University of Pittsburgh logo
  1. Academics
  2. Special Education
  3. EdD in Special Education

EdD in Special Education

Responding to the needs of individuals looking to advance their careers, the University of Pittsburgh School of Education offers a Doctor of Education (EdD) program that serves professionals from various fields through interdisciplinary and practical experiences.

The goal of the Special Education major is to prepare leadership personnel to serve in public or private pre-K–12 schools or educational environments and services. The focus of preparation is on the development of knowledge and skills in leadership, collaboration, management, administration, supervision, pre-service and in-service education, program evaluation, community relations, and recruiting. Students may focus their studies in applied behavioral analysis, autism, blindness/ vision impairments/orientation and mobility, early intervention, emotional and behavioral disorders, or learning disabilities.

Quick Facts 

  • Program Duration: 3 years over 10 terms of study
  • Time Commitment: Part-time
  • Term of Enrollment: Summer
    • ​The first summer term includes a week-long on-ramp experience, plus four Saturday classes spread across the summer months.
  • Course Requirements:  84 credits, including 24 credits transferred from previous graduate work 
  • Application Deadlines: February 1
  • Admissions Requirements: GRE Exam Not Required


Apply Now

Program Details

Special Education is one of the majors of the Doctor of Education (EdD) program at the Pitt School of Education. The program accommodates the schedules of working professionals and combines an online learning environment with monthly Saturday in-person sessions. There is a hybrid course delivery model, including a one-day welcome and information event, a week-long intensive on-ramp experience in the first summer, cross-disciplinary practitioner inquiry and foundations courses, and an internship.

The EdD helps graduates advance within their professional areas of practice. This is in contrast to our PhD, which is a full-time program that helps to prepare graduates for research-oriented careers and/or working as faculty within research and doctoral granting universities.

Loading...

Degree Requirements

EdD students at the Pitt School of Education complete 10 requirements that are embedded in coursework, including a practitioner inquiry project.

Prerequisites

The EdD program at the Pitt School of Education requires applicants to have 24 credits of relevant graduate work to transfer from a source institution with a B (3.0) or higher according to University policy.

Faculty Advisors

Career Pathways

Graduates of the Special Education major work as leadership personnel in public or private pre-K–12 schools or educational environments.

They work in a variety of roles, including the following: applied behavioral analysis, autism, blindness/ vision impairments/orientation and mobility, early intervention, emotional and behavioral disorders, or learning disabilities

Admissions Requirements Tuition Information