CURRICULUM | PhD in REHABILITATION SCIENCE

Introduction to current theories and applications related to rehabilitation science. Includes an overview of rehabilitation services and biopsychosocial and sociopolitical issues influencing research, management and practice. The course will be team-taught by an interdisciplinary group of faculty who each have expertise in one or more of the course's topic areas including; models of disability; outcomes research and evidence-based practice; rehabilitation engineering and technology translation; use of human subjects in research; and use of information retrieval systems.

A focus on statistical analysis of rehabilitation science data.  Topics include distributions, tests of significance, confidence intervals, parametric tests, and nonparametric tests.  Emphasis in this course is on application of inferential statistics, and students will also refine skills in oral presentation and statistical result interpretation.

A critical review of current practices in rehabilitation science research methodologies and the underlying theories that support them. Topics include: Effect size, power analysis, selection of research design to fit hypothesis, single subject designs, time series, clinical trials, ROC analysis, sensitivity and specificity considerations, psychometric properties and design of assessment tools, reliability and validity of measures.  Emphasis on this course is on library science, critical reading of the literature, levels of research, and distillation of the research question.

The application of ethical principles and jurisprudence related to academia, clinical rehabilitation and research in a problem-based learning format.  Topics include ethical and legal considerations related to academic integrity, ethical clinical practice and ethical research in the rehabilitation sciences.  Topics include but are not limited to: CITI, HIPPA, ADA and IDEA.

Study of stylistic and substantive guidelines used for professional     grant writing in the Allied Health professions. Focus is placed on reaching the goal of acquiring actual or hypothetical research funding through improving the effectiveness of grant proposals through the drafting and revision process.

An examination and application of learning and instructional design theory to the construction of adult instructional experiences. Theories and practices related to both traditional and online learning environments will be explored.  Students will use materials in this course to teach content in Instructional Practicum.

Instruction in the systematic, critical analysis of a body of evidence in order to determine its trustworthiness and relevance to rehabilitation science.  It includes critical analysis of research design and statistical methods and is formatted into a weekly mentored journal club, where each student presents contemporary topics relevant to their chosen track at least each semester of the first two years.  This course requires faculty and student participation across disciplines and tracks for a rich, collaborative, weekly dialogue about the science. 

Application of principles learned in Instructional Design. Students gain practical experience as a teaching assistant under faculty supervision.

Guided instruction in writing a research proposal and completing the IRB review process. This course entails writing an NIH-style grant application for a project that the student plans to pursue for a dissertation. The proposal is evaluated by a committee of faculty members (Major Professor and Examining Committee) both in terms of the written document and via questioning that takes place during the student’s oral presentation of the project.

The research and resultant dissertation culminates in and comprises a series of papers formatted and submitted for publication to peer-reviewed journals along with an introduction chapter and an overall conclusions chapter.  The final product must be successfully presented and defended orally before a Dissertation Committee comprising faculty with expertise in areas related to the dissertation topic.

REHS 7650: Biological Basis of Human Movement - 3 credits: A focus on the neuromusculoskeletal cellular, histological, anatomical, and physiological bases and processes related to human movement. The course will progress from micro- to macro-mechanisms enabling normal human movement, while also relating movement to its effects at the molecular level (i.e., mechanotransduction).

REHS 7651: Theories of Human Motor Control and Learning Processes - 3 credits: The study of normal motor control and learning processes useful in correcting abnormal human movement resulting from injury and/or disease.

REHS 7652: Electromyography Operations and Analyses - 3 credits: An in-depth analysis of computer systems and instrumentation required to acquire electromyographic data, in order for the learner to become independent in electromyographic signal processing and data analysis.

REHS 7653: Movement Analysis Systems - 3 credits: An in-depth analysis of software and instrumentation required to acquire kinetic and kinematic data, as well as an introduction to engineering principles applicable to movement systems.  In addition, the learner will become independent in kinetic/kinematic signal processing and analysis.

REHS 7850: Advanced Clinical Neuropathology - 3 credits: A focused study of the pathophysiology and presentation of neurological deficits found in disorders such as CVA and TBI. Emphasis on the implications for cognitive rehabilitation. Prerequisite: Neuroanatomy, Foundations of Rehabilitation Science.  This course is the foundational course for the concentration in Neurocognitive Rehabilitation. Later courses in the concentration will build on students’ understanding of neuropathology as a basis for assessment and treatment of neurocognitive deficits. Prerequisite: Clinical Neuroanatomy.

REHS 7851: Assessment of Neurobehavioral Deficits - 3 credits: A survey of methods and tools used to evaluate neurobehavioral and cognitive functioning (memory, attention, awareness, metacognition, visual perception) and the impact on function in adults. Prerequisites: Advanced Clinical Neuropathology, Advanced Statistics. 

REHS 7852: Advanced Neurocognitive Evidence Based Practice - 3 credits: An examination of current evidence based interventions designed to enable participation in persons with neurobehavioral deficits. Lecture and case-based learning format. Prerequisite: Advanced Clinical Neuropathology. 

