An education specialist (Ed.S.) degree is an advanced degree between a master’s and a doctorate. It is for teachers with at least three years of experience and is a fully remote online program, that enables you to keep working while gaining specialized proficiency.
At Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, we offer a 36-credit degree program that can help you boost your career opportunities and earning potential. Here, our team discusses what you can do with an education specialist degree.
Expand Your Horizons With A Graduate Degree
Earning an Ed.S. in Educational Administration prepares you for leadership roles in elementary, secondary, or post-secondary education. It also empowers you with the latest teaching methodologies and practical leadership skills required to be a change-making force in your school. This degree prepares you for a wide range of roles—from administration to teaching—and equips you with communication, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
Education Specialist Career Paths
Many schools employ educational specialists. However, they often have different job titles, depending on their chosen specialization. At Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, we offer three tracks to prepare you for roles on the administrative side of education:
In addition to these administrative licensure certificates, you can choose to continue your teaching career in other capacities or continue to other programs within our School of Education.
Our Principal and Superintendent certificate pathways help improve your administrative, leadership, organizational leadership, and relationship management skills like:
- Conflict resolution
- Budgeting
- Contract negotiations
- Disciplinary procedures
- Ethics
- Leadership theory
- Human resources
- Budget management
Likewise, our special education certificate pathway teaches you specific skills to help you design education programs for students with learning differences.
Armed with your Ed.S. degree, you can pursue various jobs within education—whether instructive or administrative.
Instructional Designer
Instructional designers create and maintain curriculums, courses, and training materials. They create new curricula, recommend improvements to existing lessons, and gather online learning materials for classroom use. Often, they create test banks, test activities, and other assignments while assembling structured courses. Teachers then use these courses as a guide throughout the school year. The median pay for instructional designers as of 2023 is $74,620.
School Counselors
School counselors work with staff and administrators to provide guidance to students. They help prepare students for life after graduation by establishing career goals. Additionally, they assist students with academic planning, interpersonal skills development, and conflict resolution. The median pay for school counselors is $61,710 as of 2023.
Principal
A principal is an education leader who oversees the staff, students, other administrators, and the daily operations of a school. Some of their day-to-day tasks include reviewing and approving curriculum, evaluating teachers, and coordinating school events. They also oversee disciplinary action when needed. Principals manage budgeting, scheduling, and other administrative duties. The median pay for principals is $103,460 as of 2023.
Superintendents
Superintendents are educational leaders and overseers of entire school districts. Superintendents manage the overall budget, assign resources to each school, and sometimes oversee curriculum implementation. They work with school board members to approve changes, discuss education objectives, and develop new programs to support educational goals and initiatives. The median pay for school superintendents as of 2023 is $180,000.
Character-Driven Education at SMUMN
At Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, our educational foundation is based in Lasallian Catholic values. Our mission is to meet students where they are, nurture them, awaken their curiosity, and empower them to become the best versions of themselves. We design our programs to create graduates who become ethical and moral leaders.
Our Ed.S. program is fully remote. You meet with your teachers and classmates synchronously from wherever you are. This meeting time allows you to benefit from real-time discussion, questions and answers, and insights from your peers. You can also complete your classwork on your own time, so you can balance your responsibilities and career with your schoolwork.
Other highlights of our Ed.S. program include:
- A three-year completion time (one year for the degree, two years for licensure)
- Financial aid and scholarships for qualified students
- A dedicated advisor who is with you from the time you’re admitted to the time you graduate to help you with enrollment, field experience, and program-related queries
- An annual one-day in-person summer institute to meet your peers and instructors
- Experienced instructors with working knowledge of the education field
Boost Your Teaching Career
If you’re a teacher with a master’s degree and at least three years of teaching under your belt, consider earning an education specialist degree from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Our program helps set you on the path of career advancement, and a higher earning potential, while differentiating you from your peers. Our admission team is available to answer any questions you have about the application process. To learn more about what you can do with an education specialist degree, request more information.
