Special Education (EDUCST-PH, SPE)

Specialization leading to a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies

Effective for students admitted to the College of Education and Human Ecology beginning Summer 2023

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Program Requirements (22 hours)

Common Core (6 hours)

Core 1 Course (3 hours)

• EDUCST 6891 Proseminar in Educational Studies (3)

Core 2 Course: Choose from one of the following courses (3 hours)

• EDUCST 6892 Educational Policy and Inequality in Social and Cultural Context: Integrating Research Traditions (3)
• EDUCST 7765 Grant Writing (3)
• ESEPOL 7100 Writing for Educational Policy Audiences (3)
• ESEPSY 7404 College Teaching (3)
• ESEPSY 8404 Academic Writing in Education: Reviewing the Literature (3)
• ESPHE 6403 Ethics and the Professional Context of Teaching (3)

Research Core (choose five, minimum 16 hours)

Required Research Courses (10 hours)

• ESQREM 7648 GLM I: Introduction to Regression and ANOVA (4)
• ESQUAL 8280 Qualitative Research in Education: Paradigms, Theories, and Exemplars (3)
• ESSPED 8861 Single Case Research Design (3)

Additional Research Courses (choose two, 6 hours)

Qualitative Courses

• EDUTL 7431 The Ethnography of Literacy and Language I (4)
• EDUTL 7432 The Ethnography of Literacy and Language II (4)
• EDUTL 8001 Discourse Analysis and Educational Research I (4)
• EDUTL 8002 Discourse Analysis and Educational Research II (4)
• ESQUAL 8290 Qualitative Research in Education: Methods and Analysis (3)

Quantitative Courses

• ESQREM 7627 Sampling Designs and Survey Research Methods (3)
• ESQREM 7643 Categorical Data Analysis (3)
• ESQREM 7658 GLM II: Advanced Regression and ANOVA (4)
• ESQREM 8648 Multivariate Analysis (3)
• ESQREM 8657 Factor and Cluster Analysis (3)
• ESQREM 8658 Applied Multilevel Data Analysis (3)
• ESQREM 8659 Structural Equation Modeling (3)
• ESQREM 8895 Seminars: Quantitative Research, Evaluation and Measurement (3)

Single Subject

• ESSPED 8874 Behavioral Research in Education (3)

Specialization Requirements (32 hours)

Required Courses (12 hours)

• Choose one:
  • ESEPSY 7404 College Teaching (3)
  • ESSPED 8189 Field Experience in Special Education (3)
  • ESSPED 8919 Behavior Approaches to College Teaching (3)
• ESSPED 7892 Topics in Special Education Research (3)
• ESSPED 8662 Research Designs and Scholarship in Special Education (3)
• ESSPED 8875 Professional Writing/Publishing in Special Education (3)

Specialization Electives (20 hours)

In consultation with their faculty advisor, students will identify an area of specialization.  Examples of specialization include but are not limited to applied behavior analysis, developmental disabilities, early childhood, d/Deaf and hard of hearing, high incidence education, and gifted education. If students wish to select ABA as their specialization and take the ABAI-accredited sequence of courses, see the course list below.

Suggested Elective Courses to Meet Specialization Requirements:

• EDUCST 7765 Grant Writing (3)
• ESEADM 8317 Legal Aspects of Special Education Administration (3)
• ESSPED 8891 Contemporary Issues in Special Education (3)

ABAI-Accredited Course Sequence for ABA Specialization:

Courses required for the BCBA credential

• ESSPED 8200 Basic Behavior Analysis (3)
• ESSPED 8300 Behavioral Assessment (3)
• ESSPED 8400 Behavioral Interventions in Special Education (4)
• ESSPED 8500 Personnel Management and Supervisor (2)
• ESSPED 8832 Advanced Applied Behavior Analysis (3)
• ESSPED 8921 Ethical Issues in Applied Behavior Analysis (3)

Additional ABAI accreditation course options:

• ESSPED 7830 Urban Education & Precision Teaching (3)
• ESSPED 8871 Behaviorism: Schedules and Translational Research (3)
• ESSPED 8916 Behaviorism: Applications and Implications of Skinner’s Work (1.5)
• ESSPED 8917 Verbal Behavior (1.5)

Dissertation Requirement (minimum 6 credit hours)

Consult with faculty advisor

• ESSPED 8999 Dissertation/Thesis Research: Special Education (6)

Minimum hours post-MA/MS: 60