PhD in Communication Sciences & Disorders at Howard University
The Ph.D. in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Howard's Graduate School attracts exceptional students from diverse backgrounds and prepares them for fulfilling careers in research, teaching, or clinical practice in communication sciences and affiliated fields.
Our program welcomes applicants with a master's degree in speech-language pathology or speech, language, and hearing sciences. You may choose from two research specialization areas: the adult neurological track or the child language track. In addition, you may elect to complete the more traditional dissertation or to develop a research project. You’ll have the opportunity to conduct case-based research, working alongside clinicians at Howard's Speech and Hearing Clinic or our partner schools, hospitals, early intervention and community clinics, and private practice settings throughout the DC Metropolitan Area. You'll pursue interdisciplinary coursework spanning psychology, special education, neurophysiology, linguistics, cognitive science, and health policy fields. You’ll also enjoy a highly collegial atmosphere and learn from faculty committed to your professional development. Our faculty conduct research on measures associated with treatments in childhood aphasia and apraxia of speech, eye tracking methodology to examine cognitive and linguistic processing issues, early intervention in aural rehabilitation, language processing and development in second language learning and monolingual contexts, and novel treatment approaches for neurogenic and swallowing disorders, among other areas of research.