Ph.D. in Education – Exceptional Education Executive Leadership

On completing the Ph.D. in Education – Exceptional Education Executive Leadership degree, you will be able to:

• Understand laws, policies and regulations specific to exceptional education.
• Apply key principles in supervision, strategic planning and program evaluation.
• Use theory and practice to determine program strength and specific areas in need of improvement.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

• University Faculty
• Exceptional Education Administrator
• Exceptional Education Consultant

• Adult Education
• Advanced Educational Leadership
• Character Education
• Christian Education Leadership
• Curriculum & Instruction
• Educational Psychology
• Educational Technology & Online Learning
• Exceptional Education Executive Leadership
• Higher Education
• Higher Education Leadership & Management
• K-12 School Leadership
• Special Education

2020-2021 Semester Check-In Deadlines:

All new students are expected to check-in for the semester 2 weeks prior to the session start date. Students should apply, be accepted, enroll in their first courses, and confirm a plan to pay for their courses prior to this date.

Application Process – Doctoral Programs (Ph.D.)

Step 1: Application
Submit your application using our Regent University Online Application.

Note: If you are unable to complete our application due to a disability, please contact our Admissions Office and an admissions representative will provide reasonable accommodations to assist you in completing the application.

Step 2: Application Fee
Pay the $50 nonrefundable application fee by check or money order mailed to Regent University, Enrollment Support Services, 1000 Regent University Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23464.

Fee Waiver: Attend a graduate School of Education on-campus or online information session to learn how to streamline your application process, discover financial aid resources and waive your $50 application fee.

Step 3: Graduate Program Academic Paper
Please submit a scholarly or published writing sample that demonstrates your research, writing, analytical and problem-solving skills. This writing sample may include either a copy of your master’s thesis (or a portion of it, plus biography), or a formal paper or report. Research skills mean both the skill to utilize a writing style manual (e.g., APA) and the skill of integrating published research into an academic paper or report. Email to apply@regent.edu using the subject line: SOE Doctoral Application Pieces or fax to 757.352.4725.

Step 4: Submit your Unofficial College Transcripts
We are able to examine and view your unofficial transcripts from U.S.-based schools, which indicate successful completion of bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, in order to review you for an admissions decision. Please submit your unofficial transcript to our Admissions Office by email to apply@regent.edu using the subject line: SOE Doctoral Application Pieces.

Non-U.S. transcripts must be evaluated by an NACES-approved company. For further details, please review the International Admissions Checklist on the International Students Admissions page.

International Applicants: Please visit the International Students Admissions page for a more detailed explanation of the Regent University application information and to determine whether or not you qualify as an international student.

*Upon conditional acceptance to the program by review of unofficial transcripts, Regent University’s Admissions Office will attempt to obtain your official transcripts from your U.S. degree-granting institutions, which indicate successful completion of bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. We will notify you if your previous institutions will not release transcripts directly to us.

Step 5: Complete Your Admissions Questionnaire
Please complete a brief admissions questionnaire based on your professional goals and interests. This should only take a few minutes to complete, but please answer the questions completely and thoughtfully. This gives us a better opportunity to get to know you and align your objectives with our programs. The admissions questionnaire can be found here. Once completed, it will be sent directly to an admissions counselor who will be in touch with you right away to help complete the rest of your application.

Step 6: Government-Issued ID
To ensure academic integrity, Regent University requires a copy of a government-issued ID. Please email a scanned copy or photograph of it to apply@regent.edu with the subject line: Government ID.

Step 7: Admissions Interview
If an interview is necessary, the admissions office will contact you to schedule an appointment. The interview can be conducted on campus or over the phone and typically takes about an hour.

Note: All items submitted as part of the application process become the property of Regent University and cannot be returned.

• 2019-20 Tuition Rates
• 2020-21 Tuition Rates

*Rates are subject to change at any time.

