The WMU teacher education unit is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
Doctor of Education in Special Education
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Program overview
The doctor of education in special education prepares individuals to assume leadership roles in special education, serving as faculty in institutions of higher education, consultants to educational agencies, and administrators in special education programs. Graduates of WMU special education doctoral program are prepared to contribute to the knowledge and research base in education and to be discerning consumers of evidence-based practices in education.
This program is designed for students who have earned a masters degree in special education or related field and completed at least one endorsement in special education.
Program goals
To prepare special educators to serve as leadership personnel in the field of special education.
To prepare special educators to function in administrative roles in the education of learners with disabilities.
To prepare special educations to function as college professors in a department of special education or equivalent.
To prepare special educators to develop and complete research projects employing appropriate research and statistical methodology.
Why special education at Western Michigan University?
U.S. News and World Report ranked WMU No. 3 in the state of Michigan for graduate schools in education and in the top 100 public institutions of all colleges and universities reviewed.
100% of WMU special education graduate students were employed or continuing education within three months of graduation.
Students are encouraged to pursue additional educational opportunities through one of our many excellent study abroad programs.
We are the only institution in the U.S. that includes an optional co-curricular designation known as the WMU Signature. Pathways include: Teaching & Student Success, Leadership, Health & Wellbeing, Diversity, Inclusion, Equity & Justice, and more!