Eligibility

• Master’s degree from an accredited university or college. The standards of the degree in question must be equivalent in both the distribution of academic subject matter and scholarship requirements to those maintained at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa.
• Minimum three (3) years of practical experience in education and/or exceptionalities.
• GPA: 3.0 or higher (4.0 = A scale) or the equivalent in prior post-baccalaureate and graduate programs (e.g., Master’s)

Application Requirements

• Official Transcripts from each institution attended.
• Resumé or Curriculum Vita (CV)
• Statement of Objectives: Must include a narrative of career goals, academic objectives, and research interest(s). This narrative should be written in a clear, concise, and cogent manner
• Three (3) Letters of Recommendation: May be from professors, immediate supervisors in employment, and/or close associates attesting to the applicant’s capacity for leadership and scholarship in the field of exceptionalities
• Sample of Scholarly Writing: Applicants must provide evidence of competency in formal writing. May provide written materials used in partial fulfillment of the applicant’s master’s degree, or journal articles
• An oral interview may also be requested of the applicant by the Chair of the Doctor of Education, Exceptionalities Track program

Additional Requirements for International Students

• A TOEFL score of 600 is required for applicants of degree completion from outside US institutions.
• Financial status verification, official transcripts, including minimum grade point average of 3.0 (4.0 = A scale).

Please refer to the International Student website for more detailed information.

Admission decision contingent on:

• Sufficient number of qualified applicants to constitute a cohort
• Alignment of faculty research expertise with applicant’s research interests

Tuition Cost

Total credits for the PhD in Education program are approximately 42-54 credits. Credits vary based on the number of courses students choose to take and the duration of individuals’ programs.

Refer to Tuition & Fees for up-to-date information on cost of Graduate-level credits. Current rates (2023-2024) are:

• Resident Tuition: $650 per credit hour, approximately $27,300 – $35,100
• Nonresident Tuition: $1,402 per credit hour, approximately $58,884 – $75,708

Additional information on total costs for the program can be found at Financial Aid Services

Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education (WICHE) and Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP):

Residents of Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education (WICHE) member states can enroll in this program at a reduced tuition of 150% of the regular resident tuition rate. Please refer to WICHE Program webpage and the Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) webpage for more information

Students must have a GPA of 3.0 or above. Eligible students admitted to the PhD program will be assigned the (WRGP) tuition rate by Graduate Students Services at the time of admission (no additional application process is necessary).

• Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education (WICHE) and Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP): $975 per credit hour, approximately $40,950 – $52,650

Funding Opportunities

Graduate Assistantships: PhD students can have positions as Graduate Assistants in the Department of Special Education and in other departments at UH. All graduate assistant (and other UH employment opportunities) can be found at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/hawaiiedu

Scholarships: Refer to http://www.star.hawaii.edu/scholarship

Doctoral Funding Grants: At times there are for doctoral funding via Office of Special Education Program grants. If doctoral grant funding is available, information will be shared with those who have submitted the program “Request More Info” form.

Courses will be delivered in online-hybrid formats. Students will be required to attend on-campus sessions twice a semester and required Zoom meetings (Hawaii Standard Time) weekly. Courses generally start in the late afternoon through the early evening (for example 4:30-7:00PM).

The number of credits taken and coursework will be determined with the assistance of an assigned advisor based on chosen area of research. However, all candidates must complete the following:

• College Core Coursework (9 credits):
  • Multiple Perspectives on Educational Research
  • Qualitative Research Methods
  • Quantitative Research Methods
• Exceptionalities Core Coursework (19 credits)
  • Seminar on Exceptionalities
  • Single-Case Experimental Design
  • Grant Development and Procurement
  • Advanced Methods for Dissertation Research
  • Professional Seminars (4 credits total, 1 credit for four semesters)
• Elective Coursework: Depth/Breadth (12-24 credits)
  • Candidates must demonstrate depth/breadth in an area of study pertinent to the field of Exceptionalities. Competence in depth/breadth is demonstrated through coursework and seven portfolio products:
    1. Academic curriculum vita
    2. In depth review of the literature in his/her emphasis area
    3. Research of other scholarly presentation at a national or regional conference related to area of depth/breadth
    4. Original field-based research investigation or a research and development project
    5. Grant proposal for extramural funding of activities related to area of depth/breadth
    6. EDUC 740 or 799: Internship or College Teaching (3 credits)
    7. Dissertation proposal prospectus
• Dissertation Process
  • Proposal (approved and defended)
  • Research study (conducted)
  • Dissertation (written, defended, and approved)
• Additional Requirements:
  • Residency requirement of three semesters of full-time enrollment
  • Comprehensive examination (written and oral)