ScD Program
General Information
Review information that pertains to all students within the School of Health Professions (SHP) that is located at the beginning of the School of Health Professions section of this Student Handbook.
Department of Rehabilitation Sciences Policies, Procedures, and Student Responsibilities
Review information that pertains to all students within the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences (DRS) that is located in the Rehabilitation Sciences section of this Student Handbook.
This section of the Student Handbook describes academic policies and procedures that are specific to the TTUHSC ScD program. Student policies that are common to the School of Health Professions are provided at the following website address: https://hscweb.ttuhsc.edu/health-professions/current/policies.aspx.
Accreditation Statement
Program accreditation occurs in conjunction with the accreditation of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097, or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.
Mission and Philosophy
The Mission of the Doctor of Science in Rehabilitation Sciences program at TTUHSC is to provide an evidence-informed terminal doctoral degree program designed for the practicing athletic trainer, occupational therapist, or physical therapist who wishes to pursue advanced studies in basic and applied science, clinical practice, education, and research.
Program Objectives
The ScD program provides individuals with the opportunity to:
Objective 1: Construct a basic and applied science framework that can be used for Analysis, Synthesis, and Critical Thinking in clinical practice.
Measurement Metrics: Course completion, qualifying exams, surveys
Objective 2: Create individualized client treatment plans based on clinical reasoning, appropriate examination procedures, and advanced treatment techniques.
Measurement Metrics: Course completion, qualifying exams, surveys
Objective 3: Employ documented outcomes, experience, and heuristics when composing a comprehensive management strategy and appraising treatment outcomes.
Measurement Metrics: Course completion, qualifying exams, surveys
Objective 4: Initiate routine communication with colleagues across other professions, states, countries, or continents for developing professional networks and support.
Measurement Metrics: Attending contact sessions as well as completion of threaded discussions and group interprofessional dissertations.
Objective 5: Incorporate advanced design and methodology for developing independent thought processes involved in education and research.
Measurement Metrics: Successful completion of qualifying exam, dissertation proposal, dissertation execution, and dissertation defense.
Objective 6: Proficient in Teaching delivery and Research engagement.
Measurement Metrics: Rubrics that evaluate dissertation delivery; proficiency in using research instruments.
Program Description
The ScD is a postgraduate terminal academic doctoral degree designed for practicing athletic trainers, occupational therapists, and physical therapists interested in refining their critical thinking skills or becoming educators or clinical researchers. We work with clinicians from around the world, offering them opportunities to refine concepts and ideas that foster innovations in teaching, researching, and patient care. The program is offered through hybrid courses conducted on weekends with web-based enhancements. Faculty and students communicate in person, by phone, via teleconference, or by email. Students entering the program should have ready access to a computer and be familiar with word processing, spreadsheet, and internet applications.
Academic Credit Hour Requirements and Transfer Hours
Students with a Bachelor’s degree must complete at least 70 hours from the ScD curriculum. Students with a Master’s degree must complete at least 48 semester hours. Students with a doctoral degree are required to complete 36-48 hours of coursework, depending on their prior graduate coursework.
Residency Enrollment Requirements
Students are required to complete a minimum of 6 semester hours per semester for at least 2 consecutive semesters during their course of study. If a student does not comply with this policy, the School of Health Professions reserves the right to defer the student’s graduation until the student meets this requirement.
Credit Transfer Request
Students may request up to 12 hours of previous doctoral-level coursework to be transferred as a substitute for program curricular requirements. To request credit transfers, students should follow these steps:
- Write a brief email to your academic advisor (cc Program Director) explaining what course you would like for the program to consider and why it should act as a substitute.
- Provide a copy of the course syllabus within the email.
Once the email is received, the Doctor of Science program faculty will meet to discuss the request.
Credit Transfer Considerations
- The course must have been completed within seven years of the ScD program’s matriculation date.
- The transfer coursework must have been earned at an institution whose course content and learning outcomes are comparable to current TTUHSC courses required in the student’s program of study.
- The course must appear on your submitted transcripts with evidence of a passing grade. Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center does not award academic credit for coursework taken on a non-credit basis.
- Transfer credit will be awarded on a semester credit hour scale in all instances, including courses transferred in on quarter-hour scales. Credit transferred in on quarter-hour scales will be converted to semester credit hours proportionately.
- The student must be aware that transfer of credit hours does not alter qualifying examination requirements or expectations.
Professional Education Considerations
The ScD program recognizes professional accomplishments, including fellowships, certifications, and continuing education experiences. While the program cannot grant semester credit hours for work completed outside academic settings (which must appear on official transcripts), significant professional development may satisfy certain course requirements with the Program Director’s written approval.
IAOM-US Clinical Courses
Many TTUHSC clinical courses (HPDS 6321-6336, and HPDS 6360-6362) include an IAOM-US component. While not required for enrollment, the program strongly encourages completing the IAOM-US portion first, as these concepts are reinforced and applied in the TTUHSC courses. Students must show proof of IAOM-US completion prior to graduation unless other provisions have been made in writing.
Substitution Policies
The following may substitute for IAOM-US requirements with written approval from the Program Director (decisions determined by unanimous ScD Faculty vote):
- OMT fellowship or certification completed within 7 years prior to matriculation that aligns with ScD RS clinical courses
- OMT courses (minimum 14 hours) completed within 7 years prior to matriculation that align with ScD RS clinical courses
- IAOM-US or other approved certification/fellowship (substitutes for Phase II of Qualifying Examination)
Students must complete required IAOM-US courses after matriculation unless written approval is obtained. Contact your advisor with questions about your curriculum plan.
IAOM-US Resources
The ScD program does not offer certification, residency, or fellowship programs. For IAOM-US credentials, visit:
- All courses: https://iaom-us.com/all-courses/
- Residency: https://iaom-us.com/iaom-us-residency/
- Fellowship: https://iaom-us.com/iaom-us-fellowship/
- Certifications: https://iaom-us.com/certification/
Requirements for Graduation
Each ScD student must fulfill all of the following requirements in order to graduate:
- Successful completion of all required coursework.
- Successful completion of the Qualifying Examination Process.
- Successful completion of the Clinical Dissertation.
- Completed all clinical course CEU requirements
- Evidence of completing required IPE event.
Policy for ScD Homework Submission
Module Homework Due Dates and Final Module Submission Due Dates are established for each course by the course coordinator at the beginning of the semester.
Module Due Dates: These are dates on which the modules are each due. If a student submits an assignment at any time within 10 calendar days that follow a module due date, the student will receive a 20% reduction from their grade for that module assignment (not including any grade reduction for the actual work). Additionally, no feedback for submitted work can be guaranteed.
Final Module Submission Date (FMSD): This date will occur ten days after the original module due date and represents the last day a module assignment can be submitted to receive credit for completion. Any submission after this date, without prior approval of the instructor, will receive a “0” grade for that work. There is a Final Module Submission Date for each module.
A course grade of “incomplete” (“I”) may be given by an instructor when a student’s work in a course has not been completed at the end of a semester if the failure to complete the work has been due to causes beyond the student’s control. It is not used as a substitute for an F (failure).
Refer to the following link for the School policy regarding grade assignments of “I”: https://hscweb.ttuhsc.edu/healthprofessions/current/policies.aspx
Forum Participation
Students enrolled in ScD program classes at TTUHSC are required to participate in forums or threaded discussion(s) as per the guidelines outlined in each course. Failure to participate in forum discussion(s) within the posted 10-day period will constitute a late submission with a 20% deduction from the grade for the assignment. A late submission must be posted within the ten days following the last day of the original 10-day time frame unless the student makes arrangements with the instructor before the last day of the discussion. Failure to submit as described in the time frames as above will constitute a failure and earn a “0” grade for the forum discussion activity.
ScD Contact Session Attendance
By design, most ScD courses require both online work and contact session attendance to ensure quality and depth in the student’s learning process. Therefore, the ScD student’s attendance at course contact sessions is required for each course in which a session is conducted. A student is excused from attending a contact session only for extenuating circumstances (listed below) AND with prior approval by the course instructor.
Category A
Criterion A1: Death in the Immediate Family - This includes parents, spouse, or children
Required Student Action: The ScD student must contact the course coordinator or Program Director prior to the Contact Session.
Criterion A2: Life-threatening illness of self or immediate family members - This includes illnesses that threaten life of the ScD student or immediate family members requiring the ScD student’s attention and care.
Required Student Action: The ScD student must provide documentation regarding the necessity of the absence to the course instructor or Program Director. Based on HIPAA, no medical details are required.
Criterion A3: Life-sustaining medical appointment - This includes an appointment for dire medical necessity of the ScD student or immediate family members.
