Ph.D. Admissions Information
Doctoral Program in Special Education
Admissions Criteria
Applications to the doctoral program are reviewed on a rolling admissions basis.
To be considered for admission to the Ph.D. program, applicants must:
- Hold a master’s degree
- Have 2–3 years of certified classroom teaching experience or comparable applied experience working with individuals with disabilities
- Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 at both the undergraduate and graduate levels
- A graduate GPA of 3.5 or higher is strongly recommended
Pre-Application Interviews
Prior to submitting an application, prospective students are required to contact the Department Chair to schedule a preliminary interview. Following this conversation, the Department Chair will recommend a tenured faculty member to conduct a second interview aligned with the applicant’s intended research area.
Student Financial Support for Doctoral Studies
General Department Support: Students may be admitted to the program who are working outside the University for up to 20 hours per week (.50 FTE). For such students, the Department periodically has funds available to provide some stipend support, although the level of available support will vary from year to year. Students would be required to participate in research or teaching assistant (RA or TA) activities for a minimum of 10 hours per week with one or more Department faculty members.
Departmental Course Teaching: The doctoral program includes required coursework on university teaching and a required teaching internship. However, upon successful completion of the required coursework and internships, students may have the opportunity to be paid to teach courses within the Department in their area(s) of expertise, depending on need, which varies from semester to semester and year to year.
Application Materials Reviewed by the Ph.D. Admissions Committee
The Ph.D. Admissions Committee will review the following materials when evaluating an applicant’s qualifications for admission:
- Completed application for admission (University of Utah SLATE application)
- Letter of Intent (LOI)
A formal, typically brief document (similar to a cover letter) that outlines the applicant’s academic and professional goals, research interests, and fit with the program. - Professional résumé or curriculum vitae (CV)
- Professional Statement
A narrative essay (sometimes referred to as a personal statement) that describes the applicant’s educational and professional journey, motivations for pursuing doctoral study, and professional development. - Written response to a professional issue in the field
A written response in which applicants analyze a professional issue in special education, connecting practice-based experience with research, theory, or policy to demonstrate readiness for doctoral study. Applicants may submit either a newly written response or a prior scholarly or professional work that demonstrates doctoral-level analysis of a professional issue in special education. - Three letters of recommendation
At least two letters must address the applicant’s academic abilities - Proof of a cleared USBE background check
- Official English proficiency scores (for international applicants, if applicable)
- Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
Application through SLATE
Application for admission is on the University web site through SLATE:
Please do not attempt to upload university transcripts or any other documents that are password-protected. The SLATE system will not be able to access them and the application will be considered incomplete.
International Students
 Kaitlin Lindsey Graduate Coordinator III k.lindsey@utah.edu |
 Breda O'Keeffe Department Chair breda.okeeffe@utah.edu |