Program Coordinator: Dr. Sara Young
Phone: 508-929-8246
Email: syoung3@worcester.edu

The Ed.S. program in Secondary Education is designed for Middle and High School teachers and curriculum leaders who already have a Master’s degree in Education, a cognate area, or a field related to their teaching license. This program provides students with the opportunity to focus on advanced graduate study in secondary education with a disciplinary focus such as Math, English, Biology, Health, History, Business, Spanish, English Language Learners, Reading and Writing, Math/Science or Humanities:English/History.

Students may use the program to further their career advancement and as a possible pathway to professional educator licensure through the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The Ed.S. Degree (Education Specialist) is the equivalent to a C.A.G.S (Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study).

Admission

Candidates for the Ed.S. program in Secondary Education will be required to meet the competencies established by the graduate program for all candidates seeking an Education Specialist degree through Worcester State University. In addition, students will be required to demonstrate evidence of an earned Master of Education or Master’s in a related field with a minimum GPA of 3.0.

Items Needed to Apply:

• Online application found at www.worcester.edu/apply
• Essay explaining reason for pursuing this degree program
• Application fee
• Two letters of recommendation from professional or academic sources
• Official transcripts from ALL colleges and universities attended, demonstrating evidence of an earned Master of Education or Master’s degree in a related field with a minimum GPA of 3.0 from a regionally accredited institution
• Official transcript evaluation for any transcript from outside the United States
• An English language proficiency test if the student’s academic background is not in English

Program of Study

This program consists of a minimum of ten (10) courses for a minimum of thirty (30) graduate credits, which are selected with the approval of the program coordinator, plus a two credit Research Forum. There is one course in the philosophical, sociological, or cultural foundations of education; two or three courses in secondary education areas such as curriculum, assessment, leadership and/or instruction; four or five courses in a disciplinary focus such as Math, History, Biology, English, Spanish, Reading, or Language and Culture; one course in research methods; and a three to six credit research project. At the conclusion of the program, students will enroll in a 2 Credit Research Forum for their Comprehensive Exam.

Requirements of the Program

Minimum of 30 credits plus 2 credit Research Forum including:

12 Credits in a Disciplinary Focus such as:                                                   12-15

Math

English

Biology

History 

Spanish

 English Language Learners

Reading and Writing

• Design and conduct an action research study related to secondary education.
• Use educational research strategically to respond to problems in secondary education.
• Advance their content area expertise within their field in secondary education.
• Actively engage with professional organizations and journals within their field of education.