ucla special education phd

A doctoral program in Special Education, offered jointly by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA), combines the unique resources of the two institutions.

The program is designed to prepare graduates for teacher education in special education or other leadership positions in the field. This program offers a focus on disability issues in special education, emphasizing teacher education, theory and pedagogy, and research. Graduates are prepared to assume university faculty positions in which they will conduct teacher education, research, and other scholarly pursuits related to special education and disabilities. This program offers a Ph.D. in special education, thus students are required to obtain both breadth and depth of knowledge in special education and may specialize in specific areas that include but are not limited to: early childhood education, learning disabilities, emotional disturbance, intellectual disability, severe disabilities, physical and health impairments, visual impairments, cultural and linguistic diversity, and transition to adulthood.

The degree requires major work in special education, and breadth work in related areas as well as work in a cognate field outside of education. Advanced courses and research seminars supply technical background in the specialization in which students plan to do their dissertation. Practicum, field work, and/or internship assignments are planned on an individual basis.

Admission to the Program

To be considered for admission, applicants must meet the following requirements:

Completion of a Master’s degree in Special Education or a related field.

• An undergraduate grade point average of 2.75 and a minimum graduate grade point average of 3.4.
• The potential to perform research as demonstrated in evidence submitted to the special education joint doctoral program committee.
• At least three years’ successful professional experience, such as teaching, with individuals with disabilities (if an exception is made at the time of admission, the requirement must be completed prior to advancement to candidacy).
• Three letters of recommendation, preferably two of which should be written by faculty from whom the student has taken graduate work.
• Applicants may be asked to participate in an oral interview as part of the screening process.

Applicants will be considered for admission by a screening committee consisting of special education faculty from both Cal State LA and UCLA. Students are initially admitted to the Cal State LA campus with conditional acceptance by UCLA. Upon recommendation of the Cal State LA special education joint doctoral program committee, students may make formal application to UCLA and be approved for admission to that campus to complete the program of study.

Planning the Program

Upon admission to the program, students meet with an assigned Cal State LA advisor to plan their program of studies at the Cal State LA campus. At the time of transfer to the UCLA campus, a UCLA advisor is assigned to complete the program plan with UCLA course work. Course work is taken at both campuses. Course requirements include the following areas: depth and breadth in core content, research methods, research practicum, and cognate, or outside field of study. Specific courses in each of the required areas are determined by the candidate and the faculty advisors within approved program guidelines. Students’ individual programs are based on the students’ backgrounds and are designed to assure their competencies in the above areas.

The program is planned to provide a comprehensive understanding of the entire field of special education as well as an emphasis area. The program is designed to develop competence in statistics and research; provide an understanding of research relating to individuals with disabilities, strengthen background through study in a cognate area; and provide electives to complete a balanced program of study. The program requires a minimum number of course and practicum experiences to ensure the candidate’s competencies in the above areas.

Full-Time Study Requirements

The first year of the program is primarily at Cal State LA . In the second year and beyond, students primarily take classes at UCLA. All doctoral candidates are required to be full-time students and available during the day for a minimum of one year on the UCLA campus. However, candidates are encouraged to be full-time students throughout their entire doctoral program. The exact distribution of time on each campus will depend upon the individual program.

Program Requirements

The program consists of the following requirements:

• 3 core courses: at Cal State LA;
• 1 higher education teaching practicum: at Cal State LA;
• 5 statistics and research methods courses: across both campuses;
• 5 elective courses: across campuses, 2 at one campus and 3 at the other;
• 3 research practicum courses: 
• 3 cognate courses (outside education): colloquium series at UCLA;
• 1 research apprentice course with UCLA faculty advisor.

See HERE for the curriculum

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations

Doctoral Screening Examination

The doctoral screening exam consists of a successfully written second year empirical research project proposal and oral defense of that proposal. The exam assesses a student’s ability to clearly present research, justify its significance, and explain the methods. Upon approval of the oral defense of the proposal by a three-member faculty committee, a student then conducts the research project. Students who fail the oral defense will be required to revise their proposal under the supervision of their faculty advisor and screening project committee. Once these revisions are approved students may begin their research project.

Doctoral Written Qualifying Examination

When the candidate has completed (or enrolled in the last of) the course work recommended by the student’s advisors, application is made for the written qualifying examination. The examination consists of one high-quality integrative review paper on a topic chosen by the student with the advice of the faculty. The examination is scored by faculty at both campuses and follows the guidelines set forth by the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. Students who fail this examination will be given a second opportunity to take the examination and can petition for a third opportunity.

Doctoral Oral Qualifying Examination (Preliminary Orals)

After the candidate has completed the written qualifying examination successfully, the candidate will select a dissertation chair who will assist in the selection of the dissertation committee members. This committee will be composed of at least five faculty members, two faculty members from the UCLA Department of Education, two from the Cal State LA Division of Special Education and Counseling, and one UCLA member from the student’s cognate area outside Education. Additional committee members may be appointed at the student’s or advisor’s request. This committee will conduct an oral examination, covering topics from special education and other disciplines related to the candidate’s research proposal, to determine the candidate’s qualifications to conduct meaningful research in the field. This oral examination is open only to the committee and the student.

Advancement to Candidacy

Candidates who have passed both written qualifying and preliminary oral examinations file an application for advancement to candidacy to UCLA and submit the UCLA application to Cal State LA. Thereafter, enrollment is required each semester in such course or courses as the student’s committee chair may direct, until the dissertation is completed.

