The Joint Doctoral Ph.D. program is full-time. The time periods within which you can and must complete the Joint Doctoral Ph.D. degree are also about the same as those for the HDP Ph.D. program with the main difference that you take your initial year of courses at California State University, Los Angeles and then complete course requirements at UCLA. Having the first year of courses at California State University, Los Angeles will not extend the length of your Ph.D. program.

The Joint Doctoral Program is distinct from the Ph.D. in Education in the following ways: you will have a slightly different timeline, as you will take your first year of courses at California State University, Los Angeles. You must complete a minimum of six courses at California State University, Los Angeles. You will be required to take three fewer quarters of colloquium. You will have NO publication requirement. You are required to have five rather than four dissertation committee members.

• Demonstrate knowledge of children with disabilities, including students who attend high poverty low performing schools.
• Demonstrate knowledge of research-based interventions and effective practices that improve outcomes for children with disabilities, including students who attend high poverty low performing schools.
• Demonstrate knowledge of applicable laws and policies related to children with disabilities and the ability to provide advocacy to improve their outcomes.
• Demonstrate the ability to teach prospective teachers research-based interventions and effective practices that improve outcomes for children with disabilities, including students who attend high poverty low performing schools.
• Demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate, propose, conduct, write up, and/or disseminate research on interventions, practices, and policies intended to improve outcomes of children with disabilities, including students who attend high poverty low performing schools.

The coursework and experiences included in this program directly address the goal of preparing professionals who can assume leadership positions in teacher education and research in special education. A series of seminars provide breadth of knowledge in special education across disability areas. Other courses provide in-depth study of teacher education issues as well as practicum experiences in which experienced faculty provide mentoring for students as they assume instructional roles in the university classroom and supervise the classroom teaching of credential candidates. Seminars or independent studies provide candidates with depth of knowledge in specialization areas such as learning disabilities, autism, or law and policy, among others. Faculty also provides mentoring that involves candidates in faculty-sponsored research or other projects.

Candidates complete statistics and research methodology courses at CSULA and UCLA. Coinciding with this coursework, they participate in research practicum experiences. Candidates take further courses at UCLA to acquire depth and breadth of knowledge in human development and psychology related to education, including courses on typical and atypical development. Courses in a cognate area outside of education are taken at either campus and complete the candidates’ multidisciplinary training at the doctoral level. In total, students must complete a minimum of 19 courses at CSULA and UCLA. Candidates are evaluated on the basis of their class performance, professional commitment, participation in research and teaching practicums, a second-year research project, a comprehensive written examination, and a doctoral dissertation.

1. Apply by December 1, 2025
2. Receive admissions decision.
3. Accept/decline admission.
4. Provide necessary documentation to confirm admission.

View our step-by-step application guide.

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