with the advisor. Distance education students in the Ed.S. Program may need to identify their own local practicum sites, and identify a qualified local supervisor for their practica with the advice of their advisor. In some cases the distance student may also need to pay specific fees related to practica.
Education Specialist Paper
Students in the Ed.S. Program will write at least one scholarly paper or project appropriate to the applied nature of the degree. This paper is not a formal thesis or dissertation, but should be substantial in character, and represent an application of the knowledge and skills the student is attempting to obtain in their Ed.S. degree program. The paper or papers might be a literature review, applied research project report, a curriculum analysis, a manuscript suitable for publication, a grant application suitable for submission to a funding agency or in some other format suitable to the student’s interests and goals. The paper might be written as a part of any course, for independent study credit, or done separately without credit.
A description of the proposed paper or papers should be developed and submitted to the supervisory committee for their approval, and the supervisory committee will review and approve the final project or paper when it is completed.
- Recommendation for the Selection of Ed.S. Supervisory Committee;
Download in 
PDF or 
Word format.
- Education Specialist Degree Program of Studies;
Download in PDF or Word format.
- Final Report for the Education Specialist Degree.
Download in PDF or Word format.
Option for On-Campus or Distance Education
Students in the Education Specialist Program may be able to complete their Ed.S. Degree taking courses available via distance education, or in a more traditional on-campus mode. However, not all areas of specialization will be supported via distance education, and potential student in the program should consult with an advisor before completing the admission process in order to determine the availability of distance education courses to support their goals. Although the availability of distance education sections is increasing quickly, currently (as of 11/04) the following special programs are available via distance education and could be built into an Education Specialist Degree Program:
- Deaf and Hard of Hearing
- Emotional or Behavioral Disorders
- Early Childhood Special Education
- Severe Disabilities
- Supervisor of Special Education
- Visual Impairments (limited)
On-campus students may include any available area of specialization in their programs. Check the UNL Office of Extended Education and Outreach website for latest information.
While on-campus students may take virtually any graduate course as a part of their program, distance students will be limited by the availability of distance sections. These are changing and expanding continuously, but in order to assist potential distance students these lists have been created:
A. Core Coursework- Distance |
SPED 841 |
Emotional or Behavioral Disorders (3 cr.) |
SPED 803 |
Effective Instruction for Learners w/Sp Needs |
SPED 804 |
Managing Challenging Behavior |
SPED 852 |
Instructional Methods for Teaches of Students with Visual Impairment |
SPED 857 |
Special Education Administration |
SPED 858 |
Special Education Law |
SPED 873 |
Teaching the Content Areas to the Hearing Impaired |
SPED 881 |
Teaching Students with Retardation or Severe Disabilities |
SPED 882B |
Advanced Methods Autism and Profound Disabilities |
SPED 895 |
Independent Study |
SPED 960 |
Family-Centered Services for Children with Disabilities |
SPED 981 |
Functional Analyses |
SPED 907B |
Seminar in Emotional or Behavioral Disorders (3 cr.) |
SPED 942 |
Strategic Approaches for Emotional or Behavioral Disorders (3 cr.) |
SPED 996A |
Research Other than Thesis |
SPED 996B |
Readings in Special Education |
B. Related or Supporting Courses- Distance |
FACS 872 |
Youth Development |
EDAD 857 |
Special Education Administration |
EDAD 858 |
Special Education Law |
EDAD 852 |
School Culture and Student Behavior |
EDAD 811 |
Schooling and Administration (6) |
SLPA 850 |
Audiology for Education |
SLPA 884 |
Speech and Language Development of the Hearing Impaired |
C. Electives- Distance |
|
Any of the courses listed elsewhere, depending on nature of the program. |
D. Research and Statistics- Distance |
EDUC 800 |
Foundations of Educational Research |
EDUC 981 |
Introduction to Research |
EDPS 859 |
Statistical Methods |
EDPS 860 |
Applications of Selected Advanced Statistics |
EDUC 900D |
Survey Methods in Educational Research |
EDUC 900K |
Qualitative Approaches to Educational Research |
D. Practica- Distance |
SPED 896 |
Directed Field Experience (Various specialized field experiences specific to individual programs.) |
SPED 897 |
Practicum or Student Teaching (Various specialized field experiences specific to individual programs.) |
| Student Example #1 |
Student enters with:
Teaching Certificate in Secondary Social Studies; Endorsement in Learning Disabilities K-12
Master of Education Degree in Special Education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Goal focuses on adding EBD endorsement and expertise.
