Program of Study for the Education Specialist Degree in Higher Education

Admission Requirements: Master’s degree from an accredited college or university; complete application to the Graduate School ; official general GRE or MAT exam scores, unless waived.

To be considered for admission, applicants must meet the criteria for admission to the Graduate School . Meeting this condition does not guarantee admission.

Standardized Exam Waiver Eligibility: The standardized exam (GRE or MAT) requirement may be waived for applicants who submit an essay on what applicant believes are most pressing issues facing higher education today.

Location: On Campus and Off Campus; Off-Campus cohorts begin periodically and follow a part-time hybrid (mixture of face-to-face and online) format.

Additional Standardized Exam Waiver Eligibility Information

Standardized exam (GRE, GMAT, MAT) waiver eligibility for graduate degree programs at Appalachian State varies by program, but requires that applicants hold a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher in their last earned bachelor’s degree or 3.3 or higher in an earned graduate degree. No exam waiver is automatic but will require review and approval by the program and by the Graduate School upon submission of a complete application. An approved waiver request does not guarantee acceptance into the program. A denied waiver request does not mean that a candidate is denied admission to the program, only that a standardized exam score is needed to more fully evaluate the application.  More complete information about standardized exam waivers can be found in the Admissions Requirements section of this Bulletin .

Course Requirements for the Education Specialist Degree in Higher Education

Concentration Requirements (24 Hours)

• H_E 5201 - Foundations of College and University Teaching (3)
• H_E 5210 - Teaching for Equity and Inclusion (3)
• H_E 5220 - Exploring Digital Learning Environments in Postsecondary Education (3)
• H_E 5230 - Advanced Seminar in College and University Teaching (3)
• H_E 6320 - Institutional Effectiveness (3)
• H_E 6330 - Organizing for Learning and Diversity (3)
• H_E 6370 - Designing Culturally Responsive Learning Environments (3)
• RES 6000 - Advanced Research Methods, Design and Application (3)

Other Requirements for the EdS in Higher Education

• Thesis: Not required
• Proficiency: Not required
• Candidacy: Not required
• Comprehensive: During the final term in the program, the student must successfully complete a comprehensive written and oral examination.
• Product of Learning: Not required