Educational Leadership and Instruction Specialist Degree: Educational Technology Concentration

NSU's online Educational Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership and Instruction with a concentration in Educational Technology (582H) prepares teachers, technology coordinators, supervisors, and administrators to become technology practitioners and advocates. This research-based program focuses on the knowledge, skills and dispositions needed to select and integrate technology and instructional materials into teaching strategies for diverse learners. The degree requires 33 hours of graduate credit above the master's degree or 36 without research in the master's program. Courses required include technology research ETEC 5790, EPSY 5400 Statistics, ETEC 6450 Seminar in Current Research in Technology (field study topic) and six hours of field study, EDUC 5890 and 5990.

Six areas of interest are available: Technology Leadership; Organization and Administration of Technology; Technology Integration K-12; Selection and Production of Instructional Materials; Instructional Design; and Technology Theory, Research and Cognition. If a candidate earned the M. Ed from Northwestern State University, the program of study may vary.

To begin the program, you must first apply for admission. The items needed for regular admission include: (1) a score 800 on the GRE; (2) three successful years of teaching with certification; and (3) two letters of recommendation from appropriate school, college or work-related officials/supervisors. An applicant can be admitted under conditional status with a score of 750. A student can be admitted to candidacy after successful completion of 12 hours of courses with a grade of "B" or better.

Even without a GRE score, you can generally start classes with conditional status provided that all application materials are completed during the provisional semester. GRE score, on file at the institution where you completed the master's degree, may be forwarded to the NSU Graduate School. A maximum of nine hours of graduate credit from a regionally accredited college or university may be applied to your Specialist Degree. Your assigned major professor will review your transcript to determine which, if any, of these courses will transfer. The NSU Catalog has more information about admission requirements and program completion.

For more information, contact program coordinator Dr. Sanghoon Park at parks@nsula.edu or 318.357.5774.

Resources for Potential Students and Admitted Candidates: