At the University of Pittsburgh School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS), we are driven by the possibilities of what can be achieved. Read more about SHRS’s mission, values and vision on About | Pitt SHRS .
Philosophy of Graduate Education
The faculty of the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS) believes that it has a major responsibility in graduate education to broaden the perspectives and awareness of students in the health professions toward high standards of scholarship and recognition of its relevance to technological and human needs.
Graduate programs provide depth in a substantial area of the student’s profession and foster critical thinking through a variety of scholarly and creative activities, thereby generating an atmosphere of scientific inquiry. These substantive areas include knowledge of the scientific basis for the development of advanced clinical expertise within the professions represented in the school. An equally important function is to encourage health professionals to be sensitive to the needs of the human beings they are serving and to adapt their methods to the changing social, economic and technological environments in which they practice.
Accordingly, these professionals should develop the capacity to perform newly emerging and expanding roles of roles of advanced clinical services, research, teaching, and administration in the health care systems, advancing the frontiers of their particular field of expertise.
On the assumption that the accumulation and mastery of basic factual knowledge have been accomplished, graduate education focuses on synthesis and integration to allow for new systemic insights into the application and extension of that knowledge. The linkage of various educational experiences with research projects enhances problem-solving skills. Through interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary didactic, clinical and research experiences, individual professional identity is fostered, while the ability to function both on an independent and collaborative level with colleagues from other disciplines is enhanced.
Contact Information
University of Pittsburgh
School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
3396 Fifth Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15213
412-383-6558
https://www.shrs.pitt.edu/directory/
Programs and Certificates
Accelerated Programs
- Athletic Training, Accelerated MS
- Dietitian Nutritionist, Accelerated MS
Master’s Programs
- Athletic Training (MS)
- Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MS)
- Health Informatics (MS)
- Master of Rehabilitation Technology (MRT)
- Neuromuscular Physical Therapy (MS)
- Nutrition and Dietetics (MS)
- Occupational Therapy (MS)
- Physician Assistant Studies (MS)
- Physician Assistant Studies Hybrid (MS)
- Prosthetics & Orthotics (MS)
- Speech-Language Pathology (MA/MS)
- Sports Science (MS)
Doctoral Programs
- Doctor of Audiology (AuD)
- Doctor of Chiropractic (DC)
- Doctor of Clinical Science in Occupational Therapy (CScD)
- Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)
- Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)
- Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)/Doctor of Philosophy in Bioengineering (PhD)
- Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc)
- Communication Science and Disorders (PhD)
- Rehabilitation Science (PhD)
Certificate Programs
- Advanced Practice Certificate in Implementation of Evidence in Clinical Practice
- Health Data Analytics
- Leadership in Health Informatics
Admission
SHRS is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive academic environment to create a more equitable health care system by welcoming applicants of all abilities/disabilities, religions, marital statuses, familial statuses, sexes, ages, sexual orientations, veteran statuses, national origins, all ethnic and racial backgrounds, genetic information, and gender identities and expressions.
Each program at SHRS has specific admission requirements. Please visit See Yourself At SHRS | Pitt SHRS for detailed information.
Application Procedures
Application portals vary by program. Please visit the SHRS website for detailed information.
Admission Status
Acceptable students are admitted to graduate study in a specific department or school with “full,” “provisional,” or “special” graduate status depending on their qualifications and objectives. The qualifications described below represent the minimum standards of the University. These may be made more stringent or specific at the option of the department or school.
Full Status: For admission to full graduate status, an applicant must be a graduate of an accredited U.S. college or university and must be considered qualified for advanced study by the department or school. International applicants must meet the admissions guidelines described under “Admission of Students from Other Countries.” Qualification for advanced study normally is demonstrated by a B average (a grade point average of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale) or better in the total undergraduate program. If students with less than a B average present alternative evidence (such as completion of an advanced degree or successful relevant work experience) of superior ability, they may be considered for full graduate status on the recommendation of the department of proposed graduate study. Only students with full graduate status may be considered for the award of an advanced degree.
Provisional Status: Applicants who are graduates of a recognized college or university, but who do not qualify for admission to full graduate status because of deficiencies in either their undergraduate course program or their scholastic achievement may be considered for provisional graduate status if strong supporting evidence of their ability to complete a graduate program is provided. Courses taken to remove deficiencies do not contribute toward completion of graduate degree requirements. Transfer from provisional to full graduate status is initiated and recommended by the department and is possible only after removal of deficiencies and other conditions noted at the time of admission and satisfactory progress in graduate work.