REHS 7853: Translating Evidence into Neurocognitive Rehabilitation Practice - 3 credits: This project based course will offer the student the opportunity to explore a neurorehabilitation topic in depth. The student will design a learning experience in collaboration with faculty to include a demonstration of expertise in an academic or clinical setting. Online or hybrid. Pre-requisites: Advanced Neurobehavioral Evidence Based Practice and Assessment of Neurobehavioral Deficits. 

REHS 7750: Doctoral Seminar I - 3 credits: Seminar course from which students choose from one of the following five topics related to communication, speech, language or swallowing: (1) neurologically bases/disorders, (2) developmental lifespan bases/disorders, (3) clinical efficacy, (4) cultural correlates, (5) other communication or swallowing related topic of interest approved by faculty advisor/mentor.

REHS 7751: Doctoral Seminar II - 3 credits: Second of two doctoral seminars thematically related to Doctoral Seminar 1 (REHS 7750) from which students choose one of the following five topics related to communication, speech, language or swallowing: (1) neurologically bases/disorders, (2) developmental lifespan bases/disorders, (3) clinical efficacy, (4) cultural correlates, (5) other communication or swallowing related topic of interest approved by faculty advisor/mentor.

REHS 7752: Post-secondary Teaching and Administration in SLP - 3 credits: Comprehensive study of pedagogical methods related to didactic and clinical instruction in speech-language pathology and theories and methods of university administration. The course is embedded in the historical context of the doctoral shortage in the discipline and the institutional relationship of university programs to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association in terms of accreditation and certification standards.

*this track also requires at least one specific elective course according to the student’s chosen topic.

Theoretical foundation of multivariate analysis with two and more dependent variables will be discussed.  Procedures covered in the course include multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), principal component analysis, factor analysis, and classification.

Exploration of qualitative methods (data collection, analysis and interpretation) used to arrive at a deeper understanding of a research topic. Various data management software will also be reviewed.

An interdisciplinary team-taught exploration of models of rehabilitation, patient/client progression, and care management tools across the continuum of settings and disciplines involved in the rehabilitation process.  Pros and Cons of current regulatory and payment models, outcome tools, and registries will be discussed. 

This course will provide students with an opportunity to integrate historical and contemporary issues in the study of leadership behavior as it relates to academic culture.  The course is based on leadership research and writing that reveals the leader as facilitator, collaborator, servant, and follower.  The course will provide students with an opportunity to reflect, discuss, and write on topics and questions related to leadership and followership behaviors. 

This class will provide an examination of assistive technology usage related to major life activities including: academic instruction, career tasks, community engagement and daily life skills of individuals with various disabilities; includes investigation of the theoretical, clinical practice, and policy considerations that influence the manner in which assistive technology options are optimally matched with individual users.

Examination of the barriers faced by marginalized populations in clinical, school, and community environments and the various methods employed to identify needs, evaluate services and to improve organizational and individual supports.

Students will learn and apply basic concepts of epidemiology to domains of rehabilitation science. We will illustrate and practice using epidemiology to better understand, characterize, and promote health at a population level. This class will engage the students in active and collaborative learning through team activities, individual projects, case studies, and group discussions.

Introduction to Pharmacology is a lecture- and activity-based course that presents basic pharmacologic principles (pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, adverse effects, drug interactions, etc.) with emphasis on CNS, musculoskeletal, and psychiatric pharmacology. The effects of drug action on the effectiveness of rehabilitation therapy interventions and functional outcomes will be stressed. In addition, safety factors that can impact the rehab process, and/or be impacted by the rehab professional will be addressed, including medication errors, non-adherence, and polypharmacy.

The aim of this course is to familiarize the future scholar with opportunities that exist for single subject research design and scholarship. This will include case reports and case series design, with previous published works used as a guide. The course will review the options available for publishing such studies, in addition to using the results of such works to justify higher level investigations.

The focus of the independent study course is to allow an in-depth exploration of ideas or experiences not covered in required or elective classes, but that are deemed integral to the development of the student’s dissertation. Learning experiences and evaluation methods will be dependent on the mentor and student goals for the independent study.

Seminar course from which students choose from one of the following five topics related to communication, speech, language or swallowing: (1) neurologically bases/disorders, (2) developmental lifespan bases/disorders, (3) clinical efficacy, (4) cultural correlates, (5) other communication or swallowing related topic of interest approved by faculty advisor/mentor.

Second of two doctoral seminars thematically related to Doctoral Seminar 1 (REHS 7750) from which students choose one of the following five topics related to communication, speech, language or swallowing: (1) neurologically bases/disorders, (2) developmental lifespan bases/disorders, (3) clinical efficacy, (4) cultural correlates, (5) other communication or swallowing related topic of interest approved by faculty advisor/mentor.

Comprehensive study of pedagogical methods related to didactic and clinical instruction in speech-language pathology and theories and methods of university administration. The course is embedded in the historical context of the doctoral shortage in the discipline and the institutional relationship of university programs to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association in terms of accreditation and certification standards.