Most incoming doctoral students are awarded an assistantship that qualifies for tuition awards from the graduate school. Funding decisions throughout a student's doctoral training are based on the student's level of progress and the availability of funding. Funding sources include leadership grants, research assistantships, teaching assistantships, and/or paid practicum experiences.
Leadership Grants
- Future Leaders In Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology (USU-FLISPA)
The Department of Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education has obtained a grant from the US Department of Health and Human Services Maternal and Child Health Bureau to train future leaders in speech-language pathology and audiology. Only three departments across the United States received funding for this important leadership training program: USU, Vanderbilt University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The primary aim of the Utah State University - Future Leaders In Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology (USU-FLISPA) program is to train a new breed of interdisciplinary, multi-method leaders with the knowledge necessary to shape evidence-based clinical service delivery systems, public policy, clinical research, and continuing education in services to children with communication disorders. A special focus of this program will be on preparing students in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology who understand the critical issues in health care, education, clinical research, and administration in rural areas of the country. This is an unusual opportunity for students to obtain specialized training in multidisciplinary services to children with communication disorders and their families. Students who complete this training will have specialized knowledge, skills and experiences that will make them more marketable when they apply for jobs.
Full-time doctoral (PhD or AuD) trainees will be required to take two interdisciplinary courses (one in the fall semester and one in the spring semester). They will also engage in leadership experiences in two of six content specialization areas: Developmental Speech and Language Disorders, Deafness/Hard of Hearing, Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Assistive Technology, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and Cultural and Linguistic Differences. Across the two content specialization areas, trainees will be required to complete 325 clock hours of leadership experiences that include participation in the two seminars, research experiences, and clinical experiences. The research and clinical experiences will occur in a variety of health care, education, and social service settings where children with communication disorders are assessed and/or treated. Trainees will obtain real-world knowledge about leadership, interdisciplinary practices, cultural competence, delivering family-centered care, public health issues, conducting patient-oriented research, emerging issues in health and education, and governmental policies.
All trainees will create an Individualized Leadership Development Plan (ILDP) that will be used to document their progress toward acquiring the competencies and completing their personal goals during the year they are in the program. The trainees' leadership experiences will be individualized to provide them with knowledge and skills that are well suited to their level of education and their personal interests. Doctoral students' leadership experiences will be incorporated into their doctoral program of studies. Trainees' progress will be monitored by an executive committee comprised of the Dr. Ron Gillam, Dr. Karl White, Dr. Judith Holt, Dr. Sandra Gillam, Professor Vicki Simmonsmeier, Dr. Beth Foley, Dr. Todd Houston, and Dr. Tom Higbee.
For additional information, contact Dr. Ron Gillam at ron.gillam@usu.edu.
- Multidisciplinary Doctoral Program in Language and Literacy
The Departments of Special Education and Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education at Utah State University are pleased to announce a new multidisciplinary doctoral program track in language and literacy. The new track is supported by grant from the US Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. The primary goal of this doctoral education track is to prepare new PhDs in special education and speech-language pathology who have strong knowledge and experience in evidence-based language and literacy research and validation and personnel preparation.
The new multidisciplinary language and literacy program will be part of the Disability Disciplines Doctoral Program in the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services. This is a multidisciplinary PhD. program that brings together faculty and students across disciplinary and departmental lines to explore the interrelated aspects of language and literacy. The program is made up of a blend of coursework, a preliminary exam, internships, professional products, and a dissertation. Students complete internships and professional products in eight areas critical for faculty in special education and speech-language pathology: (1) research, (2) conference presentation, (3) writing for publication, (4) systematic review of research literature, (5) grant writing, (6) college teaching, and (7) supervision/coaching.
The Departments of Special Education and Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education at Utah State University are pleased to announce a new multidisciplinary doctoral program track in language and literacy. The new track is supported by grant from the US Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. The primary goal of this doctoral education track is to prepare new PhDs in special education and speech-language pathology who have strong knowledge and experience in evidence-based language and literacy research and validation and personnel preparation.
The new multidisciplinary language and literacy program will be part of the Disability Disciplines Doctoral Program in the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services. This is a multidisciplinary PhD program that brings together faculty and students across disciplinary and departmental lines to explore the interrelated aspects of language and literacy. The program is made up of a blend of coursework, a preliminary exam, internships, professional products, and a dissertation. Students complete internships and professional products in eight areas critical for faculty in special education and speech-language pathology: (1) research, (2) conference presentation, (3) writing for publication, (4) systematic review of research literature, (5) grant writing, (6) college teaching, and (7) supervision/coaching.
Beginning in January of 2010, we plan to award at least 5 scholarships to doctoral students from the disciplines of Special Education, Speech-Language Pathology, and/or Applied Behavior Analysis. Doctoral students will receive a stipend of $20,000, the USU contribution to their health insurance ($932), plus tuition remissions for four years. There is also funding for books, supplies, software, research, local travel, internship costs and other incidental expenses that students will incur in their scholarly and research activities. Further, travel funding will be available to enable doctoral students to present their research at national conferences. Individuals who receive financial assistance under this project will be required to subsequently perform work related to this preparation for a period of two years for every year of assistance or repay all or part of the cost of that assistance to the US Department of Education.
We are very excited to be able to offer this unique opportunity for multidisciplinary education in the Disability Disciplines Doctoral Program. Our usual application deadline is February 15; however, this will be waived and applications will be considered as they are received until all five positions (3 special education and 2 speech-language pathology) in this cohort are filled with well-qualified students.
Please do not hesitate to contact Ron Gillam at ron.gillam@usu.edu if you have further questions about this exciting opportunity for doctoral studies.
Research Grants
Ron and Sandi Gillam, professors in the Department of Communication Disorders and Deaf Education at Utah State University, have received four federal grants that provide funding for new doctoral students in Speech-Language Pathology. The Gillams are looking for 3 full-time doctoral students in the areas of information processing, literacy, and/or oral language development in children with language impairments or English language learners. Student support will come from grants from the Institute for Educational Sciences, the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, the US Department of Education, and the US Department of Health and Human Services. Funding includes full tuition remission, an annual stipend of $20,000, health benefits, travel expenses, books, and a computer. General information about the doctoral program in Speech-Language Pathology at USU can be found on the SLP PhD Overview. For specific information about the new funding opportunities, contact Ron Gillam, PhD, at ron.gillam@usu.edu.