The SHBT PhD Program employs a two-tiered approach to multidisciplinary education.
First Tier: Core Curriculum – Master core material in the field of speech and hearing.
The core curriculum provides a breadth of scientific and clinical knowledge, and exposure to diverse ways of thinking that are necessary to be an effective leader in the speech and hearing sciences. Knowledge of the physical, biological and congnitive sciences is necessary to appreciate and understand basic science research in the field of speech and hearing. An introduction to clinical issues in otology, laryngology, audiology, and speech-language pathology is similarly important.
Second Tier: Area of Concentration – Plan a concentration with a program combining coursework and research in a specific focus area. The critical feature of this tier is depth. Mastery of fundamental concepts is expected and tested by the Oral Qualifying Exam.
Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) Track:
The Speech-Language Pathology Track provides interested SHBT students an opportunity to complete the academic and clinical requirements set by the American Speech-Hearing-Language Association (ASHA) for certification as a speech-language pathologist.
Research
A major focus of the first year is finding the right lab for dissertation research. Students are encouraged to complete two to three, 8- to 12-week rotations to expose them to different research areas and different mentors. Our goal is for each student to find an area of research that they are passionate about, and a lab that is a good match. Some students may decide to start their rotation in the summer before classes start.
The central training experience of the Ph.D. is a focused research project culminating in the dissertation, and usually several substantial research publications. The average time from enrollment to degree is approximately 5½ years. Throughout the dissertation research, advising is provided by the student’s mentor, an assigned academic advisor and the dissertation advisory committee (DAC).