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PhD Program Manual > Academic Requirements

Academic Requirements

 

3.1 Program of Study (see Appendix)

 

3.1.1 Core Courses

All students must take a total of 9 required core courses (total of 33 credits). The core courses include a survey/introductory course on basic concepts in rehabilitation science, three courses in research design and statistics, a course in the use and interpretation of measurement approaches, and a course in basic principles of education as applied to teaching for the health professions. In addition, students are required to register in each of the first 6 terms (first 2 years) for an interdisciplinary seminar in rehabilitation sciences in which ongoing research (by current students and faculty) and current publications, events and trends related to rehabilitation research will be presented and discussed. Students are also required to complete 2 full-time mentored research experiences (3 credits each) in each of the first two summers to total 6 credits. During these summer rotations students will focus on conducting research under the direction of their Research Mentor. Lastly, students will enroll for one term in a mentored Teaching Practicum that is connected with a graduate course in their clinical specialty, typically at the MGH Institute.

 

3.1.1.1 Waivers of Required Courses

In general, required courses may not be waived or transferred in from courses previously taken at other institutions. However, students may petition to waive a course if they can document that they have met the objectives of a required course in prior experiences or coursework (that was not part of another degree). For example, the Teaching Practicum course may be waived by petitioning and providing documentation showing the student has met all the course objectives in prior teaching practice or experience. The decision whether or not to accept the waiver petition will be made by the PhD Program Executive Committee.

 

3.1.1.2 Interdisciplinary Research Seminar

Students are required to register for and attend a weekly one-hour Interdisciplinary Research Seminar for six (6) consecutive semesters across the first two years of study. Seminar presenters will include IHP faculty, rehabilitation researchers based outside of the IHP, and IHP PhD students. Year 1 and 2 students are required to present an update on their own research each semester. The aims of the seminar for the students are: 1) to expose students to a variety of current research topics and research designs in rehabilitation sciences; 2) to provide an opportunity for student to share their research with the IHP community; 3) to support and provide feedback to students as they develop their own research; 4) to provide a supportive environment for students to hone dissemination/presentation skills; and 5) to provide a forum for and model respectful scholarly discussions. The focus of the student presentations will be on providing an update on the progress they are making in pursuing their own research which could include a review of the current state-of-the-art in a research area, proposed research questions and designs (including potential grant proposals), status of their ongoing research, and/or preliminary or final results of an investigation.

 

3.1.1.3 Mentored Experience in Research

During each of the summers of Years 1 and 2, all students complete 3 credits of mentored research, generally under the direction of the Research Mentor. Students work on research project(s) and present their work at Summer and/or Fall Interdisciplinary Research Seminars.

 

3.1.2 Supplemental Coursework

Each student will work closely with his/her Primary Academic Advisor and Research Mentor to create an individually designed plan of study that will enable the student to acquire the additional skills and knowledge to conduct research in his/her area of interest. The equivalent of 9 credits (3 regular term courses) is the minimum requirement for the supplemental coursework, but the actual number of courses/credits can exceed this minimum and will be determined for each individual student in consultation with his/her Primary Academic Advisor and Research Mentor. Supplemental coursework will typically be comprised of selected courses at other institutions in the Boston Area as well as specifically designed/focused independent studies with faculty members who have expertise in the area of interest. It is the responsibility of the Primary Academic Advisor to present the Supplemental Coursework Plan to the program’s Executive Committee for approval, typically before the end of the second semester of study. A Supplemental Coursework Form (available on the D2L PhD Student/Faulty forum) should be completed in collaboration with the Research Mentor and Primary Academic Advisor and submitted to the Executive Committee for review.

