1. Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences
  2. Curriculum and Degree Information
  3. Degree Requirements

Degree Requirements

1. The Ph.D. degree requires completion of at least 60 credits of approved graduate coursework (post-baccalaureate). Students may transfer a maximum of 30 hours of credit from other universities. Acceptance or validation of transfer credit toward the Ph.D. is the responsibility of the Executive Officer.

2. Students must complete a required set of 700-level courses: Statistics (6 credits), Doctoral Research (3 credits), two of three basic science courses (Speech Science, Language Science, Hearing Science), Professional Issues (2 credits), and the Responsible Conduct of Research (Research Ethics; 1 credit)

3. Students must complete at least four 800-level courses in the discipline exclusive of Independent Study.

4. Students must maintain a GPA at or above 3.0.  If a student’s GPA is below 3.0 for two semesters, then they will be dropped from the Program.

5. Students must pass the First Examination. The first draft of the exam must be submitted to the student’s advisor by January 31st of the student’s second year. Then the 1st exam process must be finished before the end of the next Fall semester. Students may not continue in the program after completing 45 graduate credits if they have not passed the First Examination.

6. Students must complete a full-time year (two consecutive semesters) in residence within the first three years of matriculation in the program. During the residence year, students must spend at least 15 hours/week in their advisor’s lab.

7. Students must complete a pre-dissertation research project under the supervision of a faculty member prior to candidacy (level III).

8. Students must pass the Second Examination prior to candidacy (level III).

9. After advancing to candidacy (level 3), students must do two presentations in Dissertation Seminar. Students with an approved dissertation proposal can be exempted from this requirement.

10. Candidates must submit a dissertation that has been supervised and approved by a dissertation committee. It is defended before the dissertation committee and an outside examiner. Students must pass the Final Exam which is the Dissertation Defense and have their dissertation approved by their committee before they can deposit it.