Communication Sciences and Disorders PhD Student Handbook

Communication Sciences and Disorders

PhD Student Handbook

    Introduction

    The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders(CSD)requires advanced coursework, independent research, and an in-depth understanding of topics in one's area of specialization. The purpose of this document is to help the doctoral student in Audiology or Speech-Language Pathology navigate the requirements involved in achieving the Ph.D. degree at the University of Utah. Students are referred to other important graduate school requirements, which can be found at the University of Utah's Graduate School PhD degree requirements.

    Admission and General Requirements
    1. To be considered for admission to the doctoral program in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, an applicant must complete an online application, found at this website link:  https://app.applyyourself.com/AYApplicantLogin/fl_ApplicantLogin.asp?id=utahgrad.The applicant will need to submit a letter of intent with their application.  Address the letter to The Graduate Admissions Committee, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. The letter should clearly indicate the applicant's general area of research interest (e.g., child language disorders, aphasia, voice, phonology, motor speech disorders, fluency, hearing science, amplification, etc.). The applicant must also identify a faculty research mentor/advisor in his/her area of interest, and ideally should have contacted that individual prior to applying to the doctoral program. No student will be accepted into the Ph.D. program unless a faculty member agreed upon by the student has indicated a willingness to serve as advisor.
    2. Aminimum of three letters of recommendation arerequired.In addition to evaluating the applicant's potential to complete the program of study, these letters should attest to the academic and research capabilities of the applicant.The online application form has complete instructions on how to upload the letters of recommendation.
    3. Requirements for entrance to the doctoral program are in accordance with those established by the Graduate School of the University of Utah, which includes at least a cumulative 3.0 GPA from undergraduate work: https://gradschool.utah.edu/graduate-catalog/admissions/
    4. In addition, the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) must be taken; competitive scores must be obtained, which can vary from year to year depending upon the applicant pool. GRE scores should be sent to the University of Utah (institution code 4853).
    Overview of the Ph.D. Program

    Plan of Study

    The graduate school requires that all Ph.D. students complete no fewer than three full academic years (i.e., 6 semesters) of approved graduate coursework (i.e., courses numbered 6000 and above)and a dissertation. This should be considered the minimum requirement; more time is often required. Graduate School policy requires that 24 credit hours must be "in resident" study at the University of Utah and students must maintain a 3.0 or higher GPA in course work counted toward a graduate degree. In addition to these requirements, it is the student's responsibility to check the graduate catalog for current Graduate Studies requirements. The student is required to observe Graduate Studies regulations in effect at the time he/she is admitted to the graduate program. If graduate studies requirements or CSD guidelines change after admission to the graduate program, the student has the right to choose which set of requirements and/or guidelines her/his program will follow. If a student chooses to change to the requirements and/or guidelines taking effect after her/his initial admission to the program, the student's primary advisor must be notified in writing.

    A. Primary Advisor

    The student’s primary advisor/mentor plays a critical role during the Ph.D. The primary advisor is responsible for (1) chairing the student’s Doctoral Advisory Committee (DAC) (2) acquainting the student with the University of Utah policies and procedures,(3) helping the student plan their academic program, and (4) when necessary providing information about the student and her/his progress to other faculty members, including the Doctoral Advisory Committee (DAC, see below). Although the advisor is not the sole counselor to the student, the advisor is the student’s primary counselor. Regular communication between the advisor and the student is essential to success.

    B. Doctoral Advisory Committee (DAC)

    Given its central academic advisory role, it is expected that a Doctoral Advisory Committee (DAC) will be assembled within the first four weeks of the first semester to help the student develop an academic Plan of Study. At a minimum, the student’s DAC consists of five members, including the primary mentor/advisor(chair of the DAC). The Director of CSD Ph.D. Studies, and the Chair of the CSD department serve as provisional committee members when a student is first enrolled in the program. A Plan of Study will be developed in conjunction with and approved by the student’s DAC no later than the end of the student’s 2ndsemesterin residence. Students who are completing clinical degree programs (i.e., Au.D.; M.S.SLP) in conjunction with the Ph.D. need to formulate a Plan of Study for the clinical degree program as well as a Plan of Study for the PhD. In these cases, it is required that the relevant Director of Clinical Education in Audiology or Speech-Language Pathology be members of the DAC. Both Plans should be presented to the DAC so that it is clear how the requirements for both degree programs are being met. Students will need advice from the relevant Clinical Directors on whether the plan for obtaining required clinical hours is feasible and realistic.

    C. Annual Reviews

    The Department Chair and the PhD Program Director will meet with each student annually (at the end of each spring semester) to monitor progress, provide feedback, and adjust the Plan of Study as needed. Members of the DAC are welcome, but not required, to attend the annual review. Grades, advancement in requirements, progress on the thesis or dissertation, and overall performance will be evaluated. The purpose of the review is to assess the overall progress of each student in the program, and to identify means by which the faculty can assist each student to achieve success. The annual review is a time for students to set goals for the coming year to ensure that they are building a competitive Curriculum Vitae (CV) throughout their doctoral studies. The annual review will not occur during the year in which the Plan of Study is reviewed and approved.

    Students will be notified by the Director of Ph.D. studies of the annual review in advance (i.e., by March 1) so they may update their academic files. Any recommendations from the DAC as a result of the annual review will be communicated to the student by the Director of Ph.D studies. A copy of the completed annual review form will be placed in the student's academic file, along with any approved changes to the Plan of Study.

