Doctoral
Programs in Cognition and Neuroscience, Communication Sciences and Disorders,
Psychological Sciences
Professors: Hervé Abdi, Peter F. Assmann, James C. Bartlett, Thomas
G.R. Bower, Duane Buhrmester, Thomas Campbell, Sandra Chapman, Christine
Dollaghan, W. Jay Dowling, George M. Gerken
(emeritus), Richard Golden, John Hart, Susan W. Jerger, William F. Katz , Aage
R. Møller, Bert S. Moore, Alice J. O’Toole, Margaret
T. Owen, Denise Park, Ross J. Roeser, Allen L. Rupert (emeritus), Bart Rypma,
John W. Santrock, Melanie J. Spence, Robert D. Stillman, Linda Thibodeau, Emily
Tobey, Hanna Ulatowska, Anne van Kleeck, Marion Underwood, Deborah Wiebe
Associate Professors: Marco Atzori, Lawrence J. Cauller,
Michael Kilgard, Pamela Rollins, Lucien T. Thompson
Assistant Professors: Shayla Holub, Daniel
Krawczyk, Christa McIntyre, Mandy Maguire, Candace Mills, Noah Sasson
Distinguished Scholar in Residence: James Jerger
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 cognition and perception, cellular and systems
neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience, neuroimaging,
cognitive science, and computational modeling of perceptual and neural
processes. 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 which 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 UT 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, and aging.
The offices
and research facilities of the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences are
located on the Richardson campus, and the Callier
Center for Communication Disorders-Dallas and the Center for BrainHealth, both
of which are located adjacent to the campus of the UT Southwestern
Medical Center at Dallas. Facilities on the Richardson campus include teaching
and research laboratories for neuroscience, a cognitive science, and facilities
for the study of child development, including the Center for Children and
Families. Callier-Richardson, also located
on the Richardson campus, provides a variety of clinical services to the
community and serves as a research site for students in Communication Sciences
and Disorders and Psychological Sciences.
The
University’s general admission requirements are discussed here.
Deadline for
submission of application materials for fall admission is the preceding
February 15. Fall admission is advised due to the coursework schedule and
availability of assistantship support. However, applicants wishing
consideration for spring semester admission should submit all application
materials by September 15.
Admission to
a doctoral program is based on a review of the applicant’s transcripts, GRE
scores, 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.
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 or doctoral
program in Audiology with the Ph.D. program in Communication Sciences and
Disorders. 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.
COGNITION AND NEUROSCIENCE (Ph.D.)
Doctoral Proseminar
(6 SCH)
•
HCS
6302 Issues in Behavioral and Brain Sciences I
•
HCS
6303 Issues in Behavioral and Brain Sciences II
Research Methods (6 SCH 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 SCH 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 SCH 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 SCH)
•
HCS
6302 Issues in Behavioral and Brain Sciences I
•
HCS
6303 Issues in Behavioral and Brain Sciences II
Research Methods (9 SCH 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 SCH 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 SCH 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 SCH
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 SCH)
•
HCS
6302 Issues in Behavioral and Brain Sciences I
Research Methods (6 SCH minimum)
•
HCS
6312 Research Methods in Behavioral and Brain Sciences ∼ Part I
Psychological Science Core Courses (12 SCH 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
2.
Cognition
• HCS 6395 Cognitive
Psychology
3. Social/Personality Psychology
•HCS 6371 Social
Psychology
4. Neuroscience
•HCS 6346 Systems
Neuroscience
Advanced Electives (9 SCH 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.
INDIVIDUALIZED DEGREE
PLANS
The option
of creating an individualized degree plan is available to students whose
interests cut across the three degree areas. One such plan offers a focus in
Child Language Development and Disorders. This focus allows students to take
advantage of unique interdisciplinary research opportunities in the School’s
demonstration programs for infants, toddlers, and preschool children.
Individualized plans should be drafted in consultation with the student’s
research advisor and require the approval of the Graduate Studies Committee.
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.
