Delivery Method: On-campus
Following the guidelines adopted by the College of Education, the doctoral program must consist of a minimum of 42 credit hours past the master's degree. Most doctoral students take between 60 and 100 semester hours of coursework (including the master's degree).
Specific course requirements for individual students will vary according to each student's background and stated objectives. Competency lists that have been developed by faculty in EDSCE guide the selection of courses and related training experiences. However, each student must complete a graduate core (23 credits), coursework in a departmental area of emphasis (a minimum of 15 credits), coursework in a support area (a minimum of 15 credits), and a research block of courses (a minimum of 21 credits).
The coursework is divided among four areas:
1. Special education personnel preparation
2. An area of emphasis selected from the following:
- Applied behavior analysis
- Interdisciplinary early childhood education
- Learning and behavior disorders
- Moderate and severe disabilities
3. A thematic support area from outside the department area of emphasis.
4. A research block of courses.
The first phase of study (up to 18 semester hours) is considered the preliminary year. During this period, students are expected to demonstrate basic competencies in applied behavior analysis, assessment, general special education content, instructional strategies, and technology. They may do this by fulfilling the requirements of the required graduate core courses.
Tuition Cost: Refer to Credit Hour Rates for Graduate Students on the UK Tuition and Mandatory Fees page.
Refund Policies: You can find tuition refund policies, deadlines, amounts, and other important information on the UK Student Account Services website.