Special Education Programs

PhD in Education with a Concentration in Special Education

The Doctor of Philosophy is the degree most often desired for those who wish to become faculty in colleges and universities and those who aspire to senior administrative roles in institutions and agencies.  The PhD in Education with a concentration in Special Education is intended to prepare individuals for administrative and faculty positions and to provide them with the skills to carry out scholarly research, lead organizations, and create new research.

Master's Degree (MS Ed) with Special Education Licensure

Mild Disabilities Program: Emotional/Behavioral Disorders, Learning Disabilities, and Mental Retardation Endorsement Areas: The mild disabilities program, which provides endorsements in two of the following three areas, emotional/behavioral disorders, learning disabilities, and mental retardation, is designed to prepare professionals who are able to design and implement appropriate educational programs for students who manifest these disabilities.

Early Childhood Special Education and Severe Disabilities Endorsement Areas:
The early childhood special education program is designed to prepare students to teach children from birth to age six who manifest disabilities or who are at risk of later school failure.

Master's Degree (MS Ed) with Research Emphasis

Master's Degree (MS Ed) with Research Emphasis:
A master's degree in special education with research emphasis will provide educators with an advanced professional degree and qualifications beyond licensure.  The emphasis will include a focus on scholarly research, statistical analysis, and writing for professional journals. This emphasis will also serve as the prerequisite coursework to the PhD concentration in special education, thereby facilitating entry into the PhD program for master educators seeking terminal degrees. This program change is well grounded in current federal education law, which mandates familiarity withand use of evidence-based practices for educators.

Licensure Only

Special Education Licensure: Many students who already possess an undergraduate degree enter Old Dominion University for the sole purpose of meeting Virginia's teaching licensure standards. When these students apply for admission into an approved teacher education program, they are considered to be licensure only candidates and must meet the college's policy for admitting students into an approved teacher education program. Admission to Old Dominion University does not guarantee admission into degree and/or teacher preparation programs in the Darden College of Education.

Special Education teachers who are holding Special Education Conditional or Provisional licenses with endorsements in emotional disturbance, mental retardation, and/or learning disabilities may be eligible for the Commonwealth Special Education Endorsement Program, which provides tuition assistance and mentor support. Individuals who work for school divisions in any non-licensed capacity, including long term substitutes, and wish to become special educators, may be eligible for the Paraprofessional Preparation for Extraordinary Teaching grant.

Non-Degree

You will be able to take 12 hours (4 classes) of special education course work as a non-degree-seeking student without being admitted to a program (master's degree, licensure only, or the Commonwealth Special Education Endorsement Program). Once you have reached 12 hours, your account will be blocked from further registration until you have gained admittance into a program. Please note that registration into any course requiring a practicum (e.g. ESSE 618, 621, 623, 624, 626, 628, 630, 631, 633, and 637) will require passing Praxis I scores or an equivalent to be placed on file with Teacher Education Services (Room 152, Education Building, (757) 683-3348)

Rules for Non-degree Status

• Graduate students must receive permission from the Graduate Program Director before registering as a non-degree student. A maximum of 12 semester hours of nondegree graduate credit and transfer credit from other accredited institutions may be applied to a graduate degree at Old Dominion University (this limit is set by the Graduate Program Director for each program).
• Undergraduate students are advised to take no more than 24 semester hours as nondegree students.
• All students, degree and nondegree alike (including certificate, teacher licensure, and endorsement), must meet the continuance requirements as stated in the current University Catalog. The minimum grade point average for good standing for undergraduate students is 2.00, and the minimum for good standing for graduate students is 3.00 Failure to meet these requirements will subject students to probation or dismissal.

Minor

For completion of a minor, an undergraduate student must have a minimum grade point average of 2.00 in all courses taken toward the academic minor. A minimum of six hours in upper-level courses in the minor must be completed at Old Dominion University.

Specific minor requirements: ECI 304, ESSE 400, 411, 413, and 415 (430 may be substituted for students who plan to major in early childhood special education or severe disabilities).

Students must contact the graduate program director (see contact information below) to complete the minor declaration information.

Minor Requirements Checklist (PDF)

Contact Information

Phone: (757) 683-3226 or (757) 683-4383
Fax: (757) 683-4129
Email: essegpd@odu.edu