Education Specialist in Educational Technology

When is the application deadline?

• Fall Start
  • February 1 (priority review). No review after July 1.
• Summer Start
  • February 1 (priority review), No review after March 31.
• Spring Start
  • October 1 (priority review), No review after November 15.

What is required to apply? Do I have to take the GRE?

The GRE is not required to apply to the program.

Do I have to come to Boise to take any classes, or participate in other activities like seminars?

We’d love to have you – it’s a great city! However, the program is entirely online, and there are no on-campus requirements, even in the summer.

How much does it cost?

We provide exceptional value for our graduate degree programs. Our 600-level classes ($599 per credit hour) have a different fee than our 500-level classes ($479). The 600-level classes are EdS and EdD core courses, whereas 500-level courses are used by any graduate student to either complete a cognate, electives, or even a formal certificate program if one so desires.

NOTE: Benefit-eligible employees at Boise State and other participating Idaho institutions CAN use the tuition waiver benefit to pay tuition costs. Please talk to your HR representative for more details.

When can I start?

Students can start the either program in the fall, spring, or summer semesters.

Can I transfer courses from my other graduate work?

Yes. See the pre-program courses in this document for more details. Up to nine credit hours of previously complete work can be applied to the Ed.S. if the courses meet the Graduate College criteria.

How long does it take to complete?

This will vary from student to student, but students who enrolled part-time can potentially complete the Ed.S. program in 1.5 to 2 years.

Do I have to have a master’s degree in EdTech or background as a teacher?

Though some preference will be given to those with a background in educational technology or in teaching / educational leadership, it is NOT a requirement for admittance to either program.

Are classes synchronous or asynchronous? 

Nearly all of our classes are almost entirely asynchronous, which means there are very few times during a semester that you have to be online on a specific day at a specific hour. We do have some mandatory sessions, however, mostly related to helping 1st and 2nd year students understand more about research, finding resources, and expectations we have about various milestones. We also use synchronous sessions to help build community. In any given semester, there might be 4-5 such synchronous session. These mostly happen on a Wednesday or Thursday evening, starting about 6:30 pm Mountain Time. If a student lives in a place that makes attendance at the sessions impossible (for example, they are at 3:00 am local time), we will work with the student to get credit for the synchronous requirements.

Which Learning Management System do you use? What other softwares / technologies do you use?

We use Canvas for our LMS, and we use Zoom for synchronous communication. We rely quite heavily on Boise State’s instance of GoogleDrive. Students eventually have to get access to SPSS when they take EDTECH 651, which has a student license available. If students take the advanced qualitative analysis course (which is a choice they have in their 3rd year), they are expected have a license for NVivo. Students are expected to have a newer computer, working camera & mic, and regular access to high-speed internet.