Short Changed: Experiences of Culturally Diverse Special Educational Doctoral Program Graduates

The field of special education (SPED) has been suffering a shortage of professionals at every level for several years. This shortage is especially pronounced at higher education faculty level and for individuals who are considered culturally diverse (CD). To increase the number of CD SPED faculty, it is important to understand the positive and negative experiences of individuals who have succeeded in graduating with doctoral degrees in SPED. Utilizing the Social Capital Theory, the current study investigates the factors that influence successes and barriers in SPED doctoral programs for culturally diverse scholars. A multiple phase data collection process was used (i.e., survey, N = 16; focus groups, N = 9) respectively. Results indicated that most students identified a lack of social capital based on cultural differences within their programs. Additionally, social capital by way of financial support was identified as a strong positive in program persistence to graduation. Broader implications discussed.