Required Student Action: The ScD student must provide documentation from their health care provider regarding the necessity of the absence to the course instructor or Program Director. Based on HIPAA, no medical details are required.
Criterion A4: Military or National Guard service requirements.
Required Student Action: These are negotiated on a case-by-case basis with the course instructor and ScD program director.
Criterion A5: Federal or Foreign Mandated Travel Restrictions
Required Student Action: The ScD student must contact the course coordinator or Program Director prior to the Contact Session.
Additional Information: If the ScD student meets the above requirements for Category A, then the student’s final course grade will be based on completion and performance of course modules by due dates as defined within the course syllabus or modified by the instructor. No additional action is required. If the student is unable to complete the course module work by the end of the semester, the student may be eligible to receive a course grade of “I” and to complete the required work by end of the following semester to receive full credit.
Category B
Criterion B1: Death in the Extended Family
Required Student Action: The ScD student must contact the course coordinator or Program Director prior to the Contact Session.
Criterion B2: Non-life-threatening illness of self or immediate family members
Required Student Action: The ScD student must provide documentation from their health care provider regarding the necessity of the absence to the course instructor or Program Director. Based on HIPAA, no medical details are required.
Criterion B3: Non-life sustaining medical appointment
Required Student Action: The ScD student must provide documentation from their health care provider regarding the necessity of the absence to the course instructor or Program Director. Based on HIPAA, no medical details are required.
Criterion B4: Air Travel Constraints - This includes canceled flights and weather conditions to the contact session site with no available alternatives.
Required Student Action: The ScD student must provide documentation of the cancellation or report of weather outcome preventing travel to the course instructor or Program Director.
Criterion B5: State, Region, Employer, or Personal Travel Constraints
Required Student Action: The ScD student must provide documentation of these restrictions to the course instructor or Program Director. An excused absence due to personal reasons must be approved by the Program Director prior to the contact session.
Additional Information: A student who is unable to attend a contact session for the above reasons is required to contact the ScD faculty member conducting the contact session prior to the start of the session. A student whose excused absence falls under this category must complete all module coursework by the due dates as defined by the course syllabus or modified by the instructor. In addition, they are required to write a 10-page Review of Literature regarding a topic that is deemed appropriate for the class by the instructor and submit that paper by the final course work due date in the given semester. Twenty percent of the overall course grade will be deducted pending submission of the Review of Literature. The student will be able to remove the 20% deduction by successfully completing the Review of Literature requirement.
Category C
Criterion C1: Prearranged absence due to travel requirements: Must not exceed 2 hours of a given course contact session.
Required Student Action: The ScD faculty member conducting the contact session must approve prearranged flights that occur before the end of the session. The student may be excused for no more than the initial or final 2 hours of the session.
Criterion C2: Illness during a contact session.
Required Student Action: The student must contact and inform the ScD faculty member of the illness before the beginning of that day’s contact session. If the contact session has already started and the student needs to leave, the ScD faculty member must be informed of the decision before the student departs.
Criterion C3: Unsafe weather in Lubbock preventing student from attending contact session after arriving for the contact session.
Required Student Action: The decision to cancel a class will be made in coordination with recommendations from the National Weather Service and TTUHSC. Tornadoes, ice, and hail are possible weather conditions that may be experienced in Lubbock and may produce safety concerns that could delay the beginning of a contact session or lead to its cancellation. TTUHSC inclement weather campus closing alerts will at all times be followed.
Criterion C4: Illness of a family member that requires student to return home.
Required Student Action: The student must contact and inform the ScD faculty member concerning the decision to leave the contact session early. An excused absence will only be permitted in the case of an emergency.
Criterion C5: Unexpected weather or disaster harmfully affecting the student’s community or residence that occurs while attending the contact session.
Required Student Action: The student must contact and inform the ScD faculty member of the issue before the beginning of that day’s contact session. If the contact session has already started and the student needs to leave, the ScD faculty member must be informed of the decision before the student departs.
Additional Information: For a prearranged travel requirement, the ScD Faculty member must be contacted prior to the contact session. For any of the other reasons, the ScD faculty member must be contacted by the student before the end of the contact session. A student whose absence occurs within this category must complete all module coursework by due dates specified in the course syllabus or modified by the instructor. No additional action is required.
All Other Contact Session Absences
Absence from a contact session for reasons other than described above will not be approved. Unexcused absence from a contact session will result in a 25% reduction in the course grade. For example, if the student earned 90% in the course, an unexcused absence from a contact session will result in a course grade of 65%.