Doctoral Dissertation

The dissertation, required of every candidate for the Ph.D. degree, embodies the results of the candidate’s independent investigation. It must contribute to the body of knowledge in the field and draw upon interrelations between education and the cognate discipline. The dissertation must be approved by the candidate’s assigned doctoral committee and, after approval, the dissertation must be submitted to both Cal State LA and UCLA.

Final Oral Examination

Candidates must pass a final oral examination conducted by the assigned joint doctoral committee stressing the interrelation of the dissertation and existing knowledge in education. The major emphasis of this examination is on defense of the dissertation. The final oral examination is open to faculty, students, and other interested researchers at the discretion of the dissertation chairperson and the student.

A faculty member on each campus is designated as a doctoral advisor for all students intending to apply for admission to the Joint Doctoral Program. As soon as the decision is made to seek admission, applicants should consult with the joint doctoral program coordinator at the Cal State LA campus regarding application deadlines and formal procedures required for consideration for admission to the program.

The addresses and telephone numbers for the doctoral advisors are as follows:

California State University, Los Angeles Division of Special Education and Counseling King Hall C1064 5151 State University Drive Los Angeles, California 90032-8144

(323) 343-4400     [email protected]

University of California, Los Angeles Graduate School of Education and Information Studies Human Development and Psychology1009 Moore Hall Los Angeles, California 90095-1521

(310) 206-3264   [email protected]

Coursework Requirements for the Program (18 courses)

6 to 9 courses are to be completed at Cal State L.A

Courses that are to be taken at UCLA, please visit the UCLA Catalog  and the UCLA’s program webpage  for requirements. 

Core Courses (3 courses)

All core courses are offered at Cal State L.A.:

• EDSP 6000 - Seminar: Understanding and Using Research to Answer Questions about Diverse Urban Schools [3]
• EDSP 6040 - Disability, Race, Language, and Gender: Educational Equity, School Policy, and the Law [3]
• EDSP 6100 - Research, Issues, and Practices in College and University Teaching [3]

Teaching Practicum (1 course)

Take this higher education teaching practicum at Cal State L.A.:

• EDSP 6110 - Seminar/Practicum:Teacher Preparation [3]

Statistics and Research Methods (5 courses)

The list below are courses offered by Cal State L.A. UCLA also offers additional courses that fulfill this requirement*. Select 5 quantitative and qualitative methods courses across either campuses with Cal State LA and UCLA advisors.

* Visit UCLA Catalog  for current course requirements.

• COUN 6010 - Research Methods in Single Subject Design [3]
• EDFN 6411 - Using Qualitative Research to Explore Teaching and Learning for Diverse Urban Settings [4]

Electives (5 courses)

The list below are courses offered by Cal State L.A. UCLA also offers additional courses that fulfill this requirement*. Complete 5 courses at both campuses, up to 3 courses at one. Courses to be selected with Cal State LA and UCLA advisors.

• EDSP 6050 - Disability in Society [3]
• EDSP 6400 - Research on Exceptional Students from Diverse Cultural and Linguistic Backgrounds [3]
• EDSP 6600 - Seminar: Research on Learning Disabilities and Behavior Disorders [3]
• EDSP 6800 - Doctoral Seminar: Moderate to Severe and Low-Incidence Disabilities Ages Birth-21 [3]
• EDSP 6980 - Doctoral Directed Study in Special Education [1-5]

and many courses that fulfill this requirement offered by UCLA

Cognate / Outside Education (3 courses)

Taken at UCLA:

• Colloquium Series

Research Apprentice Course (1 course)

• Complete with UCLA faculty advisor at UCLA.

Redefining normal, reshaping our world

The Labs connect UCLA students, faculty, and staff with community networks to examine themes demanding our attention, advocacy, and re-invention.

The universal nature of disability means everyone at some point will experience physical, cognitive, or emotional ability differences – short- or long-term, subtle or severe, visible or invisible – offering limitless opportunities to understand what it is to be human. The Disability Studies Inclusion Labs work to advance society toward a future that ensures access and equity for all.

OUR COMMITMENT

The Disability Studies Inclusion Labs recognize that ableism intersects with multiple forms of oppression to shape how bodies are visible and which bodies are valued within society.  The Labs are committed to examining the mechanisms, systems, and cultural norms that lead to the erasure of multiply marginalized people in the disability narrative.

OUR MAIN GOALS

To engage lab participants in disability culture and explore barriers based on ability.

UCLA offers forums for faculty, students, campus leaders, and community partners to explore disability inclusion questions of our day. True to UCLA’s mission—education—and through the time-honored process of dialogue, each inclusion lab becomes an incubator for new ideas.

To develop strategic networks and action plans for social change

Ableism is the systematic exclusion of individuals based on ability identity. The Labs center the perspectives and contributions of disabled participants, both scholars and community members, to develop agendas for change that can reshape our world.

To bend societal practices toward universal inclusion

Change is the ultimate goal of UCLA’s Inclusion Labs. Change occurs in the individuals who participate and through the momentum they build together. UCLA is a catalyst for next steps and promotes accountability through periodic updates and events.

OUR LEADERSHIP

The Inclusion Labs are housed under the UCLA Dean of Undergraduate Education and guided by the Faculty Advisory Committee for the Disability Studies minor. The Labs are facilitated by an implementation team through Undergraduate Education Initiatives (UEI) with guidance from Community Consultants and Collaborators.

