Program Overview

PhD in Special Education

The PhD in Special Education is a doctoral degree program designed to prepare students for advanced professional practice in special education. The program is offered entirely online and consists of 91 graduate credits post-bachelor's degree.

Program Goals

The program goals include:

• Focus on core knowledge and skills for advanced professional practice
• Provide flexibility for candidates to develop specialized expertise in focused areas of study
• Emphasize scholarship as a means of closing the gap between research and practice
• Provide training on evidence-based education and practice
• Build on the strength and collaboration of faculty within the department and other departments
• Emphasize learning in the context of communities as a means of producing socially meaningful improvements in the lives of individuals with disabilities
• Offer courses entirely online

Focused Areas of Doctoral Study

Graduates of the program earn their doctorates with an emphasis on one or more focus areas, including:

• American Sign Language and Deaf Studies
• Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism
• Teaching and Learning—Low Incidence
• Teaching and Learning—High Incidence
• Teaching and Learning—Emotional and Behavioral Disorders
• Systems, Teaching, and Learning RTI/MTSS
• General Special Education

Degree Requirements

The doctoral degree in special education consists of 91 graduate credits post-bachelor's degree. Additional credit requirements include:

• At least 40 credits, excluding dissertation credits, must be in the major (SPCE)
• At least 48 credits must be completed at Ball State University
• At least 10 dissertation credits (DISS 799)

Research Component

Doctoral students are expected to acquire research skills by taking a variety of coursework in research design and statistics. They complete a rigorous research component in which they demonstrate competency with research tools applicable to Special Education, Applied Behavior Analysis, and/or their Focused Area(s) of Study.

Cognates

After admittance, doctoral students will complete coursework for a cognate in research methods. In addition, doctoral students work with their committee chairperson to select:

• A second cognate, of which you must complete nine credits at Ball State
• A second concentration within the department
• All doctoral students are strongly encouraged to complete a research cognate consisting of coursework recommended by the chair of their doctoral committee

Residence

You must complete at least 15 credits in two consecutive semesters beyond the master's degree in order to meet our residency requirement. Residency will encourage you to:

• Concentrate on coursework or research
• Collaborate with faculty and other candidates
• Develop specialized skills that support professional goals

Grade Point Average

At all times after completing nine credits of doctoral study, you must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.2 for courses taken toward the doctoral degree.

Comprehensive Examination

Near the end of your coursework, doctoral students take a comprehensive examination based on their coursework in Special Education and research as well as their focused area of study.

Dissertation

Under the general supervision of your committee chairperson, doctoral students develop and receive approval on a dissertation topic. Dissertations for doctoral candidates in Special Education typically contribute to the solution of important problems in education and/or applied behavior analysis.

Doctoral Committee

The Director of the Doctoral Program in Special Education meets with doctoral students when they are admitted to the program. Doctoral students are guided through the process of forming a doctoral committee, which begins with the selection of a chair for the doctoral committee.

Structure

The committee will consist of either four or five voting members, depending on your program of study. All committees will consist of:

• Two members from the major (i.e., Special Education)
• An at-large member from a field or department not already represented
• A voting member for each cognate or focused area of study as identified on your program of study

Paying for Your Education

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees information is available through the university's website.

Funding Graduate Study

Graduate study funding options are available, including graduate assistantships.

Department Graduate Assistantships

A graduate assistantship is an excellent opportunity to gain meaningful professional experience while helping cover the costs of your degree.