PhD in Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences

 

Speech and Hearing student seated at a table working with a patient.

Designed to educate future members of the speech, language and hearing sciences (SLHS) professoriate, industry researchers and clinical practitioners, the PhD program focuses on research and teaching related to human communication sciences and disorders. Students apply basic and clinical findings to real-world problems in SLHS domains. 

Graduates are prepared to produce original research, become effective teachers and communicate their expertise to a variety of audiences.

Graduate Student Resources

 


Research Areas

Graduate student Maria Braiuca demonstrates eye-tracking technology that charts which image patients are viewing in response to verbal cues.

Neurological Disorders and Neuroscience

Two Speech and Hearing graduate students work with a toddler.

Development, Cognition and Learning

Two Speech and Hearing graduate students work with a toddler.

Applied Communication Sciences and Disorders

Two Speech and Hearing graduate students work with a toddler.

Perception and Hearing Science

 

Research Areas


Programs of Study

PhD students choose an area of specialization, such as autism or neurogenic disorders. Curriculum requirements include research exposure courses (such as Research Rotation and Statistical Applications for Translational Research) and teaching experience in the discipline.

Depending on their interests, academic background in speech-language pathology (SLP) and career goals, students can complete this PhD program in three to five years.

  • Enroll with 30 credits from a master’s degree: three years minimum in the PhD program
  • Enroll with a BA in non-SLP field: four years minimum
  • Enroll with a BA in SLHS and earn an MA in SLP along the way: five years minimum

Our doctoral program is on hold due to ramifications from Covid-19. We will not be accepting applications this year.

For more detailed information, please review the PhD Handbook (PDF). If you would like to request an accessible version of the PhD Handbook, please let us know.


Course Requirements

Course List
Required
DNSC 6274Statistical Modeling and Analysis
DNSC 6275Advanced Statistical Modeling and Analysis
SLHS 8100Communication Disorders Across the Lifespan
SLHS 8200Research Methods and Ethics and Grant Writing
SLHS 8201Research Rotation
SLHS 8202Teaching Rotation
SLHS 8203Doctoral Seminar Leadership
SLHS 8300Statistical Applications for Translational Research
SLHS 8999Dissertation Research
Electives
A minimum of 8 credits in elective courses selected from the following:
SPHR 6205
SPHR 6207
SPHR 6210
SPHR 6220
SPHR 6222
SPHR 6230
SPHR 6231
SPHR 6240
SPHR 6241
SPHR 6251
SPHR 6260
SPHR 6276
SPHR 6281
SPHR 6282
SPHR 6284
SPHR 6295
SPHR 6291Selected Topics in Speech–Language Pathology (Aging)