 

3.1.2.1 Independent study courses: Supplemental coursework may include Independent Study course(s) of variable credit (1-6 credits). Independent Study courses are approved work with a mentor on a project outside of a regularly scheduled course or research. If you plan to complete an Independent Study as part of your approved supplemental coursework, you must first submit an Independent Study Agreement Form for approval. Once approved, the IHP Registrar will register you for a section of RS-990. Note: the instructor of record for an Independent Study must be a faculty member within the IHP PhD program (generally the Academic Advisor or the Associate Director). Students may work with a faculty member outside of the IHP for an Independent Study, but the supervision and grading of the Independent Study must be completed by an IHP PhD faculty member. When completing the Independent Study Agreement Form, please list an IHP PhD Faculty member as the faculty of record. A course taken at an outside institution is NOT considered an Independent Study (see section on Transfer Courses).

 

3.1.2.2 Transfer courses: Supplemental coursework may include transfer courses taken at an outside institution. Use of transfer courses requires approval by the Primary Academic Advisor, the Research Advisor and the Executive Committee. If you plan take a transfer course, you must complete a PhD Transfer Course Request Form for administrative approval. At the completion of the coursework, you must have the grade sent directly to the IHP Registrar, James Vitagliano, for recording on your official transcript. Transfer courses are distinct from Independent Study courses (see section on Independent Study Courses). The IHP Rehabilitation Sciences PhD Program has formal course sharing agreements with the Harvard School of Public Health and the Harvard Graduate School of Education which enable IHP PhD students to take pre-approved courses at these institutions without paying tuition. Please refer to D2L for and directions.

 

Students may petition that up to 6 credits of previously completed, relevant coursework be transferred in as supplemental coursework, provided: 1) the coursework did not count toward another degree; and 2) the coursework was completed within the preceding 5 years. The petition for transfer credit must first be approved by the Program’s Executive Committee and then filed through the Registrar’s Office - it must include a transcript showing the completed course(s) with a grade of "Pass" or B or higher.

 

3.1.3 Ongoing Involvement in Research

In addition to the 2 full-time mentored research experiences (3 credits each) in each of the first two summers, students are also expected to be continuously involved in discussing, planning, and conducting research with their Research Mentor throughout the entire program. Such ongoing participation in research should begin as soon as the student starts the program and will serve as the basis for his/her required presentation each semester at the weekly Research Seminar. Ultimately this ongoing involvement in research will lead to planning and conducting the studies comprising the student’s dissertation.

 

3.1.4 Qualifying Examination for Candidacy for the Doctoral Degree: After completing the coursework in the Core Curriculum, each student must pass a Qualifying Examination before being considered a candidate for the doctoral degree and being permitted to complete the dissertation phase of the program. It is expected that students will complete the Qualifying Examination process at the end of their second year in the program. Students must complete the qualifying exam within the first two semesters of their third year to remain in the program or petition the program’s executive committee for permission to take the exam later and remain in the program. The Qualifying Examination is administered individually to each PhD student by a committee (Qualifying Examination Committee) comprised of Program Faculty members.

 

3.1.4.1 Purpose of the Examination

The purpose of the Qualifying Examination is for the PhD student to demonstrate that he/she has adequate advanced knowledge and research skills to complete a high-quality dissertation project in his/her chosen area of interest. The examination process can assess a student’s: 1) ability to integrate and apply concepts covered in the program’s core courses; 2) depth of knowledge in their chosen area of research interest; and 3) readiness to complete the design and execution of a novel dissertation project that has the potential to produce useful new information, i.e., to move on to the dissertation phase of the program.

 

The topics covered in the Qualifying Examination may overlap with the student’s dissertation (this is expected), but the exam does not replace the need for the student to prepare the dissertation prospectus, and obtain approval for it, from his/her Dissertation Committee (see 3.1.6. Dissertation).

 

3.1.4.2 Qualifying Examination Committee

A Qualifying Examination Committee, comprised of a minimum of three Program Faculty members, is chosen for each student by the Executive Committee of the PhD Program. Each Examination Committee is chaired by a member of the Executive Committee to facilitate uniformity in the examination process and includes faculty members who have not been directly involved in the development of the student’s research proposal.

 

3.1.4.3 Format of the Examination

The Qualifying Examination is comprised of a written and an oral component. The written component is based on the format for the Research Plan in an NIH grant application as shown below (other parts of the NIH application are not included):

 

(Use Arial 11 pt. font with required margins: 0.8" top and 0.5" for all others).