IMPLEMENTATION TEAM

Victoria Marks

Professor, Chair of Disability Studies Minor, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, UCLA

Lucy Blackmar

Assistant Vice Provost (retired), Undergraduate Education Initiatives, UCLA

Leigh Harris

Assistant Dean, Undergraduate Education Initiatives

Fred Ariel Hernandez

Sports and Society Lab Lead Scientist, Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Anthropology, University of California, Irvine

Academic Coordinator, Undergraduate Education Initiatives

Caitlin Solone

Academic Administrator for Disability Studies, Undergraduate Education Initiatives, UCLA

Charlotte Vo

Manager, Undergraduate Education Initiatives

Brooke Wilkinson

Director of Academic Initiatives, Undergraduate Education Initiatives

Guggenheim fellow and Alpert Award-winning choreographer, filmmaker, scholar, and activist Victoria Marks joined the UCLA Department of World Arts and Cultures / Dance in 1995 and, since 2017, she has served as the Associate Dean, Academic Affairs for the School of the Arts and Architecture. Marks serves as the chair of UCLA’s Disability Studies minor. She creates dances for the stage, film, and in community settings. Her choreography has long considered the politics of citizenship, as well as the representation of both virtuosity and disability. These themes are part of her ongoing commitment to locating dance-making within the sphere of political meaning. A sunlit, outdoor headshot of a smiling white woman with short greying hair in front of green foliage.

Lucy Blackmar retired from UCLA in June 2020 following a 36-year career dedicated to improving the quality of undergraduate education. As Assistant Vice Provost, she headed the Undergraduate Education Initiatives (UEI) unit that collaborates with faculty and departments to design, implement, and promote innovative educational programs. Signature initiatives under her tenure included the UCLA Freshmen Clusters, FiatLux Seminars, and interdisciplinary minors in Disability Studies and Food Studies. With her educational background in urban planning and her university experience with academic planning, she is currently on recall to develop the community network supporting Disability Studies at UCLA.

Leigh Harris is the Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education Initiatives in the Division of Undergraduate Education. Leigh has expertise in building interdisciplinary academic programs, inclusive pedagogy and educational assessment. With her colleagues in Undergraduate Education Initiatives, she facilitates partnerships with faculty and departments across campus to build innovative programs for undergraduates, including Disability Studies and Food Studies. She also provides administrative leadership for shared-governance committees in the College at UCLA. Leigh is the former Director of Writing and ESL Programs here at UCLA and her teaching has been recognized on campus with a Distinguished Teaching award.  Leigh received her Ph.D. in English from Yale University and has three years of international experience working as an Assistant Dean for educational enrichment at the American College in Athens, Greece.

Pia Palomo (She/They), a member of the Undergraduate Education Initiatives (UEI) team, collaborates with faculty to design, implement, and sustain innovative undergraduate programs such as the Fiat Lux Seminar Program, the Disability Studies Interdepartmental Degree Program, and the free-standing interdisciplinary minors in Food Studies and Social Thought. She works as a thought partner with UCLA Disability Studies faculty to develop and launch all DS Labs. Since the 2019 Dancing Disability Lab, she has supported Vic Marks and worked as a liaison with university colleagues and resources to assist with planning and executing administrative aspects of the DEPE,   Dancing Disability Labs, and the Sports and Society Lab.

Caitlin Solone is the Academic Administrator for the Disability Studies program at UCLA where she teaches courses, develops curriculum, and engages in collaborative research. In addition, Dr. Solone works with UCLA faculty, students, and campus partners to develop and deliver Disability Studies courses and Disability Studies Inclusion Labs. Solone has taught in the Disability Studies program since 2017. She earned her PhD from UCLA and Cal State LA’s Joint Doctoral Program in Special Education. Prior to coming to UCLA, Dr. Solone was a special education teacher for eight years at an inclusive public school in Los Angeles.

Charlotte Vo (she/her) provides administrative assistance to the Disability Studies Inclusion Labs website and to various labs, as well as the Disability Studies major and minor.

Brooke Wilkinson is Director of Academic Initiatives within the Undergraduate Education Initiatives (UEI) unit of UCLA’ Division of Undergraduate Education. In this leadership role, she provides strategic guidance and manages academic operations to develop and implement interdisciplinary academic programs for undergraduates across the university. She also provides analytical and logistical support to key faculty committees responsible for guiding elements of the undergraduate curriculum, including. the General Education Governance Committee, Writing II Implementation Committee, and the faculty advisory committees overseeing the interdisciplinary minors housed in the Division of Undergraduate Education of which Disability Studies is one.

Community Consultants and Collaborators

David Alpaugh

Urban Designer and Community Planner, Johnson Fain

Rosemarie Garland-Thomson

Professor Emerita of English, Emory University

Julia Karpicz

PhD Candidate in Higher Education & Organization Change, UCLA

Jessica Kianmahd

Genetic Counselor of Pediatrics, UCLA

PhD student in Special Education at University of Wisconsin-Madison

Executive Director, Repair

David Alpaugh is a principal in the Los Angeles studio of Johnson Fain, managing urban design and planning projects for public and private clients throughout the United States, Asia, and the Middle East. He has a particular interest in community participation in the planning and design process, with work on a range of project types from educational and medical facilities to large-scale mixed-use and transit-oriented master plans. His commitment to disability rights advocacy spans over 25 years, inspired by his late daughter’s experience in disability studies and disability rights while a student at UC Berkeley.

