Special Education
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Program Information Handbook
Program Overview
The goal of the doctoral program in special education at Texas Tech University is to
prepare leadership personnel to help shape the future of special education.
The doctoral program in special education focuses on outcomes that will prepare
graduates in the areas of research, teacher education, and program development and
evaluation.
Doctor of Education in Special Education Program of Studies
Cores
Tool Courses
College Foundations
Special Education
Additional Coursework in Special Education
Interdisciplinary
Dissertation
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
Total:
Credit Hours
21
6
21
24
6
12 (min.)
90
Doctoral Advisory Committee
-
Established with a minimum of THREE members
Establishment of the “Program for the Doctoral Degree”
Advises in dissertation topic, qualifying examination procedures, and doctoral
internship
Doctoral Internship (EDSP 6093)
-
Minimum of THREE semester hours
At least ONE semester in length
Possible sites for internships may include, but are not limited to:
o college or university special education programs,
o educational research agencies or organization,
o education service centers or other public school agencies,
o social service organizations related to special education.
May 2015
Qualifying Examination: Phase 3 Assessment
-
Completed during final semester of coursework
Students will complete pilot study research that was proposed in the Phase 2
Assessment
Student will prepare a manuscript or grant proposal based on the pilot study
research
Application for Candidacy
A recommendation for candidacy is forwarded to the Graduate School by the chairperson
of the advisory committee after the student completes the Phase 3 Assessment. The
student will have four years to complete the dissertation after admission to candidacy by
the Graduate Council.
Dissertation and Oral Defense
After successfully passing the doctoral qualifying examination, the student is eligible to
present a formal proposal for the dissertation research to the doctoral advisory committee
and other interested faculty.
An oral defense of the dissertation is scheduled when the research has been completed
and is ready for presentation.
Residency Requirement
- One year of residency is required (registration as a full-time student for two
consecutive fall and spring semesters with at least 12 semester hours during each
term; or
- Three consecutive full summers of at least 9 weeks each while earning at least 9
semester hours of graduate credit during each summer; or
- A full summer term of 12 weeks, earning 12 semester hours of graduate credit plus
the completion of at least 12 semester hours of graduate credit during the adjacent
spring or fall semester; or
- For students holding half-time graduate assistantships or students involved for no
more than half-time in other work closely related to the doctoral study, 9 semester
hours in each of the long terms and at least 6 semester hours in the preceding or
subsequent summer.
Program Assessment Plan
Phase 1
 Performance Skills: The candidate can:
o Demonstrate technical and persuasive writing skills
o Conduct and write literature reviews
o Identify hypothesis or research questions.
 Phase 1 End of Phase Assessment:
o Students will conduct a comprehensive literature review in an area of
May 2015
interest.
o Occurs during EDSP 6301 OR EDSP 7000 if EDSP 6301 is out of
sequence for student.
Phase 2
 Performance Skills
o Demonstrate technical and persuasive writing skills
o Review of literature
o Identify hypothesis or research questions
o Design research methodology
o Complete IRB
 Phase 2 End of Phase Assessment:
o Student will propose a pilot study
o Student will complete and submit an IRB
o Occurs during EDSP 7000 taken across 2 faculty committee members
Phase 3
 Performance Skills
o Demonstrate technical and persuasive writing skills
o Review of literature
o Identify hypothesis or research questions
o Design research methodology
o Conduct Pilot Study
o Analyze data and report results
o Prepare request for funding/grant proposal OR disseminate research
findings
 Phase 3 End of Phase Assessment:
o Students will work under the direction of his/her doctoral committee
o Students will complete pilot study research based on the needs of their
internship site
o Students will prepare a manuscript or a grant proposal
o Phase 3 Assessment serves as the students Qualifying Exam
Requirements for Ph.D. in Special Education
Program of Studies
Credit Hours
A.
Tool Courses (Research Methodology Core) –
(may not be part of major)
Required Courses:
EPSY 5380 Introduction to Educational Statistics
EPSY 5381 Intermediate Educational Statistics
EPSY 5382 Qualitative Research in Education
May 2015
21
EDSP 5345 Data Collection Methods and Single Subject Design
Choose 3 of the following:
EPSY 6349 Doctoral Seminar in Educational Psychology: Mixed Methods Research
EPSY 6304 Qualitative Research Methods
EPSY 6305 Qualitative Data Analysis in Education
EDLL 6347, Analyzing, Designing, and Conducting Literacy Research
EDCI 5380, Action Research (*Master’s Level Course)
EDCI 5386, Constructivist Inquiry Methodologies in C&I
EDCI 6382, Advanced Field Methods in Constructivist Inquiry
EDHE 5341, Program Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education
EDHE 6310, Higher Education Doctoral Seminar
EDHE 6311, Higher Education Research Seminar
EPSY 5356, Decision-Making in Educational & Psychological Assessment
EPSY 6001, Special Topics in Research Methods
EPSY 6301, Structural Equation Modeling
EPSY 6305, Archival Research Methods
EPSY 6306, Longitudinal Data Analysis
EPSY 6385, Causal Inference in Research
EDSP 6305, Advanced Issues in the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
EDSP 6308, The Nature and Practice of ABA
Additional approved research courses will be added in Fall 2014.
