Doctor
of Philosophy in Communication Science and Disorders
The doctoral program in Communication Science and Disorders is oriented toward the basic scientific questions in the discipline, with an emphasis on basic and applied research training. Our objectives for students at the doctoral level are four in number:
| 1. | To provide academic course work and scientific experience sufficient to ensure that students are well versed in the most current theories, models, and methods in each of the major areas of Communication Science and Disorders | |
| 2. | To facilitate students' interaction with members of the University of Pittsburgh community from related disciplines by providing students with knowledge of the theories and models relevant to interdisciplinary research | |
| 3. | To foster students' development of a personal philosophy of, as well as direct experience in, university teaching | |
| 4. | To imbue in students a desire to become leaders in the field |
The expectations of graduating doctoral students are that they are able to conduct a program of independent, creative, scholarly research and that they can plan and execute effective teaching at all levels of pedagogy.
Application
Process
Unless they have recently been students in the department's master's program, doctoral applicants must submit, at a minimum, the materials specified in the standard SHRS graduate application form. At present, these materials include transcripts from all colleges attended, three letters of recommendation (at least one from an academic referee), a statement of goals for doctoral study, and scores on the Graduate Record Examination (General Exam). Prospective students whose native language is not English must also submit scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Current master's students in the Department of Communication Science and Disorders need only submit a statement of purpose and goals, but are welcome to submit letters of reference or any other materials that represent them well.
Doctoral applications are reviewed by the full departmental faculty. Admission to the PhD program requires both that the applicant meets departmental academic standards, and that a faculty member agrees to serve as the major adviser for that applicant.
Requests for applications and additional program information
can be obtained from the Admissions Secretary, Department of Communication Science
and Disorders, 4033 Forbes Tower, Pittsburgh, PA 15260 (e-mail: samuels+@pitt.edu).
Graduate
Student Support
Financial assistance is often available from a variety of sources, including teaching assistantships, doctoral traineeships, targeted Clinical Fellowship Years, and graduate research assistantships. Such appointments typically require 20 hours each week of teaching, research, and/or clinical service, in exchange for at least partial tuition remission, health insurance, and a monthly stipend. The department's Financial Aid Committee works with each admitted student's adviser to secure a funding opportunity that is rewarding academically and financially. Prospective applicants who are interested in financial support should indicate this on their applications for admission.
Program
Requirements
A minimum of 72 credits beyond the bachelor's degree level is needed for the PhD degree at the University of Pittsburgh. Up to 30 credits taken at the graduate level toward a master's degree may be transferred. An additional 12 credits can be transferred for graduate work beyond the master's level. However, the student must still complete at least 36 credits as a doctoral student at the University of Pittsburgh.
All doctoral students are required to take the departmental Doctoral Research Seminar (CSD 3048) and a minimum of three additional departmental doctoral seminars:
| • | One in speech and language | |
| • | One in hearing | |
| • | One in student's major area of study |
Dissertation
Each student must write a dissertation that presents the results of a research project which he or she both designed and implemented. An appropriate project involves a substantive piece of original and independent research, grounded in an appropriate body of literature. It presents hypotheses tested by data and analysis, and provides a significant contribution to or advancement in its field.
Overview or Prospectus Meeting: After securing the adviser's approval, each student must submit a written dissertation proposal to the Dissertation Committee (see Major Adviser and Advising Committees) at least two weeks prior to a formal overview meeting with that committee. The prospectus, or overview, requires the student to formulate a research plan, and permits the dissertation committee members to provide guidance in shaping the conceptualization and methods of that plan. The written prospectus should include a complete, critical literature review that leads to the student's specific research questions, and a detailed method section that specifies the research plan. In the overview meeting, the student makes a brief presentation of rationales and plans, and responds to questions from the dissertation committee. The dissertation committee has the authority to make approval contingent on reconceptualizing and/or rewriting the proposal. The committee must unanimously approve the dissertation topic and research plan before the student may be admitted to candidacy for the doctoral degree. Approval of the proposal does not imply the acceptance of a dissertation prepared in accord with the proposal or the restriction of the dissertation to this original proposal.
Admission to Candidacy for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree: Upon successfully completing the dissertation overview, students should file an application for admission to candidacy for the Doctor of Philosophy degree. Admission to candidacy constitutes a promotion of the student to the most advanced stage of graduate study and provides formal approval to devote essentially exclusive attention to the research and writing of the dissertation. To qualify for admission to candidacy, students also must have full graduate status, have satisfied the requirement of the preliminary evaluation (portfolio review), have completed formal course work with a minimum QPA of 3.00, and have completed the other formal degree requirements (pre-dissertation project and Comprehensive Examination).