Rosemarie Garland-Thomson is a disability justice and culture thought leader, bioethicist, educator, and humanities scholar. Her work in bioethics, critical disability studies, and health humanities brings disability culture, ethics, and justice to a broad range of institutions and communities. She is co-editor of About Us: Essays from the New York Times about Disability by People with Disabilities and the author of Staring: How We Look as well as several other books. She is a Hastings Center Fellow and Senior Advisor and professor emerita of English and bioethics at Emory University.

Julia Rose Karpicz is currently a doctoral candidate in UCLA’s Higher Education and Organizational Change program. Her scholarship uses critical disability theory to examine access labor in university settings, centering the perspectives and experiences of disabled Students of Color. Julia served as the Coordinator for the 2019-20 UCLA Disability Studies Community Internship course, offered through the Center for Community Learning. Prior to joining UCLA, Julia worked in postsecondary disability services on the East Coast, focusing on access within study abroad and graduate education. She has consulted on web accessibility and accessible content creation at a range of non-profit organizations.

Jessica Kianmahd is a certified and licensed genetic counselor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Genetics. She provides genetic counseling in general pediatric and adult medical genetics clinics, craniofacial and chromatinopathies specialty clinics, and the inpatient service. She recently joined the MS in Genetic Counseling program at UCLA as a clinical instructor. An alumna of UCLA’s Disability Studies minor program, she enjoys teaching, mentoring, and providing clinical supervision to genetic counseling student interns. She currently serves on the advisory board for Camp Kesem at UCLA and the Board of Directors of Friendship Circle of Los Angeles.

Miso Kwak (she/her) (UCLA ’17) is pursuing a PhD in Special Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Building on her lived experience as a blind Korean-American, her scholarship and activism seek to center the perspectives of disabled people, particularly those who experience additional forms of oppression. Her professional experiences prior to starting her doctoral studies include working as a policy analyst at the Human Services Research Institute and teaching in Turkey as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant.

Beth Ribet is the co-founder and director of Repair, a health and disability justice organization that addresses the disabling consequences of exploitation, inequity, and violence through community programming, training, and policy work. Her doctorate in Social Relations and her law degree with a concentration in Critical Race Studies position her well to address the role of subordination, violence, and inequity in creating new disabilities, injuries, and illnesses among vulnerable populations. In addition to her research, teaching, and non-profit sector work, she also speaks publicly as a survivor of violence, and a person with disabilities.

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Welcome to the Center for Accessible Education

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CAE's Mission

The mission of the Center for Accessible Education (CAE) is to create an accessible, inclusive, and supportive learning environment. Through a collaborative effort with faculty, staff, and students, the CAE facilitates academic accommodations, disability advocacy, and serves as an educational resource for the campus community.

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The Center for Accessible Education serves thousands of our undergraduate, graduate, and professional students enrolled at UCLA. Students seeking reasonable accommodations or support services from The Center for Accessible Education are required to register with the office as early as possible so that you can work closely with a Disability Specialist and tap into the knowledge and support available to navigate your UCLA experience. The Center for Accessible Education will work closely with you to identify reasonable accommodations for your program.

Our Purpose

Students with disabilities that arrive at UCLA do so with the skills, inner resources, and ambition needed to be a great success. However, for some students with disabilities, negotiating university life and academic environments can be more challenging without the benefit of support. The Center for Accessible Education serves as a central resource on disability-related information for students, procedures, and services for the University student community. The Center for Accessible Education provides expertise in determining and implementing appropriate and reasonable accommodations for academics and housing. UCLA students with disabilities are fundamental to the diverse pillars of the University, and we work to support you in accessing the educational experience at UCLA.

Apply to CAE!

Ready to get started registering for accommodations and support from CAE? Start here! To fill out an application and begin the accommodation process, just select the application below that corresponds with your needs. Have questions about what you should do next? Just reach out to [email protected] .

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As a reminder, CAE often sets deadlines for important accommodation tasks! For the Spring 2024 quarter/semester, please observe the following important dates:

• 7 Days Prior to an Exam : Deadline to Schedule an Exam
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Our Drop-In schedules may change from week to week. We highly encourage anyone to consult our events calendar to confirm the date and time a drop-in is being offered. 

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Disability Specialists will be available to answer quick questions about accommodations, registration with the CAE, accessibility of courses, and any non-confidential questions you would like addressed. You can meet with any of the Disability Specialists, but if are looking to meet with your assigned Disability Specialist, please attend on their specific day or email them directly. To join these sessions, you can click the button below or use the Zoom Meeting ID  966 7564 1305. 

Sessions are offered on the following schedule:

• Mondays at 10am:  Michelle Nagler
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Please reach out to [email protected] with any questions or concerns.

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All David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA (DGSOM) students are encouraged to join DGSOM Director of Disability Services, Grace Clifford, during virtual drop-in hours! She will be available to answer quick questions about accommodations, registration with the CAE, accessibility of courses, and any non-confidential questions you would like addressed. To join these sessions, you can click this button below.  Only DGSOM students should attend this drop-in offering. 

