Coordinator:
Angela O'Donnell (
848-932-0830; email: angela.odonnell@gse.rutgers.edu)
The doctoral program in special education is designed to prepare leadership personnel in special education for the following positions: administrators of special education services in the schools and teacher educators at colleges and universities. The program faculty is committed to the improvement of educational practices in the schools for students with disabilities. Depending on the student's professional goals, one of two areas of concentration can be followed:
I. Administration of Special Education Services (48 credits, plus 24 credits of dissertation study)
II. College/University Teaching in Special Education (48 credits, plus 24 credits of dissertation study)
Students interested in obtaining the New Jersey Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant (LDTC) certification can take the additional required courses as part of their doctoral program.
I. Administration of Special Education Services (48 credits, plus 24 credits of dissertation study)
1. 12 credits in doctoral-level special education core:
15:293:605 Seminar in Special Education (3)
15:293:609 Research in Special Education (3)
15:293:630 Current Topics in Special Education (3)
15:293:633 Internship in Special Education (3)
2. 12 credits in statistics core:
Required (9 credits):
15:291:520 Program Evaluation: An Introduction to Methods and Practice (3)
16:300:509 Qualitative Research Methods in Education I: Introduction (3)
16:300:511 Quantitative Research Methods in Education I: Introduction (3)
One selected course from the following (3 credits):
16:300:513 Qualitative Research Methods in Education II: Design and Analysis (3)
16:300:515 Quantitative Research Methods in Education II: ANOVA (3)
3. 9 credits in related areas:
One course in each of the following areas:
social and philosophical foundations (course from social and philosophical foundations program)
psychological foundations (course from learning, cognition, and development program)
learning in a content area (course from the learning and teaching department)
4. 15 credits in area of concentration: administration of special education services
5. 24 credits of dissertation study
II. College/University Teaching in Special Education (48 credits, plus 24 credits of dissertation study)
1. 12 credits in doctoral-level special education core:
15:293:605 Seminar in Special Education (3)
15:293:609 Research in Special Education (3)
15:293:630 Current Topics in Special Education (3)
15:293:633 Internship in Special Education (3)
2. 12 credits in statistics core:
Required (6 credits):
16:300:509 Qualitative Research Methods in Education I: Introduction (3)
16:300:511 Quantitative Research Methods in Education I: Introduction (3)
Two courses selected from the following (6 credits):
15:291:520 Program Evaluation: An Introduction to Methods and Practice (3)
16:300:513 Qualitative Research Methods in Education II: Design and Analysis (3)
16:300:515 Quantitative Research Methods in Education II: ANOVA (3)
16:300:517 Qualitative Research Methods in Education III: Educational Ethnography (3)
16:300:519 Quantitative Research Methods in Education III: Regression (3)
3. 9 credits in related areas
One course in each of the following areas:
social and philosophical foundations (course from social and philosophical foundations program)
psychological foundations (course from learning, cognition, and development program)
learning in a content area (course from the Department of Learning and Teaching)
4. 15 credits in area of concentration: college/university teaching in special education
5. 24 credits of dissertation study
A qualifying examination is a requirement of the Ed.D. special education program. The qualifying examination includes two written scholarly papers on special education topics. A third paper, project, or product is required on a subject outside of special education (e.g., development of a curriculum guide). Each of the two special education papers is proposed by the student in consultation with a special education faculty member who will serve as first reader. The outside requirement is proposed by the student in consultation with a faculty member in another program (e.g., educational administration). Completed papers/products are submitted to the first reader. A second reader must also evaluate the papers/products. The student passes the qualifying examination when all three products are judged satisfactory by two readers.