 

1. Specific Aims (1 page):

 

 

1. State concisely the goals of the proposed research and summarize the expected outcome(s), including the impact that the results of the proposed research will exert on the research field(s) involved.

 

 

2. List succinctly the specific objectives of the research proposed, e.g., to test a stated hypothesis, create a novel design, solve a specific problem, challenge an existing paradigm or clinical practice, address a critical barrier to progress in the field, or develop new technology.

 

 

2. Research Strategy (6 pages – not counting bibliography/references): Organize the Research Strategy in the specified order and using the instructions provided below. Start each section with the appropriate section heading – Significance, Innovation, Approach. Cite published experimental details in the Research Strategy section and provide the full reference in the Bibliography and References Cited section.

 

 

1. Significance

 

 

1. Explain the importance of the problem or critical barrier to progress in the field that the proposed project addresses.

 

 

2. Explain how the proposed project will improve scientific knowledge, technical capability, and/or clinical practice in one or more broad fields.

 

 

3. Describe how the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field will be changed if the proposed aims are achieved.

 

 

2. Innovation

 

 

1. Explain how the application challenges and seeks to shift current research or clinical practice paradigms.

 

 

2. Describe any novel theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation or interventions to be developed or used, and any advantage over existing methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions.

 

 

3. Explain any refinements, improvements, or new applications of theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions.

 

 

3. Approach

 

 

1. Describe the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses to be used to accomplish the specific aims of the project. Unless addressed separately in Item 15 (Resource Sharing Plan), include how the data will be collected, analyzed, and interpreted as well as any resource sharing plans as appropriate.

 

 

2. Discuss potential problems, alternative strategies, and benchmarks for success anticipated to achieve the aims.

 

 

3. If the project is in the early stages of development, describe any strategy to establish feasibility, and address the management of any high risk aspects of the proposed work.

 

 

4. Point out any procedures, situations, or materials that may be hazardous to personnel and precautions to be exercised. A full discussion on the use of select agents should appear in Item 11, below.

 

 

3. Bibliography & References Cited: Provide a bibliography of any references cited in the Research Plan. Each reference must include the names of all authors (in the same sequence in which they appear in the publication; you can use "et al." convention in place of listing all authors in a citation), the article and journal title, book title, volume number, page numbers, and year of publication. Make sure that only bibliographic citations are included. Be especially careful to follow scholarly practices in providing citations for source materials relied upon when preparing any section of the application.

 

 

(Note: If a proposal has multiple Specific Aims, then the student may address Significance, Innovation and Approach for each Specific Aim individually, or may address Significance, Innovation and Approach for all of the Specific Aims collectively. As applicable, also include the information about preliminary studies as part of the Research Strategy, keeping within the three sections listed above: Significance, Innovation, and Approach.)

 

The oral component of the Qualifying Examination entails the student giving a detailed oral presentation (approximately 30 minutes) of the research that he/she proposed in the written part of the examination (NIH R03 Research Plan) to the Qualifying Examination Committee. During and after the presentation the Committee will ask the student questions that pertain to the research proposal, which can also tap into pertinent background information from the core curriculum and supplemental coursework that the student took. When the Committee is done asking questions, the student will be asked to temporarily leave the room so that the Committee can deliberate and reach a decision concerning the student’s performance – then the student will be called back in to hear the Committee’s decision (see 3.1.4.4), including a summary of the basis for the decision.

 

3.1.4.4 Evaluation of Qualifying Examination Performance

Both the written and oral components of the examination will be assessed in determining the student’s performance. It is acknowledged that the student may have received considerable assistance from research mentors/advisors with the written part of the exam because of the program’s emphasis on having students submit proposals for funding to support their research. Thus, relatively more emphasis will be placed on the oral portion of the examination as this is more likely to reflect the student’s independent performance. The examination outcome/result is based on the committee majority vote and will be one of the following: 1) pass with no contingencies, 2) pass with contingencies (e.g. additional coursework, assignments, etc. required), or 3) fail. Students who fail the examination can petition the Executive Committee for permission to retake the exam.