B.
College Foundations Core
Choose 2 of the following:
EPSY 5310 Philosophy of Education
EPSY 5314 History of Education
EPSY 5323 Cultural Foundations of Education
EPSY 5331 Human Development in Education
EPSY 5332 Educational Psychology
EDCI 5320 Curriculum Theory: Foundations
C.
Special Education Core
Required Courses:
EDSP 6301 Writing Grant Proposals in Special Education
EDSP 6302 Program Evaluation in Special Education
EDSP 6303 Contemporary Issues in Special Education
EDSP 6304 Preparing Leadership Personnel for Special Populations
EDLD 6341 Legal Issues with Special Populations
EDSP 7000 Research in Special Education (3 hours)
May 2015
6
21
EDSP 6093 Internship in Special Education (minimum of 3 hours)
D.
Additional Coursework in Special Education
24
The major includes a minimum of 24 additional hours of coursework in special
education. Courses may be taken in conjunction with a certification program.
E.
Interdisciplinary Core
6
This coursework is taken outside special education in a related area, such as
educational psychology, psychology, instructional technology, curriculum, human
development, etc. It is intended to complement the doctoral student’s specialization
within special education.
F.
Dissertation – minimum of 12 hours
12
TOTAL HOURS=
90
SSII 2015
EDSP 6302
Fall 2015
EDSP 6301
Spring 2016 EDSP 6303
Summer 2016 EDLD 6341
Fall 2016
EDSP 6304
Spring 2017 EDSP 6302
Summer 2017 EDSP 6301
Fall 2017
EDSP 6303
Doctoral Course Rotation
Through Fall 2017
Doctoral Special Education Classes
EDSP 6301 Writing Grant Proposals in Special Education
EDSP 6302 Program Evaluation in Special Education
EDSP 6303 Contemporary Issues in Special Education
EDSP 6304 Preparing Leadership Personnel for Special Populations
EDLD 6341 Legal Issues with Special Populations
EDSP 7000 Research in Special Education (3 hours)
EDSP 6093 Internship in Special Education (minimum of 3 hours)
PhD End of Phase Assessments
Phase 1
 Students will conduct a comprehensive literature review in area of
interest.
o Connected to EDSP 6301 or an additional EDSP 7000 if EDSP
6301 is out of sequence for any doctoral student.
Phase 2
May 2015

Students will propose pilot study and complete IRB.
o Connected to EDSP 7000 with 3 credit hours across at least 2
faculty members.
Phase 3
 Students will complete pilot study research and prepare a manuscript
or grant proposal.
o Under the direction of Doctoral Student’s Committee.
o Serves as the student’s QUALIFYING EXAM.
Additional Notes:
*PhD students should work closely with their doctoral committee advisor to arrange
for the End of Phase Assessments.
**PhD students are not required to UPLOAD End of Phase Assessments to the TOMS
Blackboard site. They should work with their advisor (or course instructor if Phase
1 is completed during EDSP 6301).
***The PhD student and his/her advisor will determine student readiness to
complete the End of Phase Assessments.
Scope and Sequence for Ph.D. in Special Education
PhD Trademark Outcome: Ph.D. graduates of the Special Education program will
demonstrate competency in a variety of innovative, pragmatic field-based research
endeavors resulting in high-quality dissemination activities including manuscript
preparation, conference presentations, and grant proposal development.
Phase 1:
Demonstrate high
quality research
skills:
*Technical writing
*Research questions
*Review literature
*Study design
Phase 2: Propose
pilot study and
complete IRB
*Propose Pilot Study
*Create viable IRB
proposal
Phase 3: Complete a
Pilot Study based on
the needs of the
internship site and
complete a grant
proposal or
publishable
manuscript
May 2015
A&Es
EPSY 5380
A&Es
EPSY
5381
A&Es
EPSY
5382
A&Es
EDSP
5345
*EDSP 7000
EDSP
6302
EDSP
6304
EDLD
6341
*Phase 2
Assessment
EDSP 6093
A&Es
EDSP
6303
A&Es
*EDSP 6301
*Phase 1
Assessment
Assessment
P1 Assessment:
Conduct a
comprehensive
literature review in an
area of interest during
EDP 6301 or EDSP
7000 if EDSP 6301 is
out of sequence.