Dissertation and Abstract: The dissertation is judged according to the qualities described above. The completed dissertation should demonstrate the following characteristics: establishment of an historical context for the presentation of an innovative and creative approach to the analysis and solution of the research question or problem; a clear understanding of the problem area as revealed by analysis and synthesis of a broad literature base; a well-defined research design; sufficient detail so that other scholars can build upon the completed study in subsequent work; clarity in composition and careful documentation; results of sufficient merit to be published in refereed journals; and the preparation of the author to assume a position within the profession.
Candidates for the doctoral degree must provide a suitable number of copies of the dissertation to committee members and the SHRS Dean's Office. The general format of the dissertation and the abstract is determined by the Office of the Provost and is set forth in the University's Style and Form Manual. Specific instructions are available in the Office of the Dean. After the final oral examination is successfully completed, the candidate must deposit in the Dean's office at least one copy of the approved complete dissertation and abstract in final form, at least two additional copies of the dissertation abstract, the Survey of Earned Doctorates, and a receipt for payment of the dissertation binding/microfilm fees. The candidate is also required to execute an agreement with University Microfilms Inc. for publication of the dissertation on microfilm and for publication of the dissertation's abstract in Dissertation Abstracts.
Final Oral Examination: After
securing the adviser's approval, the student submits copies of the complete
document to the dissertation committee, at least two weeks prior to the final
oral examination in defense of the dissertation. The oral examination is conducted
by the dissertation committee and need not be confined to materials in and related
to the dissertation. Any member of the Graduate Faculty of the University may
attend and participate in the examination. The date, place, and time of the
examination will be published well in advance in the University Times,
and the examination will be open to all interested parties. Other qualified
individuals may be invited by the committee to participate in the examination,
but only members of the dissertation committee are present during the final
deliberations and vote on passing the candidate. A report of this examination,
signed by all members of the dissertation committee, must be sent to the Office
of the Dean. If the decision of the committee is not unanimous, the case is
referred to the Dean for resolution. The chair of the dissertation committee
should ensure that the dissertation is in final form before requesting signatures
of the committee members.
Major
Adviser and Advising Committees
Students admitted to the PhD program are assigned a major adviser in their main area of specialization. The adviser is primarily responsible for providing assistance and advice to the student throughout all facets of the doctoral program, and typically serves as the chair of the Preliminary and Dissertation Committees. Either doctoral students or their advisers may initiate a change of adviser, but no student may remain in the program without an adviser.
The student, upon consultation with his or her major adviser, secures the agreement of at least two other departmental faculty members with graduate faculty status, to serve with the adviser on the student's Preliminary Committee. This committee initially convenes to review and make recommendations concerning the student's Plan of Study. Thereafter, the committee meets annually with the student to review, and make recommendations concerning, the student's portfolio and general progress in the doctoral program. This committee also administers and evaluates the student's Comprehensive Examination.
The Dissertation Committee consists of a committee chair (typically the major adviser) and at least three other members, one of whom must represent another department at the University of Pittsburgh or an appropriate graduate program at another academic institution. The majority of the committee, including the chair, must be full or adjunct members of the Graduate Faculty. The composition of the dissertation committee is subject to the approval of the department chair and the Dean of SHRS. This committee has the responsibility to approve the dissertation overview, and to monitor and review the progress of the candidate's dissertation research. It also has the authority to require supplementary research or rewriting of any portion(s) of the dissertation. Committee members conduct the final oral examination in defense of the dissertation, and determine whether the dissertation meets acceptable standards. Meetings of the doctoral candidate and his or her dissertation committee must occur at least annually from the time the student gains admission to candidacy for the PhD degree. The membership of the dissertation committee may be changed whenever it is appropriate or necessary, subject to the approval of the department chair and the SHRS Dean.
Residency
and Registration Requirements
It is beneficial for most students to register for full-time study (nine-15 credits) throughout their doctoral program. However, in some instances students have significant off-campus responsibilities. Therefore, if the student receives approval, the PhD can be completed by a combination of full-time and part-time study. All students must engage in a minimum of one term of full-time doctoral study, which excludes any other employment except as approved by the department chair.
Active
Status
PhD students are required to register for at least one credit within each 12-month period to maintain active status. The student who is placed on inactive status must file an application for readmission to graduate study before being permitted to register. Upon readmission, the student's Plan of Study will be adjusted to meet the PhD requirements at the time of readmission.
Probation
and Dismissal
PhD students are required to maintain a 3.00 quality point average (QPA). If a student's cumulative QPA falls below 3.00, the student will be placed on academic probation. If the student is on probation for two consecutive terms, the faculty of the PhD program may choose to dismiss the student from the program, subject to review by the University Council on Graduate Study.