Special Status: Students may be granted temporary admission as “special status” under the following circumstances:
- Individuals who are seeking advanced degrees, but who are unable to meet the deadline for filing all required credentials for admission may be granted temporary admission provided they present acceptable evidence concerning their qualifications for graduate study. Regular admission must be completed within the first term of registration.
- Individuals not seeking an advanced degree but with specific qualifications for one or more courses, including courses required for licensing or certification, may register for such courses subject to review by the department and the dean. Schools providing such an opportunity may specify the number of credits or courses for which an individual may enroll while in this status and should also clearly specify the limitations on transfer of such credits toward a graduate degree if the individual is subsequently admitted to a graduate degree program.
Admission of Students from Other Countries
The University of Pittsburgh welcomes applications from students in other countries. An inquiry from a prospective student from abroad should receive from the department or school a prompt response that includes a description of the program(s), the necessary application forms, and instructions concerning the completion of an application, including information about applying online.
Academic credentials must be originals written in the language in which credentials are normally issued. Certified translations must accompany credentials which are not in English as well as an academic credential evaluation from Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. or Word Education Services, Inc.
Each foreign applicant must provide clear evidence of proficiency in English. (See English Language Proficiency.) In addition, each applicant must provide evidence of adequate financial resources for the estimated length of study at the University of Pittsburgh. The Office of International Services (OIS) will determine whether or not this requirement has been satisfied by the applicant.
When a department or school has completed its evaluation of the credentials of an applicant, it notifies the candidate that he or she is or is not academically qualified for admission. In all cases, a duplicate copy of the letter of admission and award of financial aid, if any, must be sent to OIS. Upon satisfaction of all academic and non-academic requirements, the OIS will issue, as appropriate, the Form I-20 Certificate of Eligibility for Non-Immigrant “F-1” Student Status or Form DS-2019 Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor “J-1” Status. Along with visa documents, OIS will send information concerning arrival and orientation. The University reserves the right, even after the arrival and enrollment of a student from another country, to require, at his or her own expense, individual curricular adjustments whenever particular deficiencies or needs are found. This could include enrollment without credit in additional course work in English as a foreign language or in courses prerequisite to his or her regular course of study. New students from abroad should be encouraged to use the services of OIS to help them in their adjustment to the United States and to facilitate their total educational experience.
English Language Proficiency
Graduate students must possess sufficient knowledge of English to study without being hindered by language problems, to understand lectures, and to participate successfully in class discussion. The determination that the applicant has sufficient proficiency is made by the admitting department or school, subject to the Assessment for English Language Proficiency for Admission Academic Regulation.
Non-Degree Status: Applicants who do not wish to enroll in a degree program may apply for admission as non-degree students to take one or more courses of particular interest if written permission is obtained from the course instructor. Non-degree students are permitted to take a total of six (6) credits. A non-degree student wishing to register for more than 6 credits must receive approval from the Department Chair/Program Director. Information concerning such requests should be directed first to the Director of Admissions, 3396 Fifth Avenue , University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 or via email at admissions@shrs.pitt.edu.
Deferral of Admission
Requests to defer admission must be submitted by the student, in writing, BEFORE the start of the first term of admission. If approved, the student must pay the tuition deposit (if required) which will be held by Student Financials and applied to their account, if enrolled. If they do not enroll, the deposit is forfeited.
Request for Readmission
In each of the circumstances below, the student will be discontinued from PeopleSoft and must initiate reinstatement to rejoin the program by contacting their program director. Reinstatement is not guaranteed, and the program director may require a student to formally reapply. Tuition deposits will not be refunded after the start of the term.
- If a student begins their 1st term and then drops all courses BEFORE the add/drop deadline.
- If a student begins their 1st term and then requests to withdraw from all classes AFTER the add/drop deadline and before 60% of the term has passed, the student would need to go through the Student Appeals office: Tuition Adjustments | Student Payment Center and their tuition will be prorated based on the last day of attendance.
- In extenuating circumstances, at the discretion of the Department Chair and the Associate Dean, a student could request a late drop of the enrollment after the add/drop deadline which would remove the courses from their transcript and their bill.
Financial Information
Graduate Cost of Attendance | Tuition: Tuition Rates and Fees
Online Graduate Cost of Attendance | Tuition Rates and Fees
Mandatory Fee Descriptions
Determining How Students are Billed
University Catalog | Financial Information
University of Pittsburgh Financial Aid Office
PittFundsme
Financial Wellness Center
General information on SHRS merit, individual department, school wide scholarships and awards can be found on Tuition, Scholarships and Financial Aid | Pitt SHRS.
