Doctor of Philosophy in Education in Special Education

Old Dominion University

In order to be considered for admission into the Old Dominion University Ph.D. in Education: Special Education Concentration program (special education Ph.D. program) a candidate must include the following information in the application:Proof of a completed masters degree in special education or an equivalent degree in a related discipline from a program that is accredited by an appropriate specialized accrediting agency or from a regionally accredited institution of higher education. Transcripts from universities outside the United States must be accompanied by a global credit evaluation from an accredited agency. A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.60 (on a 4.0 scale) overall for the masters degree and in the major area of study in the masters degree is expected;Acceptable scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE): 156 [550] on the verbal portion and no less than 4.5 on the writing sample.Applicants whose first language is not English must submit a current score for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) according to the standards established by Old Dominion University;A minimum of three years teaching experience in a pre-K – 12 setting with students with disabilities;A 500-800-word statement of academic and professional goals. This statement must describe the applicants research agenda to meet his/her academic and professional goals;A professional curriculum vitae;Three letters of reference from individuals capable of commenting on the applicants readiness for advanced graduate study. At least two of these letters must be from academic sources. If a non-academic letter of reference is necessary, it should be from a professional source; andEvidence of prior course work in statistics and in theories of learning. If this requirement is not met, a student may be admitted, and additional course work will be added to the candidates program of study.