• Special Education (MEd)
• Special Education (PhD)
• Special Education (BS)
• Behavior Analysis Certification Program
• Student Publications & Organizations
• SPED Student Funding Opportunities
  • Academic Excellence for Students with Emotional Disturbance
  • Early Childhood Special Education
  • Preparation of Personnel for Young Children with Autism and Their Families
  • Preparation of Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments
  • Randomized Field Trials
• Faculty and Staff
• Research

SPED Student Funding Opportunities

Funding for Special Education department study

All admitted Ph.D. students receive funding for up to five years of study. Those invited to join us will receive a financial package which includes full tuition, a monthly stipend competitive with any college of education in the nation, and health insurance. Based upon presented qualifications, the college will nominate select students for additional honor scholarships and fellowships awarded by both the college and the graduate school. These merit awards supplement the baseline college award.

Master's students are typically eligible for full tuition funding through a number of Department of Education grants because of the national shortage in teachers of special education. Our graduates typically receive multiple offers of employment in the geographic region of their choice upon graduation.

For general information on funding for special education students, please  contact  615-322-8150.

Ph.D. student funding

The Department of Special Education has a legacy of conducting groundbreaking research, establishing innovative practices, and developing widely used methods and materials for practitioners, researchers, parents, and policy makers.

The Ph.D. degree program, which prepares students for leadership positions as special educators in schools, colleges, universities, research settings, and human service agencies, is competency-based and emphasizes research and teaching. Your program of study will consist of core requirements and an individually designed series of courses and competencies. Through the core requirements, you will acquire fundamental research methodology skills requisite for advanced positions in special education. You can select your focus of study from high-incidence disabilities (learning disabilities, behavior disorders), early childhood special education, severe disabilities and autism, or visual impairments.

All admitted Ph.D. students receive funding for up to five years of study. Those invited to join us will receive a financial package which includes full tuition, a monthly stipend competitive with any college of education in the nation, and health insurance. Based upon presented qualifications, the college will nominate select students for additional honor scholarships and fellowships awarded by both the college and the graduate school. These merit awards supplement the baseline college award.

The Department of Special Education is the recipient of leadership training grants from the Office of Special Education Programs in the U.S. Department of Education. These grants provide doctoral students with tuition, monthly stipends, health insurance, and professional travel. To be eligible for these grants, students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Other funding streams are available for those who do not meet these requirements.
Ph.D. Funding brochure (PDF)

Funding for M.Ed. programs

The Effects of Strategy and Self-Regulation Instruction on Students' Writing Performance and Behavior: A Preventative Approach (Project WRITE)

• This is a research grant funded by the Institute of Educational Sciences to study the effects of writing interventions for second grade students with difficulties in writing and behavioral performance
• Tuition waivers and monthly stipend for doctoral master's level students
• Faculty contact: Kathleen Lane, 615-322-8179

Preparation of Personnel for Young Children with Autism and Their Families

• Full tuition support for the master's degree, stipend, including the summer months, available only for full-time students
• View complete information
• Faculty contact: Mark Wolery, 615-322-8282

Preparation of Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments

• Full tuition traineeships available leading to an M.Ed. degree, admission for fall or spring semesters, part-time and full-time opportunities, classes begin at 4:10 p.m., flexible practicum experiences for fall, spring, and summer sessions
• View complete information

Scaling-Up Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies to Strengthen Reading Achievement

• This is a research grant funded by the Institute of Educational Sciences to student variables associated with reading instruction at kindergarten and fourth-grade levels
• Tuition waivers and monthly stipend for doctoral or master's level students
• Faculty contact: Lynn Fuchs, 615-343-4782

Understanding/Preventing Math Problem Solving Disability

• This is a research grant funded by the National Institutes of Health to study procedures for enhancing third graders' development of mathematical problem solving.
• Tuition waivers and monthly stipend for doctoral or master's level students
• Faculty contact: Lynn Fuchs, 615-343-4782

Understanding/Preventing Math Disability

• This is a research grant funded by the National Institutes of Health to study procedures for enhancing first graders' development of arithmetic skill.
• Tuition waivers and monthly stipend for doctoral or master's level students
• Faculty contact: Lynn Fuchs, 615-343-4782