Graduate Studies in Education

Our Master of Education in curriculum and instruction administration prepares you to become a highly qualified curriculum and instruction administrator. If you already have a master's degree, an endorsement program can be specifically designed for you. Completion of either the degree or the endorsement program, along with the successful completion of the School Leaders Licensure Assessment and three years of teaching experience, will qualify you for standard curriculum and instruction administration licensure at the P-12 level in Arkansas.

The curriculum and instruction administration endorsement program is offered in a hybrid format, a combination of face-to-face and online instruction. Before beginning the endorsement program, each individual's graduate transcripts will be reviewed. A personalized curriculum plan will be prepared based on the curriculum plan in Harding's catalog.

Admission requirements for the endorsement program are identical to those for the Master's degree in this field of study and are described on the checklist. 

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For more information about the curriculum and instruction administration endorsement please contact Harding’s Department of Educational Leadership at 501-279-4117 or edleadership@harding.edu.

Schools need teachers who understand dyslexia, dyslexia assessment and how to help these students who struggle to read and write. This dyslexia endorsement program can be completed in one calendar year. The program is approved by the Arkansas Department of Education and meets the standards of the International Dyslexia Association, the Arkansas Teaching Standards and the International Literacy Association Standards for Reading Professionals.

The dyslexia endorsement program is offered fully online and requires 15 hours of coursework. These hours are outlined in the dyslexia curriculum plan found in Harding's catalog.

For a list of admission requirements, review the endorsement checklist.

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For more information about the dyslexia (reading) endorsement please contact Dr. Wendy Ellis, director of reading, at graduatereading@harding.edu.

If you are a licensed teacher seeking a Master of Education in special education K-12 and would like to add a dyslexia endorsement, this program is for you! By completing two additional courses from the dyslexia program of study, you will have completed the coursework requirement for the dyslexia endorsement.

All coursework except for SPED 6560, Special Education Practicum and Internship K-12, is offered online for this program of study. The dyslexia special education endorsement consists of 15 hours that include clinical experiences in special education. These hours are outlined in the dyslexia curriculum plan in Harding's catalog.

For a list of admission requirements, review the checklist.

Apply Now!

For more information about the dyslexia (special education) endorsement please contact Dr. Carol Douglass, director of special education, at cdouglass@harding.edu.

If you are a teacher with a current, standard Arkansas educator license in Early Childhood P-4, Elementary Education K-6 or 1-6, P-4 Special Education (Special Education Instructional Specialist), or Special Education K-12 (other licensure areas may be acceptable with additional coursework) and seeking a birth through kindergarten endorsement, the early childhood/special education integrated birth to kindergarten endorsement program is for you!

All coursework is offered online for this program. It involves 15 hours that include clinical experiences in early childhood settings. These hours are outlined in the early childhood/special education integrated birth to kindergarten curriculum plan found in Harding's catalog.

For a list of admission requirements, download this checklist.

Apply Now!

For more information about the early childhood/special education integrated birth to kindergarten endorsement program please contact Dr. Carol Douglass, director of special education, at cdouglass@harding.edu.

If you are looking for an endorsement that you can complete fully online in one calendar year, consider the gifted and talented licensure endorsement program. This state-approved program is designed for the working professional and meets current Arkansas state guidelines leading to gifted and talented licensure endorsement.

Our Master of Education in educational leadership rigorously prepares you to become a highly qualified principal. If you already have a master's degree, an endorsement program can be specifically designed for you by the director of educational leadership. Completion of either the degree or the endorsement program, along with the successful completion of the School Leaders Licensure Assessment and three years of teaching experience, will qualify you for principal licensure as a P-12 administrator in Arkansas.

The principal endorsement program is offered in a hybrid format, a combination of face-to-face and online instruction. The program is based on a 25-hour curriculum plan, but each individual's program will vary based on previous graduate coursework.

Admission requirements for the endorsement program are identical to those for the Master's degree in this field of study. Download the checklist for details.

Apply Now!

For more information about the principal endorsement please contact Harding’s Department of Educational Leadership at 501-279-4117 or edleadership@harding.edu.

This reading endorsement program is designed to provide you, as a classroom practitioner or literacy supervisor, with rigorous, intensive training and advanced knowledge. The program content consists of study in linguistic and cognitive bases of the reading process, reading comprehension, word identification, vocabulary development, reading methodologies, diagnosis and reading program development. Our program's philosophical underpinnings reside in the science reading approach to teaching literacy and establishing highly effective literacy processes based on current research and best practices. The course of study is aligned with standards derived from national associations as well as the Arkansas Department of Education. The national agencies whose standards drive the course content of the program include the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, the International Literacy Association and the International Dyslexia Association.

The reading endorsement program is offered through classroom instruction and online classes and requires 21 hours of coursework as outlined in Harding's catalog.

For a description of admission requirements, download the checklist.

Apply Now!

For more information contact Dr. Wendy Ellis, director of reading, at graduatereading@harding.edu.

Our Master of Education in special education administration prepares you to become highly qualified in special education administration. If you already have a master's degree, an endorsement program can be specifically designed for you. Completion of either the degree or the endorsement program, along with the successful completion of the School Leaders Licensure Assessment and three years of teaching experience, will qualify you for standard special education administration licensure at the P-12 level in Arkansas.

