Is the EdS Considered a Terminal Degree?

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by SE Texas Prof, Apr 21, 2010.

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  1. Dr.B

    Dr.B New Member

    Thought I'd add this, just by way of information. This is from the most current student newsletter from the college/program from which I earned my degree:

    >>The Ed. S. is designed for the student to become an expert practitioner, and the purpose of the Ed. D. program is to advance the body of knowledge.<<

    There is also mention that there may be some upcoming changes in the Ed.S. requirements, including completion of a thesis. As to the Ed.D. program, the number of folks admitted into the program for Fall 2010 will be exceptionally limited.

    I found all this of interest as we've been discussing various aspects of the topic on this thread...
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 30, 2010
  2. obecve

    obecve New Member

    Not sure what universe you are from. The Ed.D. and Ph.D. are equivalent degrees. The Ed.D is a terminal degree. No need to go back and get another doctorate! I have an Ed.D. and have served as department chair, associate professor, Clinical Affiliate professor in a med school, served on doctorate committees, chaired more than 30 master's committees and never on any occasion has it been suggested that I needed a PH.D. to be competetive and to move up or that it was somehow a lesser degree! As a matter of fact when in competetion with Ph.D. candidates I typcially am the selected candidate (of course publication record and credibility also play a factor). It is totally absurd for you to suggest it is not terminal or that it is somehow less.

    Now regarding the Ed.S., there are a number of situtations where it is a terminal degree and where it meets the needs of people (FYI it is not the equal course work of doctorate and then add disseration, most Ed.S degrees are 30-36 post master's credit hours and most doctorates require 50-70 semester hours pre-dissertation). The primary examples are superintendants in a number of states. Individuals get a master's degree to become principal and the the Ed.S. to become superintendant. A number of states also recognize the Ed.S. for school psychologist or educational diagnostician. In both cases it is a terminal degree and does not require outside supervison. Some states also recognize psychometrists with the Ed.S.. In the midwest there are some schools who offer Ed.S. in criminal justice.
     
  3. RBTullo

    RBTullo Member

    Would it be possible to list some of the schools that offer an Ed.S in criminal justice?
     
  4. AUTiger00

    AUTiger00 New Member

    I don't think you'll find any. The Ed.S is an education degree.
     
  5. RBTullo

    RBTullo Member

    That's what I thought, but OBECVE mentions it in the last line of his post. Now there is a field of correctional education but it is geared towards the education provided to inmates not staff.
     
  6. obecve

    obecve New Member

    Central Missouri State University offered an Ed.S for several years. There have been others in the midwest, but have not followed it in a while
     
  7. BMWGuinness

    BMWGuinness New Member

  8. managerial0550

    managerial0550 New Member

    NCU just recently offered the EDS..I went through training on learning the program but still dont understand it LOL.
     
  9. ryoder

    ryoder New Member

    Cool managerial. I didn't notice that.
    I am looking at the NCU EdS and its basically a very slimmed down EdD at Northcentral focusing on all of the specialization, some of the core, and no dissertation.

    Here is the curriculum.

    (Foundation of 12CR)
    EDU7101 - Foundations of grad study in Education
    EDU7001 - Adv Scholarly Writing
    EDU7002 - Education Research Methodology
    EDU7003 - Statistics I

    (Specialization of 18 CR)
    EDU7*** - 6 Specialization courses

    (Capstone project 3 CR)
    EDU7053 - EdS capstone


    The great thing about NCU is that every one of these courses will transfer into the EdD. The EdD sequence would require the following additional courses. The only "wasted" course is the capstone.

    EDU7702 - Research Design
    EDU7005 - Quantitative or Qualitative Methods
    EDU7707 - Planning for Dissertation
    CMP9400 - Comprehensive Exam

    DIS9401 - Dissertation
    DIS9402 - Dissertation
    DIS9403 - Dissertation
    DIS9404 - Dissertation
     
  10. BMWGuinness

    BMWGuinness New Member

    What Academic benefits are there to achieving the EdS on the way to an EdD?
     
  11. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    Academic benefits? None. Professional benefits? Interim, until one earns the Ed.D. Unless, of course, one does NOT earn the Ed.D., then whatever professional benefits one receives from the Ed.S. will apply.