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• PhD in Social Welfare

About Our Doctoral Program

Chair Todd Franke, PhD 

Our doctoral program in social welfare at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs is among the finest in the nation. Each year, we select a small group of scholars from diverse disciplines to join us for a rigorous, tailored study program that includes personalized instruction and applied research experience. Expert mentors guide our doctoral students during their time in the program, and our graduates go on to secure academic positions at top-tier research universities across the world.

Our department has an active plan to address racism and anti-Blackness which can be viewed here . We invite PhD students who are interested in anti-racism work to join us as we continually seek to reflect on and improve our educational and scholarly practices in social work.

Students take advantage of the rich learning resources in the Social Welfare Department and other departments within the Luskin School during their time at UCLA. A distinct advantage of our program is its connection to the larger UCLA campus. Each year, students can take courses in allied disciplines, including medicine, nursing, public health, psychology, and sociology. The purpose of this interdisciplinary approach is to enable our students to develop substantive and methodological knowledge consonant with cutting-edge scholarship in their area of specialization.

Throughout the program, we offer professional development seminars and workshops on a variety of topics. In recognition of the considerable knowledge and skills required of those contemplating academic careers, our students are encouraged to publish in scholarly journals, present at national conferences, and submit extramural proposals to support their independent research. Through these efforts, our students enter the job market with competitive records of scholarly productivity. Students are invited to join our job seekers program in their final year, which provides personalized mentorship to success in the academic job market.

Financial aid packages include full tuition plus stipends in the first four years in the form of fellowship support and paid teaching assistantships. Full-time students will be expected to enroll in twelve units of study each quarter. It is possible to complete the program in four years, although some take a year longer. We also offer a small combined MSW/Ph.D.** program in which prospective students without a master’s degree in social welfare can apply for acceptance into a program of study that leads to both the MSW and the Ph.D. degrees.

The pandemic exerted tremendous pressure on American society, including higher education. It forced a host of changes to how we live, teach and conduct research. Some of our adaptations have accelerated already existing trends, like online teaching and the increase in remote mentoring and advising. Much of the most lasting impact may turn out to be invisible. While it’s likely that the coming-of-age generation will bear long-term consequences, it’s less clear what those might be relative to the Academy. Today’s young scholars may think of health and job flexibility differently from earlier generations, as more common good than something intrinsically personal. Our department is prepared to help our students consider all their options

The due date for application materials is December 15th. For more information, please contact me by email at [email protected]  or by phone at (310) 206-6102. We look forward to receiving your application and welcome your questions of inquiry.

The program has several significant features. Research training, both formal and experiential, is at the core of the program. Flexibility is provided to help students attain in-depth competence in a substantive area of social welfare. Students progress from a common foundation in scholarship and research methods toward a high degree of individualized specialization. This common foundation emphasizes the acquisition of analytic tools needed to understand, appraise and advance knowledge in social welfare. With these analytical tools, the students select a specific area of specialization and develop expertise in that area. Considerable emphasis is placed on the individualized instructional relationship between students and faculty mentors. The learning process involves more than classroom instruction. Students are expected to work closely with faculty in their roles as scholars and researchers. The program is interdisciplinary and students are encouraged to use the rich learning resources of the entire University.

Full-time students usually will be expected to enroll in twelve units of study each quarter. There are approximately two years of coursework prior to the dissertation. Although diversity of backgrounds makes it difficult to predict, students are expected to complete the program in about four years.

Financial Aid

The Doctoral Program of the Department of Social Welfare provides various sources of financial aid, including fellowships, tuition waivers, research and teaching assistantships, and training grants. The basic financial aid package for all new students accepted into the program consists of tuition coverage and at least two years of stipend support.  Additional funding is possible after year two through research and teaching assistantships, private fellowships, competitive campus grants, among other sources. Our students are typically funded for at least the first four years of study.

Eugene V.   Cota-Robles Fellowship   provides 4 years of support for entering doctoral students from cultural, racial, linguistic, geographic and socioeconomic backgrounds that are currently underrepresented in graduate education and who are interested in a career in college or university research and teaching.  Applicants must submit a Diversity Statement by December 15.  Instructions are available at Eugene V. Cota-Robles Fellowship | UCLA Graduate Programs.

UCLA Graduate Student Financial Support Travel Grants

• Graduate Research Mentorship Programs
• Graduate Summer Mentorship Programs
• Dissertation-Year Fellowships

Other tuition and stipend award packages are available from the following sources: 

• Luskin Graduate Fellowship Fund
• Olive M. Stone Scholarship Endowment
• Leon and Toby Gold Endowed Fellowship in Care of the Elderly
• James and Judy Bergman Endowed Fellowship

Doctoral students who are interested in acquiring experience in teaching as preparation for an academic teaching role are provided with the opportunity to assist faculty members in the instruction of selected undergraduate and graduate courses. Interested students are encouraged to apply for teaching assistantships after completion of the second year in the program.

The UCLA Financial Aid Office administers grants-in-aid and loans to students. The Fellowship and Assistantship Office of Graduate Division administers University fellowships and is a source of information and application materials for fellowships offered by private foundations and agencies.

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Santa Barbara County Education Office

Special day class teacher – special education.

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Basic Function

To act as a Special Day Class Teacher for the Santa Barbara County Education Office, Special Education Program. Responsibilities include assessment, instruction and evaluation of Special Education students, and consultation with parents.

