Educators who consider taking their careers in special education to the next level often consider the residency requirements for a Ph.D. in Special Education.
Earning a doctorate in special education allows a teacher to prepare for university research positions that focus on developing new ways to improve the quality and effectiveness of educational products for disabled students. The advanced training that special education doctoral students receive also give them the expertise to work as consultants for governmental agencies or private organizations that want to improve their approach to special education.
While there are numerous degree programs available for these educators, all Ph.D. in Special Education programs require students to invest a certain amount of time in residency. Here are some things that these students can expect to experience while completing their residency requirements for degree completion.
Preparatory Courses and Literature Review
Residency requirements for some schools mean that students must enroll in a number of courses and attend those courses on campus. Other special education doctoral degree programs offer more structured residency tracks that help students to complete other degree requirements like their dissertations or comprehensive exit exams as well as gain practical skills.
For either scenario, residency sessions often begin with relevant coursework and literature review to give students proper context for research projects and other activities performed during their time in residence. Some core course topics include educational research methods, statistics and leadership; a few specialization subjects are special education curriculum development strategies, teacher management and evaluation and special education law.
Defining Research Topics for Dissertation
Most Ph.D. in Special Education degree residency sessions involve practical training that helps students to define their dissertation research topics. The students are armed with the knowledge that they have gained through previous coursework, and they are ready to actually put what they have learned into practice in a research setting.
Professors and other faculty who lead residency sessions are readily available to guide students in the discovery of research problems and topics that they can further develop for their dissertations. While some degree programs leave the timing of these residency sessions up to students, many others structure the residency sessions so that they are interspersed throughout the programs to help provide students with additional reinforcement of concepts that are learned at all stages of the programs.
Research Methodology and Design
Many doctors of Special Education are employed in research capacities within academia so the training that is associated with educational research methods does more than just prepare students to make logical arguments within their dissertations. This type of training sets students up for future success when they must apply the appropriate research methods and techniques to their daily work tasks. Residency sessions that focus on research methods and design usually result in research plans that students use to gain the information that is needed to thoroughly answer research topics and questions.
Conclusion
The residency experience is often at the heart of many Ph.D. in Special Education programs. They often incorporate invaluable experiential learning opportunities and mentoring that students would rarely receive in any other setting. However, these sessions require careful coordination and planning by students, who are often fully employed, to gain the full benefit of residency requirements for a Ph.D. in Special Education.
