The Secondary Science Education Program through course work and field experiences strives to prepare educators to be committed, confident, effective, and dedicated to the teaching profession.  Students completing the Ed.S. degree program demonstrate the knowledge, skills, dispositions and characteristics essential for providing enriched learning experiences designed to engage students in the meaningful learning and understanding of science developmentally appropriate for students on the secondary level. Moreover, in this increasingly diverse, technological society the secondary science program prepares students to be reflective teacher/leaders, practitioners, exhibit professionalism, and promote equity, social justice, and diversity in the science classroom.  

The specialist degree program builds upon the bachelor's and master's degree programs of students in secondary science education.  The purpose of the Specialist in Education program is to further strengthen professional educators' abilities and competencies for teaching in secondary, postsecondary, and non-school/administrative settings.  The program is designed for students to attain their post-master's Class AA teacher certification.  The Specialist of Education degree is considered a terminal degree and typically students who pursue specialist degrees do not then enter doctoral programs.  However, because some states (including Georgia ) now require that teachers who wish sixth-year teacher certification complete a specialist degree, some students who earn specialist degrees may wish ultimately to pursue doctoral degrees as well.

The graduate course work required in an area of science (biology, chemistry, geology, or physics) comprises nearly half of the course work for this program.  Graduate course work in education extends and refines the theory-based and pedagogical content knowledge necessary to be successful in science education.  Candidates for the Ed.S. degree must also design, implement, summarize in writing, and defend a field project that demonstrates their knowledge of course work and field-based teaching experiences.