For Prospective Students

STEP=UP is no longer recruiting students for its Doctoral programs or its Master's program.

discussion As always the Department of Special Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago continues to offer a variety of excellent programs designed to prepare people for careers as special educators, school administrators and university researchers, as well as to offer opportunities for intellectual and professional growth. A brief description of each program is listed below. For additional information, please visit the Department of Special Education website or call the College of Education Department of Student Services at 312-996-4532. There are also many other opportunities to fund your graduate work at UIC, including tution waivers, fellowships and graduate assistantships. To learn more about funding your education, please visit the website of the Graduate College of the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Special Education Master's Degree Programs

The Department of Special Education offers three Master's Degree program concentrations. In Concentration I, students earn a master's degree without teacher certification. This is the most flexible option and allows students to tailor the program to meet their own professional and educational goals. In Concentration II, students earn an M.Ed. as well as the LBSII (Learning Behavior Specialist II) certification. UIC offers the LBSII Certificate for Bilingual Special Education Specialist and the LBSII Certificate for Technology Specialist.  Individuals seeking an LBSII must currently hold an LBSI certificate.Concentration III is aimed at individuals who wish to prepare to become special education teachers. Students in this concentration earn an M.Ed. as well as the Illinois LBSI (Learning Behavior Specialist I) certification, making them eligible to teach K-12 children and adolescents in 7 disability categories: Learning Disabilities; Emotional and Social Challenges; Mental Retardation; Autism; Physical Disabilities; Traumatic Brain Injury; and Other Health Impaired.Application materials are available through the UIC College of Education. New students are admitted for both Fall and Spring terms. For more information, please visit the Department of Special Education website.

Doctoral Study in Special Education

A Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in special education gives individuals access to key policy-shaping positions as school administrators and university researchers and faculty members. Under the advisement of a special education faculty member, doctoral students pursue their own research interests in a range of topics, including: early childhood special education, emotional/behavior disorders, language and learning disabilities, developmental disabilities, etc.

Doctoral students complete a set of courses that focus on the historical, social and philosophical influences on education; research design and statistical analysis; and educational measurement. Research seminars are offered on such topics as assessment, language disabilities, inclusion, teacher education, cognition, and prevention of emotional/behavioral problems. Classes are small, allowing faculty to work with students individually.New students are admitted to the doctoral program for the Summer and Fall semesters; applications for either term are due January 1. Application materials and detailed listings of degree requirements are available through the UIC College of Education website For more information, please visit the Department of Special Education website, or contact Dr. Mavis Donahue (mdonahue@uic.edu), who is the program coordinator for the Ph.D. program.