    It is worth noting that the Ph.D. Program in CSD is divided into three phases: (i) coursework, (ii) the qualifying examination, and (iii) the dissertation. The general progression of doctoral students is monitored by the DAC. However, as a student progress through the program and complete the requisite coursework/ requirements etc., additional committees will be formed. These committees will include (1) the Qualifying Examination Committee (QEC), and (2) the Dissertation Supervisory Committee (DSC). Membership will vary on these committees depending upon the individual student, as well as department and graduate school requirements.

    D. Essential Steps Toward the Ph.D. in CSD

    The following provides an outline of the sequence of events (i.e., milestones) toward successful completion of a Ph.D. in CSD.

    1. Completion of academic coursework (major area, related area, research tools/skills, research practica)
    2. Doctoral Instructional Methods/ Mentored Teaching Experience(timing of this offering may vary)
    3. Written comprehensive examinations
    4. Oral comprehensive examination
    5. Written dissertation prospectus
    6. Oral defense of the prospectus
    7. Written dissertation
    8. Oral defense of the dissertation
    9. Submission of the dissertation to Graduate Studies

    Academic coursework (i.e., step 1) must be completed before the student can move on to Step 3. Steps 3 through 9 occur sequentially. The DAC along with the Graduate School will review the student’s academic record to ensure that all requirements have been met, as specified.

    Ph.D. Course Requirements

    Plans of Study may differ among students depending on their backgrounds, e.g., whether they have a Bachelor’s degree, a Master’s degree, or some type of professional degree, as well as whether they have a background in Communication Sciences and Disorders or not (See “Addendum” regarding details of the Joint M.S./Ph.D. in Speech and Language Pathology). Although minor variations may exist due to a student’s specific background and training, all students must typically adhere to the following guidelines/requirements in the development of the Plan of Study. Note that the requirements outlined below are the minimum requirements. Each student’s Plan of Study will vary depending on entry skills (i.e., relevant knowledge and skills acquired through prior training, work or research experience), chosen specialization, and career aspirations. Based on these factors, a student’s program may exceed these minimum requirements to appropriately train students for their chosen area of specialization and career path.

    1. Individualized Doctoral Coursework: a minimum of 21 credit hours
      1. The student and his/her DAC will select courses that optimally prepare the student to conduct research in his/her specific content area. Four courses (12 credit hours) will consist of independent study or doctoral-level seminars offered through the CSD department. With permission of the DAC and the instructor of the course(s), one or two of these four courses may be substituted with graduate courses intended primarily for students in clinical training programs. These clinical courses, however, will involve additional requirements that exceed expectations for a typical master’s level course. The remaining coursework (9 credit hours) consists of graduate-level courses within or outside of the department. These courses may cover topics such as speech, language, hearing, cognitive psychology, linguistics, bilingual education, physiology, electrical engineering, mathematics, computer science, physics, genetics, instrumentation, and others.
    2. Research Proseminar (CSD 7870): 1 credit hour per academic year (0.5 credits Fall, 0.5 credits Spring)
      1. Attendance for CSD 7870 is required every semester (except summer) until the student graduates from the Ph.D. program. Despite this attendance requirement, enrollment in CSD 7870 must not exceed four credit hours. Students who have completed four credits of CSD 7870 are required/expected to attend all scheduled proseminar meetings and to present once yearly. That is, attendance is mandatory and participation is expected even if the student has satisfied the maximum 4 credit hour requirement. Students who are not in residence will attend CSD 7870 remotely and contact the proseminar coordinator to request real-time remote access to proseminar presentations.

