Ph.D. in Special Education - Courses of Study

The Department of Special Education generally tailors its doctoral level leadership programs to meet students' needs and career goals. A content core of courses is required of all doctoral students. This content may not be waived. Students not admitted to the Ph.D. program in Special Education (or to another doctoral program in the College of Education) may only enroll in ESP 760 and two other core classes prior to formal admission. In addition, students select concentrations in Leadership Studies and Exceptionality Specialties as appropriate to meet the requirements for the Ph.D. degree.

Curriculum Requirement for the Ph.D. Degree

UNLV Residency Work
Course Number Description Credits
ESP 732 Grant Writing for Human Services 3
ESP 750    
ESP 760 Professional Seminar in Special Education 3
ESP 782 Leadership Seminar in Special Education 3
ESP 783 Single Subject Methods in Special Education 3
ESP 784 Seminar in Advanced Special Education Tech 3
ESP 785 Issues, Trends and Futures in Special Education 3
ESP 794 Internship in SpEd (Administration/Teaching 3
ESP 796 Dissertation Prospectus 2
EPY 721 Descriptive and Inferential Statistics 3
Remaining Coursework
Course Number Description Credits
KIN 751 or EPY 722 Inferential Statistics and Experimental Design 3
XXX XXX Research Course* 3
XXX XXX Research Course* 3
XXX XXX Research Course* 3
XXX XXX Exceptionality Specialties*  
XXX XXX Leadership Studies*  
ESP 799 Dissertation 12
     
  Minimum Credits: 72

 

Research Course*

Each Ph.D. doctoral student is required to complete an additional nine units of research course work in such classes as:

EPY 790 Research Design (3 units)
EPY 716 Evaluation Research Methods (3 units)
EPY 718 Qualitative Research Methodologies (3 units)
STA 713 Experimental Design (3 units)
(Note: Courses used to satisfy this research requirement may also be applied to the 18-unit Leadership Studies requirement.)

Leadership Studies*

Each Ph.D. doctoral student is required to complete 18 units in one or more of the following leadership studies areas:

Parenting Administration Technology
Research Consultation Diagnosis/Assessment
Transition Curriculum Early Childhood Special Education
Higher Education Early Childhood Education  

(Note: Courses used to satisfy the research requirement may also be applied to the 18 unit Leadership Studies requirement.)

Exceptionality Specialties*

Each Ph.D. doctoral student is required to complete 9 units each in two disability areas from the following list:

Learning Disabilities
Emotional Disturbance
Mental Retardation
Gifted and Talented Education
Developmental Disabilities/Risks
Autism