Special Education

alt="Assistant Professor Michael Sandbank works with a young girl who is wearing a cap containing sensors."

Special Education
#7 Ranked Program by U.S. News & World Report

Innovative research with a global impact

The Department of Special Education is routinely ranked among the top 10 peer departments in the nation. This year, U.S. News & World Report ranked us sixth among publics and seventh overall. We offer students the opportunity to gain specialist training and research experience with diverse populations across the lifespan.

Our faculty are actively involved in innovative research that has a global impact. We study topics such as supporting bilingual students with disabilities, math and reading interventions, design and evaluation of assistive technology, educating students with autism spectrum disorders, and the transition and post-school employment for people with disabilities.

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Graduate Programs

Master’s and doctoral programs designed to inspire students as advocates for special education. Our students engage in coursework led by experts in the field, and innovative research aimed at improving the lives of individuals with disabilities.
Learn more about our Graduate Programs
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Undergraduate Studies

Undergraduate students can major in special education which leads to teacher certification in special education (EC-12) and general education (EC-6). Students learn the foundations of teaching and how to support children with mild to severe disabilities.
Learn more about our Undergraduate Programs
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Featured Research

Our research has an important global impact. The underlying drive of our research aims to improve the quality of life and access to equitable education for individuals with disabilities and their families, particularly in K-12 education.

Learn more about our research

About the Department

Learn more about how our department supports equitable educational opportunities for all members of society.

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Features

Supporting individuals with autism

Department of Special Education Sponsors Autism Conference

Fred Volkmar will present the keynote address, "The Changing Face of Autism: A Developmental Perspective" at 3:15 p.m., Massey Honor Hall. The conference will run from 10 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. on March 29, 2019.

Learn more about the conference
Photo of Soyoung Park

Soyoung Park an Inaugural Recipient of the President's Award for Global Learning

Park and her team will explore whether culturally grounded intervention programs can have an impact on people’s opinions on mental illness and suicide in South Korea.

Read the Story on UT News
Photo of Jessica Toste smiling as she holds an oversized pencil that has "I Love LGBTQ Inclusive Schools"

Assistant Professor Jessica Toste gets “STAMP” of Approval as a 2018 Provost’s Teaching Fellow

Toste’s project, STAMP of Success in Doctoral Education: Student Training, Advising, and Mentorship Practices, looks at the role of supervisory relationships in shaping doctoral students’ training and success. She is the first faculty member in our department to win this award.

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