        The research proseminar (CSD 7870, Research Proseminar in Communication Sciences and Disorders, 0.5 credit hour) is a forum for the presentation and discussion of topics related to basic-science research, clinical/translational research, teaching, and career development. The Proseminar Coordinator is responsible for scheduling the seminar venue and for arranging presentation dates with faculty and students. Typically, a research faculty member will serve as the Proseminar Coordinator; however, a student may serve when deemed appropriate. PhD students will attend CSD 7870 each fall and spring semester of their doctoral program. Doctoral students are expected to present at the proseminar once per year. This presentation will feature research conducted by the student regardless of the stage (i.e., design, data collection, manuscript preparation, published); however, other topics may be presented as approved by the Proseminar Coordinator. Each research faculty member is encouraged to attend the proseminar and is expected to contribute to proseminar presentations at least once per year. While not required to attend, clinical faculty, MS / AuD students, and colleagues from the larger campus community will be encouraged to attend the proseminar. Students with schedule conflicts must obtain permission from their Mentor to waive the proseminar attendance requirement on a semester-by-semester basis. This waiver excuses the student from proseminar attendance and presentation requirements for the semester associated with the waiver; however, the student is expected to continue to complete and submit proseminar assignments. Students are not eligible to enroll in CSD 7870 during semesters in which attendance has been waived.
    3. Research Tools: a minimum of 12 credit hours.
      The purpose of the research tools sequence is to provide students with a foundation in research design and statistics. Students must satisfy a 3-credit hour requirement in research design/methods (see section A below), as well as a minimum of 9 credit hours of statistical analysis methodologies (see section B). All of these courses must be at the graduate level.
      1. Research Design/Methods: (3 credit hours).
        CSD 7930: Scientific Inquiry in SLP (previously "Advanced Research Design"), CSD 7825: Single-subject Research Design, HEDU 7102: Research Methods (cross-listed with NUIP, KNES/PRT). Note: other graduate level research design courses or content may also fulfill this requirement if approved by a student's doctoral advisory committee. This requirement is waived for students who have previously taken CSD 7930 at the University of Utah, or an equivalent graduate level course at another institution. In rare circumstances, the student's DAC may require an
        additional design course(s) even if a graduate level course has been taken prior to entering the program.
      2. Statistical Analysis Methods: (minimum of 9 credit hours).
        A variety of courses can satisfy this minimum credit hour requirement (see examples below), but it is important to recognize that additional courses beyond the minimum may be required by a student's DAC based on their research needs. Furthermore, the list below is not exhaustive; other courses may be more appropriate depending upon a student's research interests and goals (e.g., applied behavioral analysis, clinical trials, qualitative research, ethnographic research).
        ED PS 7010 Quantitative Methods I: Foundations of Inferential StatisticsED PS 7020 Quantitative Methods II: ANOVA and Multiple Regression
        PSY 6500 Quantitative Methods I
        PSY 6510 Quantitative Methods II
        HEDU 7103: Design and Analysis I (Cross-listed with NUIP, KNES/PRT)
        HEDU 7104: Design & Analysis II (Cross-listed with NUIP, KNES/PRT)
        SW 7211 Statistics I: Intro to Analysis
        SW 7221 Statistics II: Multivariate Analysis
        ED PS 7300 Psychometric Theory
        NURS 7880 Nonparametric Statistics
        ED PS 7400 Advanced Research Design
        PSY 6556 Analysis of Temporal data
        ED PS 7570 Multivariate Statistics
        PSY 6540 Multivariate Statistics
        NURS 7070 Multivariate Statistics
    4. Doctoral Instructional Methods (CSD 7935): 3 credit hours
      Students must complete a 3-credit-hour course in Instructional Methods (CSD 7935 Doctoral Instructional Methods: Mentored Teaching Experience). As part of this course, they will be required to teach all (or a majority) of a departmental class under the direct supervision of a full-time faculty member, usually the student's major professor. The faculty mentor is responsible for designing and supervising a teaching experience that is appropriate to the skills and needs of the student. The intent of this experience is to acquaint doctoral students with the practice of creating and operating a high-quality, university-level course. The goal is to help students become effective instructors, and in so doing, to increase the likelihood that they will compete successfully for university-level teaching positions. The expectation is that students will take advantage of resources provided by the Center on Teaching Learning and Excellence (e.g., annual teaching symposium, instructor resources, evaluation services, etc.). While the timing of the mentored teaching experience may vary, doctoral students are eligible to enroll in CSD 7935 when they have made sufficient progress toward the Ph.D. degree (typically within a semester of completing all degree coursework). Students are required to dedicate sufficient time planning and designing the course content as well as developing the syllabus, lectures including any in-class and out of class activities, test construction and grading rubrics, proctoring exams, maintaining class records/grades, lecturing, managing all aspects of the class, and addressing diversity issues.
    5. Research Practicum (CSD 7940): a minimum of 9 (or 12) credit hours across
      3 (or 4) semesters
      Doctoral students who have previously completed a Master's Thesis are expected to complete a minimum of 9 credit hours of "Research Practicum" experiences; 6 hours are typically directed by a student's primary advisor and 3 hours by an additional faculty member. Students who have not previously written a Master's Thesis must complete at least 12 hours of research practicum experiences; this generally constitutes 9 hours with their primary advisor and 3 hours with a different faculty mentor. The 6 (or 9) credit hour practicum under the direction of the student's primary advisor will culminate in a pre-candidacy research project, which students are required to present. The presentation may take the form of a defense to their DAC (open to any CSD faculty/students to observe) or alternatively a refereed presentation at a state or national conference (oral or poster), and/or publication in a scientific journal where peer-review is explicitly arranged. Each student's plan for completing this requirement should be detailed in his/her Plan of Study and approved by his/her DAC. The three to four semesters of Research Practicum do not need to be completed consecutively.
    6. Dissertation Research (CSD 7970): a minimum of 14 credit hours
      Each student must complete a minimum of 14 hours of dissertation research, which typically requires at least 2 semesters (see below).
    Summary of Minimum (Typical) Required Hours and Courses to be Taken
    Major Content Courses: 12
    Related Content Area: 9
    Research Tools Courses: 12
    Instructional Methods: 3
    Research Practica: 9 (12 if no previous thesis research)
    Proseminar Enrollment: 4
    Dissertation Research 14
    Total 63 (66 if no previous thesis research)
    Additional Requirements for Students without Speech and Hearing Backgrounds (or with other special circumstances)
    1. Students with a degree in a different field who do not intend to seek clinical certification will be expected to take course work in speech-language pathology and audiology that was not part of their previous studies. Students and their advisors determine which courses are most appropriate, but general guidelines for background courses to be taken are as follows:
      • A minimum of 18 credits dealing with normal aspects of human communication and its disorders are required. At least 9 of these credits should cover normal aspects of speech, language, and hearing and their development, with at least three credits in each of the following areas: the anatomical and physiological bases of communication; linguistic and psycholinguistic factors affecting communication.
      • A minimum of 9 credits should cover disorders of speech, language, and hearing. These hours are considered a prerequisite to Ph.D. coursework, not part of the Ph.D. program. Some of these background courses may be waived, if a student has had certain equivalent courses as part of his/her previous training (e.g., Psychology of Language, Introduction to Linguistics, etc.)
    2. For students with a clinical degree in Speech and Language Pathology who are subsequently interested in working toward a Ph.D., a limited number of academic course hours previously taken in completing the SLP Master's degree may be able to count for credit toward the Ph.D. degree. Such courses must be approved by a student's DAC. Approval may be granted if the master's level credits were, for example: 1) equivalent to a Ph.D. required course (e.g., Scientific Inquiry in SLP/Advanced Research Design), 2) completed with additional assignments that exceeded expectations for a typical master's level course, or 3) was a unique, advanced-level learning experience (e.g., Independent Study or Seminar).
    3. Students pursuing the M.S./Ph.D. or Au.D./Ph.D. option work with their advisor and DAC to plan an appropriate and acceptable plan of study, including coursework and research experiences. Ideally, a certain amount of overlap in courses and research requirements can be achieved so that a student's program for obtaining both degrees would be shortened by 1-2 semesters, if possible. (See "Addendum" on pages 18-19 concerning Joint M.S./Ph.D. Program in Speech and Language Pathology).
    Qualifying Examination

