Ed.D. Program: Special Education Concentration

Students who complete this 60-credit program will exit having developed theoretical frameworks and critical perspectives needed to use research to both address issues, and effectively influence change in the educational communities they serve. The core courses of the Ed.D. program will explore topics including the sociocultural foundations of education, the history of educational reform, and educational leadership as it relates to communities and organizational change, amongst others. Courses required for the Special Education concentration will prompt deeper inquiry into subjects such as intervention design and outcome measurement in special education, and elective course requirements will allow for students to shape a specialization in a particular area or set of areas to meet their own practical and intellectual goals. Regardless of the student’s learning path, they can expect strong mentorship support from expert faculty, a focus on real-world application, and the leveraging of doctoral students’ leadership experiences throughout the completion of coursework. 

For more information about the courses in this program, please visit the course catalog and online schedule of classes.

*The number of credits to complete this program has recently been reduced from 72 to 60 and this change is still pending final university level approvals.

This program typically takes just over 3 years to complete and requires:

• 60 Graduate Course Credits
  • 6 Credits – Completed in the 1st Summer
  • 6 Credits – Completed in the 1st Fall
  • 6 Credits – Completed in the 1st Spring
  • 6 Credits – Completed in the 2nd Summer
  • 6 Credits – Completed in the 2nd Fall
  • 6 Credits – Completed in the 2nd Spring
  • 6 Credits – Completed in the 3rd Summer (Dissertation)
  • 6 Credits – Completed in the 3rd Fall (Dissertation)
  • 6 Credits – Completed in the 3rd Spring (Dissertation)
  • 6 Credits – Completed in the 4th Summer (Dissertation)
• Dissertation 
  • The Ed.D. culminates with a yearlong dissertation experience. The dissertation requires students to identify and investigate a problem of practice systematically using current literature, and inquiry methodology. Students are to write a final report that is presented publicly that may include a conference presentation, journal article or book chapter, or presentation to a local community. Students will have the option of working on their dissertation projects individually or in groups organized around key topics of interest. Students may also choose to pursue more traditional dissertations.

Judith R. Harrison
Matthew J. Mayer
Angela M. O’Donnell
Dake Zhang

Graduates of the Ed.D. program who pursued the Special Education concentration are prepared to be change agents in the educational communities they serve. Educators who complete the program may go on to pursue roles as administrators of special education services in schools, teacher educators at colleges and universities, teacher leaders among school faculty, and leaders in allied service agencies and organizations. 

• Personal Statement
• Current Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Academic Writing Sample
• Official Undergraduate Transcripts
• Official Graduate Transcripts
• 1-2 Letters of Recommendation (optional)

Click here for more information on the Ed.D. Program Admissions Requirements.

1. Collect the materials required for admission
2. Submit your application online at http://gradstudy.rutgers.edu/
3. Submit supporting materials online
4. Any supporting materials that cannot be submitted electronically should be mailed to Graduate Admissions’ New Brunswick office. Their mailing address can be found here: https://gradstudy.rutgers.edu/about/contact-us

Tuition: 

For tuition and fees information please visit the tuition landing page.

Financial Aid:

While students are encouraged to apply for federal student aid using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), there are a number of other merit- and need-based support options, including loans and college work-study programs within and external to Rutgers. For more information, please visit the Office of Financial Aid website.

Scholarships, Fellowships & Assistantships:

Generous GSE alumni, friends, and community members have established and continue to donate to more than one dozen fellowships and scholarships to help deserving students reach their goals. These awards are granted on the basis of academic achievement and or financial need. While these awards are competitive, interested students are encouraged to apply for consideration and submit the required materials. Students must also submit a FAFSA application to be eligible.  

To review all current awards and learn more about the donors that established them, please click here.