Program Overview

Introduction to the Special Education Systems Doctoral Program

The Department of Special Education at the University of Texas at Austin offers a doctoral (Ph.D.) degree with a concentration in Special Education Systems (SES). This concentration prepares scholars to examine how special education is shaped by — and interacts with — larger systems such as law, healthcare, public policy, and community organizations.

Program Overview

The Ph.D. degree in Special Education Systems generally takes four years of full-time study to complete. Students develop their own individualized program of study in consultation with their academic advisor and the graduate advisor. The program of study includes work in core areas, including content and research coursework, as well as a dissertation and professional activities beyond coursework.

Doctoral Degree Components

• Specialization Core: 12 hours
• Professional Core: 18 hours
• Research Core: 18-21 hours
• Dissertation: 6 hours minimum

Specialization Core Courses

• SED 396C Trends and Issues in Special Education Systems
• SED 380 International and Comparative Special Education
• SED 380 Addressing Critical Research Questions in Special Education Using National Datasets
• SED 380 Disability and Society

Professional Core Courses

• SED 695S A & B Professional Seminar (taken over the fall and spring semesters of Year 1)
• SED 398T College Teaching (Year 2)
• SED 380 Disability and Society
• SED 696 A and B Research Mentoring (taken over two semesters)

Research Core Courses

• EDP 380C Fundamental Statistics – prerequisite as needed
  • Additional coursework must include at least two of the following three courses:
    • Qualitative Research Design and Data Analysis
    • Quantitative Research Design and Data Analysis
    • Single-Subject Research Design
• SED 395D Grant Writing in Education

Dissertation

All doctoral students are required to complete a dissertation, which includes conducting original research with direction from a dissertation supervisor. The dissertation will be submitted and defended to a dissertation committee consisting of faculty in the field of study.

Faculty

• North Cooc, Associate Professor: Explores how migration, race, and language impact special education services in U.S. schools and international contexts.
• James R Patton, Professor of Instruction: Focuses on adults with disabilities and their participation in higher education, study skills, instruction, and interaction with the criminal justice system.
• Natasha Strassfeld, Associate Professor: Examines how law and policy shape special education service delivery, how racialized minority and ethnic students are (mis)identified for special education placements, and how special education is provided in the juvenile justice system.

Program Details

• Program Starts: Fall
• Deadline to Apply: December 1, Priority; Rolling Admissions
• Credit Hours Required: 54-57 minimum
• Program Location: On Campus
• GRE Required?: No
• Area Co-Coordinator: North Cooc
• Area Co-Coordinator: Natasha Strassfeld
• Graduate Program Coordinator: Kelsey Samsel

Research Areas

The program emphasizes training in a range of research methods, including qualitative, quantitative, and legal policy analysis. Students will develop expertise in areas such as:

• Service access and delivery across education, health, and social sectors
• Patterns and outcomes in special education placement
• Legal and policy frameworks shaping special education practice
• International and comparative perspectives on special education systems

The program encourages interdisciplinary collaboration across academic fields and applied contexts. Students may pursue specialization in a specific disability area, service domain, or policy topic. Graduates will be prepared to teach in higher education, conduct rigorous and policy-relevant research, and contribute to the improvement of local, national, and global special education systems.