Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Health & Rehabilitation Science

Jesse Dean, Ph.D., Co-Director
Sara Knox, Ph.D., Co-Director

The Doctoral Program in Health and Rehabilitation Science uniquely positions graduates for independent and team investigation of complex health issues and rehabilitation disorders that translate from the laboratory to the clinic and the community. Graduates will be researchers, clinician scholars, educators, and administrators who lead interdisciplinary teams to optimize the health and rehabilitation outcomes of patients through investigations using innovative methods and cutting-edge technology.

The three tracks of our program, Pathology and Impairment, Functional Limitations, and Health Service, allow our graduates to address health and rehabilitation questions across all levels of the translational continuum and domains of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). The core courses allow students to develop their specialized research interests and mentored science from a strong foundation in health and rehabilitation theory, pedagogy, research design, statistics, grant writing, ethics, and diversity. The concentration courses, laboratory rotations, independent studies, electives, and dissertation provide a comprehensive education experience through a combination of classroom and individualized learning and laboratory research experiences.

Qualified students may enter the program with a background in a variety of health-related areas such as physical therapy, speech-language pathology, audiology, medicine, occupational therapy, exercise science, health administration, public health, biology, or engineering.

Curriculum

The Professional Development and Research Cores are required to ensure that all students receive a solid foundation in Health and Rehabilitation Science, a teaching practicum, and a comprehensive overview of essential issues in the profession. Students will gain the necessary research skills, including design, methodology, and analysis, to position themselves as leading research scholars in the field.

The concentration area will be designed and supervised by the primary mentor and doctoral committee. This will be based on the student's prior education and experience, specialization area, and research interests.

International students enrolled in the Ph.D. in Health & Rehabilitation Science Program must enroll in accordance with federal regulations.