    Written and oral qualifying (preliminary) examinations are required of each student. The Qualifying Examination Committee (QEC) is responsible for planning and evaluating the written and oral portions of the qualifying exam. The QEC consists of a minimum of five Ph.D. faculty. The majority of QEC members must be tenured faculty from within the CSD department; however, a petition can be su mitted to the graduate school to request that a career-line or adjunct-faculty member contribute to this majority requirement on a case-to-case basis.

    The Ph.D. degree is defined in terms of competency in areas of emphasis, rather than completion of a specified number of courses. Therefore, the purpose of the qualifying exam is to assess the student's competence in their specialty area(s) and their disposition towards research. The scope of the examination is usually informed by the student's Plan of Study but is not restricted to courses listed in the Plan of Study. The Ph.D. student preparing for the qualifying examination typically reads widely beyond regular course work. The five members of the QEC are assigned with the task of examining the student in three to five areas of emphasis. Students are strongly encouraged, but not required, to enroll in CSD 7960 (1-9 credits) – Qualifying Exam Preparation – during the semester in which the qualifying exam is completed. The number of enrolled credit hours for CSD 7960 should be consistent with the effort of the PhD student and the QEC in completing/administering the qualifying exam.

    Timeline:

    • The DAC should approve the timing of the qualifying examination during the semester before the exam is scheduled.
    • A call for written questions/projects should be sent to the relevant QEC committee members at least 30 days before the start date of the examination (to be coordinated by committee chair). Note: students may contact members of the QEC to request direction in preparing for the examination. However, QEC members may or may not choose to provide such guidance.
    • All qualifying exam components (including written, oral, and any remediation) should be completed within the semester in which the exam was assigned.
    • Early in the semester of the scheduled qualify exams, the QEC will meet to determine which members will be authoring questions and to establish a timeline of when each question/project will be due. All questions should be completed one month before the end of the semester to allow adequate time for scheduling of the Oral Exam.
    • The Oral Qualifying Exam should be scheduled no more than three weeks after completion of the final written exam question.
    • The Oral Qualifying Exam is administered regardless of whether the student fails any or all portions of the written exam.
    • Final written comprehensive exam products should be shared with all members of the QEC approximately two weeks before the oral exam date.

    Written Qualifying Exam: The written portion of the qualifying examination may consist of different formats, which will be decided on by the student, his/her advisor, along with the other QEC members. The formats may include a traditional examination structure (Option A) or "open book" and/or "take-home exams" (Option B). In both cases, the student writes for three to five different committee members. All five committee members read and grade the student's exams (see the section on "Written Examination Grading," below).

    • Option A consists of 12 clock hours of written examinations, and a 1-hour oral examination, for a total of 13 hours. The QEC dete mines the number of hours to be spent in the written examination on specific questions prepared by three to five committee members. Typically, the exam involves 4-6 hours for the primary advisor and 2-3 hours for each of 2-4 remaining members of the committee. The written examinations are scheduled by the QEC and typically take place over three to five consecutive days. The written examination is conducted on campus, at a specified location within the CSD department. Normally, the primary advisor is responsible for administering the written examination, unless other arrangements are made. The QEC and student will agree upon the method by which the student will respond to questions (e.g., handwritten answers, written answers prepared on a computer supplied by the department, etc.).
    • Option B requires the student to complete three to five research-oriented projects, each of which is assigned and graded by a member of the QEC. Work completed for previous or current research cannot fulfill the requirements of the qualifying exam; however, the QEC may assign a project that is an extension of the student's previous or current research. Projects may include:
      developing a section of research grant proposal following the style and
      conventions of an appropriate national funding agency
      • preparing a literature review or tutorial paper written in a style appropriate for journal publication
      • writing a section of an original research paper written in a style appropriate for journal publication
      • performing statistical or other analysis on a dataset
      • developing software
      • other "take-home" exam topics/products, etc.

    The timeline for each research project should not exceed two months.

    • Option C involves a combination of Options A and B, as approved by the student's QEC.

    Written Examination Documentation: The following records will be created to document the format, content, and outcome of the written qualifying exam. The Ph.D. Director or Department Chair may have up-to-date templates for a subset of these records. All documents must be included in the student's academic record.

    1. A record detailing the exam format, questions, assigned reviewers, and grading criteria.
    2. A prospective timeline that delineates periods of examination, review, revision, and grading.
    3. A record of the student's written products, including original and revised versions.
    4. A record of the assigned grades, including the overall committee grades, and the scores assigned by individual committee members. This record includes grades for original and revised versions of written products.
    5. A record of any instructions and/or feedback provided to the student by the QEC and its members.

