Comprehensive Examination & Dissertation

All students in the ScD program in Rehabilitation Sciences must take one comprehensive examination. The examination process commonly begins during the spring semester of a student’s second year. Before beginning this process, you will have completed at least three semesters of coursework and have worked closely with your mentor to discuss areas of interest and select a comprehensive examination committee of research faculty. The comprehensive examination will be completed during the fall of the student’s third year.

The program also requires you to complete a dissertation. Your mentor will help you select a topic that fits your own interests and career goals. For example, some recent dissertation topics have focused on the rehabilitation of neurologically disabled individuals (Parkinson’s disease and children with Cerebral Palsy), visual spatial perception in Parkinson’s disease, and the effects of carrying a backpack on the coordination of walking. Other dissertation topics have included child asthma disparities, families of adolescents and adults with autism, and effects of users’ perceptions pertaining to computer-based instruction.

To successfully complete the dissertation, you will need to have one research paper already published or submitted for publication and another that has been submitted or is in draft form and ready for submission.