SHRS Academic Regulations
Academic Integrity Policy
Students have the responsibility to be honest and to conduct themselves in an ethical manner while pursuing academic studies. Students have the right to be treated by faculty in a fair and conscientious manner in accordance with the ethical standards generally recognized within the academic community (as well as those recognized within the profession). Should a student be accused of a breach of academic integrity or have questions regarding faculty responsibilities, procedural safeguards including provisions of due process have been designed to protect student rights.
SHRS Guidelines on Academic Integrity
In addition to the University-wide regulations and standards detailed in the section on General Academic Regulations, each student in SHRS is expected to be familiar with these school-specific regulations and academic standards:
- students enrolled in accelerated programs must maintain a 3.000 minimum GPA to progress from the undergraduate to graduate portion of their program.
- it is the student’s responsibility to review her/his academic standing, to identify graduate program requirements and prerequisites for intended graduate program(s) and to monitor their completion.
- all required and prerequisite coursework must be taken for a grade, when letter grade option is available, unless approved by the Department Chair/Program Director.
- students must receive a grade of C or better in all courses required by their program curriculum.
- students must earn a grade of C or higher in any course intended to count towards their SHRS major and as written in the SHRS Academic Advisement Report. This includes general education requirements, pre-requisites, and elective courses that are part of the degree requirements.
- any student who does not earn a C or better in any coursework should consult with their academic advisor.
- all Pitt grades will still appear on the transcript and be calculated into the GPA unless the student repeats the course. However, credits from courses in which students have earned unacceptable grades will not be counted toward graduation.
- students who receive a grade below a C in a required course must repeat that course and attain a grade of C or better.
- students will not be permitted to register for a course until they attain a C or better in its prerequisites.
- failure to receive an acceptable grade after the allowed opportunities to complete a required course may result in the student being dismissed from the program and SHRS
Allowable Credits
Transfer Credits
The completion of requirements for advanced degrees must be satisfied through registration at the University of Pittsburgh. Graduate students already enrolled may-when approved in advance by their Department Chair and the Dean-spend a term or more at another graduate institution to obtain training or experience not available at the University of Pittsburgh and transfer those credits toward the requirements for an advanced degree. In such instances, neither the University nor any of its components are responsible for providing any financial assistance to the graduate student.
Transcripts certifying graduate courses completed at another institution prior to admission to the University of Pittsburgh should be submitted at the time of application and will be evaluated for acceptability as transfer credits early in the student’s graduate career by the advisor and Department Chair.
Transfer credits will not be accepted for courses in which a grade lower than B (GPA= 3.000), or its equivalent, has been received. No credit is granted toward an advanced degree for work completed in extension courses, correspondence courses, or in the off-campus center of another institution unless those credits are approved for equivalent graduate degrees at the institution and the institution has an accredited program.
Master of Arts and Master of Science degrees - no more than six (6) credits may be transferred. The Office of Student Affairs will enter the transfer credits on the student’s transcript. Grades (and quality points) are not recorded for credits accepted by transfer.
Professional master’s degrees - no more than one-third of the total number of required credits may be granted to a student as transfer credit for work done at another accredited graduate institution.
Doctor of Philosophy - up to 30 credits taken at the graduate level (2000 & 3000 level courses) toward a master’s degree may be transferred. In all cases, at least 36 credits must be completed as a PhD student at the University of Pittsburgh. No undergraduate credits (1000 level course) may be applied towards the doctoral degree. All transfer credits must be submitted to and approved by the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies.
Advising
Master and Clinical Doctorates
Master’s students are assigned an advisor who could be either a member of the SHRS faculty holding a regular, research, clinical, or adjunct appointment or an SHRS academic advisor, having at least a master’s degree. The director of the program to which the student has been accepted selects advisors for SHRS graduate students.
Students are notified of their advisor after their enrollment. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the advisor to schedule an initial meeting.
Doctor of Philosophy
PhD students are assigned to an academic advisor in the student’s main area of specialization. The academic advisor and student will plan course work and other experiences to enable the student to meet program requirements and her/his academic goals.
Change of Advisor
If either the student or his or her assigned advisor prefers, the student can choose another advisor. The student must obtain a Change of Advisor form, located on the SHRS Student Resource Hub under Student Services & SHRS Registrar. The student must complete the form and secure the required signatures and return the form to the Office of Student Services. As a general rule, students who have more than 50% of the credits required for graduation should not initiate a change of advisor procedure.