Statute
of Limitations, Extensions, and Leaves of Absence
From the time of initial registration, all requirements
for the PhD must be completed within 10 years or eight years if the student
has received credit for completion of a master's degree. Under exceptional circumstances,
a candidate for an advanced degree may apply for an extension of the statute
of limitations. This request must be approved by the appropriate departmental
committee and submitted to the Dean for final action. Requests for an extension
of the statute of limitations must be accompanied by an assessment of the work
required of the student to complete the degree as well as documented evidence
of the extenuating circumstances leading to the requested extension.
Under special conditions, doctoral students may
be granted one leave of absence for a maximum of two years. The length and rationale
for the leave of absence must be stated in advance, recommended by the student's
adviser, and approved by the SHRS Dean. The time of the leave of absence will
not count against the total time allowed for completing the degree. Readmission
following an approved leave of absence is automatic.
Additional information may be obtained from:
Doctor
of Philosophy in Rehabilitation Science
The mission of the Doctoral Program in Rehabilitation Science is to advance the frontiers of knowledge underlying the practice of health and rehabilitation disciplines and professions through research, teaching, and professional development.
Graduates of this program will have a specific area of expertise in Health and Rehabilitation Science as well as a core of interdisciplinary knowledge related to this specific area. They will become the researchers, scholars, teachers, thinkers, and planners in the demanding and changing field of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.
Admission
Requirements for the Doctoral Program in Rehabilitation Science
| • | Applicants should have a strong interest in health or rehabilitation research as a career goal. | |
| • | Applicants should possess an advanced master's degree or a professional master's degree in an area related to Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. The exceptional student with a bachelor's degree and six or more credits of graduate course work and compelling clinical/research experience in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences will be considered. | |
| • | Resources, including research mentors, must be available at the University of Pittsburgh or its affiliates to enable the PhD student to engage in a plan of study and research in the student's major area of interest in rehabilitation research. Therefore, it is important that there is a match between the research interests of an applicant and the faculty of the PhD program. | |
| • | A minimum Quality Point Average of 3.00 in all college-level work, and a score of at least 1500 on the Graduate Record Exam (verbal, quantitative, and analytical) is recommended. Students for whom English is a foreign language must have a minimum Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 550. |
Application
Process
All prospective students are required to submit the following:
| • | Completed application form | |
| • | An essay stating their career goals, specific research interests and experience, and clinical interests and experience | |
| • | Three to five academic or work-related letters of recommendation (at least one academic reference must be included) | |
| • | Resume, including: work history, formal education, continuing education, licensing and certification, professional organizations, honors and awards, publications, presentations, and grants | |
| • | Transcripts from all colleges attended | |
| • | Graduate Record Examination scores (General Exam) | |
| • | Test of English as a Foreign Language scores (for candidates whose native language is not English) | |
| • | At least one example of written work (class project, course assignment, publication for which candidate is first author, etc.) |
In addition, if an applicant is being advocated by a faculty member of the PhD program, a letter from that faculty member should be enclosed with the application.
All applicants will be evaluated by members of the PhD Admissions Committee. Admission to the PhD program requires that the applicant meet the standards for a PhD student in SHRS and that a faculty member of the PhD program agrees to be the academic adviser for that applicant.
Admission to the PhD program is on a rolling basis. To allow for time to process applications, all application materials should be sent to the Office of Admissions at least three months prior to the start of the term of desired admission.
Application and/or additional information may be obtained from:
Graduate
Student Support
Financial assistance is often available from a variety of sources, including Graduate Student Assistantships and Teaching Assistantships. These assistantships typically require 20 hours of research, teaching, or clinical service per week in exchange for tuition, health insurance, and an annual salary. Other forms of financial assistance, including fellowships, may be available through individual faculty grants. Prospective applicants interested in financial support should indicate this on their applications for admission.
Program
Requirements
A minimum of 72 credits beyond the bachelor's degree level is needed for the PhD degree at the University of Pittsburgh, Up to 30 credits taken at the graduate level toward a master's degree may be transferred. An additional 12 credits can be transferred for graduate work beyond the master's level. However, the student must still complete at least 36 credits as a doctoral student at the University of Pittsburgh. A minimum of 18 credits of dissertation research and six credits of Doctoral Seminar are required for the PhD in Health and Rehabilitation Science. Other than the six credits of Doctoral Seminar and 18 credits of dissertation research, there are no required courses. Students will be expected to show competency in four core areas related to their specific area of interest, in addition to statistics and research methodology, through the successful completion of the Preliminary Examination. The student will also be expected to participate in the teaching of at least one course.
