PhD in Advanced Educational Studies – Special Education Advancing Techniques to Educate Every Student Effectively
60
Credit Hours
100% online, 8-week courses
Transfer in up to 39 credit hours
Take Your Scholarship Further with Liberty’s Advanced Studies PhD in Special Education
Completing your Doctor of Education (EdD) was an enormous achievement. You spent years researching the field of education from a professional perspective, but you are not done yet. Your desire to understand the full scope of this field drives you further. If you are interested in adding a dissertation on special education to your list of accomplishments, Liberty University has the PhD you need to make it happen.
Becoming a researcher and leader in the field of education means assuming a role in shaping the future of its policies, goals, and objectives. Whether you want to make an impact in a K-12, business, or government setting, a PhD in Advanced Educational Studies – Special Education is the degree you need.
By coming into this PhD with a conferred doctoral degree, you will be able to transfer up to 39 of your hard-earned credits into the program. With the PhD in Advanced Educational Studies requiring a total of 60 credit hours, you will be just 21 credit hours away from adding a PhD to your name.
Why Choose Liberty’s Advanced Educational Studies Doctoral Program?
Liberty’s PhD in Advanced Educational Studies gives you new opportunities as an education professional. All of the research and work that went into your EdD can be seamlessly applied to this program – including a large number of your completed credits! By transferring your doctoral courses into our PhD, you will be able to expand your current insight into the field while moving quickly towards a new doctoral credential.
While an EdD focuses more on professional development and application, your work in the PhD in Advanced Educational Studies – Special Education program will allow you to demonstrate your scholarship through a dissertation process. You will analyze scholarly research related to the field of special education so you can create and present original research by the end of the program.
One element that makes Liberty’s PhD program so unique is how we incorporate our commitment to the Christian faith into it. Our advanced educational studies program is designed to address the spirit as well as the intellect. Each course will include a consideration of Scripture relevant to the topic area.
Not only will your courses integrate biblical principles but your professors will also guide and instruct you from their faith. Our mission is to equip you as an expert in the field of special education who leads with confidence and integrity.
What Will You Study in Our PhD in Advanced Studies for Special Education Degree?
The goal of your coursework in the PhD in Advanced Educational Studies is to have you well-equipped to communicate through various mediums and critically problem-solve. Additionally, this program will help to increase your information literacy through the examination of current literature, research defense, and dissemination.
By focusing your research and dissertation on special education, you will study the unique needs of students with all forms of learning disabilities. You will also study best practices in curriculum and program development for children with behavioral disorders, special needs, and those who excel and need more challenging programs.
Understanding these topics in special education is vital for effectively serving your school administration at the local, state, and national level.
Some of the additional topics you will cover in this program include:
- A biblical perspective on decision making within the field of education
- Advanced practices in designing and conducting original research
- Educational theories within the field for professional and academic practice
- Pedagogical concepts and approaches based upon research and knowledge of the discipline
- Theories and evidence-based practices that inform leadership, research, and teacher preparation in special education
Potential Career Opportunities
- Educational consultant
- Educational researcher
- K-12 special education director
- University administrator
- University professor
Featured Courses
Degree Information
- This program falls under the School of Education.
- View the Graduate Education Course Guides (login required).
- An extensive final dissertation project is required.
Degree Completion Plan
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Tuition & Aid
Your success is our success, which is why we are committed to providing quality academics at an affordable tuition rate. While other colleges are increasing their tuition, we have frozen tuition rates for the majority of our undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs for the past 9 years – and counting.
Doctoral Full Time | $595/Credit |
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Doctoral Part Time | $650/Credit |
Eligible current and former military service members and their spouses may qualify for a special rate of $300/credit hour (learn more).
Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
All Tuition & Fees
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Admission Information for Our PhD in Advanced Educational Studies Online Program
Admission Requirements
- Apply online or over the phone with an admissions counselor by calling (800) 424-9596.
- A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required).
- Send official college transcripts (mailed as sealed, unopened copies or sent via a direct electronic transcript system). A regionally or nationally accredited EdD or PhD in Education with at least a 3.0 GPA is required for admission in good standing.
- Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy.
Preliminary Acceptance
If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:
- Be in your final term and planning to start your PhD degree after the last day of class for your EdD or PhD in Education degree.
- Complete a Doctoral Self-Certification Form confirming your completion date. You may download the form from the Forms and Downloads page or contact an admissions counselor to submit the form on your behalf.
- Submit an official transcript to confirm that you are in your final term. The preliminary transcript must show that you are within 9 credit hours of completion for an EdD or PhD in Education program.
- Send in an additional, final official transcript with a conferral date on it by the end of your first semester of enrollment in the new doctoral degree.
Transcript Policies
Official College Transcript Policy
An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to luoverify@liberty.edu.
Admissions Office Contact Information
Liberty University Online Admissions Verification
1971 University Blvd.
Lynchburg, VA 24515
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Submit your application online or over the phone.
Military
Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.
Who May Qualify?
- Active Duty
- Reserve/National Guard
- Veterans/Retirees
- Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees
Military Tuition Discount
We want to help you find the doctoral degree you want – at a price you’ve earned. As a thank-you for your military service, Liberty University offers eligible current and former service members like you or your spouse multiple pathways to earn a doctoral degree for only $300/credit hour. Find out how you can take advantage of this unique opportunity as you work toward your goal of reaching the pinnacle of your profession – for less.
Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this program allow transfer credit?
Our PhD online allows you to transfer in up to 39 credit hours so you can turn your EdD into a PhD quickly – depending on your transfer credit.
Does this degree require any culminating project?
You will complete your PhD with an integrated dissertation, giving you a terminal educational credential that shows employers you have reached the pinnacle of your field’s achievement.
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