Estimated Cost of Attendance: View the estimated cost of attendance to see an example of the total cost of tuition and fees.

Ph.D. Requirements

A Ph.D. student will (a) complete 21 hours associated with the Ed.D. core curriculum, (b) complete 24-26 hours associated with an Ed.D. concentration, (c) complete an additional 9 hours of research related credit, and (d) complete 15 hours of dissertation research credit—the total program is 75-77 hours. The candidacy examination will be administered during the final semester of coursework. A candidate for the Ph.D. degree must present an acceptable research-based dissertation. The dissertation demonstrates that the candidate has technical competence in the field and has done research of an independent character. It must add to or modify what was previously known in the candidate’s field of interest, or present a significant interpretation of the subject based upon original investigation and research.

Research Related Credit:

Ph.D. students are required to take the following courses:

EDCO 801 Strategic Planning & Program Evaluation (3 credits)

EDCO 802 Analysis of Variance (1 credit)

EDCO 803 Regression & Correlation (1 credit)

EDCO 804 Structure & Reliability Analysis (1 credit)

EHEA 805 Advanced Research Design and Analysis (3 credits)

Faculty

Dr. Hunter is the concentration chair for Exceptional Educational Executive Leadership and is committed to your success.

Dr. Elizabeth Hunter earned her B.A. in Fine Art from Old Dominion University and her M.Ed. in Special Education concentrating in MR, LD and ED at Regent University. In 2005, Hunter became a Doctor of Education in Special Education & Communications. Her doctoral studies culminated into a final dissertation that incorporated an ethnographic documentary film about the expressed opinions of young adults with Down Syndrome about their classroom placement.

Hunter is an assistant professor in the School of Education M.Ed. K-12 Special Education and Reading Specialist programs and the Ed. S. Educational Leadership with Special Education emphasis program. She has built years of experience in the field of Special Education, as well as Communication Technology especially in television and video education production. Hunter has been involved in numerous publications and presentations in her areas of expertise and holds honors and awards for her contributions to both fields.

Using her talents as a painter, photographer and production designer, Hunter has successfully worked in film and television production since 1979. She has won several awards for her contribution to television and film, one in particular an after-school special that earned her the honor and privilege to judge for the Annual Daytime and Primetime Emmy Awards. She has been a voting member of The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences since 1987.

Hunter currently holds appointments and positions of leadership in both fields in her church and community. She serves as the president of the Virginia Federation of Council for Exceptional Children and represents the VA CEC at the International Council for Exceptional Children Representative Assembly and Leadership sessions.

She consults with ETS in assessment development of the Special Education and the Intellectual Disabilities PRAXIS II exams. Additionally, Hunter consults privately with schools, churches and parents in the areas of exceptional disabilities especially Developmental Delay, Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disabilities.

Hunter has expertise in instructional technology and media and enhances her on-line and face-to-face courses and publications with visual media technology. She presents her course curriculum using her skills to turn words into pictures and uses video streaming as an educational tool. She has also been instrumental in turning the hybrid courses into an online format providing content to students nationally and internationally.

Hunter pursues ethnographic research to produce educational and documentary film with content based on grounded research that is appropriate for use in higher education. She writes and produces educational articles and books utilizing instructional videos and documentary film that educate and entertain. She has embarked on the production of a documentary series and book called Waking Up with Jack, an autobiographical story that touches on how a family deals with Down Syndrome and all the things that go along with it. It is an ongoing examination of special needs students.

• B.S. in Teacher Education/Interdisciplinary Studies – Pre-K-3
• B.S. in Teacher Education/Interdisciplinary Studies – Pre-K-6
• Career Switcher Program for Accelerated Teaching License with M.Ed. Option
• Ed.D. – Exceptional Education Executive Leadership
• Ed.S. in Educational Leadership – Advanced Educational Leadership
• Ed.S. in Educational Leadership – Exceptional Education Executive Leadership
• M.Ed. in Educational Leadership