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Education Specialist Degree (EDS) Program
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Coaching Pedagogy

The Valdosta State University Graduate School is now accepting applications for the 2011 EDS Coaching Pedagogy Cohort. The deadline for having all application items to the Graduate School is March 21, 2011… this includes test scores, transcripts, applications, letter of support, and any additional information that may be required of an applicant.

If you have any admission questions, please contact Ms. Rebecca Waters in the VSUGraduate School (229.259.2088 or rlwaters@valdosta.edu), or Dr. Michael Cathey, EDS Coordinator, (229.333.5907 or rmcathey@valdosta.edu).

About the Program
The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia has approved the Education Specialist Degree (EDS) Program in Coaching Pedagogy for Valdosta State University. The EDS in Coaching Pedagogy will be a rigorous academic program that consists of 27-semester-hours of course work composed of onsite and integrated online courses. It is the first program of its kind at the education specialist level to focus on coaching as an academic discipline. Faculty from the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education at Valdosta State University will provide academic and professional training in the area of coaching pedagogy.  This new degree will serve to deliver a new dimension to the economic and cultural impact of the university in the VSU service region.

The EDS Program in Coaching Pedagogy is designed for coaches who have a desire to develop new skills and reflect on current coaching practices through a research curriculum based on their current coaching setting.  Successful completers of the program will be eligible for a Georgia Professional Standards Commission T-6 teaching certificate. The primary mission of the EDS program is to develop excellence in coaching and educate practicing teachers.  Candidates should meet the following additional program objectives that have been developed to coincide with the National Association for Sport and Physical Education national standards for sport coaches:

1) educate coaches to develop a coaching philosophy that centers on ethical conduct and behavior while focusing on the safety and well-being of the athlete;

2) develop foreseeability of inherent risks and recognition of unsafe equipment, facilities, and conditions during high risk activities;

3) develop research-based conditioning, training, and participation practices;

4) recognize growth and development changes that may influence the learning and skill development of the athlete;

5) develop and implement an organized plan for practice and competition including systematic instructional strategies to ensure maximum development and performance;

6) identify, demonstrate, and facilitate the psychomotor, cognitive, and affective development that is essential to specific sports;

7) develop administrative skills necessary for a successful athletic program; and

8) understand the importance for systematic evaluation of the program, athletes, and coaches.

There will be a limited number of slots for the EDS Coaching cohort and the selection process will be competitive and not based on a “first come, first served” basis. A point system based on the standardized test score (GRE or MAT) and the previous cumulative graduate grade point average (GPA) will be the primary determinant for admission. A waiting list will be maintained in case additional slots become available. Summer semester classes will meet on campus three days per week (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday). All summer semester courses in the program will end on-campus meetings in time for those coaching fall sports to be available for the beginning of pre-season practice. (Please see the program of study with class schedule below.)

Admission Requirements:

  1. Complete a VSU Graduate School Application and pay the $35 fee.
  2. Completed a master’s degree program from a regionally accredited institution. Applicant must have all undergraduate and graduate official transcripts sent to the VSU Graduate School. Official transcripts must arrive in sealed envelopes from each school’s registrar.
  3. Hold a current Georgia T-5 teaching certificate (or comparable master’s degree certificate from a state other than Georgia) in Health and/or Physical Education, Kinesiology, Exercise Physiology, Athletic Training/Sports Medicine, or other closely related field (to be determined as appropriate by the KPE Graduate Admissions Committee.)
  4. Applicant must have three years of verifiable public school teaching experience and currently coaching an athletic sport recognized by the Georgia High School Association or appropriate governing organization from candidate’s state of residence. (The verification form will be included with the graduate school application.)
  5. Current resume/curriculum vita must be submitted to the graduate school with application materials.
  6. A GPA of 3.0 or higher on all previous graduate work attempted.
  7. A score of 850 or higher on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) with a verbal score of no less than 400; or a score of no less than 390 on the Miller Analogies Test (MAT).
  8. VSU Medical Form including immunization information (the required form will be included with the application materials and can be accessed online at the “Application Related Forms” link at the Graduate School website). This document does not have to be submitted by the deadline, but may be submitted any time before enrollment.

Application:
Application to the program must be made through the Valdosta State University Graduate School. For application materials, please contact the Graduate School at 229.259.2088. Additional information on graduate admissions may be found on the VSU Graduate School website at http://www.valdosta.edu/gradschool/.  (The Graduate School prefers that applications be completed online.)

Complete applications along with supporting documents for the program must be received by the graduate school before any candidates will be admitted to the program. The deadline for the summer 2011 cohort is March 21, 2011.

Housing and Meal Plan Information:
Information regarding housing and meal plans will be available on this site in mid-March.

Education Specialist in Coaching Pedagogy
Program of Study & Order of Courses
(27 Semester Hours)

Course

Hours

Semester

KSPE 8100 – Studying Sports Coaching

3

Summer 1

KSPE 8200 – Coaching Sciences: Sports Medicine and  Physical Training

3

Summer 1

KSPE 8500 – Coaching Pedagogy Research Methods

3

Summer 1

KSPE 8400 – Workplace Coaching Analysis and Evaluation

4

Fall 1

KSPE 8300 – Applied Sports Science

3

Summer 2

KSPE 8600 – Professional Coaching Development

3

Summer 2

KSPE 8700 – Communication Skills for Coaches

3

Summer 2

KSPE 8800 – Coaching Pedagogy: Action Research

3

Fall 2

KSPE 8900 – Professional Seminar in Coaching Pedagogy

2

Spring 2