Representative Duties

• Plan, develop, write and implement individualized educational programs (IEPs) to meet pupil needs, with the active participation, coordination and/or consultation of parents and/or guardians, physicians, therapists, outside agencies and support staff.

• Instruct or direct the instruction of individuals with exceptional needs; work with students individually or in small groups on goals described in written instructional plans; and identify activities and materials needed to achieve these goals.

• Plan and implement a program of evaluation to determine academic, social and/or emotional growth; maintain up-to-date cumulative, specialized student records on individual pupil progress; adjust objectives as needed; and revise individualized education program as appropriate.

• Supervise, plan responsibilities, and evaluate performance of instructional assistants and assigned volunteers.

• Develop and maintain professional relationships with school and staff where program is located.

• Plan and implement program of maximum integration in school and community settings; interface with core curriculum when appropriate.

• Develop vocational and community training sites, and implement instruction in these sites as appropriate.

• Provide in-service training for staff and parents regarding instructional programs, as appropriate. Coordinate parent counseling, training and other services through direct communication with parents and other agencies (TCRC, Mental Health, etc.).

• May provide specialized health care services to medically fragile students as outlined in the student’s Individualized Education Plan and under the supervision of the school nurse.

• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Possession of a valid California Specialist Instruction Credential authorizing service in a Special Day Class. Experience and/or training appropriate to fulfill requirements of the position

Possession of a valid California Driver’s License if required by the duties of the assignment.

Grant stipends available for enrolling and completing higher education coursework.

Excellent Health & Welfare Benefits

Length of Work Year

$55,333 – $103,542/year + $800 MA stipend (based on full-time equivalency)

All Vacancies: https://www.edjoin.org/sbceo

Appointment of Abel Valenzuela Jr. as Dean of UCLA’s Division of Social Sciences

Dear Colleagues:

I write to share that following a comprehensive search process, Abel Valenzuela Jr. has been appointed dean of the UCLA College Division of Social Sciences.

Serving as interim dean of the division since Sept. 1, 2022, Dean Valenzuela has provided steadfast leadership and oversight of the division. Among his accomplishments in his interim capacity, he has moved the division forward with key ladder-rank faculty hires and retention, supporting divisional and campuswide priorities around equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives; and he has appointed new chairs and research center directors that will support the division. Dean Valenzuela has also secured multiple gifts for the division, raising more than $5 million and nurturing other potential gifts that will enhance the social sciences. He has worked closely with the Social Sciences Advisory Board, adding several new members and partnering to shape divisional priorities, including securing the endowed Lifka Staff Excellence Award in the social sciences — the first such endowment at UCLA.

A member of our faculty for a remarkable 30 years, Dean Valenzuela holds appointments in the César E. Chávez Department for Chicana/o and Central American Studies as well as in Labor Studies in the UCLA College Division of Social Sciences. He also holds an appointment in the Department of Urban Planning at the Luskin School of Public Affairs. In addition to serving as interim dean, he has held several other academic leadership positions including chairing Chicana/o and Central American studies for two terms and directing the Center for the Study of Urban Poverty. Dean Valenzuela was also special advisor to the chancellor on immigration policy, contributing to student success among immigrant, undocumented and international students.

As director of UCLA’s Institute for Research on Labor and Employment (IRLE) for six years, he oversaw labor studies, the Labor Center, the Labor Occupational Safety and Health Program (LOSH) and the Human Resources Round Table, which are dedicated to advancing research, teaching and service on labor and employment issues in Los Angeles and beyond. During his leadership, IRLE successfully purchased and renamed the downtown labor center as the UCLA James Lawson Jr. Worker Justice Center. The Labor Center and LOSH generated millions in extramural research grants and contracts under Dean Valenzuela’s leadership, and the IRLE and labor studies launched a successful major for undergraduates — the first of its kind within the University of California.

A leading expert on immigrant and low-wage workers, Dean Valenzuela continues to contribute to national public and policy conversations and has published numerous articles and reports on immigrant settlement, labor market outcomes, urban poverty and inequality. His scholarship has shaped research on itinerant workers, worker centers and immigrant work. His studies have engaged local stakeholders and community-based organizations, and influenced policy and legislation on issues related to labor, social stratification, race, poverty and neighborhood change. Dean Valenzuela earned his B.A. from UC Berkeley and his master’s and Ph.D. in city planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

I wish to thank the search/advisory committee members for assembling an outstanding pool of candidates for this position and for their role in recruiting Dean Valenzuela. Miguel A. García-Garibay, senior dean of the College, dean of the Division of Physical Sciences and distinguished professor of chemistry and biochemistry, chaired the committee. Other members were:

• Andrew Atkeson – Stanley M. Zimmerman Professor of Economics and Finance
• Lorrie Frasure – director, Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies; Ralph J. Bunche Endowed Chair; professor of political science and African American studies
• Jamie M. Goodwin-White – associate professor of geography
• Tobias Higbie – professor of history and labor studies; director of the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment
• Kerri L. Johnson – professor of communication and of psychology; associate vice chancellor for faculty development
• Purnima Mankekar – professor of anthropology; Asian American studies; gender studies; and film, television and digital media
• Megan Sweeney – professor of sociology
• Chris Zepeda-Millán – associate professor of Chicana/o studies, sociology, political science and public policy

Looking ahead, Dean Valenzuela plans to continue prioritizing staff excellence in social sciences with development activities and investments; supporting faculty recruitment and retention efforts to secure, maintain and enhance UCLA’s core mission and excellence in research, teaching and service; and to advance graduate student support, including strengthening our connections and resources for international students.

