The Degree of PhD (Rehabilitation Medicine) [Graduate]

Program Requirements

Normally, a student’s plan of study will be interdisciplinary in focus (i.e., not department-based). However, there may be instances in which the plan of study is focused primarily within one of the departments in the Faculty (Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, or Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology). Admission to the PhD in Rehabilitation Science program is dependent on the recommendation of the Graduate Programs Committee which is composed of representatives of each department and the non-departmentalized staff in the Faculty and chaired by the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies.

The PhD program consists of ★9 in required courses (REHAB 600 , REHAB 601 , and 603), ★3 in graduate-level statistics coursework and normally, ★6 to ★12 in elective graduate-level course weights that pertain to the area of specialization as determined by the candidate’s needs and interests and in consultation with the supervisory committee. In cases where a student has not written a master’s thesis before entering the PhD program, REHAB 899  (★3) is required, as an in-lieu-of thesis project. (This requirement will normally be waived for students who are transferring from a professional master’s degree in a rehabilitation discipline if (a) their final/capstone project is considered by the Graduate Program Advisory Committee to be an “equivalent piece of publishable research to offer in lieu” or (b) they have received prior approval from the Graduate Program Advisory Committee by following the procedures outlined in the Rehabilitation Medicine Graduate Program Manual.) Students also will need to successfully complete a two-part candidacy examination and complete and defend a thesis.

The minimum period of residence is the equivalent of two academic years of full-time attendance at the University of Alberta. No language other than English is required for the degree.

Length of Program

The time required to complete the PhD program will vary according to the previous training of the applicant and the nature of the research undertaken. In general, the PhD program will take a minimum of three years to complete, with the first 1.5 years devoted largely to coursework, preliminary research endeavours, and preparation for the candidacy examination which normally will be held within two years of a student’s entry into the doctoral program.