Organizational Leadership Doctorate (EdD) in Special Education - Quantitative
Lead K-12 Special Education Programs
Prepare yourself to be a leader in special education spheres. Grand Canyon University’s quantitative Doctor of Education in Leadership in Special Education will equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to invest in special education and education communities and grow them to their full potential.
This quantitative EdD in Organizational Leadership with an Emphasis in Special Education degree program will allow you to formulate and build upon your own personal philosophy of leadership. Equip yourself to make the greatest impact through leadership and education.
Choosing to Specialize in Quantitative EdD in Special Education Organizational Leadership
Through specializing in a quantitative EdD program, you will be able to create change and move special education forward by performing your own research and making your own contributions to the field. Learners will synthesize into scholarly literature to identify problems and problem spaces that emerge to form a researchable topic of study.
Courses in the program allow you to analyze current trends in special education and leadership, using those trends to build out your own skillset and equip you as a leader. In your courses, you will analyze the fiscal and management sides of special education, exploring the development practices and the leadership skills necessary to act as an administrator in your education community.
Explore frameworks for providing appropriate educational opportunities for all students and discover how you can make an impact by offering equitable education options for unique student populations.
Throughout the program, you will gain skills in:
- Student assessment
- Internal organizational collaboration
- Legal and ethical issues in special education
- Best practice in special education administration
- Professional development
- Historical perspectives of special education
- Foundational leadership theories
- Change and development in education
- Staff management and professional development
- Budgeting and finding sources of funding
- Critical appraisal of research
- Sampling, data collection and data analysis
- Apply research principles to design original and independent research
How Long It Takes to Earn a Doctorate (EdD) in Special Education
Learners can complete the program in their own time and on their own schedule, making it accessible for currently working professionals. After completing course requirements, learners complete a research-based dissertation. GCU’s doctoral programs incorporate dissertation preparation from the beginning of the program and includes opportunities for support along the way, including in-person residency requirements. The dissertation will incorporate learners’ independent, quantitative research.
Performing a quantitative research study will allow you to advance the study of leadership within the field of special education through performing and facilitating your own in-depth research-based approach to increase leadership abilities of strategic education professionals. By completing a written dissertation, you will be able to take your findings and contributions and spread them throughout the field for other special education professionals to benefit and learn from.
GCU alumni enrolling in a doctoral program for the first time may be eligible for a $2,000 scholarship.§
Job Outlook for Special Education Leaders
Graduates of the quantitative EdD in Organizational Leadership with an Emphasis in Special Education degree program may pursue high-level academic positions, including:
- Special education director
- School district administrator
- Special education consultant
- Curriculum developer
- School administrator
- Lead special education teacher
- Learning advocate
Earning a doctoral EdD degree in special education and leadership can help you have a positive impact and reach your personal and professional goals.
§ MOU-Alumni 2000 Doctoral-Oct2023: The Alumni Scholarship for Doctoral Programs is only valid for those applicants who submit a complete application and begin a Doctoral program in October 2023. This scholarship cannot be used in conjunction with any other GCU scholarship or awards and only applies to online and evening programs. Please speak to a university counselor for complete details.
If seeking licensure or certification, applicants to the program are responsible for contacting their state department of education for licensure requirements and program approval. In addition, fingerprint/background clearance is required.
Time to Completion and Dissertation Process
To learn more about time to completion and the dissertation process at GCU, visit our doctoral page.
Core Courses
Course Description
This course introduces doctoral learners to the principle elements of research, scholarly writing, and effective argumentation. Learners are made aware of the dispositions and expectations of doctoral researchers as well as the University’s overarching values and beliefs regarding research and the responsibility of scholars to contribute new knowledge to their respective fields of study. Learners begin the process of identifying a researchable dissertation topic and are acquainted with appropriate scholarly resources that support the development of the dissertation.
Course Description
In this course, learners are introduced to the critical reading of scholarly qualitative and quantitative literature at the doctoral level. Learners also explore the concept of synthesizing the scholarly literature to identify problems and problem spaces that emerge to form a researchable topic of study. The application of scholarly argumentation from the extant literature to defend the need for a research study is discussed.
Course Description
This course examines multiple ethical frameworks, principles, and theories as they apply to the study and practice of leadership. Corporate social responsibility will be addressed from the perspective of ethical decision making. Prerequisite: RES-815.
