EdD in Special Education

The doctoral program in Special Education has as it aim preparation of high quality teacher educators, educational leaders, and researchers who work to improve the quality of education and services for children and youth with disabilities, primarily in school settings. This is accomplished through enrollment in coursework from within the Special Education program, throughout the School of Education, and throughout Boston University in related schools and colleges. Among these are the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, Sargent College, the School of Management, the School of Law, and the School of Social Work.

Students work closely with SED faculty as research, teaching, and/or graduate assistants as they work to augment their knowledge and skills through their coursework, residency, and research.

Coursework

The minimum credit requirement for a doctorate is 60 credits that includes:

• 48 credits of coursework, including a core course on the Intellectual History of Education and a minimum of three research courses. The remaining coursework is jointly determined between the faculty advisor and student.
• 12 credits of dissertation hours

Residency Requirement

Students must meet a residency requirement of two consecutive semesters of 12 credits of coursework each semester. (The residency requirement can be fulfilled during any period of the student’s matriculation, e.g., Fall/Spring, Spring/Summer, or Summer/Fall.) Twelve or more credits earned in two summer sessions constitute a summer semester.

Comprehensive Examinations

Successful doctoral students complete comprehensive examinations to demonstrate their depth and breadth of understanding of the field  The examinations are three projects including an analysis of a topic of general interest in special education, a literature review in a specific area of interest, and a report on the design and implementation of a research project designed to demonstrate competency in a research methodology.

Dissertation

After successful completion of the Comprehensive Examination, students propose and conduct dissertation research designed to answer an important question related to the education of children and youth with disabilities.