    Written Examination Grading: Grades for all products of the written exam will be assigned during a meeting scheduled by the chair of the QEC. If the student remediates all or portions of the written exam, an additional meeting will be scheduled to review and grade the revised written products. Each original and revised product of the examination will be evaluated as follows:

    1. The committee member who authored the question associated with the written product will serve as the primary reviewer.
    2. The QEC may assign an optional secondary reviewer. This option allows the committee to observe the consistency in scores among reviewers.
    3. The primary and secondary (if applicable) reviewers assign one of the
      following scores
      1. High pass
      2. Pass
      3. Low pass
      4. Fail
    4. The primary and secondary (if applicable) reviewers will present on and provide a rationale for their assigned scores during the QEC meeting.
    5. The remaining QEC members will assign a score after the presentations from the primary and secondary (if applicable) reviewers.
    6. The chair of the QEC will note the scores and propose an overall grade for the associated written product.
    7. The committee will vote on the proposed grade. If the committee is unable to reach a consensus, the committee chair will suggest a different grade for the committee to consider. If disagreement continues, grading for the associated product will be halted, and the committee chair will appeal to the Director of Ph.D. studies or the Department Chair.
    8. The committee chair documents the final grade of the written product and the scores of each QEC member.

    Written Examination Remediation: For the written examination to be successfully completed, all questions must receive a passing grade, and no more than one question may receive a "low pass" grade. In adherence to University policy, "an examination or parts of an examination may be repeated only once and only at the discretion of the student's supervisory committee".

    If an exam question or product is failed, the QEC will determine appropriate remediation such as:

    • revision of the current product
    • formulation of a new product
    • formulation of specific questions for the student to address during the oral qualifying examination
    • presentation of specific content during the oral qualifying examination
    • another form of remediation

    The decision of the QEC will be documented as a supplement to the initial written exam plan, and the criteria for the revised/new product will be specified. The committee also may require that the student engage in additional preparatory activities (e.g., an independent study, a professional writing class) to support the successful completion of the written exam. If the student fails any revised product or if more than one "low pass" grade exists after remediation, the student may not be given an additional attempt and will be discontinued from the program.

    In rare instances, a QEC may withhold a final decision until the student has corrected a specified inadequacy and successfully demonstrated proficiency through a re-examination or alternative assignment. In such cases, the committee shall file a deferred-outcome report with the Director of Ph.D. Studies that identifies (a) the areas to be re-examined or otherwise evaluated, (b) the method of re-examination or assignment for evaluation, (c) the criteria by which the re-examination or assignment will be evaluated, and (d) the date by which the re-evaluation must be completed. If a student fails the exam a second time, he/she will be dismissed from the program.

    Oral Qualifying Exam: The oral examination associated with any of the options described previously is scheduled after all of the written examinations/products have been successfully completed. It is recommended that the candidate take the oral examination as soon as possible (typically no later than three weeks) following the successful completion of the written examinations. Final written comprehensive exam products should be shared with all members of the QEC approximately two weeks before the oral exam date. To accomplish this, the student should contact the members of the QEC and arrange for the date and time with each member of the committee. The oral exam cannot be scheduled unless all members of the QEC can be present for the full examination period. When these arrangements are finalized, the information should be given to the department's administrative assistant, who will provide the appropriate forms to be completed. It is the student's responsibility to assure that the form has been filed with the graduate school. The student should also ask the department's administrative assistant to reserve a room for the examination. The comprehensive oral examination focuses primarily on the student's written examination topics, although the student must be prepared to answer questions from other areas as well. The student is free to discuss aspects of the examination with each QEC member prior to the examination. Each member of the QEC is free to share information about their part of the examination with the student, although they are under no obligation to do so.

    Oral Examination Grading and Remediation: Each committee member carries one "high pass, pass, low pass, fail" vote for performance on the oral examination. For the oral examination to be successfully completed, all committee members must assign a passing grade, and there may be no more than one "low pass" grade. If the student does not pass the oral examination, s/he will be allowed one additional attempt. If the student fails the second attempt of the oral examination, s/he will be dismissed from the Ph.D. program.

    Dissertation

    A. The Prospectus: Upon successful completion of the qualifying examination, the candidate must establish a Dissertation Supervisory Committee (DSC) and begin formal preparation of the Doctoral Dissertation Prospectus. The dissertation prospectus is a proposal for a research project and is essentially a "blueprint" or plan for carrying out the study. The prospectus is a well-detailed document that outlines the research problem, the justification and purpose of the research, the theoretical and research literature leading to the research, and specific procedure for performing the research project itself.

    B. Composition of the Dissertation Supervisory Committee (DSC): Dissertation supervisory committees will be constituted according to the general University of Utah catalogue that states that: "Doctoral supervisory committees consist of five faculty members, the majority of whom must be tenure-line faculty in the student's major department. One or more members of the supervisory committee must be from another department" (http://gradschool.utah.edu/graduate-catalog/degree-requirements). In addition, departmental rules state that all 5 members must have a doctoral degree and the Chair of the DSC must be a member of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders.

    C. Oral Evaluation of the Prospectus: Following approval from his/her committee chair, the candidate requests a meeting of the entire DSC for oral evaluation/defense of the prospectus. The prospectus must be submitted to each committee member at least 2 weeks prior to the meeting. All DSC committee members must vote to approve the prospectus and a copy of the signed approval will be placed in the student's academic file.

