Special Education- Learning Disabilities & Behavior Disorder

Graduate program offered by the UNT College of Education

About
Courses

At the doctoral level, emphasis is on broadening the scholars understanding of behavior and its impact on learning, ecological assessment, issues and emerging trends in the field of emotional/behavioral disorders, research and use of evidence-based practices, issues and practices in personnel development at the pre-service and graduate levels, components of effective programs and program evaluation and other topics relevant to the scholar’s terminal goals. Graduates of the PhD program typically assume positions in institutions of higher education and leadership roles in public and private schools.

The doctoral program in special education requires a minimum of 63 hours of course work and research experience.

A master’s degree with a major in special education or a closely related field is required for application to the PhD. Candidates with master’s degrees in other fields will be required to take up to five additional courses in special education, with advisor’s approval.

The following requirements are for students who enter the program with a related master’s degree.

Educational psychology PhD core, 6 hours

EPSY 6040 - Foundations of Educational Psychology

And one of the following

Educational Research core, 15 hours

EPSY 6010 - Statistics for Educational Research
EPSY 6020 - Research Methods in Education
EPSY 6210 - Multiple Regression Analysis and Related Methods
EPSY 6280 - Qualitative Research in Education
and one elective course in research, measurement or statistics with advisor’s approval (3 hours)

Special Education core, 21 hours

Concentration Area, 9 hours

Faculty

Miriam Chacon Boesch

Miriam Chacon Boesch

Associate Professor

Educational Psychology
Ph.D., 2011, Purdue University

Matthews Hall 322-A

940-565-2293

miriam.boesch@unt.edu

Faculty Profile

Miriam C. Boesch, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Special Education. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Communication Disorders from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and her Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Special Education with an emphasis in Severe Disabilities and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) from Purdue University. Her dissertation was awarded the College of Education Outstanding Dissertation Award. Her research focuses on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Specifically, she engages in AAC research to assess teacher preparation needs, compare strategies suitable for individuals with autism and complex communication needs, and reduce challenging behaviors. Dr. Boesch teaches courses pertaining to autism, intervention strategies, and behavior management. She is also the co-author of the book: Implementing Effective Augmentative and Alternative Communication Practices for Students with Complex Communication Needs: A Handbook for School-Based Practitioners. Dr. Boesch also publishes in peer-reviewed journals, presents at national and international conferences, and currently serves on the editorial board for the journals Communication Disorders Quarterly and TEACHING Exceptional Children. She is the recipient of the 2014 College of Education Junior Faculty Research Award and the 2017 College of Education Faculty Teaching Excellence Award from UNT.

×
Pamela Peak

Pamela Peak

Principal Lecturer

Principal Lecturer in Educational Psychology

Matthews Hall 322-H

940-565-4192

pamela.peak@unt.edu

Faculty Profile

Pamela Peak earned her Ph.D. in Special Education from the University of North Texas. Dr. Peak has spent more than 30 years working in various capacities in area school districts, but all with students with special needs. Her research focuses on the development and use of educational assessments to reduce the disproportionality of culturally and linguistically diverse students in special education and pre-/in-service teacher preparation. She has developed widely used assessment instruments including the Test of Early Written Language, Third Edition (TEWL-3) and Young Children’s Achievement Test, Second Edition (YCAT-2).

×
Megan Rojo

Megan Rojo

Assistant Professor

Educational Psychology
Ph. D. University of Texas at Austin

Matthews Hall 304-L

940-565-2579

megan.rojo@unt.edu

Faculty Profile

Megan Rojo is an Assistant Professor of Special Education in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of North Texas. Prior to her career in higher education, she taught in Texas public schools for nearly 10 years, as both a bilingual generalist and a mathematics intervention specialist. Rojo received her Ph.D. in Special Education with an emphasis in Learning Disabilities and Behavioral Disorders from the University of Texas at Austin followed by a post-doctoral fellowship at the Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk. Dr. Rojo’s research focuses on early interventions for students with or at risk of being diagnosed with a mathematics disability. Specifically, she is interested in developing and testing early algebra readiness and STEM interventions for elementary and middle school students. Dr. Rojo has expertise in research methodologies including randomized controlled trials, single-case research designs, and meta-analysis.

×
Melissa Savage

Melissa Savage

Assistant Professor

Educational Psychology

Matthews Hall 304-D

940-891-6820

Melissa.Savage@unt.edu

Faculty Profile

Melissa Savage earned her Ph.D. in Special Education from Purdue University in 2016. Prior to joining the faculty at UNT, Dr. Savage was an IES postdoctoral research associate at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and spent four years as a secondary Special Education teacher in Indiana. She holds degrees in both Special Education and Exercise Science.

Her research focuses on the use of technology to increase engagement and independence in healthy behaviors and community participation for adults and transition-age youth with developmental disabilities. Along with mentor Kara A. Hume, Dr. Savage received a grant from the Organization from Autism Research for her Step It Up project, focusing on increasing physical activity for adults with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability. She has published in journals such as Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Research in Developmental Disabilities, Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, and TEACHING Exceptional Children.

×

College of Education

Search form