Doctoral Programs in Cognition and Neuroscience, Communication
Science
and Disorders, Psychological Sciences
The
School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences offers doctoral programs in Cognition
and Neuroscience, Communication Sciences and Disorders, and Psychological
Sciences. Each provides preparation in basic and applied aspects of behavioral
and brain sciences. The faculty consists of specialists in developmental
psychology, cognitive science, neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience, and
communication sciences and disorders. Students may specialize in these areas or
pursue study across areas as in the study of child language, aging, perception,
and behavioral and neural plasticity. Core and specialized courses provide the foundation for advanced seminars and a wide spectrum of
doctoral research in laboratories, schools, and clinics. Frequent
colloquia and informal brown-bag seminars contribute to a stimulating environment
for scholarly development.
Cognition and Neuroscience
The
flexible, non-traditional doctoral program in Cognition and Neuroscience
provides novel opportunities for multidisciplinary and cross-disciplinary
studies in the areas of perception, memory, attention, and executive
processing, cognitive neuroscience, cellular and systems neuroscience, cortical
plasticity, and computational modeling of cognitive and neural processes. Close liaison with the U.T. Southwestern
Medical School provides access to first-class neuroimaging technologies and
research populations. Students
pursuing research in this program have the option of developing, in
consultation with their doctoral advisor, a unique training program tailored to
their specific research interests.
Psychological Sciences
The
doctoral program in Psychological Sciences provides opportunities for study
within the context of a traditional experimental psychology curriculum. The
program also offers strong interdisciplinary linkages to other areas within the
School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, including cognitive neuroscience,
behavioral neuroscience, and communication sciences and disorders. The
primary goal of the program is to prepare research investigators for academic
and applied settings either directly or indirectly related to the field of
Experimental Psychology. Students work closely with one or more faculty
members in a collegial mentoring relationship. Although all students complete a
core curriculum comprised of coursework in areas such as Developmental
Psychology, Cognition, and Social/Personality Psychology, the program allows
students to individually tailor their studies in creative ways.
Communication Sciences and
Disorders
The
doctoral program in Communication Sciences and Disorders provides opportunities
for graduate study and research in the areas of speech, language, and hearing
science and in the disorders that affect speech, language, and hearing. Students
have available a wealth of research opportunities in
laboratories, clinics, and schools, both on-campus and in the community.
Close liaison with the U.T. Southwestern Medical School provides patient access
and numerous opportunities for research in medical settings. Coursework
and research options within the doctoral programs in Psychological Sciences and
Cognition and Neuroscience allow students to pursue interdisciplinary study in
areas such as neuroimaging of language processes,
child language, autism, neural plasticity and recovery, speech perception,
auditory neuroscience and cognitive aging.
The
offices and research facilities of the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences
are located on the Richardson campus, and off-campus
at the Callier Center for Communication
Disorders-Dallas, the Center for BrainHealth, and the
Center for Vital Longevity, which are adjacent to the
campus of the UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. Facilities on the
Richardson campus include teaching and research laboratories for neuroscience, cognitive
science, and facilities for the study of child development. The Center for Children and Families and
Callier-Richardson provide a variety of clinical
services to the community and serve as a research sites for graduate students.
The University’s general admission requirements are
discussed here.
Admission
to a doctoral program is based on a review of the applicant’s
transcripts, GRE scores, 3 letters of recommendation, and narrative description
of research interests and career goals. In addition to academic requirements,
the admissions committee weighs heavily the match between the applicant’s
research interests and the research areas available to students in the school.
For information about faculty research interests, see our web pages at bbs.utdallas.edu.
Applications
for admission are due December 1. Students
are accepted for the Fall semester only. Some courses in the graduate programs in
Audiology, Applied Cognition and Neuroscience, Communication Disorders, Human
Development and Early Childhood Disorders, and Psychological Sciences
complement doctoral coursework and, upon a student’s admission to the
Ph.D. program, can be applied toward the degree. Students should consult with
the doctoral program head to determine which graduate courses can be applied to
the Ph.D.
Students
seeking clinical certification from the American Speech-Language-Hearing
Association in Speech-Language Pathology or Audiology, in addition to the
Ph.D., may combine the masters program in Communication Disorders
(speech-language pathology) or doctoral program in Audiology with the Ph.D.
programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders, Cognition and Neuroscience,
or Psychological Sciences. An individualized plan of study leads to both
degrees. Students are separately admitted to each program and admission to one
program does not assure admission to the other.
The University’s general degree requirements are discussed here.
Students
seeking the Doctor of Philosophy degree must complete 75 graduate hours.
