Education of Students with Exceptionalities, Ph.D.

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Concentration Areas: Autism Spectrum Disorders; Behavior Disorders; Communication Disorders; Deaf/Hard of Hearing; Early Childhood Special Education; Intellectual Disabilities; Learning Disabilities; Physical and Health Disabilities (Orthopedic Impairments)

The Ph.D. major in Education of Students with Exceptionalities provides graduates with the skills necessary to succeed in university positions as they perform the roles of teaching, research, and grant writing; and/or to provide a high level of competence for leadership in a variety of community, state, or national service agencies. The program is designed to educate future special education leaders in greater knowledge, understanding, and expertise in one area of concentration in special education, while at the same time making sure that they are fully equipped with a broad knowledge of general special education and with advanced skills in research and design methods.

Evaluation of a student’s performance is continuous and involves consideration of the student’s performance in all academic settings. Students who fail to make progress in a timely manner or who demonstrate inappropriate or unprofessional conduct may be withdrawn from a course or the program. If such removal from a course is necessary, the student will receive the grade of “F” and may be judged ineligible to reenroll in the course.

Students complete coursework depending on their background and concentration. These could be special education (EXC) courses or any university courses that support the major area of study and are approved by the student’s Doctoral Advisory Committee.

Degree Requirements

Core Area (18 Hours)

The Core Area consists of 15 semester hours of research coursework and 3 semester hours of Social Foundation of Education and Psychology of Learning coursework.

Research Core (15 Hours)

Choose One Course (3 Hours)

EPRS 8500 - Qualitative/Interpretive Research in Education I 3 Hours
EPRS 8530 - Quantitative Methods and Analysis in Education I 3 Hours

Required (12 Hours)

A two-course sequence (6 hours) in research methodology (see below for specific tracks/courses)
Two courses (6 hours) in advanced research methods as identified by the Doctoral Advisory Committee

Social Foundations of Education and Psychology of Learning Core (3 Hours)

In addition to highly specialized research in specific areas, doctoral students in the College of Education and Human Development must possess a deep understanding of comprehensive, theoretical principles and broad ideological conceptualizations.

Through historical, philosophical, sociological, and anthropological inquiry, knowledge of social foundations fosters the types of speculative investigations essential for thorough understandings of those theoretical principles and ideological conceptualizations necessary to uphold the integrity of the Ph.D. degree.

The psychology of learning component is based on the following guiding principles: (1) Educational leaders make judgments that affect learning. (2) Doctoral students should have a substantial understanding of the psychology of learning.

Select one (3):

EPSF 8270 - Philosophy of Education 3 Hours
EPSF 8280 - Anthropology of Education 3 Hours
EPSF 8310 - Sociology of Education 3 Hours
EPSF 8320 - Politics and Policy in Education 3 Hours
EPSF 8340 - History of American Education 3 Hours
EPSF 9260 - Epistemology and Learning 3 Hours
EPY 8030 - Advanced Applied Behavior Analysis 3 Hours
EPY 8050 - The Psychology of Instruction 3 Hours
EPY 8070 - Understanding and Facilitating Adult Learning 3 Hours
EPY 8080 - Memory and Cognition 3 Hours
EPY 8180 - Learning and the School-Age Child (5 to 18 Years) 3 Hours
EPY 8200 - Advanced Developmental Psychology: Cognition and Intellect 3 Hours
EPY 8220 - Advanced Developmental Psychology: Personality and Socialization 3 Hours

Major Area (19 Hours Minimum)

Required (16 Hours)

EXC 8961 - Professional Development Seminar in Special Education 1 to 3 Hours
EXC 8980 - Professional Investigation and Writing in Special Education 3 Hours
EXC 9900 - Research Seminar in Special Education 1 to 3 Hours
EXC 9981 - Grant Proposal Writing in Special Education 3 Hours
EXC 9985 - Educational Theory and Research Design 3 Hours

Select (3 Hours)

Course will be selected and approved by the student’s Doctoral Advisory Committee.

University Teaching Cognate (6 Hours)

Required (6):

EPY 9000 - Facilitating College Teaching 3 Hours
EXC 9660 - Internship in Special Education I 3 Hours

Dissertation (15 Hours)

Required (15):

EXC 9990 - Dissertation 1 to 18 Hours

Education of Students with Exceptionalities, Ph.D.

Degree Requirements

Core Area (18 Hours)

Research Core (15 Hours)

Choose One Course (3 Hours)

Required (12 Hours)

Quantitative Methodology

Qualitative Methodology

Single-Case Methodology

Historical/Philosophical Methodology

Measurement Methodology