Special Education

University Admission Requirements

A student applying to a doctoral program must:

• have earned a master's degree or equivalent in a discipline appropriate to the specific doctoral program
• have a minimum 3.0 GPA (on a scale in which an A is a 4.0) for the last 60 hours of undergraduate work (approximately the junior and senior years)
• have a minimum 3.0 GPA (on a scale in which an A is a 4.0) for all graduate-level coursework
• provide three letters of recommendation
• provide official scores from the GRE general exam (use institution code 1319)
• present official transcripts from each college or university other than Illinois State at which graduate, undergraduate, or non-degree credit was earned. Transcripts can be emailed from the university to Admissions@IllinoisState.edu or mailed in a sealed envelope to: Office of Admissions, 201 Hovey Hall, Campus Box 2200, Normal, IL 61790-2200

International students can learn more about specific application requirements by visiting the Office of Admissions.

Additional Program Admission Requirements

Admission to the program is competitive and requires possession of the master's degree and professional experience relevant to the education of exceptional children and youth. The decision regarding admission to the graduate program is based on several factors:

• Acceptance into the University;
• Prior academic record (undergraduate and master's degree transcripts);
• Record of professional experiences and accomplishments;
• The degree of consistency between the applicant's future goals and the program's mission (as demonstrated in two brief essays);
• Professional writing skills (as demonstrated in brief essays on the applicant's career goals and research interests);
• Professional recommendations with the Letter of Recommendations form;
• Scores on the Graduate Record Examination.
• submit names and email addresses of three references for letters of recommendation within the online application

Applicants must have a minimum of 2 years of professional experience centering on education or services for persons with disabilities.

Applicants must also posses a master's degree in Special Education or a related field.

Review of your application materials may take six to eight weeks.

Application Deadlines

• Fall Term — Rolling admissions, preferred by August 1
• Fall (Chicago Cohort) Term — Contact the graduate coordinator
• Spring Term — Rolling admissions, preferred by December 1
• Summer Term — Rolling admissions, preferred by May 1

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