    At the discretion of the committee chair and the candidate, the prospectus meeting may be open to all faculty and graduate students. In this case, the candidate is responsible for posting notice of the meeting at least 1 week prior to the meeting.

    D. Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval: All research projects involving human subjects must be approved by the University's IRB prior to beginning data collection. A prospectus meeting can be scheduled pending IRB approval, but IRB approval must be secured before the DSC can give final approval to the prospectus. The student should consult with his/her dissertation advisor when preparing the IRB proposal. The original signed IRB approval must be in the student's academic file prior to the start of any data collection. In some cases, the student may not have to complete a new IRB proposal but will be added as a research collaborator on their dissertation advisor's IRB, which may require an amendment to the advisor's original IRB proposal. If that is the case, the amendment must be approved and in the student's file prior to the start of data collection.

    Guidelines and forms for preparing the IRB proposal can be found on the University webpage. The IRB Office is located in Room 101D of the Medical Research and Education Building (801-581-3655).

    E. Dissertation Registration: The candidate must complete at least 14 hours of thesis research (CSD 7970). The candidate must be registered for at least 1 credit of CSD 7970 during the semester in which the final examination is taken.

    F. Dissertation Preparation Requirements: Candidates should follow the guidelines for preparation of dissertations provided in "A Handbook for Theses and Dissertations". The candidate should also note the Thesis Office deadlines for each semester (included in the handbook). Furthermore, students should be familiar with all services/details related to dissertation tracking (including possible preliminary review of the dissertation prior to the oral defense) which can be found at the Graduate School's Thesis Manuscript Tracking.

    G. Final Examination: The candidate must pass a final oral examination, i.e., a defense of the dissertation. The final oral defense is scheduled by the student with the DSC and is a public examination. At least three weeks before the scheduled final oral examination (dissertation defense), the student should submit an acceptable draft of the dissertation to the chair of the DSC; committee members should receive copies at least two weeks before the examination date.

    The dissertation defense should demonstrate to the supervisory committee the candidate's understanding of the research project, the concepts related to the project, the contribution the project makes to the field of knowledge, and the adequacy of executing the project. All committee members have one pass/fail vote. Candidates should be prepared to accept revision suggestions during the oral examination. If revision suggestions are stipulated as conditions for acceptance (i.e., a passing grade), the chair of the supervisory committee is responsible for working with the student to oversee the revisions. The candidate should be aware that the Graduate Records Office must receive the Report of the Final Examination by the last day of the semester in which the student intends to graduate.

    H. Dissertation Publication: After successful defense of the dissertation (see "Final Examination," above), the student should schedule an appointment with the Thesis Editor to review the procedures for preparing a completed manuscript and complying with University publication requirements (801-581-8893). The doctoral dissertation is expected to be available to other scholars and to the general public. It is the responsibility of all doctoral candidates to arrange for the publication of their dissertations. The University accepts two alternatives for complying with the publication requirements:

    1. The entire dissertation is submitted to UMI Dissertation Publishing, ProQuest Information and Learning, and copies are made available for public sale.
    2. The abstract only is published if the entire dissertation has been previously published and distributed, exclusive of vanity publishing. The doctoral candidate may elect to microfilm the entire previously published work.

    Regardless of the option used for meeting the publication requirement, an abstract of each dissertation is published in UMI Dissertation Publishing, ProQuest Information and Learning, Dissertation Abstracts International.

    Detailed policies and procedures concerning publication requirements, use of restricted data, and other matters pertaining to the preparation and acceptance of the dissertation are contained in A Handbook for Theses and Dissertations, published by The Graduate School and available on The Graduate School website. In addition, students should be familiar with details surrounding online dissertation tracking.

    Sample Ph.D. Program (with previous graduate degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders)

    Year 1- Fall Semester: courses; research practicum, establish DAC.

    Year 1- Spring Semester: courses; research practicum; complete Year 1 research project, complete annual review.

    Year 1- Summer Semester: (optional, but encouraged).

    Year 2- Fall Semester: courses; research practicum.

    Year 2- Spring Semester: courses; teaching practicum (or research practicum, if no previous thesis), complete annual review, establish QEC.

    Year 2- Summer Semester: prepare for qualifying exam and/or work on research project.

    Year 3- Fall Semester: take qualifying exam; mentored teaching practicum, begin prospectus, establish DSC.

    Year 3- Spring Semester: complete prospectus, defend prospectus, and/or mentored teaching practicum, complete annual review.

    Year 3- Summer Semester: begin dissertation.

    Year 4- Complete and defend dissertation.
     

    ***(Note:The time for completing the Ph.D. program varies according to a number of factors that can shorten or lengthen the actual timeline for an individual student. However, one semester prior to graduation, a complete "Program" of Study (which lists all coursework and research hours) should be entered into the Graduate Records Tracking System by the CSD Department Graduate Coordinator).

    Residency and Continuous Registration

    See the University of Utah Graduate School Catalog for complete information on these topics.

    Residency: All doctoral students must spend at least one year (i.e., 2 consecutive semesters) of their program in full-time academic work at the University. Full-time work is considered to be 9 credit hours per semester.

    Continuous Registration: All doctoral students must be continuously registered from the time of admission through the completion of all requirements (unless granted an official leave of absence). Continuous registration requires that the student register and pay applicable tuition for at least 3 credit hours during the regular academic year. Registration for summer semester is not required to maintain continuous registration, unless the student intends to take qualifying exams or defend their dissertation during the summer.

