How to Earn a PHD in Special Education

Getting your doctorate in special education opens doors in academic teaching, research center administration and public sector supervisory positions. Expect to learn about administrative and supervisory procedures, research and statistics in special education. Your doctoral program, however, centers around your dissertation, which should contribute valuable research or a practical application.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Study the schools offering special education doctorate programs. Some teach general education with a focus on disabilities. The graduate schools website allows you to search by region.
2. Decide where you'd like to work. You'll need doctorate-level studies to teach in colleges do research or supervise a special education program in schools.
3. Choose the specific areas you're interested in. Focus on autism, learning disabilities and behavior disorders if you have a background in psychology or medicine.
4. Consider teacher training, early childhood intervention and curriculum development if you're interested in improving the special education system.
5. Write a goal statement outlining what focus you want, what your future plans are after you complete your doctoral program and how you're going to fulfill those plans. The University of Indiana has three samples you can download as a guide.
6. Develop a great relationship with your advisor. Keep her updated on your goals and tap into her experience and expertise.
7. Supplement your internship by volunteering with local organizations that assist kids with disabilities. This will give you a hands-on understanding of your target clients even if you don't teach them.
8. Talk to special education administrators, supervisors and teachers in your area of focus to learn what issues concern them. Tailor your doctoral dissertation to solve a pressing problem.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't limit your volunteer experience to your fields of interest. You'll get a more complete understanding of special education needs if you interact with kids with different types of disabilities.