Rehabilitation Sciences Ph.D.
This mission of the Rehabilitation Sciences doctoral program is to prepare professionals to assume leadership positions in disability research, education, and administration. The program offers a tailored approach where core rehabilitation principles guide individualized instruction and mentored practice. Students are provided opportunities for supervised practice according to their post degree goals through conducting research, instructing undergraduates, and supervising master’s level rehabilitation counselors in training. The curriculum emphasizes the importance of applied research methods and statistics proficiency, producing graduates who are competitive in contemporary rehabilitation professions. Each student has the opportunity to direct their own specialization through a chosen cognate and focus their professional experiences in research, teaching, supervision, and/or administration. The current cognates being offered include: Research Methods and Statistics, Gerontology, Community Health, Business Management: Healthcare Administrative Specialization, or a self-designed cognate.
Admission: Applicants must meet the following criteria for preliminary consideration:
1. Hold a master’s degree form an accredited college or university, in Rehabilitation Counseling or an allied discipline. The appropriateness of the degree will be determined by the graduate faculty of the school.
2. Have two years of work experience (or equivalent, as determined by the school’s graduate faculty) in the field of rehabilitation or an allied discipline.
3. Submit a statement of interest (double spaced, no more than 12 pages) addressing the following:
a. Describe your educational history and how it relates to this doctoral degree.
b. Describe your employment history and how it shaped your decision to pursue this doctoral degree. Include your experience in the field of disability and/or rehabilitation through internships, work, volunteer, or community activities.
c. Describe your primary interest areas within the field of rehabilitation including (1) your research interests and (2) the cognate you propose to pursue as a specialization area for your plan of study.
d. What are your short-term and long-term career goals? What do you hope to be doing when you earn your degree? Please include your interests in conducting scholarly research, teaching, administering programs, or working in the field.
4. Provide a current resume.
5. Participate in a personal interview, upon request.
For degree and program requirements, see:
See "Rehabilitation Sciences Ph.D.".