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The doctoral program in Special Education at the University of North Texas focuses on competence, excellence and leadership. We train you to assume leadership positions in higher education or in public and private education settings.
By pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Special Education, you'll have unique opportunities to:
The rigorous curriculum allows you to participate in formal course work, independent study, internships, practicum and dissertation research.
You can pursue concentrations in:
As you progress through the program, you can enroll in specialized course work focusing on autism intervention, emotional/behavioral disorders or mild/moderate disabilities. You'll also receive teaching or related experience before completing the program.
Our faculty members' research covers a wide range of areas, such as:
UNT provides a wide variety of services exclusively to graduate students. The Graduate Student Writing Support office can help you with writing, and the Center for Interdisciplinary Research offers assistance with statistical research.
The Toulouse Graduate School® offers several professional development workshops, including a Dissertation Boot Camp. Many of the workshops are available online for your convenience.
The College of Education is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (1140 19th St., Suite 400; Washington, D.C. 20036; telephone 202-223-0077). This accreditation means we meet or exceed strict academic standards for excellence in education. The college is also one of Texas' top producers of teachers, administrators, counselors and other school professionals.
The Department of Educational Psychology is affiliated with various centers, providing research and professional development opportunities for faculty and students.
The Kristin Farmer Autism Center offers opportunities for research and intervention with individuals with autism.
The Office of Family Science Education, Research and Policy engages in research and outreach to support parent and family educators, family support professionals and other students.
The UNT Institute for Behavioral and Learning Differences serves as a resource for professionals, parents, schools and community and state agencies. Much of the research focuses on understanding, developing and initiating strategies involving unique behavioral and learning characteristics.
Admission to the doctoral program is a two-step process. You need to meet the admission requirements for the graduate school, which are outlined at the graduate school website, and provide the department the following:
No one factor determines admission to the doctoral program. We consider several factors deemed important for success in the program.
The minimum program requirements are based on having the appropriate bachelor's and master's backgrounds. Your individual course work will vary and may include more than the minimum hours outlined below. The projected requirements are:
Several special education programs receive funding through the Office of Special Education Programs for tuition and stipend support. Other scholarships and stipends may be available to help you pursue your degree. Visit the financial aid website, the graduate school site and the College of Education website or email Laura Coleman for information on these opportunities.
Miriam Boesch, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Purdue University. Autism; augmentative and alternative communication; applied behavior analysis.
Lyndal M. Bullock, Regents Professor; Ed.D., University of Kansas. Designing appropriate educational environments and services for children/youth with severe emotional/behavioral disorders; behavioral assessment and positive interventions; parent-professional communication.
Bertina Hildreth Combes, Associate Professor; Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin. Transition of students with learning disabilities from high school to post-secondary settings; mentoring; teacher development; use of juvenile literature in teaching about disabilities.
Endia Lindo, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Vanderbilt University. Mild/moderate disabilities; learning disabilities; reading instruction; social influences on reading outcomes.
Smita Shukla Mehta, Associate Professor; Ph.D., University of Oregon. Autism and severe developmental disabilities; functional behavioral assessment and positive behavior support; behavior escalation and prevention of problem behavior; classroom and instructional management; philosophy and practice of inclusive education.
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