CIP Code: 13.0411
Mission Statement
The School of Education at Missouri Baptist University seeks to develop reflective, problem-solving, professional educators of excellence from a Christian perspective; to enhance the lives of students in the classroom intellectually, spiritually, physically, and socially; and to significantly influence students through the demonstrated integration of Christian faith and learning in the classroom, so that they may become positive change agents in a globally and culturally diverse society.
Overview
The Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) program is intended for professionals in public or private schools who are seeking administrative positions at the district level. The Superintendent concentration meets the competency requirements of DESE for certification as a School Superintendent. Individuals serving in Assistant Superintendent or Superintendent positions at public PK-Grade 12 schools in the state of Missouri must be certified at the superintendent level.
Each Ed.S. degree candidate is required to develop a comprehensive plan of study indicating timelines and required courses with the Graduate Advisor. The worksheet for the plan of study is available in the Graduate Advisor’s office and must be completed and approved at the beginning of the student’s program. The plan of study should be reviewed periodically with a Graduate Advisor to ensure that the student is meeting desired academic goals.
Summary of the Specialist Degree Process
To earn the Ed.S. degree, a student must complete each of the following steps:
- The student must develop a comprehensive plan of study with the Graduate Advisor.
- The student must complete all coursework included in the plan of study.
- An Application for Graduation, signed by the student, Graduate Advisor, and Vice President for Graduate Studies, must be filed with the Graduate Office and the Records Office in the semester prior to the term in which the student intends to graduate.
- The student must complete 300 clock hours of internship.
- Students must pay the required graduation fee. All graduate candidates for graduation during an academic year – Summer (previous year) Fall/Winterim, and Spring – are encouraged to attend the commencement exercises which are held at the close of the Spring Semester. Graduate students must have all work completed and a degree conferred in order to participate in the ceremony. Students must notify the Vice President for Graduate Studies and the Director of Records if they choose not to participate. Students must pay the graduation fee whether they attend commencement or not.
- All graduate students must have a 3.0 cumulative grade point average in order to graduate from the program.
Transfer Students/Transfer Credit
A total of six (6) hours may be transferred into the Ed.S. program from other accredited Educational Specialist programs. These credits must have been earned within seven (7) years prior to entry into the Graduate Studies Program from another regionally accredited college or university.
Transfer credits must be approved by Graduate Admissions or Advising and the Director of Educational Administration and must have grades of A, B, S, CR, or P. Students may not take courses from other graduate programs while enrolled at Missouri Baptist without written approval from the Associate Vice President for Graduate Affairs. The total hours transferred to Missouri Baptist may not exceed six (6).
Grade Requirements
Specialist-level graduate students must earn a grade of B or better in specialist-level courses in order to continue in the Educational Specialist program. Specialist students must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better in specialist coursework in order to earn an Educational Specialist degree.
Research Requirements
All students pursuing the Educational Specialist Superintendent track are required to take GRED 653S Data Analysis for Decision-Making and GRED 673S Capstone for Superintendent Certification . Students must complete 300 internship hours during their program and demonstrate scholarship through the development and completion of an action-research project.
Workshop Graduate Credit
No graduate credit earned in workshops or professional development seminars may be applied toward the Educational Specialist degree.
Exit Examination
Students in the Superintendent concentration must complete an action research project prior to graduation. For certification at the superintendent level, DESE also requires students to pass Missouri Content Assessment (MoCA) 059 - Superintendent. Students may register for the exam on the Missouri Educator Gateway Assessments website: http://www.mo.nesinc.com/.
Note: For certification in the state of Missouri, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) requires that each graduate of the Superintendent Educational Specialist program demonstrate basic competencies by achieving a passing score, as determined by the State Board of Education, for the Missouri Content Assessment (MoCA) 059 Superintendent. MBU’s current program course requirements found in the University’s Graduate Bulletin and on the program Degree Plan Worksheet reflect DESE’s current requirements. Students completing the Superintendent Ed.S. program are strongly encouraged to readily: (a) take the MoCA assessment for Superintendent (059) and (b) apply for certification through the DESE web applications portal. Candidates who do not take and pass the current assessment and/or do not apply for certification upon program completion may be impacted by future changes to certification requirements implemented by DESE, which may result in additional course or assessment requirements.
