Special Education PhD
The Special Education PhD program helps students develop advanced foundational knowledge in the area of special education while providing the latitude necessary for a program of research that meets the individual research focus of the doctoral student in collaboration with a student's advisor.
Our doctoral students are likely to arrive with an extensive knowledge base at the master's level of special education, which often exceeds 42 credits. The PhD concentration in Special Education extends this knowledge base by encouraging the development of both breadth and depth in an area of study that will carry students well beyond the dissertation as they transition into research careers.
Special Education meets the criteria established by national and state accrediting boards, the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). Disciplinary accreditation is critical to national visibility, placing graduates, and developing a national pool of strong applicants.
Featured class
Relationships between social policy and disability in a democracy are explored, with particular reference to the ever changing landscape of societal values associated with the evolving paradigms that frame disability research and policies.
Featured faculty
Alexandra Lauterbach
Dr. Alexandra A. Lauterbach is interested in learning how dimensions of teacher cognition influence teacher quality and achievement of students with SLD.
Michael Krezmien
Director, Center for Youth Engagement
Dr. Michael Krezmien is the Director of the Center for Youth Engagement and a professor in Special Education at the College of Education.
John Hosp
Special Education
Students become catalysts for change by helping to increase educational opportunities and improve outcomes for children with disabilities and their families.