The Department of Physical Therapy

Doctorate in Rehabilitation Science  

The Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Science Program is a joint program offered by The Department of Occupational Therapy and The Department of Physical Therapy at the UAB School of Health Professions*.  This exciting program is designed to prepare graduates to become:

• Academicians, scholars, scientists and researchers in education, health care, industry, and government institutions.
• Consultants to individuals, communities, and governments.

The goal of the Program is to prepare graduates to have the following skills:

• Design and implement research studies that contribute to the knowledge base of rehabilitation science.
• Design and deliver educational courses related to rehabilitation.
• Translate innovative rehabilitation research findings into practice so as to advance the field of rehabilitation science.

• Undergraduate or graduate degree in occupational or physical therapy, engineering, exercise science, nursing, psychology, sociology, or other health related professions.
• Graduate Record Exam (GRE) score of at least 1100 (with a minimum of 550 on the verbal and qualitative sections, each) and at least 4.5 on the analytical writing section.
• Cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 (in a 4.0 point scale) in the most recent undergraduate or graduate coursework.
• Three letters of reference.
• A statement describing the goals of this academic pursuit.
• Satisfactory interview results with faculty.
   

  Curriculum Required Core Courses: 18 credit hours Required Support Courses: 15-18 hours Includes a minimum of 9 credit hours of graduate level courses determined by the individual student with oversight by the Faculty committee. Focus courses are selected to develop in-depth knowledge of a critical area in rehabilitation science as determined by the student’s interest and dissertation research. Electives: 12-18 credit hours Dissertation Research: 18-24 credit hours Total Credit Hours: 63-78 Core Courses** RHB 780  Philosophy and Theory in Rehabilitation Science  3 cr. Hours Interdisciplinary discussion of historical, current and emerging theories, principles, concepts, and models of rehabilitation science. RHB 781 Critical Review of Rehabilitation Science Research  3 cr. Hours Interdisciplinary course preparing students to critically review and analyze research practices in the literature of rehabilitation science.      RHB 782 Tests and Measurements in Rehabilitation Science  3 cr. Hours Interdisciplinary in-depth study of current tests and measures used in rehabilitation science. RHB 783 Research Design in Rehabilitation Science  3 cr. Hours A detailed overview of research methodologies used in rehabilitation science. RHB 789 Rehabilitation Science Seminar  2 cr. Hours Varied discussion of rehabilitation science topics to help students explore research questions in preparation for their dissertation. RHB 798-799 Dissertation Research  24 cr. Hours **Providing approval of SHP Academic Affairs Committee

*The aim of this program is not to prepare candidates to become occupational therapists or physical therapists. Applicants planning to become occupational therapists or physical therapists should visit the following websites to pursuit a career in these two professions: www.uab.edu/ot  or www.uab.edu/pt. Graduates with a Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Science, even if they themselves are not occupational therapists or physical therapists, can contribute to the field of rehabilitation science through research in associated fields such as engineering, exercise science, and psychology.