Online Education Specialist Degree (Ed.S.) in Curriculum & Instruction

Program Details

Credit Hours: 30

Course Length: 8 weeks

Estimated Program Length: 20 months

The University of West Florida's Ed.S. degree in curriculum and instruction is designed to increase your expertise in curriculum-related content and give you the ability to make evidence-based decisions.

Why Study Curriculum and Instruction at UWF?

UWF's Curriculum & Instruction Ed.S. program will teach you how to properly use research to design curriculum development, assessment and evaluation so you can better solve the challenges you face at your institution. You’ll learn how to best find and evaluate research necessary to support your positions regarding curriculum, testing and more, and implement action accordingly. The program received the "Community Engagement Classification" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

The online Ed.S. degree at UWF offers two areas of focus so you can make the biggest impact in your leadership role. Choose the area of focus that will best help you solve the challenges you face.

Administration and Leadership Studies

Excel with advanced management and supervisory skills as well as ethics, budgeting and communication strategies in complex, dynamic educational environments.

Curriculum and Assessment

Evaluate, measure and assess effective instructional practices and curriculum development strategies so you know how to best drive change in any educational environment.

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Request Information

Due to the restructuring of the School of Education, the Curriculum and Instruction, Ed.S. program will not be admitting students for Fall 2024.

What You Will Learn

A good fit for professionals with an M.Ed. who currently hold a leadership position, those with an M.Ed. who have a career history in education, training, social sciences or the military or teachers and administrators with an M.Ed. who want the flexibility of learning online without sacrificing a quality education, by completing this degree, you will be able to:

Apply advanced knowledge and research to decision-making and problem-solving processes
Solve institutional challenges using advanced management skills as well as ethics, budgeting and communication strategies in complex educational environments
Drive change in education when you evaluate, measure and assess effective instructional practices and curriculum development strategies
Advocate for and work with vulnerable and marginalized groups at all levels or think-tank organizations for social and educational equity issues
Create curricula to empower administrators and leaders as well as curriculum and instruction developers

Courses

Courses & Requirements

The online Ed.S. in Curriculum and Instruction is a 30-credit-hour program inclusive of a competency-based portfolio. It offers two areas of focus that provide richly focused content so you can excel in the area that impacts you and your students the most.

Required Core Courses (15 credit hours)

EDF 7404 - Quantitative Methods and Educational Statistics I
EDF 7475 - Qualitative Research I - Methods
EDF 7685 - Philosophical Foundations of Education
EDF 8749 - Psychological and Social Theories of Education
EDF 7442 - Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment

Area of Focus (15 credit hours)

Select five courses from one of the following focus areas. Your advisor will need to approve the course selections and may direct you to a sequence of courses that satisfy a selected area of focus and may transfer into the Ed.D. C&I program.

Administration and Leadership Studies
Curriculum and Assessment

Admission to the Ed.S. program is a selective process. Therefore, meeting the minimum eligibility criteria stated below does not guarantee admission into the program. Preference for admission will be given to those students whose credentials indicate the greatest promise of academic success in their chosen course of study. Admission is made at the department level; thus, there are university and departmental requirements for admission to this program.

How to Apply

Due to the restructuring of the School of Education, the Curriculum and Instruction, Ed.S. program will not be admitting students for Fall 2024.

To apply to the online Ed.S. in Curriculum and Instruction at UWF, you first need to submit an application for graduate admission (plus a $30 application fee) and be accepted for admission into the University of West Florida. In addition, you must submit:

Submit official transcripts confirming a bachelor’s degree from an institution whose accrediting agency is included on the list of UWF approved accrediting agencies
A letter of intent responding to the prompts below. Note: Your responses to the questions should not be less than six double-spaced pages in size 12 Times New Roman font. Be careful to articulate how your skills and experiences align with the goals of the area of focus and show how these will impact your career trajectory.
- What personal and professional goals do you hope to meet through earning an education specialist degree and why do you think the UWF program in curriculum and instruction is a good fit for your goals?
- What specialized knowledge, skills and experiences would you bring to the chosen area of focus and how are these aligned with the mission of the Ed.S. in Curriculum and Instruction as a whole? If you have had experiences that may have affected your academic performance, please provide explanatory context.
Current résumé

If you have questions about this program or the admissions process, contact our graduate admissions team at gradadmissions@uwf.edu.

Full Course Descriptions Registration Requirements

Careers & Outcomes

Earning your Ed.S in Curriculum and Instruction allows you to change and advance your career, providing you with an evidence-based approach to curriculum development, assessment and evaluation.

Job Titles

Principal — Elementary, Middle and High School
Education Administrators in Elementary and Secondary School
Literacy and Reading Coach (Instructional Coordinator)

Career Outlook

Employment of postsecondary education administrators is projected to grow 4% from 2022 to 2032 (as fast as average)
The median annual wage for postsecondary education administrators was $99,940 in May 2022

Source: BLS, 2024

Tuition Rate Per Credit Hour

Curriculum & Instruction, Ed.S. Online Graduate Tuition
Component	Cost	Total*
In-state Tuition	$384.60 per credit hour	$11,538.00
Full Out-of-state Tuition	$1,044.24 per credit hour	$31,327.20
90% Out-of-state Tuition	$478.83 per credit hour	$14,364.90

Tuition waivers cover up to 90% of the non-resident portion of your tuition and are available to non-Florida residents (including international students) admitted to online campus programs and registered for online courses in active pursuit of that degree or certificate. You must pay all other assessed tuition and fees. The renewal of Online Campus Out-of-State Tuition Waivers is not automatic. Waiver requests must be submitted every semester and are not retroactive for previous semesters. Review Tuition Waiver Information to learn more.

Time to completion varies by student, depending on individual progress and credits transferred, if applicable. Fees are charged per semester unless otherwise noted.

Refer to UWF Cost of Attendance Estimates and Financial Literacy for more information on UWF costs and financial aid.

* Tuition and fees are subject to change.

Alabama, Military & Financial Aid

Alabama Differential Out-of-State Tuition

Residents of Alabama are eligible for Alabama Differential Tuition, a reduced out-of-state tuition rate. To verify residency status for tuition purposes, new undergraduate students should contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and new graduate students should contact the Graduate School. Current enrolled students should contact the Office of the Registrar. See more about Tuition Waivers.

Military & Veterans

The UWF Military & Veterans Resource Center (MVRC) serves as the campus advocate for military, dependents and veteran students. Contact the MVRC to learn more about the various military and veteran education assistance or tuition waiver opportunities and eligibility requirements.

UWF Financial Assistance

The University of West Florida offers various financial aid options for our online students, including loans, scholarships and grants for degree-seeking students. We provide eligible students with an alternative to paying the full amount of tuition at the beginning of each term in the form of an installment payment plan or a short-term loan. See more about Financial Aid and Education Funding Opportunities.