The qualifying examination is one of the major features of the ScD program. It encompasses clinical, elective, and dissertation track areas of emphasis as indicated on the official plan of study. The examination requires synthesis, evaluation, and application of knowledge acquired during the course of study in the ScD program, including all formal and informal educational experiences. Consequently, satisfactory performance in ScD coursework does not necessarily guarantee successful performance on any portion of the qualifying examination.
The Qualifying Examination process will include three phases:
- Phase I = Content
- Phase II = Application
- Phase III = Query
Students are NOT required to complete Phases I, II, and III in succession. Students are allowed to complete all three phases in ANY order. Students will sit for the ScD Qualifying Examination Phases I, II, or III after successfully completing all relevant coursework. Each student must pass all components of the three phases of the qualifying examination with at least the minimal grade described below prior to defending his or her clinical dissertation.
Phase I: Content
Phase I will assess the student’s synthesis and application of relevant elective and clinical course content. Phase I will consist of 8 hours of restricted-response essays, covering content from six clinical courses and six elective courses.
Phase I Examination Instructions
Examinations will be scheduled with each individual student as needed. The student is NOT required to travel to Lubbock for this examination. The examination will be administered in 2 4-hour sessions. Sessions will be timed. The student may use the entire time allotted in a session to answer the questions, but questions from one session may not carry over to another.
Phase I Passing Score
Answers will be assessed for clarity and accuracy by ScD faculty and course instructors. The Phase I examination will be initially graded as Pass/Remediate. “Remediate” indicates that the final grade decision (pass or fail) will be deferred until additional information can be obtained. A student can retake the written examination only one time in an attempt to attain a passing grade. If the student does not pass the second attempt at the Phase I examination, they will be given the option to complete a comprehensive oral examination.
This examination will be conducted in front of a board of no less than three ScD faculty members of the program director’s choosing. The oral examination will be graded using a standardized rubric. If the student fails to pass the oral examination, they are subject to dismissal from the program. Each ScD student must achieve the “Pass” score in order to complete Phase I of the ScD Qualifying Examination. Refer to the “Dismissal from the ScD Program” section below for additional information.
Phase II: Application
Phase II of the Qualifying Examination is a comprehensive “closed book” and “closed note” oral examination testing the student’s knowledge and clinical application of information from six clinical courses and the three elective courses. The oral examination will occur in a private room with access to necessary clinical equipment necessary to perform a subject (simulated patient) evaluation and treatment. There will be no access to any reference materials or the internet.
There are two options for completing the ScD Qualifying Examination Phase II.
Option 1: ScD student practices in an outpatient orthopedic setting
Option 2: ScD student practices in a non-orthopedic setting (Area of practice to be determined by the advisor and ScD student).
Phase II Examination Instructions
Students in the ScD program who intend to sit for Phase II must notify their advisor regarding these intentions. The examination will be administered in a single session lasting no more than three hours on a single day. The student will complete the following process for two separate cases or questions. The cases/questions will be specific to the chosen area of practice and to the 6 clinical courses included in Phase I of the ScD Qualifying Examination. Emphasis will be placed on the clinical reasoning associated with the decision-making process. Phase II may be completed via teleconference or in Lubbock, TX. A student will receive credit for completing Phase II if they enter the program as a Fellow or hold an IAOM-US certification.
Phase II Passing Score
A 2-member panel will deliver the oral examination. One panel member will be a faculty member in the ScD program, while the second member may hold a faculty position or be a clinician with expertise in the area tested. Each panel member will grade the exam and vote “Pass” or “Remediate.” “Remediate” indicates that the final grade decision (pass or fail) will be deferred until additional information can be obtained. A split vote defaults to “Remediate”. Each ScD student must achieve the “Pass” score to complete Phase II of the ScD Qualifying Examination.
The remediation examination will take place no later than the semester following the student’s notification of the oral examination results. The student may repeat the examination component that was not passed on the first attempt. This repeat cannot be performed any earlier than the semester following the failed attempts. The remediation examination will be scheduled and coordinated by the ScD student advisor. If the ScD student receives a ‘Fail’ grade during remediation, he or she will normally be dismissed from the program. Refer to the “Dismissal from the ScD Program” section below for additional information.
Phase III: Query
All students are required to complete the ScD Clinical Dissertation Proposal process plus an “open book” take-home examination testing the student’s knowledge and application of information from the applicable track courses (HPDS 7201 and either HPDS 7301 and HPDS 7306 or HPDS 7305 and HPDS 7304).
