Ed.D. – Special Education
Become a Champion in Special Education
Are you ready to lead and make a lasting difference in the underserved area of special education? Regent’s Doctor of Education in Special Education provides career development for special education teachers seeking leadership positions in special education research, practice, and policy. Here’s your chance to drive the change you want to see to best serve children, youth, and adults with high-incidence disabilities.
INCREASE YOUR INFLUENCE & SALARY
Advance in leadership roles and earn a higher salary.
WIDEN YOUR JOB PROSPECTS
Enjoy rewarding opportunities in schools and communities.
MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE
Create engaging special education environments that foster learning.
Presented from a Christian worldview, this specialty degree is supported by award-winning faculty in Virginia Beach.
To learn more about this program, please complete the Request Information form on this page.
On completing the Ed.D. – Special Education degree, you will be able to:
- Interpret data so that you can draw sound conclusions and understand ramifications.
- Develop empirical, research-based interventions and develop tools to deter empirically unsupported yet perennially popular interventions.
- Explore the history of special education as well as current issues and best practices.
Career Opportunities
- Education Research
- Education Policy
- Education Advocacy & Consulting
- Central Office Executive Leadership
Advanced study of special education high-incidence disability categories: Learning Disabilities, Emotional and Behavioral Disturbance, and Intellectual Disabilities. Focus on the historical development of identification, including distinguishing characteristics and definitions, as well as empirically based interventions that address characteristic issues of each group.
2021-22 Semester Check-In Deadlines
All new students are expected to check-in for the semester two weeks before the session start date. Students should apply, be accepted, enroll in their first courses, and confirm a plan to pay for their courses prior to this date.
Session | Semester Check-In | Session Start Date |
---|---|---|
Session A | Friday, August 13 | Monday, August 23 |
Session M | Friday, September 10 | Monday, September 20 |
Session B | Friday, October 15 | Monday, October 25 |
Session C | Tuesday, December 21 | Monday, January 10 |
Session T | Friday, January 28 | Monday, February 7 |
Session D | Friday, March 4 | Monday, March 14 |
Session E | Friday, April 29 | Monday, May 9 |
Session F | Friday, June 10 | Monday, June 20 |
Admissions Requirements
Step 1: Apply to Regent University
- Submit your application at www.regent.edu/apply.
Step 2: Complete Your Admissions Questionnaire
- After you submit your application, you will receive a link to complete the required admissions questionnaire.
Step 3: Submit Your Unofficial College Transcripts
- Email your unofficial college transcripts to apply@regent.edu using the subject line: Unofficial Transcripts.
- Upon conditional acceptance, Regent University will attempt to obtain your official transcripts from your U.S. degree-granting institution.
- International transcripts must be evaluated by an NACES-approved company.
Step 4: Submit Your Government-Issued ID
- Email a photo of your government-issued ID to apply@regent.edu using the subject line: Government ID.
- Please note that all items submitted as part of the application process become the property of Regent University and cannot be returned.
PART-TIME STUDENTS
Degree | Tuition Cost Per Credit Hour | Average Credit Hours Per Semester | Average Tuition Per Semester |
---|---|---|---|
Career Switcher | $250 | 6 | $1,500 |
Master of Education (M.Ed.) | $565 | 6 | $3,390 |
Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) | $800 | 6 | $4,800 |
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) | $800 | 3 | $2,400 |
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) | $800 | 3 | $2,400 |
Full-Time Students
Degree | Tuition Cost Per Credit Hour | Average Credit Hours Per Semester | Average Tuition Per Semester |
---|---|---|---|
Career Switcher | $250 | 9 | $2,250 |
Master of Education (M.Ed.) | $565 | 9 | $5,085 |
Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) | $800 | 9 | $7,200 |
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) | $800 | 6 | $4,800 |
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) | $800 | 6 | $4,800 |
Student Fees Per Semester
University Services Fee (On-Campus Students) | $800 |
University Services Fee (Online Students) | $650 |
Part-Time Students
Degree | Tuition Cost Per Credit Hour | Average Credit Hours Per Semester | Average Tuition Per Semester |
---|---|---|---|
Career Switcher | $250 | 6 | $1,500 |
Master of Education (M.Ed.) | $550 | 6 | $3,300 |
Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) | $775 | 6 | $4,650 |
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) | $775 | 3 | $2,325 |
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) | $775 | 3 | $2,325 |
Full-Time Students
Degree | Tuition Cost Per Credit Hour | Average Credit Hours Per Semester | Average Tuition Per Semester |
---|---|---|---|
Career Switcher | $250 | 9 | $2,250 |
Master of Education (M.Ed.) | $550 | 9 | $4,950 |
Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) | $775 | 9 | $6,975 |
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) | $775 | 6 | $4,650 |
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) | $775 | 6 | $4,650 |
Student Fees Per Semester
University Services Fee (On-Campus Students) | $800 |
University Services Fee (Online Students) | $650 |
*Rates are subject to change at any time.
Estimated Cost of Attendance: View the estimated cost of attendance to see an example of the total cost of tuition and fees.
Advanced Standing
Students possessing an Ed.S. or equivalent may be admitted to the Ed.D. program with advanced standing after a review of their post-master’s transcript(s). Offered in a cohort model. Students may begin the program in the spring, summer or fall semesters. Courses are delivered online with some required face-to-face components. School division cohorts are also offered in varying formats.
Faculty
Dr. Hunter is the concentration chair for the Special Education Program and is committed to your success.
Dr. Elizabeth Hunter earned her B.A. in Fine Art from Old Dominion University and her M.Ed. in Special Education concentrating in MR, LD and ED at Regent University. In 2005, Hunter became a Doctor of Education in Special Education & Communications. Her doctoral studies culminated into a final dissertation that incorporated an ethnographic documentary film about the expressed opinions of young adults with Down Syndrome about their classroom placement.
Hunter is an assistant professor in the School of Education M.Ed. K-12 Special Education and Reading Specialist programs and the Ed. S. Educational Leadership with Special Education emphasis program. She has built years of experience in the field of Special Education, as well as Communication Technology especially in television and video education production. Hunter has been involved in numerous publications and presentations in her areas of expertise and holds honors and awards for her contributions to both fields.
Using her talents as a painter, photographer and production designer, Hunter has successfully worked in film and television production since 1979. She has won several awards for her contribution to television and film, one in particular an after-school special that earned her the honor and privilege to judge for the Annual Daytime and Primetime Emmy Awards. She has been a voting member of The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences since 1987.
Hunter currently holds appointments and positions of leadership in both fields in her church and community. She serves as the president of the Virginia Federation of Council for Exceptional Children and represents the VA CEC at the International Council for Exceptional Children Representative Assembly and Leadership sessions.
She consults with ETS in assessment development of the Special Education and the Intellectual Disabilities PRAXIS II exams. Additionally, Hunter consults privately with schools, churches and parents in the areas of exceptional disabilities especially Developmental Delay, Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disabilities.
Hunter has expertise in instructional technology and media and enhances her on-line and face-to-face courses and publications with visual media technology. She presents her course curriculum using her skills to turn words into pictures and uses video streaming as an educational tool. She has also been instrumental in turning the hybrid courses into an online format providing content to students nationally and internationally.
Hunter pursues ethnographic research to produce educational and documentary film with content based on grounded research that is appropriate for use in higher education. She writes and produces educational articles and books utilizing instructional videos and documentary film that educate and entertain. She has embarked on the production of a documentary series and book called Waking Up with Jack, an autobiographical story that touches on how a family deals with Down Syndrome and all the things that go along with it. It is an ongoing examination of special needs students.