Transfer
of Credits
If a student wishes to transfer credits, the student and the student's academic adviser must submit a Credit Transfer Request Form to the Director of Doctoral Studies during the first year of study.
Transcripts verifying the graduate courses and course descriptions must accompany the petition. The student and student's academic adviser will be informed by the Director of Doctoral Studies concerning which courses are acceptable as transfer credits.
Core
Areas
The student will be expected to develop competency in core areas of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences related to the student's area of research interest, and will be expected to demonstrate competencies in these areas in the Preliminary Examination. These core areas will be proposed by the student to the Director of Doctoral Studies and the student's academic adviser. The student and academic adviser must show that faculty resources are available in these core areas to provide learning opportunities and testing of the student's knowledge. The Director of Doctoral Studies must approve the core areas for the student.
| Specific Core Areas include the following: | ||
| • | Augmentation of sensory and motor functions | |
| • | Biomechanics of human movement/ergonomics | |
| • | Clinical science and epidemiology of disability | |
| • | Health information systems and information technology related to Health and Rehabilitation Sciences | |
| • | Neural basis of sensory and motor function and dysfunction | |
| • | Economic, legal, organizational, policy, and political issues related to health, rehabilitation, and disability | |
| • | Psychosocial, social, and cultural aspects of rehabilitation and disability | |
In addition, the student must develop and show competency in the area of statistics and research methodology related to the student's area of research interest.
Academic
Adviser
Upon admission into the PhD program, the student will be assigned an academic adviser in the student's main area of specialization. The academic adviser and student will propose four specific core areas in which the student must demonstrate competency through a preliminary examination. In addition, the student must develop and demonstrate competency in the areas of statistics and research specific to the student's needs. The academic adviser and student choose an Academic Committee whose members have expertise in the student's specific core areas. The members of this committee must be approved by the Director of Doctoral Studies.
It is the responsibility of the academic adviser to provide assistance and advice to the student during the following steps of the PhD program:
Academic
Committee
This committee will be responsible for advising the student in course work and experiences necessary to obtain competency in the student's core areas. They will also be responsible for preparing and grading the Preliminary Examination. All members of this committee must have a regular, joint, or adjunct faculty appointment at the University of Pittsburgh.
Plan
of Study
The student and academic adviser, with advice from the Academic Committee, will prepare a Plan of Study during the student's first year. This Plan of Study will include transfer credits, course work, proposed date of Preliminary Examination, and dissertation credits leading to the PhD degree. This Plan of Study should be submitted to the Director of Doctoral Studies for approval. A copy of this plan will be placed in the student's file.
After receiving the results of the Preliminary Examination and the recommendations of the faculty grading the examination, the student and academic adviser may need to revise the Plan of Study. The Plan of Study should be reviewed each term at registration and updated as needed by the student and academic adviser. Changes or additions to the Plan of Study should be submitted to the Director of Doctoral Studies.
Preliminary
Examination
Prior to taking any dissertation credits, the student must demonstrate competency in four core areas, and statistics and research methodology through the Preliminary Examination. The student will take this examination when the Academic Committee feels that the student has reached competency in all of the student's core areas. Examination questions will be prepared by the student's Academic Committee. Prior to this examination, a reading list and sample questions will be made available to the student by the Academic Committee through the academic adviser.
The Academic Committee will test the student's competency in statistics and research methodology by having the student orally present and critique a research article. The Academic Committee will provide a list of research articles related to the student's core areas at the time of the written examination. The student will pick one of these research articles for the oral presentation and critique.
Each question of the Preliminary Examination will be graded by the member of the Academic Committee who submitted the question. The grading of the oral examination of statistics and research methodology will be done by the Academic Committee as a group. For each area, the student will receive one of the following grades:
| 1) | Unconditional pass: The student has demonstrated the desired level of competency in the core area; no additional course work or experiences are required in that area. | |
| 2) | Conditional pass: The student needs to take additional course work or independent study in the core area, as recommended by the faculty of that core area. The student does not need to retake the components of the test for which a conditional pass was received. | |
| 3) | Failure: The student must retake the examination in any core areas that were failed. These must be retaken within one year of the first Preliminary Examination. However, the student will have the opportunity of retaking these portions earlier if he or she feels prepared for the retest. Only one retake of a core area Preliminary Exam will be allowed. Failure to unconditionally or conditionally pass the core area the second time may result in dismissal of the student from the PhD program. The Director of Doctoral Studies will make the final decision concerning the status of the student. |
Doctoral
Committee and Committee Chair
After the student has passed the Preliminary Examination and has completed most of the course work needed for the PhD, the student and academic adviser are responsible for identifying a research mentor who will serve as Chair of the Doctoral Committee, subject to approval by the Director of Doctoral Studies. The student and research mentor will select a Doctoral Committee, again subject to approval by the Director of Doctoral Studies. This committee must consist of at least four persons. At least one member must be from outside the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. The Chair and the majority of the committee members must be members of the Graduate Faculty. Non-faculty with appropriate expertise may serve on the committee with the approval of the Director of Doctoral Studies. The student will prepare a dissertation proposal, which must be approved by the Doctoral Committee.
