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Special Education
Ph.D. in Education - Specialization: Special Education
Program Structure
The program requires a minimum of 85 credits of study beyond the baccalaureate degree or a minimum of 55 credits beyond the master's degree. However, an individual's program typically requires 10 more credits depending on the person's goals, program requirements, and previous preparation. Students have five years to complete all course work and the portfolio reviews. Five additional years are allowed to complete the dissertation. Most students complete the entire program in five or six years.
Course Work
General Culture (8 credits)
Completion of the general culture studies provides students with broad concepts to pursue the specifics of their professional specialization. To accomplish these goals, all students enroll in two required core courses. In addition, all students enroll in a 1-credit seminar, during each of the first two semesters for a total of 8 credits. The general culture classes are taken in a cohort. The first semester, all entering students take EDUC 800 and EDUC 805.
- EDUC 800: Ways of Knowing (3 credit hours) (1st semester)
- EDUC 802: Leadership Seminar (3 credit hours) (3rd semester)
- EDUC 805: Doctoral Seminar in Education (1 credit hours) (1st and 2nd semester: 1 credit hour each semester)
Research Methods (12 credits)
- EDRS 810 Problems and Methods in Education Research [3 credits]
- EDRS 811 Quantitative Methods in Education [3 credits]
- EDRS 812 Qualitative Methods in Education [3 credits]
- Research elective [3 credits]Choose one:
- EDRS 820 Evaluation Methods for Educational Programs and Curricula
- EDRS 821 Advanced Applications of Quantitative Methods
- EDRS 822 Advanced Applications of Qualitative Methods
- EDRS 823 Advanced Research Methods in Single Subject/Case Design
Professional Specialization (21 credits)
- EDSE 841: Intervention Research in Special Education (3 credit hours)
- EDSE 842: Application of Research Methodology in Special Education (3 credit hours)
- EDSE 843: Leadership in Special Education Administration (3 credit hours)
- EDSE 844: Current Issues in Special Education (3 credit hours)
Contact the Ph.D. office for additional program requirements.
Secondary Concentration Area (12 credits)
Students have a number of options for secondary concentrations including concentrations within the Graduate School of Education, within other George Mason University departments, interdisciplinary concentrations, or using the master's degree as part of the secondary concentration requirements.
Dissertation (12 credits)
- EDUC 998 Doctoral Dissertation Proposal [3 credits]
- EDUC 999 Doctoral Dissertation Research [9 credits]
Portfolio
Students complete an educational portfolio as part of the requirement of the Ph.D. program. The portfolio is an organized, selective collection of documents designed to facilitate a student's academic and professional development, and to provide a basis for evaluation degree progress. The portfolio represents the scope and depth of a student's goals, plans, and accomplishments in coursework, independent study, research, internships, and other advanced learning activities. The portfolio thus provides both a vehicle for self-reflection and a comprehensive record of a doctoral student's experiences and ongoing progress toward academic and professional goals.