Given his longstanding leadership and commitment to UCLA, Chancellor Block and I are confident that Abel will continue to help the Division of Social Sciences reach new heights. Please join us in congratulating Abel on his many achievements as he takes on the role of permanent dean.

Darnell Hunt Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost

Grad Development

Admissions Requirements for the Graduate Major in Education

After exploring options and choosing a specific program, follow the steps on our University’s graduate application process:

UCLA chancellor faces growing faculty criticism, no-confidence vote, after weeks of turmoil

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UCLA Chancellor Gene Block is facing faculty calls for his resignation and motions of no confidence and censure as criticism mounts against his leadership in the wake of a violent mob attack on pro-Palestinian protesters and a sweeping police takedown of their encampment that resulted in more than 200 arrests last week.

Representatives of the 3,800-member UCLA Academic Senate — made up of tenured and tenure-track faculty — are preparing to vote on separate motions for censure and no-confidence, both stating that Block “failed to ensure the safety of our students and grievously mishandled the events of last week.”

The vote was scheduled for Friday but has been postponed to next week.

The vote has no legal power to force action, but it marks a grave moment for Block. The leader of the nation’s top public research university is completing the final months of his 17-year tenure, after steering the Westwood campus through a financial crisis and global pandemic to reach new heights by expanding enrollment, diversity, philanthropy and research funding. Last year, Block announced he planned to step down on July 31 and return to faculty research.

Other university leaders also have been criticized for their handling of campus protests, sparked last October when Hamas militants launched a deadly surprise attack on Israel and Israel retaliated with a massive bombardment of Gaza. Earlier this week, USC’s Academic Senate voted to censure the university’s president, Carol Folt, and provost, Andrew Guzman, after the widely criticized decision to cancel the valedictorian’s commencement speech due to unspecified “threats” and controversy over an aggressive police takedown of a pro-Palestinian encampment .

USC’s faculty senate censures President Carol Folt and provost over commencement

The vote followed a nearly three-hour meeting Wednesday in which USC’s faculty members criticized the decisions of President Folt and provost Andrew Guzman.

May 9, 2024

UCLA declined to comment on the upcoming faculty vote.

Three weeks of turmoil at UCLA started April 25, when students set up an encampment in the campus’ grassy quad to express solidarity with Palestinians, condemn Israel’s actions in Gaza and demand that UCLA divest from firms that make and deliver weapons and services to Israel. The encampment was initially free of violence, with protesters engaged in teach-ins, art builds, yoga and other activities.

“Many of us have personally witnessed the vibrant, respectful and highly disciplined learning [at the encampment],” Chicano Studies department chair Charlene Villaseñor Black said. “And university administration have gotten it wrong every time.”

But UCLA Police Chief John Thomas said he advised campus leadership against allowing the encampment, as it violated rules against overnight camping. Inna Faliks, a professor of piano, said she and some other Jewish campus members felt targeted by protest chants, graffiti of expletives against Jews and blocked access to public walkways and buildings .

UCLA declared the encampment unlawful on April 30. Later that night, a violent mob attacked the encampment and students were left to fend for themselves against beatings, pepper spray and fireworks for three hours. Law enforcement in riot gear moved in during the early morning of May 1, but it took hours to quell the violence. Police later took down the encampment and arrested more than 200 people.

‘Shut it down!’ How group chats, rumors and fear sparked a night of violence at UCLA

As incendiary claims ricocheted across group chats and were amplified online, a crowd converged on UCLA and violence ignited when police left the scene.

May 10, 2024

Since then, a number of people have been blamed for the debacle.

Before the Academic Senate meeting Friday, more than 900 faculty and staff members throughout the University of California system issued a list of demands. They included a call for Block’s resignation; amnesty for students, staff and faculty who participated in the encampment and peaceful protests; university disclosure of all investments and divestment from military weapon production companies.

“Following the violent and aggressive police sweep of the Palestine Solidarity Encampment on May 2, 2024, resulting in more than 200 students, faculty, and staff arrested while peacefully protesting, it has become obvious that Chancellor Block has failed our university,” the demand letter said.

Faculty who signed the letter represented various departments including those of mathematics, American Indian Studies, Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, Asian American Studies, history, Chicana/o and Central American Studies, African American Studies, and anthropology.

They spoke out about their demands Thursday, joined by a group of volunteer medics — representing about 100 UCLA medical students, nurses, residents and emergency medical technicians — who raised concerns regarding police brutality and the absence of medical help from the university after the attack. They said more than 150 students were attacked with pepper spray and bear mace, and at least 25 students were hospitalized for head trauma, fractures and severe lacerations.

“UCLA Chancellor Gene Block’s and UC President Michael Drake’s statements minimize the severity of both the physical and psychological impact of their actions while attempting to justify the force they authorized against their students,” a medic said in a statement.

Police report no serious injuries. But scenes from inside UCLA camp, protesters tell a different story

Law enforcement fired ‘less-lethal’ rounds as the UCLA encampment was cleared, and protesters say they ‘connected with heads and hands.’

May 3, 2024

When police took down the encampment, medics said, more than a dozen students were evaluated for rubber bullet injuries and others showed contusions and musculoskeletal injuries.