    Doctoral students who have been admitted to candidacy (usually after completing all course work and passing the qualifying examination) can maintain minimum registration by:

    1. Registering and paying the applicable tuition and fees for a minimum of three credit hours of CSD 7970 (Thesis Research-PhD). Candidates who are in residency (i.e., who use University buildings, consult regularly with their supervisory committee, or otherwise use University facilities) and all candidates who defend their dissertation during the semester in question must register under this mechanism.

    OR

    1. On rare occasions, when the student is not in residence and not using University resources such as equipment, facilities, libraries, or faculty time, a student may register for CSD 7990 (Continuing Registration). Registration of CSD 7990 is limited to four semesters.
    Leaves of Absence

    Students who wish to discontinue their studies for one or more semesters (other than summer term) must complete a Graduate School Request for Leave of Absence Form at least two weeks prior to the requested leave date. The form must be approved and signed by the DAC Chair and Department Chair and then forwarded to the Dean of The Graduate School for approval. Requests for leaves of absence may be granted for up to one year subject to the approval of the Dean of the Graduate School in the following circumstances:

    1. Leaves of absence will generally be granted and reviewed on a yearly basis for reasons relating to illness, military service, pregnancy and/or child care (see parental leave policy below), or residence outside the state of Utah.
    2. Leaves may also be granted and reviewed on a yearly basis to students who, in the judgment of the student's DAC, are engaged in work considered beneficial to their academic goals, such as temporary teaching or professional positions or employment which will ultimately allow the student to complete the degree.
    3. Leaves for other reasons may be granted and reviewed on a yearly basis when the DAC believes the leave is in the best interest of both the student and the University.

    While on a leave of absence, a student may continue to receive health care coverage through the Graduate School.

    Parental Leave Policy

    College of Health, University of Utah. Graduate Student Parental Leave Accommodation Policy – Approved by the College Council on April 18, 2016.

    Definitions: College (College of Health), Graduate School (University of Utah Graduate School), University (University of Utah)

    Preamble: The purpose of this policy is to provide Department Chairs and Directors of Graduate Studies guidelines regarding support for graduate students, paid Teaching Assistants, and paid Research Assistants when they are requesting parental leave accommodations for family responsibilities. The College has a collective commitment to fostering a family‐friendly environment for its students with policies that support family and gender equity. This policy applies to both female and male caregivers of a child, leave for pregnancy and childbirth, as well as adoption and surrogacy, in order to support graduate students in their efforts to expand their families and continue participation in their education. Determining specifics of accommodations will be handled on a case‐by‐case basis at the discretion of the Department Chair, in accordance with the guidelines stated below. The College of Health prohibits discrimination on the basis of any status protected by law including the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA). If students are not satisfied with the decision made by the Department Chair, the student may appeal following the steps outlined below.

    Procedures: Graduate students who need time off for care‐giving and bonding with a newborn or adopted child can request accommodations or a leave of absence. Accommodations may include, but are not limited to, compensation, reduced work schedules, extended deadlines or eligibility clocks, modifications to course or lab work, or remote participation in classes. Students must first submit a written request to their Department Chair. If a student is receiving an assistantship or fellowship, a leave of absence will not jeopardize their research or teaching position, provided that the original funding mechanism is viable at the time of their return. Discussions among the Department Chair, Principal Investigator of the respective funding mechanism (if applicable), and student must occur, and an agreement/ memorandum of understanding must be signed by all three parties, prior to the student taking leave. This agreement/memorandum of understanding will document specifics of the accommodations. Graduate students may take a period of up to a total of 12 work weeks within any 12 month period for a parental leave of absence by submitting a Graduate Student Request for Leave of Absence Form to their Department Chair at least two weeks prior to the requested leave date. [https://gradschool.utah.edu/graduate‐catalog/registration/]

    If a student is receiving an assistantship, a leave of absence may result in termination of that position depending on the specifics of the internal or external grant that is funding the student. Students who are funded by grants external to The University of Utah must follow the rules of the granting agency with respect to absences from academic and research work. If the leave begins before a semester ends, incompletes for course work are possible if the student has completed at least 80% of the coursework before the end of the semester.

    Students who wish to discontinue their studies for one or more semesters (other than summer term) must complete a Graduate School Graduate School Request for Leave of Absence Form. The form must be approved and signed by the Supervisory Committee Chair and Department Chair and then forwarded to the Dean of The Graduate School for approval. Requests for leaves of absence may be granted for up to one year for circumstances including parental leave to care for a newborn or newly adopted child. Graduate students who experience a medical condition associated with their pregnancy and need accommodations recommended by their medical provider should contact the University's Title IX Coordinator. The Title IX Coordinator will work with the student, cognizant faculty, and administration, to determine what accommodations are reasonable and effective. If a student has health insurance during the semester in which eligibility requirements were met, the policy would be in effect until it expires. After that point the student has the option to enroll in the Continuation Plan through the Enrollment Form.

