Education Specialist Degree | Online EdS Programs

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Online,* 8-week courses

Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total

Next Start Dates: January 19, 2026 | February 16, 2026 | March 23, 2026

Get an Edge in Education with Liberty’s Online Education Specialist (EdS) Degree Program

Do you have a passion for making learning fun and effective? Conferring Liberty University’s online Education Specialist (EdS) degree can help give you the foundation you need to do just that.

In our online EdS degree program, you can dive into advanced education study and research topics. Learning theory, assessment, and curriculum development – all based on the best practices of the field – are taught in this program.

With our specialist degree in education, you can also go beyond teaching and course development by pursuing an administrative role. This program can help you analyze education challenges and become an expert in K-12 or higher education instruction. Between advanced teaching and learning management skills, Liberty’s EdS degree can help you become a powerhouse in the education field.

*Some exclusions apply. Please refer to our exclusions page for more information.

What is an Education Specialist (EdS) degree?

An EdS degree is a postgraduate degree. The goal is to help you build on your education training from the master’s level. The EdS is a half-step between a master’s and a doctorate.

As such, the EdS is designed to equip you with advanced skills that go beyond the graduate level. Through this program, you can grow without crafting a doctoral dissertation.

The degree plan is streamlined and can be completed in a much faster timeframe than a doctorate. However, should you later decide to pursue your doctorate, most Doctor of Education (EdD) programs can accept transfer credit. In our case, up to 27 out of 30 credit hours from the EdS can transfer into our Doctor of Education.

What Will You Study in Our Online EdS Degree Program?

Our Education Specialist degree online track is designed to give you a background in advanced research, theory, and assessment skills. These skills can add to your previous graduate studies in education while helping you specialize in more advanced roles.

You can choose educational leadership courses that can prepare you for administrative challenges in the field. Our EdS program can help you develop leadership principles, biblical values, public relations skills, and conflict-resolution techniques. As such, you can use our EdS to prepare for nearly any education leadership role.

Professional Skills

Liberty’s EdS can help you build professional skills that are marketable in nearly any industry, including:

Communication skills
Leadership and management skills
Marketing and sales skills
Policy analysis skills
Project management skills
Research and writing skills

Featured Courses

Our Education Specialist Online Degree Information

Why Choose Liberty’s Education Specialist Degree Online?

At Liberty University, we believe in our students. That’s why we work hard to develop top-notch, cutting-edge education programs. We want to produce educators and school leaders who model high academic, moral, and spiritual standards before their peers.

In our School of Education, you’ll be taught by professors who teach from a biblical worldview. Our professors want to build you up as an engaged mentor for your students.

Liberty’s EdS degree can be done entirely online, but you can also choose to do some important courses in person. These optional intensives are especially beneficial if you intend to pursue a Doctor of Education (EdD) degree.

This can give you important hands-on experience that can be useful in your future dissertation or capstone project research. You can develop skills for leadership roles in K-12 or higher education, which can provide opportunities for advancement in your career.

As a student in our EdS programs online, you can develop the skills you need to become a more effective teacher. You can also pursue a new role as a superintendent, principal, or college instructor. With strong leadership and advanced education expertise, you can prepare for many advanced academic positions at Liberty.

Backed by a brick-and-mortar campus ranked as Niche.com’s #2 Best College Campus in America for 2026

Private Nonprofit University
600+ Online Degrees
No Standardized Testing for Admission
Transfer in up to 75% of an Undergrad Degree
Transfer in up to 50% of a Grad/Doctoral Degree

Top 10 Reasons to Choose Liberty

Potential Career Options for Educational Specialist Degree Graduates

College administrator
Curriculum specialist
Instructional supervisor

School administrator
Special education specialist
Teacher

Education Specialist (EdS) Degree Online Degree Options

Liberty University’s Education Specialist degree online program offers many areas of study for different roles and career needs.

Administration and Supervision – Educational Leadership

Do you want to be a leader in your school and community? Liberty’s online Education Specialist in Administration and Supervision – Educational Leadership can help you develop the tools you need. Additionally, you can earn the credentials you need to advance your career.

With this degree, you can pursue licensure in school administration and supervision and demonstrate your expertise to the education community. Advance your career and make a positive impact in your school district with Liberty’s Education Specialist degree.

Liberty maintains strict compliance with all licensure requirements for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Not a Virginia resident? We want to help find the best program for you! To view educational requirements and whether a specific program aligns with the licensure requirements for your state, please review our licensure/certification requirements webpage.

View the Degree Completion Plan.

Curriculum and Instruction

The online Education Specialist – Curriculum and Instruction degree has a core of essential, advanced education courses with customizable electives. Our online EdS degree can teach you how to meet the unique needs of schools in your community.

With the online specialist in education degree, you can select a large number of electives and tailor your degree.

Curriculum and Instruction Specializations:

View the Degree Completion Plan.

Educational Leadership

Our online Education Specialist in Educational Leadership degree is designed to equip you for success in the higher tiers of education. This program provides the tools and skills to address educational technology and administration challenges with leadership skills.

In our program, you can select courses that align with your passions while building your leadership and management skills.

View the Degree Completion Plan.

Educational Research

Liberty’s Education Specialist in Educational Research program is tailored for educators and professionals like you who aspire to deepen their expertise in research methodologies and educational assessment. This program is intended to help equip you with the essential tools and skills for conducting comprehensive educational research. Throughout the coursework, you will explore topics such as quantitative and qualitative research methods, data analysis, and strategies for educational assessment.

View the Degree Completion Plan.

Higher Education Administration

The Education Specialist (EdS) in Higher Education Administration degree can equip you with student affairs and general administration knowledge. This EdS degree program also seeks to prepare you for a future transition into the PhD in Higher Education Administration program.