Academic Advisement Report (AAR)
AAR reports list all your degree requirements, and as you progress through your program enrolling in courses and completing requirements, updated information directly populates into the report from PeopleSoft. Eventually the whole plan will show as satisfied, indicating that your degree is complete.
These reports will be used by the SHRS Registrar to certify you for graduation.
The instructions on how to pull your AAR can be found at this link: Academic Record/Academic Advisement Report (AAR) | Office of the University Registrar
Credential Overlap
Students may pursue dual degrees within SHRS or between SHRS and another school at the University.
- The student must complete all requirements necessary to complete each degree.
- The student must also work with the academic advisors in both programs to monitor progress toward each degree.
- Students must contact SHRS Admissions Office to be admitted prior to the midpoint of their studies.
More Information is available on: Credential Overlap | Office of the Provost | University of Pittsburgh
Internships and Clinical Education
An internship is a period of supervised, planned, practical experience providing an opportunity to apply previously learned skills or theories designed to complement the didactic phase of the academic program. The internship may be primarily clinical, teaching, or administrative in nature. Many programs require internship experiences, coordinated by the student’s advisor or an identified Clinical Coordinator, who provides oversight regarding internship objectives and activities, administrative and contractual relationships with the site, and ensures that students meet all SHRS and site criteria.
Clinical Education
Clinical learning experiences are an integral part of SHRS professional programs. Clinical learning experiences provide the student with the opportunity to apply their knowledge in a supervised environment to develop clinical skills and judgment.
Independent Studies
Independent Study provides an opportunity for the student to complete an intense, self-designed project with faculty supervision in an area of special interest. A maximum of six (6) independent study credits may be accepted toward meeting degree requirements for the program.
The independent study must be supervised by an SHRS approved faculty member. To register for an independent study, the student must:
- Identify and develop an independent study project with independent study supervisor to include objectives for the independent study, methods to be used to meet those objectives, and measurable assessment methods for determining degree to which objectives were met. Independent studies must have an academic focus, and the academic rigor of the objectives and assessment methods will determine the number of credits to be earned.
- Complete the Independent Study Form, which will need to be signed by the Independent Study supervisor, academic/faculty advisor, and Associate Dean for Graduate Studies.
- Submit the completed Independent Study Form to Student Services to receive a permission number for enrollment.
- The form can be found on the Student Resource Hub under forms.
Thesis and Non-Thesis Options and Procedures
Thesis Option
A thesis is a written report of an investigative study conducted by the student during their graduate program. The completion of a thesis requires that the student has the necessary knowledge and skills to conduct a valid study, and that the thesis project is the investigation of a research question appropriate to their focus of study. The thesis is usually a concluding experience in Master of Science programs and completed under the guidance of a research mentor.
Completion of a thesis may be required for specific graduate programs within SHRS. Students should refer to the specific program requirements to determine if a thesis is required for completion of their program. Students should refer to their program requirements for specific guidelines for completing the thesis, the minimum number of thesis credits required, and for required courses.
Non-Thesis Option
Many SHRS graduate programs provide a non-thesis option as an alternative to completing a thesis. The non-thesis option is program-specific and reflects the culminating assignment to demonstrate the student’s mastery of their area of study. Some programs require the student to complete the non-thesis option while others may give the student the opportunity to choose between completing a thesis or the non-thesis option. Students should refer to their home program/department for specific information on the non-thesis option.
Scholarly Paper
As part of the non-thesis option for a Master of Science degree, some programs/departments may require a scholarly paper. A scholarly paper is of publishable quality in a focused area.
Examples of scholarly papers include but are not limited to substantial reviews of the literature on a particular topic, development of health care policies, or development of evidence-based treatment procedures. Students who complete this option must register for HRS 2926 Scholarly Paper for 1-6 credits depending on the requirements of their plan of study.
Comprehensive Examination
Comprehensive Examinations are required for many graduate programs in SHRS. Successful completion of the Comprehensive Examination is needed for the student to demonstrate mastery of their field of graduate study. Each individual department/program will specify the content and procedure for the scheduling, administration, and grading of the Comprehensive Examination. Please refer to individual program descriptions or handbooks for details of Comprehensive Examinations for each program.
Enrollment Status
Graduate students cannot enroll for more than (15) units without approval from the SHRS Registrar. Only the SHRS Registrar’s can enroll a student after approval is received for the additional unit(s).
Graduate students registered for 9 to 15 credits in the Fall and Spring Terms are regarded as full-time students.
Students cannot enroll in courses that meet at the same time.