 

The Chair of the Examination Committee is responsible for communicating in writing the outcome of the examination to the Executive Committee and to the student’s Research Mentor. Communication with the Research Mentor should also include any feedback (concerns, suggestions, etc.) about the research presented by the student that could potentially be useful in improving the student’s dissertation.

 

3.1.4.5 Scheduling the Examination

The student’s Primary Academic Advisor is responsible for informing the Executive Committee that the student is ready to schedule the Qualifying Examination. This notification should include a status report on the student’s supplemental coursework (courses planned and completed with brief descriptions and names of instructors) and an abstract that describes/ summarizes what will be turned in as the written component of the examination. The abstract is based on the format for the Project Summary that is provided as part of an NIH grant application (see below). The Executive Committee will use this information to help decide which faculty members can serve on the Examination Committee. After the Qualifying Examination Committee is chosen, the chair of the committee will coordinate the scheduling of the examination. The written part of the examination must be distributed to the members of the Examination Committee a minimum of two weeks prior to the date for the oral part of the examination. The oral part of the examination should not exceed three hours.

 

Abstract (500 words or less): The abstract or Project Summary is meant to serve as a succinct and accurate description of the proposed work when separated from the application. State the application’s broad, long-term objectives and specific aims, making reference to the health relatedness of the project. Describe concisely the research design and methods for achieving the stated goals. This section should be informative to other persons working in the same or related fields and insofar as possible understandable to a scientifically or technically literate reader. Avoid describing past accomplishments and the use of the first person.

3.1.5 Compliance with Regulations on the Use of Human Subjects

Oversight of human studies is provided by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at Partners Healthcare. All research studies involving human subjects must be reviewed by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Partners Healthcare.

 

Human subject research training must be completed prior to submitting an IRB application. This training must be renewed every three years. The IRB will require documentation that the training has been completed before approval of projects can be obtained. The Institute currently subscribes via MGH Research Administration to the Collaborative IRB Training Initiative (CITI) online program https://about.citiprogram.org/en/homepage/

Instructions for completing CITI training can be found HERE.

 

3.1.6 Dissertation

The dissertation must represent novel research by the doctoral student that is carried out during his/her doctoral program and designed to advance knowledge in a topic area. It is organized around a series of manuscripts (a minimum of three) that have been submitted to peer-reviewed journals for publication. The manuscripts do not have to be accepted for publication to be included in the dissertation. A complete version of the dissertation must be successfully presented and defended orally before a Dissertation Committee comprised of faculty with expertise in areas related to the dissertation topic.

 

3.1.6.1 Dissertation Committee

The Dissertation Committee is responsible for overseeing the student’s completion of the dissertation process including approving the prospectus (including decisions about which manuscripts to include in the dissertation), periodic review of progress, and final approval/acceptance of the dissertation following the oral defense. The Committee is comprised of: 1) a Chairperson (the student’s Primary Academic Advisor), who is responsible for scheduling and running meetings and periodically informing the Executive Committee of the student’s progress/performance; 2) the student’s Research Mentor who bears primary responsibility for overseeing and mentoring/advising the student during the dissertation process, and 3) at least one other member with expertise related to the dissertation research topic. Except for the Committee Chair, the Dissertation Committee can include members who do not have an affiliation with the MGH, and can have more than three members when it is judged that it would helpful to include additional expertise. However, a majority of the Committee members must hold regular or adjunct faculty appointments at the MGH Institute. It is the responsibility of the Chair to obtain approval from the program’s Executive Committee for the final makeup of the Dissertation Committee prior to the prospectus meeting.

 

3.1.6.2 Dissertation Process

Following approval of the membership of the Dissertation Committee by the Executive Committee, the dissertation process proceeds as follows:

 

 

1. The student, in consultation with his/her research supervisor, prepares a Prospectus document that will essentially comprise the initial draft of Chapter 1 (see Dissertation Format below) and a detailed description of the methods that will be used to complete all the research being proposed for the three studies that will comprise the dissertation. It is expected that the student will already have been pursuing some of this research prior to the prospectus stage, and that the results of this work would be included in the prospectus document.

