Advanced Educator Preparation - Curriculum and Instruction (EDS)
Get an in-depth look at Curriculum and Instruction (EDS)
Sidebar
The doctoral degree is granted in recognition of scholarly proficiency and distinctive achievement in a specific field/discipline. All candidates for a doctoral degree in the College of Education and Human Development must successfully complete qualifying exams and a dissertation/professional portfolio that clearly indicates the candidate has mastered and can exhibit/articulate the content knowledge, skills, and dispositions specific to their discipline and can utilize appropriate research methodologies to contribute to the body of knowledge in their field.
View curriculum for Curriculum and Instruction (EdS) for admission requirements, degree requirements and other information.
Curriculum and Instruction (EDS)
The Education Specialist in Curriculum and Instruction prepares classroom teachers to become specialists so that they are well-prepared to lead within their schools, districts, or region, specific to a particular area of teaching specialization (for example, Mathematics Specialist, Literacy/Reading Specialist, or Diversity Literacy Specialist). Prospective applicants for the degree are teachers who have completed a master’s degree in education (e.g., a Master’s in Education (M.Ed.) or a Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.), or related field, and are interested in continuing their educational pursuits, but are not interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction.
The program will provide graduates with expertise needed for strong instructional leadership in schools, including extensive knowledge of:
- Curriculum
- Leadership and coaching
- Data Analysis and research methods to support data-drive decision making
- One area of expertise within teaching (e.g. science teaching, elementary mathematics specialist, reading specialist, special education)
Highlights
This is a 30-hour program leading to an Education Specialist degree. Teachers who have completed this program are well positioned for leadership positions such as a district science specialist or a school instructional coach. In addition, Education Specialists are strong applicants for working in non-profit organizations and college and/or university positions.
UofL’s Ed.S. in Curriculum and Instruction has these defining features:
- Flexible choice of specialization area
- Collaboration with nationally-recognized experts across many specialization areas
- Focus on current research-based effective teaching practices
- Development of skills as a leader of other educators, a consumer and conductor of research, and a leader who can impact change to improve educational learning opportunities for all students
Teacher education candidates should visit the Educator Preparation Program page and review the expectations listed under the "Review These Teaching Profession Expectations" section.
Please visit the Educator Preparation Program page and read items listed under "Advanced Educator Preparation" for this program for more in-depth information regarding admission requirements for this program.
An Education Specialist is prepared for positions such as these:
- District Curriculum Specialist (e.g., Science Education Coordinator)
- Program Coordinator (e.g., Early Childhood programs)
- Content Specialist (e.g., Math Specialist)
- Instructional Coach (e.g., at school or district level)
- Consultant (in area of specialization) (e.g., working for a state department, textbook company, tutoring agency, or online education organizations and businesses).
For job opportunities in Kentucky, visit Kentucky Educator Placement Service
Dr. Justin McFadden
Advanced Programs Co-coordinator
Associate Professor
justin.mcfadden@louisville.edu
Dr. James Chisholm
Advanced Programs Co-coordinator
Associate Professor
james.chisholm@louisville.edu
Ms. Betty Hampton
betty.hampton@louisville.edu
Advisor, Graduate Education Programs
Director, Graduate Student Services
FAQs for Ed.S. in Curriculum and Instruction
Once you are admitted to the program, you may request to transfer up to 6 credit hours if your UofL advisor approves the request. Transfer requests are then submitted to the School of Interdisciplinary and Graduate Studies.
Successful candidates will graduate with an Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degree. If you choose to pursue an endorsement as your specialization, you will also be able to apply that endorsement to your base certificate.
The program can be completed in as few as two years or as many as six years.
Courses are delivered both face to face and online. Face to face courses are offered on UofL campus and in local schools.
This program is highly individualized. You are able to identify a faculty advisor with whom you would like to work and together you determine a program of studies that builds on what you have already learned and then develop a course sequence that further develops your specialization/expertise in order to meet your future career goals.
Yes, it is possible to transfer in PhD coursework, as it fits within the Ed.S. program sections. This must be approved by your advisor and the Advanced Programs Coordinators.
If you have already completed a different master’s degree (e.g., MAT or another M.Ed.) and if you meet the other admissions requirements for the Ed.S., you can transfer into this program. Coursework must fit within the Ed.S. program sections. Any transfer credits/courses must be approved by your advisor and the Advanced Programs Coordinators.