P2 Assessment:
Propose a pilot study
and complete an IRB in
EDSP 7000 under the
direction of 2 faculty
members
P3 Assessment:
Complete pilot study
research (using
internship site) and
prepare a manuscript
or grant proposal. P3
Assessment serves as
student’s Qualifying
Exam.
Appendix A
Graduate Program Reform: College of Education
Goal: To reform graduate education at Texas Tech University to graduate the measurably
best educators. The trademark outcome for each graduate program represents a decisive
skill that sets our graduates apart from others in the field.
 Performance-ready upon graduate


In-depth knowledge and practical implementation experience throughout the
program
Students don’t just learn about it, they practice it until perfecting it with
faculty guidance
Trademark Outcomes (TO): Specific competency-based skills demonstrated through
performance on multiple occasions throughout the student’s graduate education. Each
graduate program has selected a trademark outcome based on three factors:
 Key findings identified by employers


Critical standards and objectives recognized by professional organizations
Valuable results pinpointed through faculty expertise
Data Available: Each graduate student is tracked through course-related Apply and
Evaluate Activities and Phase 1, Phase 2, and Phase 3 End of Phase Assessments. The
graduate curriculum in the College of Education is divided into three interrelated phases
that assess mastery of the TO.
Phases:
 Phase 1 (P1) consists of the acquisition of knowledge.


Phase 2 (P2) requires that you apply the knowledge and skills you have
learned.
Phase 3 (P3) entails designing, implementing, and evaluating the information
in real life settings.
Apply and Evaluate (A&E) Projects/Activities
 Each course has an A&E
 A&Es are specific to the content of the course but assess progress towards mastery
of the TO
 Progress on individual A&Es provides both faculty and students with opportunities
for both remediation and enrichment
 Feedback on A&Es is immediate and within the framework of the course
 Rubrics are completed and made available to students
P1-P3 End of Phase Assessment
 P1 End of Phase Assessment- Reflects mastery of all Phase 1 knowledge and skills
 P21 End of Phase Assessment- Requires that the student actually does something in
a scaffolded project to demonstrate mastery
 P3 End of Phase Assessment- Signals mastery of the Trademark Outcome through
performance-based demonstration of what the student has learned
May 2015
Rubrics for A&Es and P1-P3 End of Phase Assessments
 Based on standards of professional practice
 Made available prior to assessment and after completion of activities
 Rubrics and scores are maintained in the College of Education database
How Does the Reform Change Practice?
Performance-based mastery ensures that our graduates will contribute with real-world
solutions in their jobs. Graduate education is based on standards of the profession and
expectations of employers.
Appendix B: PhD Data Sheet
May 2015
Graduate
Program
Reform
TRADEMARK
OUTCOME
Ph.D in
Special
Education
Demonstrate competency in a variety of innovative, pragmatic field-based research endeavors resulting
in high-quality dissemination activities including manuscript preparation, conference presentations,
and grant proposal development.
PERFORMANCE SKILLS
The Candidate Can…
Phase 1
• Demonstrate
T technical and persuasive writing skills
• Review of literature
T
• Identify hypothesis or research questions
Phase 2
• Demonstrate technical and persuasive writing skills
• Review of literature
• Design research methodology
• Identify hypothesis or research questions
• Design research methodology
Phase 3
• Demonstrate technical and persuasive writing skills
• Review of literature
• Identify hypothesis or research questions
• Design research methodology
• Conduct pilot study
• Analyze data and report results
• Prepare request for funding/grant proposal
• Disseminate research findings
Phase 1 A&E
Phase 2 A&E
Communication Skills
Plan & Implement An Intervention
EPSY 5380: Introduction to
Educational Statistics (A&E possibly
thru EPSY)
EPSY 5381: Intermediate Educational
Statistics (A&E possibly thru EPSY)
EDSP 6304: Preparing Leadership Personnel
EPSY 5382: Qualitative Research in
Education (A&E possibly thru EPSY)
EDSP 5345: Single Subject Design
EDLD 6341: Legal Issues with Special
Populations
EDSP 6301*: Leadership with Special
Populations
EDSP 7000*: Research
EDSP 6303: Contemporary
May 2015Issues in
Special
Education
Students will
conduct
a comprehensive
literature review in area of interest.
*End of Phase Assessment. EDSP 7000 if out of
sequence.
Students will propose pilot study and complete
IRB.
*End of Phase Assessment. Requires 3 credit hours
across at least 2 faculty members.
Phase 3 A&E
Evaluate Client Change & Monitor
Progress to Make Recommendations
EDSP 6093: Internship
Students will complete pilot study
research and prepare a manuscript or
a grant proposal.
Under the direction of
Doctoral Student’s
Committee.
Serves as the student’s
Qualifying Exam