PhD in speech and hearing science
A PhD in speech and hearing science from the ASU College of Health Solutions prepares you for a career conducting basic, clinical and applied research to improve human communication. The program will provide you with a deeper understanding of both typical communication and communication disorders, such as autism, hearing loss, stuttering, dementia and stroke. Your participation in research will translate into positive impacts on people’s lives across the translational spectrum, ranging from enhancing fundamental knowledge to evaluating innovative treatments.
You can receive personalized mentorship from worldclass experts in neuroscience, craniofacial disorders, speech processing and disorders, language and literacy development, artificial intelligence technology, neuropsychology, fluency, cochlear implants, pediatric audiology and genetics. Hands-on experience in research and teaching opportunities are available in one of two concentrations: translational genetics of communication abilities or auditory and language neuroscience.
This PhD program is fully funded for at least four years through a variety of grants that support impactful speech and hearing science research.
Conduct cutting-edge research in speech and hearing science.
11% faster than average job growth expected for medical scientists through 2033.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
ASU is
The College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University translates scientific health research and discovery into practice. Its programs prepare students to address the challenges facing our populations to stay healthy, improve their health, and manage chronic disease — all toward improving health outcomes.
#9 in the world for global impact in research, outreach and stewardship.
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PhD in speech and hearing science
As a doctoral student, you will be actively engaged in research at all stages of your study, allowing you to strengthen your knowledge while building your credentials.
Required credits beyond a master’s degree
• 12 credits in a chosen area of concentration.
• 9 credits of research methods and statistics.
• 11 credits of professional development seminars.
• 12 credits of research prior to a dissertation.
• 12 credits of dissertation research.
Concentrations
Hands-on experience in research and teaching opportunities are available in one of two concentrations: translational genetics of communication abilities or auditory and language neuroscience.
Translational genetics of communication abilities
The concentration in translational genetics of communication abilities teaches you how to apply the concepts of precision medicine to communication disorders. Training in molecular genetics and bioinformatics equips you to investigate the interactions among genetic, brain-based and behavioral traits. Graduates can contribute to more effective clinical management of communication disorders. Prior training in genetics is not required.
Auditory and language neuroscience
The concentration in auditory and language neuroscience prepares you with intensive training in neuroscience approaches to investigation of human communication disorders, as well as healthy auditory and language abilities. With expertise in engineering, neuroscience, neuroimaging, psychology, speech-language pathology and auditory neural prosthetics, our faculty is uniquely able to provide you with an integrated training experience.
Research opportunities
The program offers many research opportunities within speech and hearing science labs:
• Attention, Memory and Language Laboratory
• Auditory Computation and Neurophysiology Laboratory
• Auditory Implants Laboratory
• Autism and Brain Aging Laboratory
• Child Language and Literacy Laboratory (CHILLL)
• Communication Neuroimaging and Neuroscience Laboratory
• Motor Speech Disorders Laboratory
• Signal Analysis, Representation and Perception (SARP) Laboratory
• Speech and Brain Research Laboratory
• Speech and Language Genetics Lab
Finding your mentor
Your mentor is the key to your success. You will work with your mentor from the beginning to the end of the doctoral program. Multiple faculty members conduct research within each focus area—explore your options with the faculty listings on chs.asu.edu and email potential mentors to gauge compatibility. Opt for a mentor based on mutual research interests who has the availability and expertise to support your plan of study.
Funding your PhD
Selected candidates will be joining a program that is fully funded for at least four years. Funding for this program is available through multiple research-based grants and teaching assistantships. Additional funding may be available by applying for a spot in the Advancing Inclusion: Multicultural Multilingual Research for Children with Disabilities training and the Comprehensive Health Analytics Training for Behavior Change Technologies grant and can also be sought through awards, fellowships, or becoming a teaching or research assistant. For more information on funding resources, visit graduate.asu.edu
