The PRS curriculum is designed to provide students with a common core of content information, largely reflecting the foundational disciplinary content of Rehabilitation Science.
Students complete:
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Interdisciplinary Science Core — 7 credits
The Science Core is designed to provide an interdisciplinary foundation for further study in an area of one’s choice. Required courses include:
- Foundations of Rehabilitation Science I — PTRS 601 (3 credits)
- Foundations of Rehabilitation Science II — PTRS 602 (3 credits)
- Rehabilitation Research Seminar — PTRS 788 (1 credit)
Tools Core — 11 credit minimum
The Tools Core provides the research skills needed in the field of rehabilitation science, as well as direct preparation for an academic career. A minimum of 6 credits of statistics are required, but there is flexibility in which statistics courses one can take (examples below). Required courses include:
- Seminar in Teaching I — PTRS 702 (1 credit)
- Seminar in Teaching II — PTRS 703 (1 credit)
- Research Ethics — CIPP 907 (1 credit)
- Introduction to Clinical and Translational Research — PREV 616 (2 credits)
- Statistics (6 credits). Statistics and tools courses are offered at UMB, UMD, and UMBC. Refer to course catalogues for full course listings and descriptions. Examples:
- Quantitative Research Methods I (statistics) — QMMS 645 (3 credits)
- General Linear Models I (statistics) — QMMS 646, at UMD (3 credits)
- General Linear Models II (statistics) — QMMS 651, at UMD (3 credits)
- Fundamentals of Biostatistics — GPILS 630 (3 credits)
- Qualitative Methods in Social Research — SOCY 619, at UMBC (3 credits)
Concentration / Cognate Area — 10 credit minimum
Students must complete a minimum of 10 credits in their concentration specialty area. Potential courses include:
- Advanced Biomechanics — PTRS 765 (3 credits)
- Principles of Epidemiology — PREV 600 (3 credits)
- Muscle Cell Biology & Development — GPLS 715 (3 credits)
- Cell & Systems Physiology / Motor Behavior — GPLS 645 (3 credits)
- Disorders of the Nervous System — NACS 728
- Nociception of Pain — GPLS 642
- Other cognate/concentration courses offered within the University System of Maryland
Electives — 20 credit minimum
Students are required to complete at least 20 elective credits in either the Tools Core or the concentration/cognate area, as determined in consultation with their advisor(s), Plan of Study committee members, and dissertation committee members.
Potential elective courses include:
- Applied Technology for Human Movement Analysis I — PTRS 615 (2 credits)
- Applied Technology for Human Movement Analysis II — PTRS 616 (2 credits)
- Grant Writing in Rehabilitation Science Practicum — PTRS 722 (2 credits)
- Hypothesis Development and Study Design Seminar — PTRS 721 (2 credits)
Doctoral Dissertation Research — 12 credits
After advancing to candidacy, students complete a minimum of 12 credit hours of PTRS 899
Program Milestones
Two milestones anchor progression through the program. The comprehensive and candidacy examinations assess the student's integration of content from the science core, tools core, and concentration coursework, and their ability to apply it independently. The dissertation is an original, independent research project that constitutes the culminating requirement for the degree.