In most countries in the world, a PhD — or “Doctor of Philosophy” — is the highest academic degree that can be awarded in any given field. A PhD marks a person as an expert in his or her field, and is typically a requirement for college and university professors. A PhD in special education allows students to receive heightened training in the education of both special needs students and their teachers. Earning a PhD in special education can be a long process that usually begins with an application and an interview, includes classroom as well as experience-based training, and culminates with the preparation and successful defense of a doctoral dissertation.
Getting a PhD in special education is not particularly simple, but is generally well worth the struggle. Because PhDs are terminal degrees, PhD programs usually have fairly steep educational prerequisites, including a bachelor’s degree and sometimes also a master’s degree. Some programs require or prefer that these degrees be in a related field — if not special education specifically, then child psychology, speech pathology, or learning disabilities, for instance. Many PhD programs also require an interview as part of the application process, where prospective students will be asked to outline their experiences, goals, and aspirations.
There is no universal special education PhD program, and each school that offers the degree has its own nuances and emphases. Some schools focus on clinical research, while others focus on special education training, teacher development, or special education curriculum planning. Identifying what you want to do with your PhD in special education should be a driving force as you select the schools to which you will apply. The best way to learn about a school’s program specifications is to schedule a visit and meet with faculty and students, but a lot of the same information is available online or by making phone calls to the school’s admissions representatives.
Most special education PhD programs last anywhere from 5 to 8 years. These years are spent in classrooms, in internships, and doing independent research and writing. Most PhD special education students spend a lot of time hands-on in special education classrooms, and most of their research focuses on ways to improve educational training and services for special needs students anywhere from elementary school to high school. Some schools offer classes within the PhD curriculum as online courses, but much of the learning is directly experienced working with special needs students in the classroom. There are a few, but not many, strictly online degree programs leading to a PhD in special education.
The PhD program culminates in the presentation and defense of the doctoral dissertation, a major research project that is usually publishable as a book. Special education dissertations typically present new research contributions to some aspect of the special education field. The dissertation defense is when the student presents his or her dissertation to a panel of professors, and answers questions defending the research’s value and legitimacy. If the defense is deemed by the panel to be successful, the student is awarded a PhD in special education.
Individuals who hold PhDs in special education are titled “doctor,” but they are not medical doctors. A PhD in special education does not qualify an individual to diagnose or treat any learning disabilities or special needs. A special education doctor is limited to classroom and education-based expertise. There are many times that a special education doctor and a medical doctor specializing in learning disabilities will collaborate, particularly when it comes to the effective education of a specific child, but the two do not share job responsibilities.