    Following are the typical steps taken in consultation with the Department Chair to determine accommodations/parental leave:

    1. Submit written request for accommodations to the Department Chair, meet with him/her, together with the Principal Investigator of the students funding mechanism (if applicable).
    2. If leave of absence is needed, submit Graduate Student Request for Leave Form to Chair.
    3. If the student is dissatisfied with the decision of the Department Chair, the student may appeal by meeting with the Dean of the College.
    4. If the student feels she or he has been discriminated against the student may contact the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action.
    5. If extenuating circumstances occur that require a longer leave of absence, the student can submit a request for extension of the leave to the Department Chair. A leave of absence longer than one year requires approval from the Graduate School, as noted above.
    Failure to Progress, Probation, and Dismissal

    In order to remain in good standing in the Ph.D. Program, students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.0 or higher in all courses applied to the degree. A student will automatically be placed on probation if her/his CGPA falls below 3.0 and will be notified in writing of her/his probationary status by the DAC. A student will be dismissed from the program if her/his GPA is not raised to 3.0 or above during the next two (2) semesters or upon completion of the next nine (9) graduate credits, whichever comes first.

    The DAC may place students on probation if they fail to progress towards the degree. In event of probation, an individualized plan of progression will be developed by the DAC, indicating the terms for probation. Failure to adhere to the probation plan will result in dismissal from the program.

    • Termination/Dismissal: The DAC may terminate/dismiss a student if she/he fails to progress towards the degree. Reasons for termination or dismissal from the program include, but are not limited to the following: a) failure to meet grade requirements; b) failure to meet Qualifying Examination or Dissertation Prospectus/Proposal requirements; c) failure to progress in the PhD Program; d) failure to meet terms of probation; e) violation of the University of Utah Student Code as outlined in the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities; and f) failure to meet dissertation requirements or make adequate progress on dissertation projects.
    Safety and Wellness

    Your safety is our top priority. In an emergency, dial 911 or seek a nearby emergency phone (throughout campus). Report any crimes or suspicious people to 801-585-COPS; this number will get you to a dispatch officer at the University of Utah Department of Public Safety. If at any time, you would like to be escorted by a security officer to or from areas on campus, DPS will help — just give a call.

    The University of Utah seeks to provide a safe and healthy experience for students, employees, and others who make use of campus facilities. In support of this goal, the University has established confidential resources and support services to assist students who may have been affected by harassment, abusive relationships, or sexual misconduct. A detailed listing of University Resources for campus safety can be found in the Campus Safety Handbook.

    Your well-being is key to your personal safety. If you are in crisis, call 801-587-3000; help is close.

    The university has additional excellent resources to promote emotional and physical wellness, including the Counseling Center and the Wellness Center. Counselors and advocates in these centers can help guide you to other resources to address a range of issues, including substance abuse and addiction.

    Statement of Equal Access

    The University of Utah seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services and activities for people with disabilities. If you will need accommodations for your completion of the qualifying examination or dissertation defense, reasonable prior notice needs to be given to the Center for Disability & Access (CDA), 162 Olpin Union Building, 801-581-5020. CDA will work with you and the department to make arrangements for accommodations.

    Addendum

    Requirements for Joint M.S./Ph.D. program in Speech and Language Pathology

    In order to integrate M.S. and Ph.D. coursework and research and clinic training, two of the essential ingredients are flexibility and individualization in designing one's course of study. In general, however, the typical program is somewhat "front-loaded" with Master's degree academic and clinic courses. Specific Ph.D. courses and research experiences are gradually integrated, primarily after the first several semesters of M.S. courses and clinical practica. In addition, clinical practicum experiences are generally somewhat reduced in scope in any given semester (compared to M.S.-only training), and as a result, clinical training is extended beyond the 5 semesters M.S. students are engaged in such experiences.

    Although some efficiencies can be achieved by pursuing a Joint M.S./Ph.D. degree, the specific amount of time saved by doing so will vary from student to student. In general, the time savings should amount to approximately one year of study. Because of certification requirements imposed by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), academic and clinical courses associated with the Master's degree program must be adhered to carefully. For example, students must have completed (or be concurrently enrolled in) any clinical courses in order to work with clients manifesting a particular speech or language disorder. Furthermore, as a result of being in the Joint M.S./Ph.D. degree program, students will not necessarily take all of the clinical content courses taken by M.S.-only students, and thus may not have as diverse of clinical experiences as they otherwise would. However, in the event that a student does not take one or more of the courses required for the M.S. degree, s/he must still acquire and demonstrate the knowledge and skills required for ASHA certification.

    Although some of the academic coursework required for the Master's degree can also fulfill requirements for the Ph.D. degree, M.S./Ph.D. students will be expected to complete more detailed and/ or additional assignments (e.g., a course project or paper) in order to receive doctoral credit; such additional experiences are required in a minimum of 4 clinical "content" courses. (Clinical practicum experiences can not be counted toward completion of Ph.D. requirements.)

    Because of the specialized nature of the Joint M.S./Ph.D. training program, applicants will be expected to meet strict GPA and GRE requirements for admission that may exceed those expected of other graduate students. Because of the dual nature of the training associated with this program, it is offered as a "full time only" option; students who are admitted are strongly discouraged from working in any capacity, other than in conjunction with assignments they may have as research or teaching assistants.

    If a student enrolled in the M.S./Ph.D. program decides to discontinue pursuing the Ph.D. degree and wishes to obtain only the M.S. degree, s/he will be allowed to do so if his/her grades meet the requirements for enrolled master's candidates (i.e., minimum 3.0 GPA and no more than two C's in departmental classes). Students who discontinue the doctoral portion of study will likely require additional time to complete the master's degree depending on how long they have been in the joint program. Non-departmental courses may not be substituted for required CSD master's courses. Departmental independent studies and research experiences may be used to fulfill master's level requirements only with approval of the student's committee.