|
SPED 802 |
Advanced Assessment Techniques (3 cr.) |
Previous Masters Degree Coursework (39 Credit Hours; 33 applied toward Ed.S.) |
SPED 803 |
Effective Instruction for Learners w/Sp Needs (3 cr.) |
SPED 804 |
Managing Challenging Behavior (3 cr.) |
SPED 806 |
Diagnosis & Correction of Reading Disabilities (3 cr.) |
SPED 831 |
Characteristics of Learning Disabilities (3 cr.) |
SPED 887 |
Language and Learning Disorders |
SPED 908 |
Resource Consultation Services |
SPED 932 |
Strategies and Methods for LD |
SPED 897L |
Practicum Learning Disabilities (5 cr) |
SPED 897Z |
Practicum Multicultural (1 cr) |
SPED 907L |
Seminar in LD (3 cr.) |
EDPS 850 |
Child Psychology (3 cr.) |
EDUC 800 |
Foundations of Educational Research (3 cr.) |
Enters Ed.S. Program |
Additional Core Courses |
SPED 841 |
Emotional or Behavioral Disorders (3 cr.) |
SPED 942 |
Strategic Approaches for Emotional or Behavioral Disorders (3 cr.) |
SPED 907B |
Seminar in Emotional or Behavioral Disorders (3 cr.) |
SPED 960 |
Family-Centered Services for Children with Disabilities |
SPED 996B |
Readings in Special Education |
Additional Supporting Courses |
EDAD 852 |
School Culture and Student Behavior |
EDAD 858 |
Special Education Law |
Additional Research and Statistics |
EDPS 859 |
Statistical Methods |
EDUC 900D |
Survey Methods in Educational Research |
SPED 996A |
Research Other than Thesis |
Additional Practica |
SPED 896 |
Directed Field Experience |
SPED 897B |
Practicum BD (3 cr.) |
Example Summary
Masters Degree coursework= 33
Additional Courses for Education Specialist = 33
Total Hours including Masters degree = 66 credits
Upon Completion of Education Specialist Degree Program this student is also eligible for an additional teaching endorsement in Behavior Disorders (K-12)
|
| Student Example #2 |
Student enters with:
Undergraduate Teaching Certificate in Mild Moderate 7-12, UNL.
Master of Education Degree in Educational Administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Principal’s Administrative Certificate.
Goal focuses on obtaining expertise in Learning Disabilities.
Previous Masters Degree Coursework in Educational Administration is applied to supporting courses. (36 Credit Hours; 33 applied toward Ed.S.)
|
Enters Ed.S. Program |
Additional Core Courses |
SPED 802 |
Advanced Assessment Techniques |
SPED 803 |
Effective Instruction for Learners w/Sp Needs |
SPED 804 |
Managing Challenging Behavior |
SPED 806 |
Diagnosis & Correction of Reading Disabilities (3 cr.) |
SPED 831 |
Characteristics of Learning Disabilities (3 cr.) |
SPED 887 |
Language and Learning Disorders |
SPED 908 |
Resource Consultation Services |
SPED 932 |
Strategies and Methods for LD |
SPED 907L |
Seminar in LD (3 cr.) |
EdPsy 850 |
Child Psychology |
|
[Educational Administration Courses from Masters Degree. 33 Cr. Hours] |
Additional Research and Statistics |
EDPS 859 |
Statistical Methods |
SPED 996A |
Research Other than Thesis |
Additional Practica |
SPED 897L |
Practicum Learning Disabilities (5 cr) |
SPED 897Z |
Practicum Multicultural (1 cr) |
Example Summary
Masters Degree coursework= 33
Additional Courses for Education Specialist = 42
Total Hours including Masters degree = 75 credits
Upon Completion of Education Specialist Degree Program this student is also eligible for an additional teaching endorsement in Learning Disabilities (K-12)
|
|
Student enters with:
Teaching Certificate in Secondary Social Studies; Master of Education Degree in Special Education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with Endorsement in Behavioral Disorders K-12;
Goals focus on increased expertise in working with students with emotional or behavioral disorders
Previous Masters Degree Coursework (39 Credit Hours; 33 applied toward Ed.S.)
|
SPED 800 |
Characteristics of Exceptional Learners |
SPED 802 |
Advanced Assessment Techniques (3 cr.) |
SPED 803 |
Effective Instruction for Learners w/Sp Needs (3 cr.) |
SPED 804 |
Managing Challenging Behavior (3 cr.) |
SPED 841 |
Emotional or Behavioral Disorders (3 cr.) |
SPED 896B |
Directed Field Experience - BD |
SPED 908 |
Resource Consultation Services |
SPED 907B |
Seminar in Emotional or Behavioral Disorders (3 cr.) |
SPED 942 |
Strategic Approaches for Emotional or Behavioral Disorders (3 cr.) |
SPED 897B |
Practicum BD (6 cr.) |
EdPsy 850 |
Child Psychology (3 cr.) |
Educ 800 |
Foundations of Educational Research (3 cr.) |
| |
Additional Core Courses |
| SPED 960 |
Family-Centered Services for Children with Disabilities |
| SPED 806 |
Diagnosis & Correction of Reading Disabilities (4 cr.) |
| SPED 907P |
Seminar on Severe Disabilities – Autism |
| SPED 995 |
Independent Study |
| SPED 996B |
Readings in Special Education |
Additional Supporting Courses |
| EDPS 854 |
Human Cognition and Instruction (3 cr.) |
| EDPS 955 |
Child Therapy (3 cr.) |
| EDPS 869 |
Developmental Psychopathology |
Additional Research and Statistics |
| EDPS 859 |
Statistical Methods |
| EDUC 900 |
Single Subject Research |
| SPED 996A |
Research Other than Thesis |
Additional Practica |
| SPED 897B |
Practicum BD (3 cr.) [Internship in a Specialized day or residential program] |
Example Summary
Masters Degree coursework= 33
Additional Courses for Education Specialist = 36
Total Hours including Masters degree = 69 credits
This program does not add an additional teaching endorsement.
