Special Education (EdD)

Department of Special Education

www.uni.edu/coe/departments/special-education/graduate/edd-application-information
150 Schindler Education Center
Cedar Falls, IA 50614

Head: Dr. Frank Kohler, Interim Head
Phone: (319) 273-7484
E-mail: Frank.Kohler@uni.edu

Graduate Coordinator: Dr. Susan Etscheidt
Phone: (319) 273-3279
E-mail: Susan.Etscheidt@uni.edu

Read the UNI Catalog description:

This program is intended to provide practicing educators the opportunity to continue their study and earn the terminal professional degree in their field. The Ed.D. degree requires a minimum of 60 semester hours of credit beyond the master's degree, including a minimum of 45 hours of course work at the 200/6000-level or 300/7000-level. Some intensive study areas may require more hours of 200/6000-level or 300/7000-level course work.

There are three components to the program: 15 semester hours in a Professional Common Core of work in educational foundations, fundamentals, and research; 38 semester hours of Advanced Professional Study in one of four areas of intensive study and a related area; and a Dissertation of 7 semester hours.

By design, then, all students are required to study in basic areas that undergird and define educational practice and develop skills of problem definition, data collection and analysis, and interpretation. The four areas of intensive study provide for a specialized focus on practice. The four intensive study areas are: Allied Health, Recreation, and Community Services; Curriculum and Instruction; Educational Leadership; and Special Education. (In some areas, it is possible to combine doctoral degree study with work toward an endorsement to perform a particular role in K-12 education.) For brief definitions of the four areas refer to respective departments.

The Special Education area of intensive study is designed to provide students with a variety of leadership positions in public schools, higher education and human services agencies serving infants, children, youth and adults with disabilities. This program will center on preparing leaders who will be able to promote new meanings about diversity, develop inclusive school cultures and instructional programs, and forge productive relationships between schools and their communities. (For more information, contact the Head, Department of Special Education.)

The Graduate Record Examination (General Test) is required for admission to the program.

Students interested in this program must submit a completed Application for Admission to Graduate Study.  Graduate information and application for graduate admission can be found at www.grad.uni.edu/admission. For requirements concerning admission, candidacy, scholarship, residence, examinations, dissertation, and graduation for the Doctor of Education degree refer to appropriate sections of this University Catalog.