Doctoral Program
Elevate your career with our doctoral program
At UNR Med, our graduate programs in Speech-Language Pathology are meticulously designed to advance your career and deepen your expertise. Our programs provide rigorous academic training, hands-on clinical experience, and specialized research opportunities. Join a community of dedicated professionals and make a significant impact in the field of communication disorders.
Ph.D. in Speech-Language Pathology Program
Our Ph.D. program in Speech-Language Pathology is designed to produce highly qualified professionals ready for roles in academia, research and advanced clinical settings. This program equips students with deep knowledge and research skills across multiple areas of specialization, including articulation/phonology, cleft palate/craniofacial, aphasia, motor speech disorders, language disorders, stuttering, voice disorders, swallowing and swallowing disorders, alaryngeal speech and clinical supervision.
Program requirements
- Residency: Students must complete at least three years (six semesters) of residency.
- Customized program of study: Each student’s program of study will be tailored to their needs and developed by an advisory/examining committee. This committee includes at least three faculty members from the department and two faculty members from outside the department.
- Credits: To earn a Ph.D., students must complete at least 60 credits, with a minimum of 30 credits at the 700-level, exclusive of dissertation credits.
- Twelve units of statistic courses
- Twelve units of seminar courses (SPA 790)
- Six units of related support area courses
- Seventeen units of electives
- Twelve dissertation units (SPA 799)
- One comprehensive examination unit (SPA 795)
Graduate course offerings
- SPA 660 Advanced Speech Sound Disorders (3 units)
This course will focus on phonological development, assessment of phonological disorders, and treatment of phonological disorders in children. - SPA 664 Practicum in Clinical Audiology (1 unit)
Supervised clinical procedures in diagnostic hearing examinations and management techniques. - SPA 667 Language Assessment and Intervention: 0-5 (3 units)
Assessment and intervention of communication and language disorders in infants, toddlers and preschoolers. - SPA 668 Assessment and Intervention of Language & Literacy Disorders (3 units)
Appraisal, diagnoses and intervention of various language and literacy disorders in preschool through adolescence. - SPA 700 Clinical Practicum - Intro (2 units)
In this course, students primarily engage in evaluation and assessment experiences in the UNR Med Speech and Hearing Clinic. - SPA 701 - Clinical Practicum - Intermediate (2 units)
In this course, students engage in evaluation and assessment, and treatment experiences in the UNR Med Speech and Hearing Clinic. - SPA 702 - Clinical Practicum - Advanced (2 units)
In this course, students engage in evaluation and assessment, treatment and simulated case experiences in the UNR Med Speech and Hearing Clinic and on occasion, in externship experiences in the community. - SPA 703 - Clinical Practicum - Professional Preparation (2 units)
In this course, students engage in treatment, simulated cases and some externship experiences in the community. - SPA 704 - Clinical Practicum - Externship
In this course, students engage in evaluation and assessment and treatment experiences in external placements in both educational and medical settings. Research design and methods in communicative disorders. - SPA 721 Craniofacial Disorders (3 units)
Causes and treatment of communicative disorders related to cleft lip and palate. An interdisciplinary approach is stressed. - SPA 733 Diverse Populations in Communication Sciences
The study and application of culturally responsive practices for diverse populations of all ages. - SPA 723 Language Theory (3 units)
Nature of language and childhood language disorders with emphasis on specific language impairment and current research in childhood language acquisition. - SPA 751 Dysphasia (3 units)
Language and speech disorders related to central nervous system deficits - SPA 752 Fluency Disorders (3 units)
Disorders of speech rhythm and fluency. Emphasis on etiology, diagnosis and methods of treatment in children and adults. - SPA 754 Seminar in Alaryngeal Speech (2 units)
Principles and procedures in alaryngeal speech rehabilitation, including the artificial larynx, esophageal speech and tracheo-esophageal speech. - SPA 756 Augmentative & Alternative Communication in Speech-Language Pathology (2 units)
AAC processes, assessment, devices/tools and language systems in speech and language intervention with AAC across the lifespan. - SPA 762 Disorders of Voice (3 units)
Causes, diagnosis, and treatment of disorders of the voice. - SPA 765 Advanced Audiology (3 units)
Calibration of test equipment, rationale and procedures used in the evaluation of hearing loss, laboratory exercises. - SPA 767 Advanced Practicum (2 units)
Supervised clinical experience in the treatment and management of children and adults with multiple communicative disorders. - SPA 768 Seminar in Audiology (3 units)
Special topics, hearing aids, psychophysics of audition; current research and publications in clinical hearing measurement or rehabilitation. - SPA 770 Endoscopic Evaluation of Speech and Swallowing (2 units)
Techniques in the administration and interception of endoscopic examination of speech, voice and swallowing. Students develop basic practical skills in vocal tract imaging procedures. - SPA 775 Cognitive Aspects of Communication Disorders (3 units)
Traumatic brain injury/closed head injury, right hemisphere disorders and dementia; treatment for these cognitive-linguistic disorders. Neural substrates for language and cognition; assessment principles and procedures. - SPA 777 Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders (3 units)
Course will provide a framework for assessing normal and disordered swallowing skills of patients at all levels of care across many types of disorders. - SPA 790 Doctoral Seminar in Speech Pathology (3 units)
Comprehensive study of special issues, questions or problems in the field of speech-language pathology. - SPA 791 Experience Classroom/Clinical Teaching (3 to 6 units)
Supervised experience in teaching university students both in the classroom and in the clinical setting. Maximum of 9 credits. - SPA 793 Independent Study (1 to 3 units)
Offered every fall, spring, and summer. - SPA 794 Workshops and Institutes (1 to 3 units)
Intensive study of special topics in speech pathology or audiology. Usually offered during Summer Session. Maximum of 8 credits. - SPA 795 Comprehensive Examination (1 to 3 credits, S/U only)
Course is used by graduate programs to administer comprehensive examinations either as an end of program comprehensive examination or as a qualifying examination for doctoral candidates prior to being advanced to candidacy. - SPA 797 Thesis (1-6 units)
Offered every fall, spring and summer. Maximum 6 credits. Enrollment only by faculty approval. - SPA 799 Dissertation (1 to 24 units)
Offered every fall, spring and summer. - SPA 899 Graduate Advisement (1 to 4 units)
Provides access to faculty for continued consultation and advisement. No grade is filed and credits may not be applied to any degree requirements. Limited to 8 credits (2 semester) enrollment. For non-thesis master's degree students only.