The Doctoral Committee will administer the Comprehensive Examination and review and approve the proposed research project before the student may be admitted to candidacy. The committee has the responsibility to advise the candidate during the progress of the candidate's research and has the authority to require high-quality research, and/or rewriting of any portion or all of the dissertation. It conducts the final oral examination and determines whether the dissertation meets acceptable standards.
The Doctoral Committee should meet at least annually with the student to assess the student's progress. The membership of the committee may be changed when appropriate or necessary, subject to the approval of the Committee Chair and the Director of Doctoral Studies.
The Chair of the Doctoral Committee will have the following responsibilities:
| 1. | Assisting the student in forming the Doctoral Committee | |
| 2. | Advising the student in the preparation of a dissertation proposal | |
| 3. | Informing the Director of Doctoral Studies of the results of the Comprehensive Examination/dissertation proposal | |
| 4. | Informing the Director of Doctoral Studies of the time and topic of the dissertation defense | |
| 5. | Informing the Director of Doctoral Studies of the results of the dissertation defense | |
| 6. | Assisting the student in the submission of the completed dissertation |
Comprehensive
Examination and Dissertation Proposal
The purpose of the Comprehensive Examination is to assess the student's depth of knowledge and ability to use research methods in the area of specialization. The administration of this examination is the responsibility of the Doctoral Committee. This examination will normally be combined with the overview of the dissertation proposal. This examination must be held at least one term prior to the scheduling of the final dissertation defense.
Admission
to Candidacy
To qualify for admission to candidacy, the student must:
| 1. | Pass all portions of the preliminary examination | |
| 2. | Complete all course work with a minimum QPA of 3.00 | |
| 3. | Pass the Comprehensive Examination | |
| 4. | Receive approval of the dissertation proposal by the Doctoral Committee |
Dissertation
The student needs to complete at least 18 credits of dissertation research. The dissertation must be submitted to all members of the Doctoral Committee, and then must be defended orally to the Doctoral Committee. The dissertation defense will be advertised and will be open to other interested individuals. After final approval of the dissertation by the Doctoral Committee and submission of the dissertation for publication, the student will have completed all requirements for the PhD degree.
Residency
and Registration Requirements
It is beneficial for most students to be full-time (nine-15 credits) throughout their doctoral study. However, in some instances students will have significant off-campus responsibilities. Therefore, if the student receives approval, the PhD can be completed by a combination of full-time and part-time study. PhD students in Rehabilitation Science must engage in a minimum of one term of full-time doctoral study, which excludes any other employment except as approved by the Director of Doctoral Studies.
Active
Status
The PhD student is required to register for at least one credit within each 12-month period to maintain status as an active student. The student who is placed on inactive status must file an application for readmission to graduate study before being permitted to register again. Upon readmission, the student's Plan of Study will be readjusted to meet the PhD requirements at the time of readmission.
Probation
and Termination
All PhD students are required to maintain a 3.00 Quality Point Average. If a student's cumulative Quality Point Average falls below a 3.00, the student will be placed on academic probation. If the student is on probation for two consecutive terms, the faculty of the PhD program may choose to terminate the student from the program. The student must have a minimum 3.00 Quality Point Average to be admitted to PhD candidacy and to graduate.
Statute
of Limitations, Extensions, and Leaves of Absence
From the time of initial registration, all requirements
for the PhD must be completed within 10 years (eight years if the student has
received credits for completion of a master's degree). Under exceptional circumstances,
a candidate for an advanced degree may apply for an extension of the statute
of limitations. This request must be approved by the Director of Doctoral Studies.
Requests for an extension of the statute of limitations must be accompanied
by an assessment of the work required of the student to complete the degree
as well as documentation of the extenuating circumstances leading to the requested
extension.
Under special conditions, the student may be granted
one leave of absence for a maximum of two years. The length and rationale for
the leave of absence must be stated in advance, recommended by the student's
adviser, and approved by the Director of Doctoral Studies. The time of the leave
of absence will not count against the total time allowed for the degree. Readmission
following an approved leave of absence is automatic.