Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Science Curriculum | Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

The Ph.D. RS program requires 86 semester credit hours, including up to 24 hours from graduate-level transfer courses. All students take a 44-hour core curriculum and 42-hour concentration in Communication Sciences & Disorders or Movement Sciences & Disorders.

Note: The Ph.D. RS is a face-to-face program, but students may take several online courses and receive degree credit for up to 49% of the hours taken in the program. 

Rehabilitation Science Core (44 hours)

All students take the following core courses or approved substitutes, as applicable.

Foundations (3 hours)

HPPH 7101 Rehabilitation Science Foundations
HPPH 7102 Professional Development (repeat for 2 hours)

Teaching (8 hours)

HPDS 7304 Educational Evaluation in Health Professions
HPDS 7305 Curriculum Design & Teaching in Health Professions
or another approved education course
HPPH 7115 Teaching Practicum (repeat for 2 hours)

Research Design and Statistics (9 hours)

HPPH 7321 Research Design & Statistics
HPPH 7322 Intermediate Statistics
HPPH 7323 Selected Topics in Statistics
or other approved statistics course

Technical Writing (6 hours)

HPPH 7331 Writing for Publication
HPPH 7332 Writing for Grants
or other approved technical writing course

Research (6 hours)

HPPH 7099 Research

Doctoral Dissertation (12 hours)

HPPH 8000 & 8001 Doctoral Dissertation

Concentration (42 hours) 

Students choose a concentration in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) or Movement Sciences and Disorders (MSD), completing graduate-level required, selected, and elective coursework.

Communication Sciences & Disorders (CSD) Concentration

Required CSD Courses (12 hours)

HPPH 7171, 7272, or 7377 CSD Seminar (select and repeat courses for 9 hours)
HPPH 7350 CSD Research Methods (3 hours)

Selected CSD Courses (18 hours from the following)

HPPH 7171, 7272, or 7377 CSD Seminar (may be repeated for credit; 6 hours maximum)
HPPH 7350 CSD Research Methods (may be repeated for credit; 6 hours maximum)
HPPH 7010 Independent Study (may be repeated for credit; 6 hours maximum)
HPPH 7020 Special Topics (may be repeated for credit; 6 hours maximum)
HPPH 7386 Computer Research Applications 

Courses from

  • the MSD concentration
  • other Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences programs (e.g., AuD, SLP)
  • other SHP programs (6 hours maximum)
  • other TTUHSC departments (6 hours maximum)
  • TTU (6 hours maximum)

Elective CSD Courses (12 hours)

Students take approved elective courses to complete the CSD concentration.

Movement Sciences & Disorders (MSD) Concentration

Required MSD Courses (12 hours)

HPPH 7181, 7282, or 7387 MSD Seminar (select and repeat courses for 9 hours)
HPPH 7360 MSD Research Methods (3 hours)

Selected MSD Courses (18 hours from the following)

HPPH 7181, 7282, or 7387 MSD Seminar (may be repeated for credit; 6 hours maximum)
HPPH 7360 MSD Research Methods (may be repeated for credit; 6 hours maximum) 
HPPH 7010 Independent Study (may be repeated for credit; 6 hours maximum)
HPPH 7020 Special Topics (may be repeated for credit; 6 hours maximum)
HPPH 7386 Computer Research Applications

Courses from

  • the CSD concentration
  • other Department of Rehabilitation Sciences programs (e.g., DPT, OTD, MAT, or ScD RS)
  • other SHP programs (6 hours maximum)
  • other TTUHSC departments (6 hours maximum)
  • TTU (6 hours maximum)

Elective MSD Courses (12 hours)

Students take approved elective courses to complete the MSD concentration.

Additional Requirements for Graduation

  • Completion of a supervised research project concurrent with HPPH 7099 Research.
  • Completion of a comprehensive qualifying examination for advancement to candidacy.
  • Completion of a doctoral dissertation.