Course Description
This course provides an overview of the impact of leadership and the effects of behaviors on the formulation and execution of strategy within an organization. Topics include the increasing importance of resilience and change in today’s global and turbulent economy.
Course Description
In this course, learners are introduced to key components of qualitative and quantitative research designs and the means to critically appraise the application of research designs as observed in the scholarly literature. The University's core research designs are presented. Consideration is given to the initial selection and defense of a research design to address a problem that emerged from the extant literature.
Course Description
This course provides an introduction to the sampling, data collection, and data analysis methods employed in qualitative and quantitative research designs. Learners explore the alignment of sampling, data collection, and data analysis methods to the research topic, research questions, and research design. The course positions learners to select qualitative or quantitative designs for their dissertation studies. Prerequisite: RES-831.
Course Description
This residency allows learners to continue developing their skills as academic researchers. Learners will have hands-on experience applying quantitative and qualitative design principals to develop the foundational elements for their potential dissertation studies. Prerequisite: RES-850, RES-825, RES-831, or RCS-831.
Course Description
This course examines special education law and regulations as a framework for the provision of appropriate educational opportunities for all students. Law as a foundation of best practice is discussed.
Course Description
The course emphasizes analysis of the leadership practices necessary to guide construction of appropriate internal and external frameworks for K-12 educators and students. Within these boundaries, the course addresses student assessment, internal collaboration, and professional development.
Course Description
This course examines budgeting, fiscal planning, and grant writing and management in the special education setting. Leadership skills for fiscal management and fiscal integrity are addressed.
Course Description
In this course, learners explore the basic components of quantitative research design. Attention is given to variables, instrumentation, and sources of data. Reliability and validity of instrumentation is discussed in the context of GCU core quantitative research designs.
Course Description
In this course, learners interact with statistical tests and statistical analysis software in the context of designing a quantitative research study. Alignment of statistical tests to research questions, hypotheses and design is stressed as is determining the feasibility of a quantitative research study. Ethical aspects of research are discussed. Prerequisite: RES-842.
Course Description
This course explores the opportunities and challenges facing leaders in the global environment. The course topics focus on aspects of leading global and diverse workforces, and on theories of leadership and leadership development in diverse and global cultures.
Course Description
In this residency, learners orally present and defend an expanded design of their preliminary dissertation research from RSD-851. Emphasis is placed on developing the quantitative dissertation. Practicum/field experience hours: None. RES-844.
Course Description
This course examines the current and emerging trends and issues in special education within the K-12 setting. Topics are placed in the context of legal compliance and the provision of appropriate educational opportunities for all students. Learners connect these ideas to their research interests to continue developing components of their research prospectus.
Course Description
In this course, learners apply the skills of the practitioner-scholar. They are self-motivated and committed to reflective practice. They actively seek input from other scholars while continuing to design independent research under the guidance of the dissertation committee. Prerequisite: RES-871, RES-885, RSD-883, or RSD-884.
Course Description
In this course, learners focus on data collection, data preparation and management, and the analysis of quantitative data to produce written research findings, results, and implications. Learners continue to work with their respective dissertation chairs and apply information from this course to move ahead in the dissertation process. Prerequisite: RES-844.
Course Description
In this course, learners apply the skills of the practitioner-scholar. They are self-motivated and committed to reflective practice. They actively seek input from other scholars while continuing to design and/or conduct independent research under the guidance of the dissertation committee. Prerequisite: DIS-955.
Course Description
In this course, learners focus on the interpretation of quantitative data to produce written research findings, results, and implications. Learners continue to work with their respective dissertation chairs and apply information from this course to move ahead in the dissertation process. Prerequisite: RES-874.
Course Description
In this course, learners apply the skills of the practitioner-scholar. They are self-motivated and committed to reflective practice. They actively seek input from other scholars while continuing to design and/or conduct independent research under the guidance of the dissertation committee. Prerequisite: DIS-960.
Pursue a next-generation education with an online degree from Grand Canyon University. Earn your degree with convenience and flexibility with online courses that let you study anytime, anywhere.
Grand Canyon University’s evening programs cater to the demands of working professionals who prefer an in-person learning environment. Our night classes meet just once per week and offer the interaction and discussion of a typical college classroom.
* Please note that this list may contain programs and courses not presently offered, as availability may vary depending on class size, enrollment and other contributing factors. If you are interested in a program or course listed herein please first contact your University Counselor for the most current information regarding availability.
* Please refer to the Academic Catalog for more information. Programs or courses subject to change.