|
Student Example #4 |
Student enters with:
Teaching Certificate in Secondary Social Studies; Endorsement in Learning Disabilities K-12
Master of Education Degree in Special Education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Goal focuses on adding administrative certificate as Supervisor of Special Education.
Previous Masters Degree Coursework (39 Credit Hours; 33 applied toward Ed.S.)
|
SPED 802 |
Advanced Assessment Techniques (3 cr.) |
SPED 803 |
Effective Instruction for Learners w/Sp Needs (3 cr.) |
SPED 804 |
Managing Challenging Behavior (3 cr.) |
SPED 806 |
Diagnosis & Correction of Reading Disabilities (3 cr.) |
SPED 831 |
Characteristics of Learning Disabilities (3 cr.) |
SPED 887 |
Language and Learning Disorders |
SPED 908 |
Resource Consultation Services |
SPED 932 |
Strategies and Methods for LD |
SPED 897L |
Practicum Learning Disabilities (5 cr) |
SPED 897Z |
Practicum Multicultural (1 cr) |
SPED 907L |
Seminar in LD (3 cr.) |
EdPsy 850 |
Child Psychology (3 cr.) |
Educ 800 |
Foundations of Educational Research (3 cr.) |
| Enters Ed.S. Program |
Additional Core Courses |
SPED 841 |
Emotional or Behavioral Disorders (3 cr.) |
SPED 880 |
A Lifespan Approach to Mental Retardation |
SPED 960 |
Family-Centered Services for Children with Disabilities |
SPED 996B |
Readings in Special Education |
SPED 857 |
Special Education Administration |
SPED 858 |
Special Education Law |
Additional Supporting Courses |
EDAD 830 |
Administrative Theory (3 cr.) |
EDAD 833 |
Educational Finance |
EDAD 837 |
Educational Law |
EDAD 851 |
Faculty and Staff Appraisal |
EDAD 852 |
School Culture and Student Behavior |
Additional Research and Statistics |
EDPS 859 |
Statistical Methods |
EDUC 900D |
Survey Methods in Educational Research |
Additional Practica |
EDAD 811 |
Practicum in Educational Administration and Supervision (3 cr.) |
Example Summary
Masters Degree coursework= 33
Additional Courses for Education Specialist = 42
Total Hours including Masters degree = 76 credits
Upon Completion of Education Specialist Degree Program this student is also eligible for an additional Administrative Certificate as a Supervisor of Special Education.
|
Program Faculty by Specialty Area |
John Bernthal, Ph.D.
(Director, Chair) |
Malinda Eccairus, Ph.D.
Senior Lecturer; deaf education' academic assessment' curriculum development |
Mike Epstein , Ph.D.
Professor: behavioral disorders; early intervention for at-risk students; school and community safety |
Joan Erickson, Ph.D.
Associate Professor: emergent literacy; learning disabilities; reading instruction |
Sue Kemp, Ph.D.
Lecturer: transition, drop out prevention
|
John Maag, Ph.D.
Professor: behavioral disorders; cognitive-behavioral assessment & intervention |
Christine Marvin, Ph.D.
Associate Professor: infant and preschool development & disorders, speech and language |
Gary Meers, Ph.D.
Professor: vocational education; transition
|
Ron Nelson, Ph.D.
Associate Professor: behavior disorders; literacy; positive behavioral interventions |
Reece Peterson, Ph.D.
Professor: behavioral disorders; public policy in special education; school violence prevention |
Robert Reid, Ph.D.
Professor: learning disabilities; strategy instruction; attention deficit disorders
|
Marilyn Scheffler , Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor: learning disabilities, staff development & program planning/evaluation |
Ellin Siegel, Ph.D.
Associate Professor: severe, multiple disabilities; augmentative and alternative communication; preschool intervention |
Stanley Vasa, Ed.D.
Professor: learning disabilities; mildly disabled; career education; paraprofessional training
|
|
What forms are needed for admission to this program?
