Introduction
Curriculum
The Ph.D. program in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences offers advanced study and research training in speech, language, and hearing. Research in the program concerns all aspects of human communication including studies of speech, language, and hearing in typical individuals and in those with disorders affecting communication.
Areas of doctoral study include the physiological, neurological, and psychological aspects of communication and identifying, treating, and preventing developmental and acquired communication disorders.
Career Options
Graduates seek positions in academic, clinical, and research settings.
Degree Program
The Ph.D. in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences requires 75 semester credit hours minimum beyond the baccalaureate degree.
Objectives
The School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences offers doctoral programs in Cognition and Neuroscience, Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, and Psychology. Each provides preparation in basic and applied aspects of behavioral and brain sciences. The faculty consists of specialists in developmental psychology, social/personality psychology, cognitive science, neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience, and communication sciences and disorders. Students may specialize in these areas or pursue study across areas as in the study of child language, aging, perception, and behavioral and neural plasticity. Core and specialized courses provide the foundation for advanced seminars and a wide spectrum of doctoral research in laboratories, schools, and clinics. Frequent colloquia and informal brown-bag seminars contribute to a stimulating environment for scholarly development.
Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
The doctoral program in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences provides opportunities for graduate study and research in the areas of speech, language, and hearing science, and in the disorders that affect speech, language, and hearing. Students have available a wealth of research opportunities in laboratories, clinics, and schools, both on-campus and in the community. Close liaison with the UT Southwestern Medical Center provides patient access and numerous opportunities for research in medical settings. Coursework and research options within the doctoral programs in Psychology and Cognition and Neuroscience allow students to pursue interdisciplinary study in areas such as neuroimaging of language processes, child language, autism, neural plasticity and recovery, speech perception, auditory neuroscience, and cognitive aging.
Facilities
The offices and research facilities of the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences are located on the Richardson campus, and off-campus at the Callier Center for Communication Disorders-Dallas, the Center for BrainHealth, and the Center for Vital Longevity, which is adjacent to the campus of the UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. Facilities on the Richardson campus include teaching and research laboratories for neuroscience, cognitive science, and facilities for the study of child development. The Center for Children and Families and Callier-Richardson provide a variety of clinical services to the community and serve as research sites for graduate students.
The Center for BrainHealth and the Center for Vital Longevity are the primary facilities for the study of cognitive neuroscience. The Center for BrainHealth includes research activities in the areas of aging and neurogenic disorders in children and adults. The Callier Center-Dallas has its primary focus on speech, language, and hearing, and includes research laboratories, clinical services, and classroom programs for preschool children. The Center for Vital Longevity includes research on how the body and mind can successfully age together and uses cutting-edge brain imaging technologies and advances in cognitive science to identify the "neural signature" of those at risk of not aging well and preventing problems before symptoms occur. Collaborative arrangements with the UT Southwestern Medical Center expand student research opportunities including access to its clinical populations and neuroimaging facilities. The Center for Children and Families, housed in the School for Behavioral and Brain Sciences, offers an array of clinical and community outreach activities organized around three initiatives: parenting healthy families, strengthening interpersonal relationships, and enhancing thinking and learning.
Admission Requirements
Admission to a doctoral program is based on a review of the applicant's transcripts, GRE scores, 3 letters of recommendation, and a narrative description of research interests and career goals. In addition to academic requirements, the admissions committee weighs heavily the match between the applicant's research interests and the research areas available to students in the school.
Applications for admission are due December 1. Students are accepted for the Fall semester only. Some courses in the graduate programs in Audiology, Applied Cognition and Neuroscience, Communication Disorders, Human Development and Early Childhood Disorders, and Psychological Sciences complement doctoral coursework and, upon a student's admission to the Ph.D. program, can be applied toward the degree. Students should consult with the doctoral program head to determine which graduate courses can be applied to the Ph.D.
Course Requirements
75 semester credit hours minimum beyond the baccalaureate degree
Doctoral Proseminar: 3 semester credit hours
HCS 6302 Issues in Behavioral and Brain Sciences - Part I
Research Methods: 9 semester credit hours minimum
HCS 6312 Research Methods in Behavioral and Brain Sciences - Part I
HCS 6313 Research Methods in Behavioral and Brain Sciences - Part II
One advanced-level research methods or statistics course, or other approved course designed to enhance the student's research skills
Students who have completed courses equivalent to HCS 6312 and/or HCS 6313 or whose prior graduate studies had a strong quantitative focus may, with the approval of the advisor and Area Head, waive HCS 6312 and/or HCS 6313.
Major Core Courses: 6 semester credit hours minimum
Students must complete a minimum of 6 semester credit hours of approved courses in the area of communication sciences and disorders. Courses meeting this requirement will vary depending on the student's research interests. The requirement may be waived for students holding a graduate degree in the field of speech-language pathology or audiology or a related area. Students lacking an adequate foundation in communication sciences may be required to complete more than the 6 semester credit hours minimum of core coursework.
Supplemental Coursework: 12 semester credit hours minimum
All students must complete an additional minimum of 12 semester credit hours of doctoral-level courses and seminars. Courses may be selected from coursework offered through the Ph.D. programs in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Cognition and Neuroscience, or Psychology. Courses used to meet this requirement taken outside of the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences require the approval of the advisor and Area Head.
Additional Requirements
All students must complete the Qualifying Project/Qualifying Paper requirements of the Ph.D. degree sought. The successful defense of a written dissertation completes the requirements for the degree.