COGNITION AND NEUROSCIENCE
(Ph.D.)
Doctoral Proseminar (6 semester hours)
•
HCS 6302 Issues in Behavioral and Brain Sciences I
•
HCS 6303 Issues in Behavioral and Brain Sciences II
Research Methods (6 semester hour minimum)
•
HCS 6312 Research Methods in Behavioral and Brain Sciences - Part I
•
HCS 6313 Research Methods in Behavioral and Brain Sciences - Part II
Cognition and Neuroscience
Core Courses (6 semester hour minimum).Students must take a minimum of
one Cognition Core and one Neuroscience Core, choosing from those listed below.
1. Cognition
HCS 6330 Cognitive Science
HCS 6395 Cognitive Psychology
2. Neuroscience
HCS 6346 Systems Neuroscience
HCS 7344 Functional Neuroanatomy
Advanced
Electives (9 semester hours minimum) In addition to completing the 6 semester credit hour (SCH) core
requirement, students take a minimum of 9 SCH of
advanced electives. Any HCS course may count as an advanced elective.
This includes core courses (see above), though no course can be counted both as
a core and an advanced elective for any single student. Advanced electives are
selected by students with the concurrence of their research advisors based on
the students’ research foci. Depending on a student’s background
and dissertation research, additional advanced electives beyond the 9 SCH
minimum may be necessary.
COMMUNICATION
SCIENCES AND DISORDERS (Ph.D.)
Doctoral Proseminar (6 semester hours)
•
HCS 6302 Issues in Behavioral and Brain Sciences I
•
HCS 6303 Issues in Behavioral and Brain Sciences II
Research Methods (9 semester
hour minimum)
•
HCS 6312 Research Methods in Behavioral and Brain Sciences - Part I
•
HCS 6313 Research Methods in Behavioral and Brain Sciences - Part II
•
Approved Advanced Research Methods/Statistics course
Core (6 semester hour minimum) Students must complete a minimum of 6
semester credit hours of approved COMD or AUD prefixed courses. Courses meeting
this requirement will vary depending on the student’s research
interests. The requirement may be waived for students holding a graduate
degree in the field of speech-language pathology or audiology. Students lacking
an adequate foundation in communication sciences may be required to complete
more than the 6 SCH minimum of core coursework.
Communication Sciences and
Disorders
(3 semester hour minimum) All students
must complete a minimum of 3 SCH of doctoral coursework offered through
the Ph.D. program in Communication Sciences and Disorders.
Supplemental Coursework
(12 semester hour minimum) All students
must complete an additional minimum of 12 SCH’s of doctoral level courses
and seminars. Courses may be selected from doctoral level coursework offered
through the Ph.D. programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders or, with
advisor approval, from the doctoral coursework offered through the Ph.D.
programs in Cognition and Neuroscience and Psychological Sciences.
PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCES (Ph.D.)
Doctoral Proseminar (6 semester hours)
•
HCS 6302 Issues in Behavioral and Brain Sciences I
Research Methods (6 semester hour minimum)
•
HCS 6312 Research Methods in Behavioral and Brain Sciences - Part I
•
HCS 6313 Research Methods in Behavioral and Brain Sciences - Part II
Psychological Science Core Courses
(12 semester hour minimum). Students will declare a major in Developmental Psychology,
Cognition, or Social/Personality Psychology. Students must take four core
courses from those listed below. Two of these courses must be selected from the
major area, and the four courses must be selected from at least two of the four
areas listed.
1. Developmental Psychology
HCS 6350 Social Development
HCS 6331 Cognitive Development
HCS 6368 Language Development
2. Cognition
HCS 6395 Cognitive Psychology
HCS 6330 Cognitive Science
HCS 6333 Memory
3. Social/Personality Psychology
HCS 6376 Social Psychology
HCS 6327 Personality
4. Neuroscience
HCS 6346 Systems Neuroscience
HCS 7344 Functional Neuroanatomy
Advanced
Electives (9 semester hour minimum). After
completing the 12 SCH core requirements, students will
take an additional 9 SCH of advanced electives. Any core course (see
above) may count as an advanced elective, though it cannot count both as a core
course and as an elective. One of these 3-hour elective courses must be
an advanced research methods course. Students will declare a major in
Developmental Psychology, Cognition, or Social/Personality Development and will
take a minimum of four courses (cores and electives) in the major area.
Students may enroll in other advanced electives from the other doctoral course
offerings available in the School, including courses in language and communication.
Additional advanced electives are available each semester.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
All
students must complete the Qualifying Project/Qualifying Paper requirements of
the Ph.D. degree sought. The successful defense of a written dissertation
completes the requirements for the degree.