 

 

2. The student distributes the prospectus document to his/her Dissertation Committee. Then the Chair of the Dissertation Committee schedules a "Prospectus Meeting/Hearing" of the entire Committee to occur at least two weeks after the distribution of the prospectus document. The prospectus meeting provides an opportunity for the student to receive feedback about both conceptual and methodological issues involved in the proposed research prior to completing the studies.

 

 

3. At the Prospectus Meeting the student gives an oral presentation that is based on the prospectus document, and answers questions raised by the Committee about the proposed work. The Committee will then decide if modifications need to be made to the proposed work and these will be documented as requirements for the dissertation research to proceed.

 

 

4. The Chair of the Dissertation Committee is responsible for communicating in writing the outcome of the prospectus meeting to the PhD Program Director and Program Coordinator. Students are expected to complete the prospectus process as soon as possible after passing the Qualifying Examination – typically by the end of the second year in the program.

 

 

5. Once the Prospectus is approved and the dissertation is underway the student must:

 

 

1. Meet at least once per term as a group with the Program Director and/or Associate Director (plus any other interested faculty) to briefly describe and discuss their progress. A written summary (not to exceed 500 words) of the progress made since the last group meeting must be provided to the Program Director and Associate Director (copy Program Coordinator) prior to the meeting.

 

 

2. Provide a formal update every term to their dissertation committee that includes a report of progress made since the last update, problems encountered, planned changes/modifications to the research plan (must be approved by the committee), and plans for the next term. It is strongly recommended that this be done in person with the committee. A detailed written report to the committee can be substituted when a face-to-face meeting with the committee is not possible.

 

 

6. The student completes all the work that is required by his/her Dissertation Committee including the submission of manuscripts for publication – this process is expected to take two-three years. The dissertation document is then completed and distributed to the Committee at least two weeks before the scheduled oral defense.

 

 

7. The Chair of the Dissertation Committee schedules the oral defense, which will include a public and private session. The public session is open to the public and consists of an oral presentation about the dissertation by the student and a brief period for questions from the audience following the presentation. The private session occurs after the public session and involves just the student responding to questions from the Dissertation Committee in a closed meeting.

 

 

8. After the oral defense is completed, the Dissertation Committee will meet in executive session to decide by majority vote if the student has successfully fulfilled the dissertation requirement, or if additional steps must be taken.

 

3.1.6.3 Format of the Dissertation

The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA; the most recent edition) should be consulted for format guidelines. The dissertation will consist of an Introduction (Chapter 1), a minimum of three data-based manuscripts (Chapters 2, 3, 4), Conclusions and Future Directions (Chapter 5), References, and Appendices (when appropriate). Each of these components is described below:

 

CHAPTER 1: Chapter 1 consists of an introduction to the entire scope of the dissertation. The introduction should contain a clear and precise statement of the purpose of the entire group of manuscripts in relation to a theoretically based overarching area of research. A description of the significance and need for the research conducted for the dissertation should be included in this chapter. A table that outlines the purpose of each manuscript "chapter", and its contribution to new knowledge should be included.

 

CHAPTERS 2, 3, 4: The core of the dissertation is a series of three data-based manuscripts (one manuscript per chapter) that represent work completed during the student’s PhD program. Each manuscript chapter should stand alone as a significant contribution that has been submitted to a peer-reviewed research journal. Each manuscript chapter must have a cover page that includes the paper title, a statement of each author’s contributions, funding acknowledgements, submission history (dates for initial submission, revision/resubmission, final disposition, etc. as applicable), and full citation (including doi and PMID if applicable) if the manuscript has been published. Reprints of papers that have already been published should not be included in the dissertation document.

 

Chapter 5: In this final chapter, the student should succinctly summarize and integrate all of the findings from all of the studies that were conducted for the dissertation, including overall strengths and weaknesses/limitations of the research. This section should end with specific conclusions based on the entire body of work that was carried out and provide suggestions for future research. This important section should be concise and complete because it may be the only section read by interested parties not on the dissertation committee.