Phase III Examination Instructions
Students in the ScD program who intend to complete the ScD Clinical Dissertation Proposal and the Take-Home Examination must notify his or her advisor regarding these intentions.
ScD Dissertation Proposal is graded as Pass-Fail. With a “Pass” grade, the student can proceed to complete the dissertation and dissertation delivery. With a “Fail” grade, the student may repeat the dissertation proposal process once in a subsequent semester. A student who fails to pass the proposal a second time will be subject to dismissal from the program (refer to “Dismissal from the ScD Program” section below).
The Take-Home Examination must be completed at least six weeks prior to the defense of the clinical dissertation. The student will be allowed to use any available resources to fully answer the questions posed. The student will be required to provide references (in AMA format) for any source used. Sources may include, but are not limited to, material provided during the clinical track courses. Material outside the course can be used to answer questions.
Phase III Passing Score
Grading of the take-home examination will be performed by the instructor of the respective education or research courses. The take-home examination will be graded on the following scale: Pass, Remediate, Fail. If required, the remediation exam will take place within 2 weeks of notification of the results. The student will complete the exam component that was not passed on the first attempt. The remediation exam will be scheduled and coordinated by the dissertation committee chair. The remediation exam will normally be an oral examination that will require no longer than one hour to complete (not exceeding two hours). If the ScD student receives a ‘Fail’ grade during remediation, they may be dismissed from the Program. Refer to the “Dismissal from the ScD Program” section below for additional information. Each ScD student must achieve the “Pass” score to complete Phase III of the ScD Qualifying Examination.
Enrollment During the Clinical Dissertation Phase
As a part of the curriculum, ScD students are required to complete a Clinical Dissertation in either the education track or research track. If a ScD student completes all required coursework and qualifying examinations and only lacks the completion of the clinical dissertation to graduate, the ScD Program requires that the student enroll in at least one semester credit hour each semester until dissertation completion and defense. A student who has not completed the qualifying exam is required to enroll in at least one semester credit hour to remain in good standing in the ScD program. If the student does not comply with this policy, the Program Director will notify the student of the impending delay in completing the curriculum and graduating. The School of Health Professions reserves the right to defer the student’s graduation until the student enrolls in the number of hours missed in their clinical dissertation process.
Even though a Doctorate, Master’s, and Bachelor’s graduate can complete their degree with as few as 36, 48, and 70 semester hours, respectively, they will likely be required to enroll in more hours than the minimum required to complete their clinical dissertation. For example, if a Master’s graduate completes all their coursework but is required to continue the clinical dissertation for 2 additional semesters, the total number of hours required for graduation will be 48 + 2, or 50 semester hours. It is each student’s responsibility to enroll in the required coursework each semester.
ScD Student Enrollment during the Graduation Semester
Students enrolled in the ScD program are required to enroll in at least 1 semester hour of coursework (via HPDS 7104) during the semester in which they will graduate. If a student does not enroll during the graduating semester, the School of Health Professions reserves the right to defer the student’s graduation until the student meets this requirement.
Clinical Dissertation Tracks (Research and Education)
Each ScD student will complete a clinical dissertation. The student will have the option to complete either a clinical research dissertation (Clinical Research Track) or a substantial clinical education dissertation (Clinical Education Track).
General Dissertation Procedures
Students will conduct clinical dissertations as part of their ScD curriculum. Each clinical dissertation, whether involving clinical education or clinical research, must relate to rehabilitation sciences and be relevant to the student’s program of studies. The clinical dissertation is intended to engage students in proposal development, dissertation design, ethics, resource identification, and compliance with applicable TTUHSC policies and procedures. All clinical dissertations will be supervised by faculty. The Program Director will be responsible for the ultimate review and approval of all clinical dissertation proposals prior to submission to the Chair of the Rehabilitation Sciences Department.
Review
Student clinical dissertation activity is reviewed annually, typically as part of the program’s academic course review. This review will address whether the dissertation activities meet the course objectives.
General Dissertation Timeline
Each student must choose to either participate in the education curriculum track or the research curriculum track within 18 months of matriculation. It is recommended that this decision not be made until completing HPDS 7201 Introduction to Scholarship in Health Professions.
After selecting the track, the student completes the ScD Clinical Dissertation Track Agreement Form and submits the form to the Program Director.