“We strongly feel that Chancellor Block endangered the lives of our students, faculty and staff,” said Michael Chwe, a political science professor who helped organize the demand letter.

Judea Pearl, a computer science professor, said Drake was ultimately responsible for the campus security failures. He said Block should not be blamed for failing to bring in a stronger police presence because he was a “victim” of UC systemwide guidelines that direct campuses to rely first on communication with protesters and bring in law enforcement as a last resort.

“He was trying to protect the campus but had to follow the directive ... not to bring in police,” Pearl said.

Another source, who was not authorized to speak publicly, said Block was in an “impossible situation.”

“It’s impossible to square all of the circles of adhering to UC policy, shared governance with faculty and bitterly competing agendas still playing out nationwide,” the source said. “To his credit, he’s taking swift action on everything that’s in his control.”

Other critics have blamed Thomas, the police chief. Three sources not authorized to speak publicly told The Times that campus leadership, even before the mob attack, had wanted to beef up security and authorized Thomas to bring in external law enforcement to assist UCLA police and private security with as much overtime pay as needed. But he failed to do so, they said, and also did not provide a security plan to campus leadership despite multiple requests.

Others said that Administrative Vice Chancellor Michael Beck, who oversaw the police department and Office of Emergency Management at the time of the mob attack, should step aside. Previous lapses are now being scrutinized, including his responsibility for not stopping the LAPD from using the UCLA-leased Jackie Robinson Stadium as a staging area for action against Black Lives Matter protesters in 2020 — which Block, Beck and others called a mistake and a violation of university values. Beck’s duties also include management of Bruin Woods, the university’s Lake Arrowhead facility, where two counselors alleged they were hazed and sexually assaulted by other counselors in 2022.

Beck did not respond to requests for comment.

‘Are you a Zionist?’ Checkpoints at UCLA encampment provoked fear, debate among Jews

At UCLA, the legacy of the encampment remains an issue of much debate, particularly among Jewish students.

There is much debate on campus leading up to the Academic Senate vote.

Pearl said a censure and no-confidence vote would send the wrong message to Block’s successor to refrain from strong leadership and instead pander to campus political sentiments, which he said would represent a “caving in” to demands to cut business and academic ties with Israel. Chwe, however, said it would signify faculty’s strong views that the chancellor must be held responsible for student safety.

Drake has announced an external investigation into UCLA’s response, which Block says he welcomes as he conducts his own internal review. Drake has helped guide campus protest responses and was in the UCLA command center as law enforcement began taking down the encampment last week.

UCLA also has moved swiftly to improve security by creating a new chief safety officer position to oversee campus security operations, including the campus police department. Rick Braziel, a former Sacramento police chief who has reviewed law enforcement responses in high-profile cases across the country, is leading the new Office of Campus Safety as associate vice chancellor.

Some critics, however, said the move would further “militarize” the campus. UCLA deployed a larger law enforcement presence earlier this week, when campus police arrested 44 pro-Palestinian protesters gathered in a parking structure before a planned demonstration. Police said they carried equipment that could be “used to unlawfully enter and barricade a building.” Some students decried the arrests as harassment and intimidation. Classes were moved online for the rest of the week as a security precaution.

UCLA alleges protesters arrested Monday had tools to barricade buildings

The Los Angeles mayor has criticized the university for lacking a better security plan, which led to the attack by a violent mob of counterprotesters on an encampment of pro-Palestinian demonstrators.

May 8, 2024

Differing opinions among faculty over the university’s response to student protests have created small rifts within departments, according to multiple faculty members.

Chwe said they are working to combat misinformation being spread to faculty members surrounding recent events and continue to hold conversations with their colleagues.

“It’s not only about dialogue with the university but also with our colleagues,” he said.

Caroline Luce, a UCLA historian and member of University Council-American Federation of Teachers, which represents more than 3,000 non-senate faculty and several hundred professional librarians, called the atmosphere for UCLA faculty, particularly those not tenured like lecturers, “dicey with lots of risk.”

“There are reputations and interpersonal dynamics in departments that they have to navigate,” she said.

John Branstetter, a UCLA lecturer in political science, was one of about 10 faculty arrested after police took down the encampment. He said the university’s crackdown on free speech on campus has not only made him fear for his students’ safety but for his own.

“I do feel threatened by the general atmosphere that the administration is fostering through this continuing quasi-criminalization of free speech on campus, so I don’t know if they will try to get rid of me or the protections I have will be abided by,” he said.

More to Read

UC Berkeley to consider divestment from weapons as pro-Palestinian protesters remove encampment

May 14, 2024

A staggering two weeks at UCLA: Protest, violence, division mark ‘dark chapter’

May 7, 2024

UCLA faculty protest at Hammer Museum gala, decrying treatment of pro-Palestinian students

May 4, 2024

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Teresa Watanabe covers education for the Los Angeles Times. Since joining the Times in 1989, she has covered immigration, ethnic communities, religion, Pacific Rim business and served as Tokyo correspondent and bureau chief. She also covered Asia, national affairs and state government for the San Jose Mercury News and wrote editorials for the Los Angeles Herald Examiner. A Seattle native, she graduated from USC in journalism and in East Asian languages and culture.

Ashley Ahn is a 2023-24 reporting fellow at the Los Angeles Times. She has previously interned at CNN, USA Today, NPR and Foreign Policy Magazine. Ahn is from Georgia and a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.

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