Research Training

Students have many resources and opportunities for developing research skills that can be applied to important clinical problems. All students are mentored by a specific faculty member, work directly in faculty research labs and can be involved in collaborative research projects with faculty and area agencies (e.g., hospitals, schools). Clinical students are expected to become active in research as soon as they enroll in the graduate program.  Initial research activities involve collaboration with faculty on their ongoing research programs.  By the second year, clinical students should be conducting their own research projects designed to fulfill the requirements of the master’s degree under faculty supervision.  Students are encouraged to take research course waivers, designed to fulfill some of the course requirements by conducting additional independent research projects under faculty supervision.  Clinical students’ research training culminates in the design, execution and successful defense of a doctoral dissertation project.