This online Education Specialist degree seeks to promote an understanding of the academic and professional foundations underlying higher education fields. The EdS can help provide you with the knowledge and skills necessary to advance in a variety of education careers.

Higher Education Administration Specializations:

View the Degree Completion Plan.

Instructional Design and Technology

Liberty’s Education Specialist in Instructional Design and Technology can help broaden your comprehension, expertise, and proficiency in instructional design. You can gain insights into cognitive development, methods of evaluation and assessment, and the strategic development and application of distance learning programs and job aids.

View the Degree Completion Plan.

Special Education

The Education Specialist in Special Education can help you gain the knowledge and skills necessary to make a significant difference in the area of special needs in education. This program is designed to equip you with the ability to communicate via various media, critically problem-solve, and increase information literacy through applied research.

View the Degree Completion Plan.

Speak to one of our admissions specialists to help you choose the program that best fits your needs.

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Tuition & Aid

At Liberty University, a private Christian education is less expensive than you think. Over the last 10 years, Liberty University’s Online Program has only raised its standard tuition costs by less than 5% – and most of our online tuition rates rank in the top 35% for affordability for 2025 when compared to our leading online competitors.

EdS and EdD Full Time	$610/Credit
EdS and EdD Part Time	$675/Credit
Military EdS and EdD	$375/Credit

These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.

All Tuition & Fees

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Financial Aid Forms & Eligibility

Scholarship Opportunities

Admission Information for Our Online EdS Degree Program

Admission Requirements

Apply online or over the phone with an admissions counselor by calling (800) 424-9596.
- A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required).
Send official college transcripts (mailed as sealed, unopened copies or sent via a direct electronic transcript system). A regionally or nationally accredited master’s degree with at least a 3.0 GPA is required for admission in good standing.
Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy.

Preliminary Acceptance

If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:

Be in your final term and planning to start your doctoral degree after the last day of class for your master’s degree.
Complete a Master’s Self-Certification Form confirming your completion date. You may download the form from the Forms and Downloads page or contact an admissions counselor to submit the form on your behalf.
Submit an official transcript to confirm that you are in your final term. The preliminary transcript must show that you are within 6 credit hours of completion for a 30-48 credit hour master’s degree or within 9 credit hours of completion for a 49+ credit hour master’s degree.
Send in an additional, final official transcript with a conferral date on it by the end of your first semester of enrollment in the new doctoral degree.

Transcript Policies

Official College Transcript Policy

An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to luoverify@liberty.edu.

Admissions Office Contact Information

Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.

Who May Qualify?

Active Duty
Reserve/National Guard
Veterans/Retirees
Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees
Current Department of Defense Employees

Available Benefits:

Tuition discounts – $375 per credit hour for EdS and EdD courses
8-week courses, 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times (may exclude certain courses such as practicums, internships, or field experiences)

These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.

View Military Benefits

Frequently Asked Questions

How many years does it take for a specialist degree?

Education Specialist degrees are intended to focus on giving you specialized, advanced education training and research beyond the graduate level. However, the EdS is not intended to be a full-length doctoral program. You can complete Liberty’s Education Specialist degree in as little as 30 credit hours.

You don’t need to get another master’s or earn a full-length doctorate to improve your career opportunities. Liberty’s EdS can help you get there faster while leaving the door open to completing a doctorate.

How do you become a curriculum specialist?

While master’s in education programs include curriculum development, you may need more education for many curriculum specialist roles. The process of developing learning aids, techniques, and effective courses often requires additional expertise. Most schools and education resource companies are looking for specialists who are experts in the creation of excellent teaching tools. Many may require a curriculum specialist degree as a minimum qualification.

Liberty’s Education Specialist – Curriculum and Instruction program can equip you with the skills you need to meet this need. Whether you want to focus on creating classroom materials or building effective e-learning tools, Liberty’s EdS can help. The Education Specialist degree can be customized to learn exactly what you need. Our EdS program can help you both become an online learning specialist and develop tools and curricula for the classroom.

Is a specialist degree the same as a master’s?

While not a full doctorate degree, an Education Specialist degree is not a master’s degree either. The EdS degree rests in a halfway place between the two. It provides doctoral-level training that bridges the gap from practical graduate courses to advanced doctoral research.

You need a master’s degree to be eligible for the Education Specialist degree. However, earning an EdS can open up opportunities that you could not pursue with a master’s degree alone.

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*Some restrictions may occur for this promotion to apply. This promotion also excludes active faculty and staff, military, non-degree-seeking, DGIA, Continuing Education, WSB, and certificate students.

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Education Specialist Degree (EdS) Enhancing Educational Expertise and Leadership Skills for Advanced Practitioners

Get an Edge in Education with Liberty’s Online Education Specialist (EdS) Degree Program

What is an Education Specialist (EdS) degree?

What Will You Study in Our Online EdS Degree Program?

Professional Skills

Featured Courses

Our Education Specialist Online Degree Information

Why Choose Liberty’s Education Specialist Degree Online?

What Sets Us Apart?

Potential Career Options for Educational Specialist Degree Graduates

Education Specialist (EdS) Degree Online Degree Options

Administration and Supervision – Educational Leadership

Curriculum and Instruction

Educational Leadership

Educational Research

Higher Education Administration

Instructional Design and Technology

Special Education

Not sure what to choose?

Tuition & Aid

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Admission Information for Our Online EdS Degree Program

Admission Requirements

Preliminary Acceptance

Transcript Policies

Admissions Office Contact Information

Military

Frequently Asked Questions

How many years does it take for a specialist degree?

How do you become a curriculum specialist?

Is a specialist degree the same as a master’s?

Are you ready to change your future?

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