Preparing Doctoral Students in Special Education: What Do We Really Know?

Abstract

This exploratory review was conducted to examine recent literature regarding the preparation of doctoral students in special education. Specifically, articles included in this search focused on doctoral preparation in special education between 2005 and 2020. A total of 15 articles were identified and coded for type of study design and themes were developed using qualitative research methods. Results of the qualitative analysis suggest three overarching themes related to special education doctoral preparation. Implications for developing and revising doctoral programs are discussed.