Ed.S. in Adult & Higher Education
Program Objectives
The Education Specialist Degree (EdS) in Adult and Higher Education is a scholarly practitioner’s degree for graduate students who have earned their Master's degree and intend to work within a postsecondary setting or other adult and community educational areas. The degree emphasizes doctoral level coursework to prepare students for specialized administrative positions where original research is not an expectation.
Program Flow
At acceptance, the student will be assigned a chair/advisor and should then meet with them regarding their program. During the second semester of enrollment, the student will identify a graduate committee and submit their program of study to the Graduate School.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate disciplinary skills and knowledge, applying these to analyze problems.
- Develop meaningful evidence‐based solutions to complex problems of practicefrom a position of equity and social justice.
- Integrate personal, practical, theoretical, and empirical knowledge with systemicand systematic inquiry.
- Communicate effectively using multiple modes.
- Conduct scholarly and professional activities in an ethical manner.
Program of Study
| Core Required Courses (12 credit hours) | ||
| EDU 600 | Doctoral Seminar | 3 |
| EDU 602 | Educational Statistics II | 3 |
| EDU 610 | Qualitative Educational Research | 3 |
| EDU 607 | Quantitative Educational Research | 3 |
| Specialist Courses (15 credits; choose from the following) | ||
| EDLD 605 | Higher Education History and Philosophy | 3 |
| EDLD 616 | Organization and Administration of Higher Education | 3 |
| EDLD 628 | College Students | 3 |
| EDU 637 | Institutional Research and Assessment | 3 |
| EDU 614 | Planning Program Assessment | 3 |
| EDLD 509 | Issues and Trends in Higher Education | 3 |
| EDLD 512 | Finance and Administration in Higher Education | 3 |
| EDLD 513 | Resource and Program Management | 3 |
| EDU 612 | Critical Race Theory | 3 |
| NASX 523 | Am Indians/Minority in High Ed | 3 |
| EDLD 529 | Post Secondary Distance Delivered Education | 3 |
| EDLD 635 | College Teaching | 3 |
| EDLD 531 | Student Development Theory | 3 |
| EDLD 533 | Law and Policy in Higher Education | 3 |
| EDLD 535 | Student Services | 3 |
| *Substitute courses may be approved by Graduate Chair | ||
| Professional Paper or Comprehensive Exams (3 credits) | ||
| EDLD 575 | Professional Paper & Project | 3 |
| Total Credits | Total Credits 30 | |
* View the three-year Course Rotation for both required and elective course offerings.
* EDCI 506, EDCI 501 or equivalent are prerequisite courses. Do not include in the Program of Study.
Committee
Candidates will have a three-member committee. The chair and one other member must be from the Adult and Higher Education faculty. The third committee member must have academic credentials in the area of the student's program of study and be approved by the Head of the Department of Education.
Chair
The student should carefully select his/her chair after thorough conversations with the Adult and Higher Education faculty members. The chair will serve as the student's primary advisor. The committee, as a whole, is subject to the approval of the Head of the Department of Education. Chairs and members of a student's committee are subject to change. In addition, revision to the program of study can be made during the course of study with the chair's approval.
Comprehensive Examinations
Near the end of completing course work, students will complete a written comprehensive exam or a professional paper. Students are expected to demonstrate mastery of the program of study. The substantive content of the written exam questions will be determined by the chair in consultation with the committee.
or
Professional Paper
The student choosing the professional paper option will develop a professional paper as his/her summative experience. The professional paper will address a specific issue and contextualized problem of practice using appropriate theory and research-based best practices. Specifically, the professional paper will: 1) frame the problem; 2) review pertinent research literature; 3) identify appropriate methods used to demonstrate the extent of the problem and the efficacy of the solution employed; and 4) provide recommendations grounded in research to solve the problem.
Mode of Course Delivery
All education courses are offered in a variety of modalities including face-to-face in-person courses, synchronous and asynchronous online learning, and a combination of both.