After selecting the track, the student should begin working with their committee chair to develop a topic for their clinical dissertation. This will be an iterative process supported by assignments in the relevant clinical dissertation courses, whether found in the research or education tracks.
Students who choose the research track can either develop new research ideas in concert with a ScD faculty member or work on a faculty member’s ongoing clinical research dissertation if the faculty member agrees.
Students are responsible for completing the courses associated with their chosen track. It is recommended that students enroll in either HPDS 7301 or HPDS 7305 first within the research and education tracks, respectively. These courses are offered during Summer terms and are intended to serve as foundations for work throughout each track. The students will be able to generate their preliminary dissertation proposal upon completion of all the track courses. Students are not allowed to begin the dissertation process until all track courses are complete.
Each student will select members for their Clinical Dissertation Committee. Each Committee will be comprised of at least three members: a committee chair (ScD faculty member), a content advisor (DRS faculty member), and a clinical advisor. The clinical advisor can be a member of the professional community who provides advice, consultation, and professional input on the dissertation’s content and execution. This individual can be a licensed health care practitioner (such as AT, OT, PT, SLP, or MD) or scientist in a related field (such as a biomechanist or physiologist).
Once the topic is determined, the student will be required to complete the ScD Clinical Dissertation Committee Form.
If a student elects to change tracks, they must submit a letter of petition to their committee chair and the Program Director. Upon approval, the student will be required to resubmit the ScD Clinical Dissertation Track Agreement with revised information. The student must recognize that they will be required to complete all course requirements for the new track.
Once the track is initiated, each student is responsible for negotiating their specific calendar of deadlines for dissertation components with their committee chair. Each component is approved by the student’s committee chair before the next component is submitted. This process will ensure that the student and the committee chair collaborate during each component of the dissertation.
Clinical Dissertation- Research Track
This track will include courses that are essential to clinical research, including research design and selected topics in statistical analysis (HPDS 7201, 7301, 7306, 7000, 7104). The clinical research dissertation will either be original work drafted by the student or a substantial component of a much larger, multifaceted dissertation crafted by members of the ScD program faculty. The student will be required to engage in data collection and analysis, discussion and summary, and presentation of research results. The student will present the findings to a Dissertation Committee, which will evaluate the dissertation, presentation, and submission.
Possible Clinical Research Track dissertations include, but are not limited to: Randomized Clinical Trial (RCT), Clinical Validity and Reliability Study, Pseudo-Experimental Designs, Multiple Single-Case Design, Single-Case Design, Retrospective Outcome Analysis, Clinical Survey Research, Scoping Review, Systematic Review, Metanalysis, Qualitative Studies, Applied Science Studies (Gait, Landing Dynamics, Biomechanical Measures, Physiological Measures), and Clinical Cadaveric Anatomy Studies.
A faculty member will be designated as the Principal Investigator (PI), and it is expected that the PI and the student will strive to produce a clinical dissertation worthy of consideration for publication and/or public presentation.
Clinical Research Track Responsibilities
Clinical Dissertation Chair (who will serve as Principal Investigator or PI):
- Will have successfully completed mandated research training programs.
- Will be a designated faculty member who is responsible for supervising student research.
- Will obtain approval of the student research proposal by the department chair and the Institutional Review Board (IRB).
- Will establish a budget for the dissertation (to be paid from course fees).
- Will ensure the dissertation budget is reviewed by the program director and approved by the department chair.
- Will approve all research track-related expenses and purchases. Since student research may be funded in part through course fees, the PI will ensure that such funds are used to support student research activities only via departmental purchasing cards or purchase orders. Expenditures must cover only authorized expenses, and direct reimbursement of student research activities is not authorized.
- Will ensure research integrity.
- Will ensure that there is neither a conflict of interest nor inappropriate research activity sponsored with the resources of the TTUHSC, as defined under TTUHSC Operating Policies and Procedures.
- Will identify research dissertations for public presentation and/or publication and suggest possible venues or publishing opportunities.
Student:
- Will have successfully completed a facility-mandated research training program.
- Will, under the PI’s supervision, select the research activity and develop a proposal and budget.
- Will submit the salient information required for the IRB submission to the PI.
- Will initiate and conduct such activity in a professional manner.
- Will be held accountable and responsible for any expenditures exceeding the budgeted funds.
- Will disseminate the results in an appropriate scholarly manner.
