Difference Between EdS and Master's Program?

I have a MS in Education and am teaching ESL but want to make a career move. I'm interested in Assistive Technology for special education programs. The two I've looked at and am interested in are Ft. Hays Masters of Liberal Studies with a concentration in Assistive Technology and UNLV's Specialist in Education Degree
in Special Education with an emphasis in Assistive Technology.

I don't want to do a PhD or EdD, I just want to become qualified in this area. My question is, is there a difference in the qualifications? Would the EdS look better on a resume or the MLS? The price for both is reasonable ($150/hr Ft. Hays-$189/hr UNLV) for both. Thanks for your input.



http://www.fhsu.edu/mls/conc/assistech.shtml

http://www.unlv.edu/faculty2/babbitt/

 

The Ed.S. is a higher degree. It is sort of half way between the masters and the doctorate. Not all state have programs with the degree, but it is a higher degree in education arenas.

 

Re: Specialist is special

I don't know where or when the Ed.S. originated but it is pretty common in K-12 education circles. It's the most common terminal degree for school psychologists. The problem with it IMO is that most people outside of education (as well as many in education) are unfamiliar with what the Ed.S. entails and you may spend your life explaining to people what it is and what level of education it represents.

 

Re: Specialist is special

In engineering the "Engineer" degree (which falls between a masters degree and a doctorate) is offered by several schools including the University of Southern California and George Mason University.

 

The Ed.S. is also sometimes known as the Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (C.A.G.S.).

 

EdS

Hello,

I would agree that it is a stand-alone credential higher than master's and lower than the doctorte. However, what would you say if one says the EdS (in American college of education circles) is perhaps the equivalent of the British type of MPhil?

Kenneth K. A.

 

Interesting stuff, guys. The ol' nomenclature kook is intrigued.

 

EdS Again

Generally speaking, the contents of the EdS is the course-work of a doctoral degree. In other words, it is the ABD component of the "traditional" EdD. Based on that, I am suggesting equivalence with the MPhil, which traditionally is a stepping stone into the PhD in British circles after the BA Hounours or MA/MS.

I think the EdS is the closest thing in American terms to the notion of the British MPhil.

Kenneth K. A.

 

I Have an Ed.S.

I have a wonderful Ed.S. in instructional technology I took online from Valdosta State University. It is indeed between a masters and doctorate. I had to write what amounted to a masters thesis for this degree along with coursework. It is true that many do not know of this degree and I do have to explain it to some. Hey, I don't care. I wanted to be unique. Then after the Ed.S., I completed an MBA online from Morehead State University. So I went from a traditional B.A. to a traditional M.A. to an online Ed.S. to an online MBA... I'd say that was unusual, but I like being different!

I am a fulltime community college professor teaching computer information systems. For me, doing it this way made more sense than a getting a doctorate. The payback for a doctorate here would be only $1,800 more a year. Considering most doctorates cost anywhere from $16,000 to $40,000 and above, it does not make financial sense for me to do that. I don't care about being called "doctor this or that" so that has no appeal, either. And, I would NEVER teach fulltime for a university, not that they would have me. Also consider many doctoral programs will mess with a student for eight years and beyond and completion rates for doctorates are more or less around 50%... who needs that kind of agony?

Hey, if you find an Ed.S. that makes sense for you, TAKE IT! Be unusual! It can be a great way to specialize in a new area. For me, it gave me the credential to move to the technology field.

 

Would am EdS in Education Technology make you more qualified or pretty much the same as someone with a Masters? I'm talking about from the point of view of the person doing the interviewing. Would it give you an edge all other things considered against someone with a second Masters degree?

 

EDS, CAGS,or doctorate?

There are areas in Education where a CAGS or ED.S are needed as a minimum requirement to practice certain occupations-many states require this for certification or licensure as a School Psychologists or Mental health counselor. Also this Advanced Certificate might aid your chances of getting a teaching postion in a community college.
One thing I should suggest though is to determine whether going for a doctorate instead would make sense. My CAGS program required 31 graduate credits past a Masters and I also had to do a project that had to be defended in front of a 3 person doctorate holding panel . I had an advisor who guided me through this project and it required alot of research. I got A CAGS for this. There were some ED.D programs that I probably could have done for almost the same amount of work required for the CAGS( or just a little more). MY CAGS doesn't give me any more credit toward a doctoral degree than a Master's would.
So while the Specialist level or CAGS is a worthwhile credential I'd examine first whether you might want a doctorate someday. Until you can rule it out (the doctorate) A CAGS might leave you feeling like you came up "short" and not be viewed as the fine accomplishment it really is.

 

It should, but in a job interview other factors usually count for more.

 

Re: EDS, CAGS,or doctorate?

I have an Ed.S. also, and had to do only slightly less work than the Ed.D. would have entailed. The course work, practicum. and internship were the same. The only difference was I did a Specialist thesis as opposed to a dissertation. The process for the thesis was about the same as a dissertation
(lots of research and defense before a committee) but a little bit shorter in length than a dissertation in the same dept. required. If one is going to go to all this work, it would make more sense to just go for the Ed.D. or Ph.D. Looking back, I realize this is what I should have done.

 

Hello friends, sorry about my English.

A person with an Ed.S, can teach at Masters Level?

 

Yes - Assuming one meets all the other requirements for the job (some schools allow people with masters to teach at the masters level).

 

Yes, an EdS in Educational Technology would make you more qualified than a masters (since it generally provides at least 30 additional units of coursework beyond the masters--sometimes more). I know of a few faculty who teach full-time at the university level with EdS degrees, but the EdS holders in Ed Tech that I know are generally administrators (associate deans and such) or technology directors/coordinators at schools or colleges.

If your goal is employment in the education field (educational technologists are employed in a variety or academic and non-academic settings), the EdS will be an advantage (not as much as a PhD/EdD but higher than a masters) and you should not have to explain the degree to much. If you are working outside of academia, you will have to educate folks as to what an EdS is.

Best of luck,

Tony Pina
Faculty, Instructional Technology
California State U. San Bernardino

Past President, Community College Association for Instruction & Technology

 

What an interesting thread! While it sounds like the extra push for the doc would be worth it, Cogent's post was terrific. Thanks, all.

 

Re: Re: Specialist is special

The University of Florida also has the "Engineer" degree which is offered to engineering students already having a masters. However, they also say that classes taken for this degree cannot be applied to the PhD program. So at least at UF, the Engineer degree does not come between the MS and PhD degrees.

Columbia University also offers a PD (Professional Degree) which can be taken by those that already have a MS and you complete 24 hours of courses and a 6 hour project/thesis.

Recently, I have been giving some thought to getting the PD at Columbia instead of a PhD somewhere else because the discertation looks sooooo darn intimidating. If you want the coursework of a PhD but want to skip the discertation, the PD or Engineer degree seems reasonable.

 

Re: Specialist is special

In Business you have the Post-MBA that is
normally 15 credits after an MBA. In Engineering some universities offer the "Engineer" degree that is 30 credits after the M.Sc. Nursing faculties also offer the Post-master's certificate and library science faculties the Certificate of Advance Study.

Many faculties offer similar Pos-Master's degrees so it is
not only in education