You are eligible to apply to the PhD in Special Education program if you meet all of the following requirements:

Completed a master's degree and minimum of two years professional experience in special education or related field
Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
For international students, meet the English proficiency requirement.

Identify Potential Faculty Advisors
Given the individualized nature of a PhD program, the first step in your application process will be to email at least one potential faculty advisor. Use the faculty bios to identify at least one faculty member whose research activities and publications align with your interests. Email that faculty member to introduce yourself and ask if they could consider serving as your advisor. If you need help identifying potential advisors, email the Graduate Coordinator.

Complete Three Initial Interviews
All applicants are required to interview with at least three members of the department faculty as part of the application process. Interviews may be completed either before or after you submit the online application described in Step 3. Conversations with your potential faculty advisor(s) from Step 1 are considered interviews. It is the applicant's responsibility to schedule interviews, but if you need help scheduling interviews, email the Graduate Coordinator.

Select the PhD in Special Education program on your Graduate School Application. You will need to submit the following information as part of your application:

Official GRE scores
Unofficial transcripts
Three letters of recommendation
Statement of purpose A statement outlining your research interests, teaching philosophy, experience, and career goals, not to exceed two single-spaced typed pages.
Resume/vita
Technical writing sample A master's degree thesis, literature review, published article, or similar document written during the past five years. In the absence of this the applicant may write a prospective paper outlining a current trend in special education that is guiding his/her decision to pursue doctoral study. The paper should be written in APA style and cite current research.
English Proficiency Exam (TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo) Scores for international students

Minimum TOEFL score requirement: overall score of 80 with at least 20 on speaking and writing
Minimum IELTS score requirement: overall band-width of 6.5, with no single band (score) below 6.0