The special education administration endorsement program is offered in a hybrid format, a combination of face-face and online instruction. The program will vary for each individual based on previous graduate coursework. Before beginning the endorsement program, each individual's graduate transcripts will be reviewed, and a personalized curriculum plan will be prepared. At a minimum, the curriculum plan in Harding's catalog will be followed.

Admission requirements for the endorsement program are identical to those for the Master's degree in this field of study. Download the checklist for details.

Apply Now!

For more information about the special education administration endorsement please contact Harding’s Department of Educational Leadership at 501-279-4117 or edleadership@harding.edu.

If you are a teacher holding a standard K-6 or 4-8 license or a teacher holding a standard 7-12 license in a content area of English Language Arts, Mathematics or Science and are seeking resource K-6 or 7-12 licensure, the special education K-6 and 7-12 resource program is for you! This endorsement will prepare you to teach students with exceptionalities in the K-6 or 7-12 population.

All coursework is offered online for this program. The special education K-6 and 7-12 resource endorsement program requires 12 hours of coursework, outlined in the curriculum plan of Harding's catalog.

For a description of admission requirements, download the checklist.

Apply Now!

For more information about the SPED K-6 and 7-12 resource endorsement please contact Dr. Carol Douglass, director of special education, at cdouglass@harding.edu.

Schools need teachers who are highly qualified to help all students learn. If you are interested in working with students who learn differently, and you have a teacher's license but not a special education K-12 endorsement, this program is for you! Approved by the Arkansas Department of Education, this program can also be applied to a Master of Education in special education K-12.

The method of delivery is fully online for the special education K-12 endorsement program. The majority of the courses for the Master's in special education K-12 are offered online as well. The endorsement program involves 21 hours, as outlined in Harding's catalog.

For a description of admission requirements, download the checklist.

Apply Now!

For more information about the SPED K-12 endorsement please contact Dr. Carol Douglass, director of special education, at cdouglass@harding.edu.

Our Educational Specialist in educational leadership (superintendent) degree provides you with the competencies necessary for school district leadership. If you are not interested in obtaining an educational specialist degree, a state-approved endorsement program for obtaining superintendent licensure is also available. If you already have your principal licensure, completion of either the educational specialist degree or this endorsement program, along with the successful completion of the School Superintendent Assessment, will grant you superintendent licensure in Arkansas.

The superintendent endorsement program is offered in a hybrid format, a combination of face-to-face and online instruction. The program requires 24 hours of coursework, as outlined in the curriculum plan of Harding's catalog.

Admission requirements for the endorsement program are identical to those for the Master's degree in this field of study. Download the checklist for details.

Apply Now!

For more information about the superintendent licensure program of study please contact Harding’s Department of Educational Leadership at 501-279-4117 or edleadership@harding.edu.

If you are looking for an endorsement that makes you marketable and can be completed in one calendar year, the teaching English as a second language endorsement program is designed for you. This state-approved program is designed for the working professional and meets current Arkansas Department of Education guidelines leading to the endorsement for teaching English as a second language. This is a P-12 endorsement that enables teachers to be English language-learner coordinators in schools, English as second language teachers, or general education classroom teachers better equipped to reach all students in their classroom. ESL is a high-need field in many areas of the United States. The population of ESL students is growing to become a significant part of the K-12 student population, and teachers with coursework in bilingual and bicultural education are needed.

The teaching English as a second language endorsement program is offered face-to-face on the Searcy campus as well as through distance learning classes. The program involves 12 hours outlined in the TESL curriculum plan of Harding's catalog.

For a detailed description of admission requirements, download the checklist.

Apply Now!

For more information about the teaching English as a second language endorsement program please contact Lauren Boone, assistant professor, at lboone@harding.edu.

If you wish to take graduate classes simply for personal or professional advancement, you may take up to 6 hours of credit as a "Special Student."  There is no application fee. 

When you click on the link below and start the online application, be sure to select the College of Education and “Not Seeking a Degree” in order to complete the application for the Special Student Program.

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No transcript is required for the first 1-6 hours taken in the *first semester* but may be requested in order to register for the second semester.

If you are seeking additional graduate coursework and have already taken the 6 hours of graduate work allowed under the "Special Student" designation or if you plan to completed more than 6 hours, you are classified as "Not Seeking a Degree." All NSD students must apply for admission to the graduate program and are required to submit all admission paperwork. 

For additional information about these options, you may want to consult the Harding catalog.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

• Complete the online application. 
• Request official transcripts* be sent directly from previous institutions to admissions@harding.edu.
• Upload a copy of your current educator license or request official results from at least one of the following tests: 
• • Praxis subject content exam(s)
  • Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT)
  • Miller Analogies Test (MAT)
  • Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
• Upload a copy of your Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) immunization record.

*Note: Harding alumni and current Harding students do not need to request Harding transcripts as they are on file.

GPA REQUIREMENTS

• Hold a bachelor’s degree with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or 2.75 on the last 60 hours. 
• Cumulative GPA for provisional admittance: 2.35.
• If admitted provisionally for no educator license or test score(s), the student must submit a passing test score during their first graduate semester.

Please direct questions to:

Harding University
Department of Graduate Studies in Education
Phone: 501-279-4315 
Fax: 501-279-4083 
Email: graded@harding.edu 

Financial aid is available to most Harding graduate and professional degree students in the form of graduate assistantships, federal and private loans, veterans programs and vocational rehabilitation programs.