PhD in Communication Sciences and Disorders
Curriculum
Each student, in consultation with their advisor, will prepare a Plan of Study by January of their first year of their Ph.D. program.
The Plan of Study includes a 500 word rationale for the Area of Focus; a list of proposed coursework; and an addendum that lists relevant graduate coursework completed in a master’s degree program, an AuD program, or another related graduate program.
The coursework in the Ph.D. program will include the following:
- The total number of credits required for the Ph.D. program is a minimum of 135 graduate credits beyond the bachelor’s degree or a minimum of 90 credits beyond a master’s degree or AuD. At least 10 credits in dissertation research will be included in the total credit requirement.
- A minimum of 42 credits must be completed in the Area of Focus. The Area of Focus is a subcategory of speech-language pathology, audiology, or speech-language-hearing science (e.g., Medical Speech Pathology, Language and Literacy, Electrophysiological Measurement, Voice Disorders, Cochlear Implants, etc.). The courses taken in the Area of Focus will include courses offered within the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and courses offered through other departments at the University of Cincinnati. The Area of Focus coursework is selected by the student in consultation with their advisor and committee to develop a knowledge base in their chosen area. At least two independent studies (1-3 credits each) in the major and related areas should include opportunities to gain experience in reviewing current literature. Preparation of at least one critical review of the literature, including integration of the major literature with related studies, is expected. Ph.D. students with a medically related focus will take courses listed below:
- All Ph.D. students with an Area of Focus related to neuroscience or anatomy are required to take Gross Anatomy of the Head and Neck (spring quarter of the first year; 8 credits). Students register for Gross Anatomy: Head & Neck by signing up for 8 credits with the College of Medicine instructor listed for the course and by making special arrangements with the instructor. Ph.D. students take only part of the Gross Anatomy course. The course instructor will assign a grade of pass /fail. Audit is not an option.
- All Ph.D. students with an Area of Focus related to neuroscience are required to take 26-NS-841 Brain & Behavior (spring quarter of their second year; 10 credits). Exceptions will be granted by the Director of Graduate Studies in consultation with the student’s advisor. Students register to audit Brain & Behavior I with the College of Medicine and also register for Brain & Behavior I (10 credits) as an independent study with the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders course instructor who works in collaboration with the instructor from the College of Medicine. Additionally, students need to confirm with both professors on the first day of class that they are taking the labs associated with the course. The Communication Sciences and Disorders course instructor will assign a grade of pass/fail.
- Students without a strong background in neuroanatomy and neurophysiology are encouraged to take, audit or attend all or parts of 35-CSD-731 Neuro Bases of Communication Disorders in preparation for Brain and Behavior I.
- A minimum of 18 quarter credits in research, research design, and statistics must be taken as part of the Ph.D. program. Typically students who with a focus in child language will take both quantitative and qualitative sequences.
- At least one graduate level course in speech and hearing science is required.
- 18 credits of the Doctoral Seminar in Communication Disorders series is required. No other course may be substituted. The following lists the courses:
- 35-CSD-983 Doctoral Seminar in Research CD I
- 35-CSD-984 Doctoral Seminar in Research CD II
- 35-CSD-985 Doctoral Seminar in Research CD III
- 35-CSD-986 Doctoral Seminar in CD: Pedagogy
- 35-CSD-987 Doctoral Seminar in CD: Supervision (optional for students who are not clinically certified and are not planning to obtain clinical certification in the future).
- 35-CSD-988 Doctoral Seminar in CD: Grant Writing
- Students are required to take 35-CSD-989 Topics in Language, Speech and Hearing Disorders each quarter during their first year (1 credit per quarter with a total of 3 credits). After the first year, students are required to attend Topics once a month for the remaining duration of their program but do not need to register for Topics.
- A minimum of 10 and maximum of 45 dissertation credits may be included:
- 35-CSD-991 PhD Dissertation Research I
- 35-CSD-992 PhD Dissertation Research II
- 35-CSD-993 PhD Dissertation Research III
- An outline of the proposed plan of study (described in 1-5 above) includes the following:
- 500 word rationale for the area of focus
- Doctoral Seminar -- 15-18 credits
- Topics – 3 credits
- Research – 18 credits
- Speech Science – 3 credits
- Area of focus – 42 credits, which will include
- Elected classes for the Area of Focus
- Required for some students:
- Gross Anatomy (required for focus related to Neuroscience or Anatomy) – 8 credits
- Brain and Behavior I (required for focus related to Neuroscience) – 10 credits
- Optional Neuro Bases of CD – 3 credits
- Dissertation -- 10-45 credits
- Total -- 91-94 credits
- In addition to the listing of courses according to the categories above, The Plan of Study should also include a list of courses planned for each quarter. If a planned course is offered in a different quarter than on the Plan of Study, the sequence of courses can be revised. Committee approval is required when a course listed on the Plan of Study is no longer available or compatible with the student’s schedule. See recommended format below:
Fall Quarter, Year
Course Number Course Name Credits - The Plan of Study should also include the expected quarter and year for the comprehensive exam. Independent study credits may be taken to prepare for the comprehensive exam.
- The student is expected to maintain a 3.0 or better grade point average for all course work completed in the Ph.D. program. Audited courses do not count toward fulfillment of program requirements.