Focus your studies on special education and disability. Develop expertise in special education policy, research, and practice in collaboration with faculty across disciplines in education. Our aim is to work with and develop emergent scholars who are inspired to improve inclusive education for all community members including students with and without disabilities, family, teachers, and leaders. Faculty across Teaching and Learning are invested in expanding the dispositions, knowledge base, and skill sets associated with special education scholarship, teacher preparation, and disability rights advocacy. Recent graduates have accepted positions at research universities and foundations.
We recognize the importance of building a field that values diversity, seeking to admit individuals with first-hand knowledge of disability and other types of discrimination and oppression because we are deeply committed to intersectional equity through education.
We encourage and support emerging scholars who explore a variety of questions about education and disability. We welcome questions about trends and issues in equity and inclusive education, special education teacher education, instructional methods, learning, and students with disabilities, disability and multilingual students and families, and postsecondary transition and young adults with disabilities.
See a recent special education dissertation example by Dr. Lindsay Romano, now an Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado. Her work is entitled, “Addressing the Effects of School Discipline Biases at the Intersection of Race and Disability Status Through Teacher Mindfulness Training.”
What you'll learn
- Current research trends in scholarship and teacher preparation in special education as it intersects with other education disciplines
- Contemporary issues involving knowledge and opportunity gaps in providing equal education opportunities to all students
- Methods for designing, implementation, and disseminating research projects of individualized interest
How you'll learn
New York City as Your Research Setting
NYU was founded in the early 19th century by advocates for a new kind of university, one built in the heart of the city and working on the problems of the city. Today, NYU Steinhardt affords its doctoral students an unparalleled opportunity to shape a scholarly career in this founding spirit. As a student in this doctorate, you'll have access to:
- Renowned research institutes such as the Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools, the Research Alliance for New York City, and the Institute for Education and Social Policy
- Interdisciplinary scholars in the newly formed Disability Studies program at NYU
- The NYU Partnership School Program, which has 24 schools (pre-K through grade 12) in Manhattan, the Bronx, and Brooklyn. Most are impacted by poverty, and all are committed to working with NYU faculty and students to meet the needs of children, youth, and families
- Connections with research faculty and institutions throughout the New York City metropolitan area through the Inter-University Doctoral Consortium, and across the world through NYU's global network
Small Classes and Doctoral Seminars
Courses in this program prepare you to conduct independent research in your area of interest. You'll design research proposals, implement a research agenda, and disseminate findings. You will also attend doctoral seminars that foster deep conversations on relevant texts and issues in the field.
