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Graduate 2017-2018

Special Education Ph.D.

College of Education and Behavioral Sciences

Degree Requirements — 77-83 Credits

See “Special Education Ph.D.”.

The Ph.D. in Special Education is a flexible doctoral program with provisions for individual planning to prepare stewards of the discipline of special education for positions of leadership in public and private schools and for colleges, universities, agencies, businesses and government entities. Major emphases are internally flexible and may be established to fit a variety of interests in the field of special education and gifts and talents. Graduates develop leadership knowledge and skills in exceptionalities related to six major themes: theory, pedagogy, research methodology, evidence-based practice, public policy/advocacy, and collaboration. The program is designed to prepare students for creative leadership in a rapidly changing world that is experiencing increasing cultural diversity, curriculum and structural reforms in schools and pedagogical innovations across the educational spectrum.

Degree Requirements

Students will be required to demonstrate literacy and competency in computer applications as part of the program.

Doctoral Core Courses (25 hours)

EDSE 701Introduction to Doctoral Study in Exceptionalities

1

EDSE 702Law of Exceptionalities

3

EDSE 721Theories of Exceptionality

3

EDSE 727Seminar in Exceptionalities

3

EDSE 728Seminar in Professional Writing

3

EDSE 732Research in Exceptionalities

3

EDSE 733Preparing Teachers of Students with Exceptionalities

3

EDSE 744Grant Writing Seminar

3

EDSE 745Advanced Doctoral Seminar

3

Externships (3 hours - minimum)

EDSE 730Externship in Exceptionalities

1- 9

Externships are taken in one to three hour blocks and involve an off-campus experience. Variable titles related to inquiry, university teaching, research, and administration are selected based on the nature of the externship.

Elective Credits — 9 hours (minimum)

Students are to select 9 semester hours of courses in a cognate closely related to the student’s program goals. Electives are chosen in consultation with the major advisor and are an integral part of the program plan.

Areas of Special Interest

The student may select an area of interest (one or more), in conference with his or her advisor, from the following areas: transition of children and youth with exceptionalities; education of infants and preschool children with exceptionalities; one of the categorical areas of special education (autism, blind or visually impaired, deaf or hard of hearing, emotionally disturbed, learning disabilities, mental retardation, etc.); gifts and talents; curriculum development; special education administration; university teaching/research; or other areas as designed by the student and his or her advisor.

Research Core — 12 hours

SRM 602Statistical Methods I

3

SRM 603Statistical Methods II

3

SRM 680Introduction to Qualitative Research

3

SRM 700Advanced Research Methods

3

Research Proposal/Dissertation — 16 hours

EDSE 797Doctoral Proposal Research

1- 4

Requires permission of major advisor. Explores dissertation research problems, theoretical frameworks, methodology, and data analysis procedures expected to develop an approved dissertation proposal. Students enroll for 1- to 4-hour blocks for a maximum of 4 hours. The student works closely with the Research Advisor and Doctoral Committee members to develop the proposal.

EDSE 799Doctoral Dissertation

1-12

Requires permission of major advisor. Dissertation research is taken in 1- to 12-hour blocks for a maximum of 12 hours. The student works closely with the Research Advisor and Doctoral Committee members to develop the proposal.

Research Tools — 12-18 hours

Students in special education must demonstrate proficiency in two of the four research tools listed below:

1. Research Design/Applied Statistics (3 hours from the following courses)

The GPA for this course and the 12 hours of Research Core above must be 3.0 or higher.

SRM 606Multiple Linear Regression Analysis

3

SRM 607Non-Parametric Statistics

3

SRM 608Experimental Design

3

SRM 609Sampling Methods

3

SRM 610Statistical Methods III

3

SRM 611Advanced Statistical Data Analysis

3

SRM 625Applied Multiple Regression Analysis

3

SRM 627Survey Research Methods

3

SRM 629Structural Equation Modeling

3

SRM 635Categorical Data Analysis

3

SRM 685Educational Ethnography

3

SRM 686Qualitative Case Study Research

3

SRM 687Narrative Inquiry

3

SRM 688Writing Qualitative Research

3

SRM 705Advanced Issues in Research Methods

3

2. Evaluation (9 hours from the following courses)

ELPS 654Instructional Leadership and Supervision

3

ELPS 665Policy Analysis and Development

3

SRM 670Evaluation: Models and Designs

3

SRM 770Evaluation: Advanced Methods

3

3. Instructional Technology (9 hours from the following courses)

ET 502Instructional Design

3

ET 602Performance Technology for Instructional Environments

3

ET 617Development of Online Applications

3

ET 628Design of Multimedia Learning Environments

3

ET 702Instructional Design Theory and Research

3

4. Collateral Field (9 hours)

Contact the doctoral coordinator for examples of approved courses taken in a collateral field (cognition, instruction, measurement, psychology, human development, rehabilitation; additional research courses may be considered) that will support the dissertation research (600-level and above).

Comprehensive Performance Assessment

The comprehensive examination consists of a written Major Paper plus a matrix of performance options that demonstrates competency in theory, pedagogy, research methodology, evidence-based practice, public policy/advocacy, and collaboration.