Special Education, PhD
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Special Education
The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree is a research-focused degree and is tailored to the individual. Doctoral students work closely with their advisors to develop an integrated course of study reflecting their goals in the area of special education. All doctoral students must be involved in research, and typically have opportunities to also engage in university teaching and service to the field of special education. Doctoral students typically complete the program in four to five years of full-time resident study. Please see the Department of Special Education website for more information about requirements and to view the Department of Special Education Doctoral Student Manual.
Admission
Interested applicants should start at the College of Education Graduate Programs website. In addition to the application, the applicant is required to submit the following information: a statement of purpose, updated resume, official transcripts from all colleges attended, and three letters of recommendation. A scholarly writing sample in English (e.g., a master's thesis, article, or academic paper) is required for application to a doctoral program.
Applicants must have also maintained a 3.0 grade point average (A = 4.0) for the last two years of their undergraduate program and for any previous graduate work.
International applicants must demonstrate English Language Proficiency for admission. Please see the English Proficiency Requirement for Admission for additional information on this requirement.
Faculty Research Interests
To learn more about our faculty’s research areas, current grants, and recent publications, please visit our Special Education | Illinois and/or visit the Faculty Finder. Our faculty pursue a wide range of research interests, offering graduate students many opportunities to collaborate and participate in meaningful research projects.
Facilities and Resources
The College of Education & the Department of Special Education offer a variety of resources to support graduate students throughout their academic journey. The Bureau of Educational Research assists students in securing research funding, and each student is assigned a graduate adviser to help plan their program of study, select courses, and track progress toward degree completion. Additional information about university-wide resources is available on the GradMAP website.
Financial Aid
Financial aid is available to students admitted to the PhD program. Financial aid in the form of assistantships, scholarships, fellowships, and tuition waivers can be found throughout the college and campus. Please note: Graduate students employed as staff by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are not eligible for a College of Education Fellowship. Campus opportunities can be found at the Graduate College and the Office of Student Financial Aid.
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Special Education
A list of additional requirements can be found on the program's website, the College of Education Graduate Programs Handbook, and the Graduate College Handbook.
Special Education, PhD
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Completion of at least 64 hours beyond the master’s degree including: | ||
| Major Subject Coursework (minimum) | 32 | |
| SPED 599 | Thesis Research (min/max applied toward degree) | 4-20 |
| Independent Study (min/max applied toward degree) | 0-12 | |
| Research Coursework (All students will take a minimum of 16-20 credit hours, depending on area of methodology focus, in approved research methods courses.) | 16-20 | |
| Total Hours | 64 | |
Other Requirements
| Minimum GPA | 3.0 |
| Masters Degree Required for Admission to PhD | |
| Residency: Maintain continuous full time (12 hours) enrollment until the student takes the preliminary examination and during the graduating semester. Zero hours are required for all other semesters. | |
| Early Research Requirement | |
| Qualifying Exams | |
| Human Subjects Approval | |
| Preliminary Exam | |
| Final Exam/Dissertation Defense | |
| Dissertation Deposit |
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Special Education
- Graduates of the Department of Special Education doctoral program will be knowledgeable about the major topics and pressing issues in the special education scholarly literature (e.g., assessment, special education law and policies, universal design for curriculum, etc.) with a focus on their particular research area of interest.
- Graduates of the Department of Special Education doctoral program will conduct and critically assess research both independently and in collaboration with others in the field of special education.
- Graduates of the Department of Special Education doctoral program will access resources (e.g., write grants, participate in professional organizations, design policy initiatives, etc.) to enable them to engage in research, teaching, and service that positively impacts the quality of life for individuals with disabilities.
- Graduates of the Department of Special Education doctoral program will demonstrate the knowledge and skills required to teach, supervise and mentor future special education practitioners.
- Graduates of the Department of Special Education doctoral program will demonstrate a, ability to share their expertise through scholarly writing, conference presentations, and service activities.
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Special Education
Special Education Department
Department Head: Matthew Lambert
Director of Graduate Studies: Kary Zarate
Graduate admissions information: Mitzi Koeberlein
Special Education Department website
Special Education faculty
142 Education Building, 1310 South Sixth Street, Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 244-3542
gradservices@education.illinois.edu
College of Education
College of Education website
College of Education programs
Admissions
Graduate College Admissions & Requirements
College of Education Admissions Requirements