Program Director:
- Will ensure that course research requirements follow the Institutional Review Board (IRB) policies/procedures and accreditation standards.
- Will ensure that the PI understands the use of funding, such as course fees, grants, etc.
- Will coordinate with the Office of Sponsored Programs when external funding, equipment, or supplies are provided.
Clinical Dissertation- Education Track
This track will include courses that are essential to clinical education, including curriculum design and selected topics in evaluation of learning (HPDS 7201, 7305, 7304, 7000, 7104). If the student selects the education track, he or she will be required to review the current literature, develop the didactic and laboratory content, construct the audiovisual components, and create handouts for a substantial educational course or module in rehabilitation sciences. The student will be required to coordinate all aspects of the course development, including marketing, support services, material compilation, course evaluation development, and course presentation. The student will present a pilot of the course to their Dissertation Committee. After the Committee approves the course, the student will deliver the course at a predetermined site, evaluate learning among course participants, appraise evaluation outcomes, report on course delivery and evaluation outcomes, and modify the course based on the evaluation report. The student will present the findings to a Dissertation Committee, which will evaluate the dissertation, presentation, and submission.
Clinical Education Track models include, but are not limited to: Clinical Update Course, ScD Course including LMS component and contact time, Technology-Based Education Module Dissertation, Short Course at State or National Meeting, Entry-level professional course, Advanced Master’s Course, University or College Course (such as anatomy or physiology), and Comprehensive Home Study Program.
Clinical Education Track Responsibilities
Clinical Dissertation Chair:
- Must have experience in educational curriculum development, administration, and evaluation.
- Must be a designated faculty member who is responsible for supervising student-education dissertations.
- Will ensure dissertation integrity.
- Will ensure that there is neither a conflict of interest nor inappropriate activity sponsored with the resources of the TTUHSC, as defined under TTUHSC Operating Policies and Procedures.
- Will identify education dissertations for public presentation and/or publication and suggest possible venues or publishing opportunities.
Student:
- Must, under the supervision of the committee chair, select the education activity and develop a proposal and budget.
- Must initiate and conduct such activity in a professional manner.
- Will be held accountable and responsible for any expenditures exceeding the budgeted funds when available.
- Will disseminate the results in an appropriate scholarly manner.
Program Director:
- Will ensure that course research requirements follow the institutional policies/procedures and accreditation standards.
- Will ensure that the committee chair understands the use of funding, such as course fees and grants.
- Will coordinate with the Office of Sponsored Programs when external funding, equipment, or supplies are provided.
Doctor of Science Clinical Dissertation Defense
Students in the ScD program who intend to complete the ScD Clinical Dissertation defense must complete the defense process by the following dates corresponding to the semester during which they intend to defend:
- Spring Semester: March 28 / April 18
- Summer Semester: June 27 / July 18
- Fall Semester: October 18 / November 8
*Submitted by the Dissertation Chair to the ScD Program Director, who submits to the DRS department chair before submitting to the Office of the Dean.
The ScD Dissertation Defense is graded as Pass-Fail.
Procedure: When the ScD Clinical Dissertation is Successfully Defended
If the dissertation is successfully defended (receiving a “Pass” grade), the chair of the dissertation committee will send the completed Dissertation document with a signed title page to the School of Health Professions Dean, via the ScD Program Director and DRS Chair, attesting that the student has completed all program requirements successfully and is recommended for graduation. Following approval by the Dean, the student may then proceed with graduation.
Procedure: When the ScD Clinical Dissertation is NOT Successfully Defended
If the dissertation is not successfully defended, the DRS Chair and Dean of the School will be notified that the student will not be recommended for graduation during that semester. The student may repeat the dissertation defense process one time in a subsequent semester. A student who fails to pass the defense a second time will be subject to dismissal from the program (refer to “Dismissal from the ScD Program” section below).
Student Misconduct
Student misconduct can lead to dismissal with no opportunity to remediate. For policies and procedures related to behavioral deficiencies and misconduct, refer to the TTUHSC Student Handbook, available at the following website: https://www.ttuhsc.edu/studentaffairs/handbook.aspx
Academic Progress Requirements
While students are completing their coursework in the ScD program, they are required to successfully complete (i.e., receive a grade of “C” or higher or “P”) three courses within each academic year (defined as consecutive Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters). All curricular degree requirements must be completed within 7 years. A student who fails to meet this academic progress requirement is subject to dismissal (refer to “Dismissal from the ScD Program” section below). Deviation from this academic progress schedule requires prior approval from the program director. An approved Leave of Absence exempts the student from this academic progress requirement during the interval of the absence.