 

REFERENCES

References to the literature should be confined to those sources actually cited in the prior chapters (all references in the manuscripts do not need to be listed). The purpose of listing references is to make it possible for readers, especially committee members, to locate references, so accuracy is mandatory.

APPENDICES

Appendices should include a copy of the consent form for human subjects research, pertinent communications, copies of interview guides, protocols, measurement instruments, and other documents directly relevant to the study that is the basis for the dissertation. If it seems desirable to present tabulated raw data or detailed descriptions or techniques or methodologies that are additional to the chapters in the dissertation, these materials should be included as an appendix.

 

Final Submission

An electronic version of the final dissertation document must be submitted to the PhD Program Director and Program Coordinator. Copies of the final title, abstract and signature pages must be submitted to the IHP Registrar.

 

3.1.7 Curriculum Outline

Additional information about the curriculum and the Program of Study for the first two

years are in the Appendix.

 

3.2 Degree Requirements

 

3.2.1 Timeline for Completion

All work, including completion and successful defense of the dissertation, must

be completed within five years of entry into the program.

 

3.2.1.1. Request for Extension

Students may request an extension of the program beyond this five-year limit by petitioning the Executive Committee. Students should follow the petition procedure as outlined in section 11.1 of this Manual. A majority vote by the Program Executive Committee is required for extension approval. The student will receive an email from the registrar about approval/denial of the extension petition.

 

3.2.1.2. Master of Science Degree Option

A student may be considered for a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Sciences without passing the Qualifying Examination. A student has the option to withdraw from the qualifying process and request consideration for a terminal master’s degree. Terminating the program and receiving a master’s degree is a possible option only after satisfactory completion of all coursework, teaching practicum, and research experiences that are required in the first two years of the program.

 

3.2.2 Academic Standing Policies

 

3.2.2.1 Required minimum GPA: Students must maintain a cumulative B (3.0) average in the Core Courses and Supplemental Coursework. If this standard is not met, the student will be issued an academic warning in writing by the Program Director and s/he will be placed on academic probation. A student given an academic warning must regain a cumulative 3.0 GPA within the next semester, or s/he will be subject to dismissal. For more information, see the Institute Catalog for "Satisfactory Academic Progress/Academic Standing" under the Grading Policy.

 

3.2.2.2 Pass/Fail: The weekly Research Seminar and all mentored experiences in teaching and research will be assessed on a pass-fail basis. Some supplemental courses may also be assessed on a pass-fail basis if agreed to by the course instructor and approved as part of the student’s Supplemental Coursework Plan.

 

3.2.2.3 Qualifying Examination: Students must pass the Qualifying Examination to be eligible to continue to the Dissertation phase. See Section 3.1.4

 

3.2.2.4 Incompletes

A student who does not complete all requirements for a course may arrange with the instructor(s) for a temporary grade of incomplete. Students must complete all course requirements to change an incomplete grade according to the timeline agreed upon by the instructor(s), which is usually within a few days or weeks. The time to finish an incomplete may not exceed two calendar years from the date of the request. If a student does not complete the required work within the stipulated time period, the grade will automatically change to a "Fail". Permission from the instructor(s) will be required for extension of time for completion.

 

For more information, see the Institute Catalog for "Incompletes" under the Grading Policy.

 

3.3 Grade Equivalents

	GRADE		QUALITY POINTS	GRADE EQUIVALENTS
		A	4.0	93 & above
		A-	3.7	90-92
		B+	3.3	87-89
		B	3.0	83-86
		B-	2.7	80-82
		C+	2.3	77-79
		C	2.0	73-76
		C-	1.7	70-72
		D	0	60-69
		F		Below 60

See the MGH Institute Catalog for more information on grades.

3.4 Graduation Ceremonies

Students who have completed all academic coursework and are scheduled to receive their degree within that calendar year are eligible to participate in the Institute’s commencement ceremony held in May, provided they first receive approval to participate from the Executive Committee.