Additional Education Specialist Requirements
The Education Specialist degree must meet the minimum requirements under the For Doctoral Students section on found in the departmental website with the following exceptions: 1) no dissertation is required, 2) courses over seven years old at the time of graduation may not be included on the graduate program of study, and 3) credits earned during a master's degree program may not be used toward the EdS program of study.
Additional requirements for the EdS degree are available through the Department of Education. All EdS degree candidates are expected to be familiar with both departmental and The Graduate School's requirements.
While many courses for the Education Specialist degree are the same as those for the EdD and PhD degrees, it must be clearly understood that admission to one program does not imply admission to the other. EdS students must formally apply to the EdD or PhD program as well as be in good standing with The Graduate School and not failed the doctoral comprehensive exam.
Contact Information
Dr. Bryce Hughes, Associate Professor
bryce.hughes@montana.edu
Dr. Carrie Myers, Professor and Program Leader
cbmyers@montana.edu
Dr. Sweeney Windchief, Associate Professor
sweeney.windchief@montana.edu
Application Process for the Education Specialist in Adult & Higher Education
Applicants are required to complete the online application and submit the following documentation via the Graduate School Online Application System. Prior to applying to the Adult and Higher Education EdS applicants must hold a Master's degree.
- Completed Graduate School Application
- Academic Transcripts: Applicants must provide official transcripts verifying all Bachelor's and Master's degree coursework and degrees earned from the applicant's certifying university. Unofficial transcripts may be uploaded during the application process and used for review. Official electronic transcripts may be emailed directly from the Institution to gradschool@montana.edu or edgrad@montana.edu Official transcripts may also be mailed directly to the MSU Graduate School, 104 Montana Hall, PO Box 172580, Bozeman, MT 59717. If you have attended MSU, please indicate and list the dates of attendance. Transcripts from courses or a degree awarded through MSU do not need to be provided. NOTE: The Graduate School requires an undergraduate and graduate GPA of at least 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale). Transcripts will be evaluated for rigor and academic fit.
- Personal essay: Suggested length is 2-3 pages, double-spaced. The applicant should briefly describe the following:
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Background;
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Prior professional and leadership experience;
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Why the interest in the EdS program; and
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How the applicant plans to use the degree
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- Three (3) professional references: The letters should be from individuals qualified to assess the following:
- Applicant's ability and potential as a graduate student
- Attest to the applicants work ethic and professionalism
- References from relatives are not acceptable
- Resume/Curriculum vitae
- For International Applicants ONLY: Please visit the Graduate School International Application Admission website for application submission information.
Application Deadline
Below is the deadline by which all application materials for the EdS in Adult & Higher Education must be submitted via the online application system. Students matriculate into the EdS program fall semester only. Applications to the EdS programs are reviewed once per year at the April 1st deadline. Applications received after the deadline may be reviewed for acceptance on a case-by-case basis.
- Fall Semester: April 1st
An early review deadline of February 1st has been set for those applicants wanting to be considered for Graduate Assistantships. Applications must be complete for an early review. A student must be accepted to an education program before requesting a Department of Education Graduate Assistantship. Graduate Assistantships require students to work on campus 19 hours per week. For further information regarding teaching assistantships visit webpage: https://www.montana.edu/education/grad/ga/index.html.
Admission Process
Complete applications will be reviewed by the Graduate Admissions Committee and the Department Head. Once the department recommendation has been made, the application will be forwarded to The Graduate School for a final decision. Please note that the application review process will begin at the close of the application deadline.
For answers to questions on this or any graduate program at the Department of Education, contact the Graduate Program Assistant at Phone: 406-994-6786 or edgrad@montana.edu. If you are ready to apply, do so through the Graduate School Online Application System.
Contact Information
Graduate Program Assistant
PO Box 172880, Reid Hall 215
Department of Education, Montana State University
Bozeman, MT 59717-2880
Phone: 406-994-6786 Email: edgrad@montana.edu