Active Status
All graduate students must register for at least 1 credit or full-time dissertation study during the 12-month period preceding graduation. PhD students who have completed their course work and have successfully passed their dissertation proposal must be enrolled in dissertation credits or FTDI (Full time Dissertation Study) in the fall and spring terms to maintain active status.
Inactive Status
A student who has not registered for at least 1 credit or for full-time dissertation study during a 12- month period will be transferred to inactive status. Inactive students cannot apply to graduate or take Preliminary or Comprehensive Examinations. While on inactive status, a student is not eligible to use University facilities and should not expect to receive counseling by the faculty or active supervision by their advisor and committee.
Consult your academic advisor about the proper procedure of repeating a class and for information on how this will affect your grades and the calculation of your Grade Point Average (GPA). When you repeat a class, you must officially enroll and pay for the class again.
University policy prohibits any student from attending a class without being officially enrolled for that class. A repeated course has a notation appearing underneath the previous course taken designating that it is excluded from the GPA. The original course and grade will always remain on your record/transcript.
The course repeat policy for the University can be found at: Course Repeat | Office of the Provost | University of Pittsburgh.
All SHRS graduate programs adhere to the University’s grading system and grading policies for graduate students. Please refer to the Office of the University Registrar on Grades or the University Catalog on Grading and Records.
Satisfactory/No Credit (S/NC) grading option
Prerequisite and required courses must be taken for a letter grade when available, and a student must earn a B or better.
Academic Standing for Graduate and Professional Students | Office of the Provost | University of Pittsburgh
Masters
The purpose of the statute of limitations is to ensure that a graduate degree from the University of Pittsburgh represents mastery of current knowledge in the field of study. All requirements for MA and MS degrees must be completed within a period of four consecutive calendar years from the student’s initial registration for graduate study; all professional masters within five years (including both full time and part time students). Dual degrees and joint degrees that require course work in excess of 50 credit hours may be granted a longer statute of limitations by the University Council on Graduate Study.
PHD/Doctoral
From the student’s initial registration for graduate study, all requirements for the PhD degree must be completed within a period of 10 years or within eight years if the student has received transfer credits. A student who is unable to complete all degree requirements within a five-year period after passing the comprehensive examination may be re-examined at the discretion of the department or school. Programs for professional doctoral degrees, for which the majority of candidates pursue part-time study while working full-time within their chosen disciplines, may be granted a longer statute of limitations by the schools offering the degrees.
Extension
Under exceptional circumstances, a candidate for an advanced degree may apply for an extension of the statute of limitations. The request must be approved by the department or departmental committee (master’s or doctoral) and submitted to the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies for final action. Requests for an extension of the statute of limitations must be accompanied by a departmental assessment of the work required of the student to complete the degree as well as documented evidence of the extenuating circumstances leading to the requested extension.
Students who request an extension of the statute of limitations must demonstrate proper preparation for the completion of all current degree requirements.
A Leave of Absence (LOA) allows SHRS students to temporarily pause their studies while maintaining good standing with the school. LOAs are available starting in the second term of enrollment.
A LOA is not required for summer if your program does not mandate summer enrollment.
Use this link for SHRS - Leave of Absence to submit a formal request.
Students should stay in regular communication with their academic advisor and faculty members.
To facilitate this, students are strongly encouraged to review the SHRS Policy on Failure to Communicate which is located on the SHRS Student Resource Hub.
Graduation Requirements
Graduation requirements for a graduate degree from SHRS are as follows:
- Satisfactory completion of required credits
- Minimum cumulative GPA 3.000
- GPA will be calculated as a composite of all courses taken at the University of Pittsburgh and counting toward completion of the degree.
- Completion of all requirements for the program in which student has enrolled.
- No outstanding D, F, G or I grade in a required course.
- The student AAR (Academic Advisement report must show all requirements satisfied.
- A student must be considered an “active student” at the time of graduation; they must have been registered for at least one credit at the University of Pittsburgh within the last three terms or sessions.
- Students may not enroll in courses outside the University of Pittsburgh in the semester they are graduating.
An application for graduation must be submitted by the student in PeopleSoft the term prior to the graduation term. A student with outstanding financial obligations to the University is not eligible to receive the diploma, official academic transcripts, or any certification of completion of the academic program.
Credits Required
The number of credits required for the master’s degree varies among the departments within SHRS, but all departments require at least 30 credits. Many departments offer a variety of emphases. Individual departments should be contacted for the requirements specific to the degree.
SHRS Faculty
SHRS Faculty
SHRS Programs and Course Offerings
