The University of Central Arkansas’ Department of Speech-Language Pathology has been awarded an $800,000 Leadership Personnel Grant to support five doctoral students through their four-year program for their Ph.D. in Communication Sciences and Disorders.
The grant was authored by Robert Logan, Susan Moss-Logan, and Byron Ross, all on the UCA faculty in the Department of Speech-Language Pathology.
The doctoral program will receive $200,000 each year over a four-year period. The grant is being funded by the Office of Special Education Programs within the U.S. Department of Education. The grant provides tuition, stipends, and research support for the five doctoral students in the program.
“Most practicing speech-language pathologists cannot afford to stop work to pursue a Ph.D. Degree full time. This grant enables them to do that,” said John Lowe III, chair of UCA’s Department of Speech-Language Pathology. “There is a severe shortage of Ph.D. speech-language pathologists in this country. This grant, as part of our Ph.D. Program, will assist in reducing that shortage.”
This is the only Ph.D. training program in Communication Sciences and Disorders in Arkansas.
“This program, particularly with the support provided by this grant, enables Arkansans to pursue this degree without having to leave the state,” Lowe said.
The doctoral program involves a consortium among the University of Central Arkansas, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Faculty from these institutions comprises the doctoral faculty for this consortium.
This is the second Leadership Personnel grant awarded to the Consortium. The first grant of nearly $700,000 was awarded in 2006 and was authored by Robert Logan; Susan Moss-Logan; Elaine McNeice, dean of the Graduate School; and Neil Hattlestad, dean of the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences.
