Specialist in Instructional Technology (Ed.S.)

The Specialist in Instructional Technology degree program is designed to provide K-12 teachers and other educational professionals advanced training in the design, development, implementation, evaluation and management of instruction technologies and their potential to improve teaching practice, learner performance and professional productivity.

Admission Requirements

1. A completed application for graduate study at the University.
2. Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate coursework from previously attended schools.
3. An earned Master’s Degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
4. At least 6 credit hours of graduate coursework in Instructional Technology or related field completed within the past six years.*
5. Two letters of recommendation are suggested but not required.
6. Submission of a written statement of educational and career goals explaining how the Ed.S. Instructional Technology degree will be leveraged to achieve those goals.

*Applicants who do not meet criteria #4 may be provisionally admitted but must complete two masters-level Instructional courses, one of which must be EDIT 604 , before enrolling in the Ed.S. coursework.

Student Learning Outcomes

The Student Learning Outcomes for the program are derived from professional standards published by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) as well as the college’s conceptual framework. Students completing the program will be able to:

1. Demonstrate advanced knowledge, skills, and dispositions relevant to the utilization and management of technologies to support teaching and learning.
2. Apply principles of instructional design, multimedia design and learning theory to develop instructional materials, strategies, systems, and assessments that leverage instructional technologies to improve learner performance.
3. Apply deep understanding of societal issues of evolving digital culture to promote legal and ethical practices relevant to the integration of technology in teaching and learning.
4. Demonstrate visionary leadership to plan, implement, and manage the integration of technology to promote positive transformational change in an instructional setting.
5. Evaluate the impact of technology integration and professional development on instructional practice and learner performance.

Portal I: Admission to the Program

Completion of Graduate Admission Application

• Minimum overall cumulative 3.00 undergraduate GPA or official scores on Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Miller Analogies Test (MAT) and Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) if applicable.
• A minimum score of 146 on verbal and minimum 140 on quantitative on the Graduate Record Examination, or 388 on the Miller Analogies Test.
• Scores must be no more than five years old.
• Applicants who are non-native speakers of English speakers must demonstrate proficiency in English and provide official results from tests taken within the last three years or one of the following acceptable means of documenting English language proficiency consistent with success in graduate programs. (Note that higher scores may be required of some graduate programs so applicants are urged to consult their desired program to identify whether a higher score is required:
  • A minimum score of 550 on the paper-based (PBT) or 79 on the internet (iBT) Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL);
  • A minimum score of 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam;
  • Certificate of Completion of level 112 of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) from an ELS Language Center;
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic with a score of 59;
  • Cambridge CAE (Certificate of Advanced English ) with a minimum level of C1;
  • Cambridge CPE (Certificate of Proficiency in English) with a minimum level of C1;
  • MELAB (Michigan English Language Assessment Battery) with a score of 77;
  • TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) with a score of 745;
• Bachelor’s degree earned from a regionally accredited U.S. institution of higher education within the last three years.
• Official transcript from each school or college previously attended (all prior  undergraduate academic study must be represented as well as other graduate study if such study has been completed).
• Two letters of recommendation (one from applicant’s supervisor)
• Criminal Background Disclosure Statement
• Submission of a written statement of educational and career goals explaining how the Ed.S. Instructional Technology degree will be leveraged to achieve those goals.
• At least 6 credit hours of graduate coursework in Instructional Technology or related field completed within the past six years.*

*Applicants who do not meet criteria may be provisionally admitted but must complete two masters-level Instructional Technology courses, one of which must be EDIT 604, before enrolling in the Ed.S. coursework.

• Approval of Portal I Instructional Technology Faculty Committee.

Portal II: Admission to Field Experiences in Instructional Technology 

• A minimum grade point average of 3.0 (B) is required on the total graduate program. Grades below ‘B’ on 12 hours of graduate work will disqualify a student   for a graduate degree in the College.
• Minimum of 24 semester hours of required program coursework
• Satisfactory rating on the Assessment of Professional Dispositions at the    Advanced Level
• Criminal Background Disclosure Statement
• Approval of Portal II Instructional Technology Faculty Committee

Portal III: Program Completion

• A minimum grade point average of 3.0 (B) is required on the total graduate program. Grades below ‘B’ on 12 hours of graduate work will disqualify a student   for a graduate degree in the College.
• Satisfactory completion of all required specialized professional association (SPA) aligned key assessments
• Passing grade completion of the Field Experiences in Instructional Technology course
• Passing score on Comprehensive Examination
• Completion of Exit Survey
• Passing score on Program Portfolio
• Approval of Portal III Instructional Technology Faculty Committee