    The Ed.S. is NOT a terminal degree. A terminal degree is something earned at the top of the profession. In scholarship, that's the Ph.D. In fine arts it's the MFA (although doctoral-level fine arts degrees are being seen). Psychology? Ph.D. in psych or the D.Psy. In education it is the Ed.D.

    The Ed.S. is an interim award, at best, recognizing post-master's learning. Some have argued that it is a distinct degree. It is not. It is distinct to one academic discipline (education), as opposed to a level of learning universally applied (bachelor's, master's, doctorate).

    I've even argued that the associate's is not a degree. It is uniquely American, not issued elsewhere in the world. It isn't even considered a degree here, usually. When one says "I have my degree in _________", one assumes a bachelor's degree is being discussed, not an associate's. In fact, when one earns a bachelor's no one cares anymore about one's associate's. I suspect the Ed.S. functions the same way.
     
  12. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Of course it's a degree, it says so right on the diploma that you get from a real college or university once you've earned it. Besides, the time has passed that it was a uniquely American award. They're very common in the Caribbean, for example, and the British have a two year Foundation degree which is comparable. (Even if were, private sector institutional accreditation is also a distinctly American phenomenon, and no one says that's not real.)

    Many lay people also think that all doctorates are PhD degrees, but that doesn't mean someone with an EdD or DBA doesn't have a doctorate.

    Maybe, but if so isn't that the same as how people think about a Master's degree?
     
  13. Boethius

    Boethius Member

    Two-year degrees are also common in South America and are comparable to Associates Degrees in the USA. They are sometimes referred to as "technical degrees." South Americans will refer to a person who holds a two-year degree as "El Técnico So and So."
     
  14. major56

    major56 Active Member

    I am not aware of ANY Ed.S degree programs offered through B&M universities /colleges in Texas. This suggests IMO there is little to no real benefit/s toward the standalone Ed.S within the Texas education arena (K-16); and in general ... would not be considered an education field terminal degree (nevertheless not in Texas).
     
  15. Jonathan Whatley

    Jonathan Whatley Well-Known Member

    Here's Baylor University with an EdS in School Psychology.

    In 2006, Texas Women's University "became the first public institution in Texas to be granted the authority to award a specialist degree for any discipline," though they badge their specialist degree in school psychology as an "SSP." "Because the SSP degree is new to Texas, it will take a few years for school districts in the state to understand how the SSP relates to a Master's degree."
     
  16. Jonathan Whatley

    Jonathan Whatley Well-Known Member

    60 credit (semester hour equivalent) Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees have been offered in British Columbia, Canada for years. I don't believe they're issued anywhere else in Canada.
     
  17. major56

    major56 Active Member

    I stand corrected … so ONE Texas B&M university (Baylor) have some commitment to the Ed.S. On the other hand … TWU’s Specialist in School Psychology (SPP) merely replaced its previous MA in school psychology award, e.g., degree name nomenclature. And in both instances per your examples … the awards are restricted to the field of educational psychology only.
     
  18. Anthony Pina

    Anthony Pina Active Member

    The Ed.S. is considered by the U.S. Department of Education to be an "intermediate" (post-masters) degree that is not considered terminal (although individual institutions and even states have the right to consider it as such). It is unique in that the other intermediate credentials are certificates: the Certificate of Advanced Study (C.A.S.) and the Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (C.A.G.S.), while the Ed.S. is a degree. The Ed.S. is most useful in K-12, where school psychologists and principals often use it for certification, promotion and pay hikes.
     
  19. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    Not significant. What is significant is the place the award holds in the pantheon of higher education around the world. (It doesn't have one.) That's why I made the point about it being uniquely American. And in most situations even there, the associate's doesn't function as a degree.
    Which is America.
    But it's not a degree. Many British schools offer certificates and diplomas that lead towards a bachelor's, but they're not degrees.
    Sorry, but this is a non sequitur.
    Yet another non sequitur. I'm not talking about "lay people." Look at hiring managers. Do they ask for the associate's? In a few specific technical areas, sometimes. But that's the associate's acting like a technical diploma, not a degree.
    No. It is very common for people to have a bachelor's in one area and a master's in another, which often makes both degrees distinct and relevant.
     
  20. managerial0550

    managerial0550 New Member

    It's the EDD without the dissertation basically. I feel if you get through the program, don't stop. Get the EDD.
     

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