Frequently Asked Questions

What are the sources of funding for doctoral students?

BU Sargent College awards Dean’s scholarships, selected from a pool of applications submitted by faculty mentors who have particularly promising applicants.

Doctoral students may also receive other types of merit scholarships, work as research or teaching assistants, and apply for their own federal funding. Sargent graduate students who serve as resident hall advisors may receive free housing as part of their jobs. Other forms of financial aid such as low-interest loans are also available.

What is the advantage of applying directly to the combined MS/PhD program in Speech-Language Pathology?

If you already know who you want for your research mentor and what topic you wish to pursue, the combined MS/PhD program will get you started working in a lab more quickly. Also, electives suitable for completing your MS degree can be used to fulfill the PhD program requirements.

What if I don’t know what research topic I would like to study?

Students can enter the general MS-SLP program with no particular opinion about where they’d like to specialize and find a specific focus during their coursework and/or clinical experiences. Completing a Master’s thesis is a good way to explore the research process and also determine a topic area suitable for your doctoral work.

How should I choose a research mentor?

There are a number of ways to identify a mentor but the best approach is to use a combination of these:

• Web of Science, Medline and Google can help you to locate the scientists who are working in a topic area that interests you. Read some journal articles and form impressions of whether the research methodologies are things you would enjoy doing.
• If you can attend a national conference such as the ASHA convention, Acoustical Society of America, Neuroscience, or the BU Child Language Conference, you’ll have good opportunities to meet potential research mentors and ask questions.
• Use the faculty and/or department web pages to evaluate the general philosophy of the program and the range of topics in which your potential mentor has expertise.
• Your undergraduate advisor and faculty can answer questions about who is working in a particular research area and may have a direct connection to potential mentors for you.
• Use your personal network, too, if you have contacts through volunteer work, family, school advisors, etc.
• Look for people who have funding from a federal agency such as NIH. Their grants may have specific funds for student research assistantships.

I have identified a research area that I’m interested in but the BU SLHS department doesn’t have anyone with expertise in this area. What should I do?

If your proposed research topic is fairly broad, you can contact (by phone or e-mail) the faculty member whose interest seems closest. He/she will may have suggestions as to how you can modify your topic to fit his/her interest, recommendations for other researchers who would be better suited to you as a mentor, or agree that the topic is close enough to encourage a mutual collaboration.

I know that I want to complete my Clinical Fellowship Year as soon as possible; can I still enroll in the combined MS/PhD program?

Yes, there are two ways that you can continue making progress on your doctoral degree while finishing your CF. It is possible to get a part-time CF which will lengthen the amount of time it takes to complete but will allow you to continue your lab work. Another possibility is to construct a CF that has a significant clinical component so that it counts toward your research objectives and certification goal.

Why do you recommend an interview with faculty prior to application?

Whenever possible, it’s a good idea to visit a school prior to applying to it; this is especially important for doctoral study because you need to evaluate whether the facilities seem appropriate for the type of work that you intend to do. A face-to-face meeting gives you the opportunity to ask questions about the scientific area and also cover more general background issues.

The doctoral program seems small; can I still get a good education?

BU has a large number of graduate students that you will meet in courses on the Charles River Campus and the Medical Campus. Depending on your research interests, you will also be attending seminars in Psychology, Cognitive and Neural Systems, Biomedical Engineering and the Center for Neuroscience, among others. A close collaboration with your SLHS mentor will be of significant benefit to you and is only possible with a small number of students.

What’s the most important part of my application?

The doctoral admissions committee will evaluate your entire application, including your essay and letters of recommendation. We are looking for students with the intellectual capacity, curiosity and perseverance to complete a doctoral program and contribute to the scientific base of the field.