“Incomplete” and “In Progress” Course Grade Assignment
The symbol I (incomplete) may be given by an instructor when a student’s work in a course has not been completed at the end of a semester and when the failure to complete the work has been due to causes beyond the student’s control. It is not used as a substitute for an F (failure).
Refer to the following link for the School policy regarding grade assignments of “I”: https://hscweb.ttuhsc.edu/healthprofessions/current/policies.aspx
To resolve the “Incomplete” grade assignment, the student must meet in person or communicate via phone conversation or electronically with the course instructor(s) for the applicable course(s). The course instructor(s) will assign, in writing, deadlines for completion of all academic work required of the student to complete the course. A student who does not resolve a “I” course grade by the deadline established by the instructor will be subject to receiving a course grade of “F”.
It is the student’s responsibility to request and submit information to the course coordinator to be considered for a “I” course grade assignment. If a “I” course grade is assigned by the instructor, the final due date for completing all coursework will be established by the course instructor and communicated to the student in writing. The student’s responsibilities regarding a request for an “I” grade assignment include the following:
- The student must notify the course instructor that he or she seeks a grade assignment of “I.”
- This notification must be provided in written form via email no closer than ten days prior to the last day of class.
- If the student does not comply with this responsibility, then a grade of zero will be assigned to all resubmitted work.
For “I” course grade assignments, it is the student’s responsibility to submit all required coursework to the course instructor by the established deadlines. A grade of zero will be assigned for all late work.
Midterm Academic Warning Letters
The program director of the ScD program will issue a midterm academic warning letter via email to a student who is in poor academic standing during the respective semester.
Academic Probation
A student will be placed on Academic Probation for any of the following reasons:
- Failure to maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.70 or higher following completion of the initial two semesters in the ScD program, and at the completion of all subsequent semesters. Cumulative GPA is calculated at the end of each semester. For a student to return to good academic standing and be removed from Academic Probation in this situation, the student must raise his or her cumulative GPA to 2.70 or higher within 15 credit hours or three semesters, whichever comes first. A student who fails to come off Academic Probation as specified above is subject to dismissal on grounds of academic deficiency (refer to “Dismissal from the ScD Program” section below).
- Receiving a course grade of “Incomplete (I)” in two or more courses during any one semester. For a student to return to good academic standing and be removed from Academic Probation in this situation, the student must resolve the “Incomplete” status in the applicable course(s) by the end of a semester that is specified in writing by the course instructor. To resolve the “Incomplete” and return to good academic standing (i.e., be removed from Academic Probation), the student must meet in person or communicate via phone conversation or electronically with the course instructor(s) for the applicable course(s). The course instructor(s) will assign academic work to the student, including, but not limited to, all unfinished academic work as deemed necessary by the instructor(s) to complete the courses. A student who does not resolve a “I” course grade will be subject to receiving a course grade of “F”.
A student who has been on Academic Probation twice and subsequently meets any of the criteria for Academic Probation a third time is subject to dismissal on grounds of academic deficiency (refer to “Dismissal from the ScD Program” section below).
Dismissal from the ScD Program
A student enrolled in the ScD program is subject to dismissal for any of the following reasons:
- Poor academic performance:
- Failure to raise the cumulative GPA to 2.70 or higher within 15 credit hours or three semesters (whichever comes first) after being placed on Academic Probation for having a cumulative GPA below 2.70.
- A course grade of “F” in any course.
- Failure to complete the curriculum within the maximum allowable time. The student has a maximum of 7 academic years to complete the program’s curricular requirements.
- Failure to enroll in at least one class in each semester during the academic year (defined as consecutive Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters).
- Failure to successfully pass the Qualifying Examination as described in the “Qualifying Examination” section above.
- Failure to pass the ScD Clinical Dissertation Proposal process after a second attempt.
- Failure to pass the ScD Clinical Dissertation Defense process after a second attempt.
- Failure to comply with the ScD program Leave of Absence Procedures.
- Based upon a complaint of misconduct as set forth in the TTUHSC Student Handbook.
Dismissal procedures will be conducted in accordance with the School of Health Professions’ dismissal policy. Refer to the School of Health Professions policy entitled “Academic Dismissal”, available at the following website: https://hscweb.ttuhsc.edu/healthprofessions/current/policies.aspx
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