PH.D. IN EDUCATION - SPECIAL EDUCATION
Introduction
The Ph.D. in the College of Education is a research-oriented
degree. All doctoral students are required to complete a specified
set of courses focusing on the historical, social, and philosophical
influences on education; research design and statistical analysis;
and educational measurement. Students are expected to develop
skills in quantitative and/or qualitative research. Students
then conduct a collaborative research project with a faculty
member, and complete a doctoral dissertation. Students learn
how to analyze and synthesize the research literature in a chosen
field; how to plan and initiate original research; and how to
translate research findings into implications for educational
practice. We have designed our program for persons who are intellectually
curious and who devote a high level of energy to their work.
We seek applicants who bring a spirit of inquiry toward addressing
today's educational challenges
The Ph.D. Program in Education: Special Education emphasizes
theoretical analysis, research methods and findings, and research
implications for practice in the education of students with
emotional/behavior disorders, learning disabilities, and developmental
disabilities. This program prepares individuals for careers
as university scholars and teachers, and for leadership positions
in educational institutions and community agencies. Students
have the opportunity to be involved in research on a wide range
of critical issues in special education, using a variety of
research methodologies. Doctoral candidates are given opportunities
to teach a university course under the supervision of faculty
members. Classes are small, allowing faculty to work with students
individually. To accommodate the needs of working professionals,
most graduate level classes meet from 5:00 - 8:00 PM, Monday
through Thursday.
Special Education faculty members are nationally and internationally
known for the quality and impact of their research and service,
and have served leadership roles in national professional organizations.
Their research interests include early intervention models,
parent-child and peer interactions, bilingual special education,
social skills and aggression in students with disabilities,
language and literacy in students with disabilities, inclusion,
preparation of teachers for urban schools, and mentoring.
Degree Requirements
A minimum of 96 semester hours of graduate work beyond the
baccalaureate or 64 semester hours beyond the master degree
is required for a doctoral degree. The plan of study for each
student is prepared in consultation with, and must be approved
by, the faculty advisor assigned in the student's area of specialization.
All students are required to complete the core curriculum, appropriate
work in the areas of specialization, a research project, and
a doctoral dissertation. Each of these requirements is described
below.
A. Core Curriculum (16 semester hours)
The core curriculum introduces students to issues in the
conduct of educational research and begins the process of
building methodological skills. The courses are:
1. ED 500 --Philosophical Foundations of Educational Inquiry
2. ED 501 --Data & Interpretation in Educational Inquiry
3. ED 502 --Essentials of Qualitative Inquiry in Education
4. ED 503/EPSY 503 --Essentials of Quantitative Inquiry in
Education
(Students may register under the ED or EPSY rubric.)
B. Area of Concentration (24 semester hours if student
has a master's degree, 56 without)
Required courses in the area of concentration include SPED
564, Proseminar in Special Education, and three research seminars
(i.e., SPED 592, Seminar on Theory and Research in Special
Education). Students may take their remaining courses within
the Special Education Area, in other Areas of the College
of Education, or in other departments of the university (e.g.,
Anthropology, Disability Studies, Psychology, Public Policy,
Sociology, and Women's Studies). Students can also take courses
toward their degree at member universities of the Committee
on Institutional Cooperation (CIC). This includes all Big
Ten universities (including Northwestern University) and the
University of Chicago. Students pay UIC tuition rates for
courses taken at these institutions. Such courses must be
arranged through consultation with a faculty advisor and appropriate
personnel at the cooperating institution.
C. Research Project (8 semester hours)
All students in the doctoral program work on a research project
in collaboration with a faculty member or a team of faculty
members and students. Projects will focus on actual research
problems in the student's area of concentration. Each student
will make a formal presentation, oral and/or written, of the
project findings.
D. Preliminary Examination
The preliminary examination is taken upon completion of all
required course work. It consists of two parts. The comprehensive
written portion is based on the student's course work. The
oral portion is based upon the student's written dissertation
proposal and is presented to a faculty committee.
E. Dissertation (16 semester hours)
A dissertation based on original research is required and
must be defended before a faculty committee. The research
must employ a theoretical framework and make use of the methods
of inquiry appropriate to the problem being investigated.
In sum, a student's distribution of semester hour credits
required for the doctoral degree will be as follows (these
are minimum hours; students typically take more hours than
the minimum):
|
|
Minimum Hours with Masters
|
Minimum Hours without Masters
|
| Core Curriculum |
16
|
16
|
| Specialization Requirement |
24
|
56
|
| Research Project |
8
|
8
|
| Dissertation |
16
|
16
|
|
|
|
| Total |
64
|
96
|
Application Information
Application procedures and requirements can be found on the
Application Instruction page.
To Obtain Further Information
If you have program or academic questions about the Ph.D. Program
in Special Education, please call the area secretary, who can
answer questions and direct you to members of the faculty.
Special Education (312) 996-5650
If you have questions regarding admissions and the policies
and procedures of the doctoral programs please contact:
Joyce Eisen
College of Education - M/C 147
University of Illinois at Chicago
1040 West Harrison Street
Chicago, Illinois 60607-7133
Email: jeisen@uic.edu
Telephone: (312)-996-4532
Fax: (312)-996-9866
All information on this web page is subject
to change without notice.
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If you are having any problems with this web
page or any of the links, please email Mike
Herkes. This page was last updated on
02/20/2004
.
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