Ph.D. in Accessible Human-Centered Computing and Policy
Overview
Ph.D. students have the opportunity to work within world-class research centers, including the Artificial Intelligence, Accessibility, and Sign Languages (AIASL) Center, focusing on AI-driven sign language recognition, generation, and multimodal accessibility, and the Technology Access Program (TAP), that focuses on telecommunications policy, standards, and accessible communication technologies.
The proposed curriculum for the 4-6-year long Ph.D. in Accessible Human-Centered Computing program requires at least 42 course credits and 15 dissertation research credits for a total of 57 credits. Additional requirements include a dissertation proposal and dissertation that address accessible human-centered computing or policy questions.
Admissions Requirements
Review application requirements, recommended undergraduate
preparation, and prerequisite coursework for
Ph.D. in Accessible Human-Centered Computing and Policy.
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Admissions Requirements
Review application requirements, recommended undergraduate preparation, and prerequisite coursework for Ph.D. in Accessible Human-Centered Computing and Policy.
Requirements
- Completed application form.
- A non-refundable application fee of $75.
- A minimum 3.0 grade point average (on a four-point scale) in all previous undergraduate and graduate study. (Occasionally, applicants with a GPA lower than 3.0 may be admitted conditionally upon the recommendation of the department.)
- Official transcripts of all undergraduate study, including evidence of having received a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university. (Those applying during their final undergraduate year will be required to submit a final transcript after completion of their bachelor’s degree and before enrolling in their first semester of graduate study.)
- Official transcripts of all graduate study
- Two letters of recommendation from individuals who are not related to you, friends, or personal acquaintances.
- All international applicants from non-English speaking countries must demonstrate English language competence via the Degrees of Reading Power (DRP) examination. Applicants with a DRP score below 62 will not be eligible for admission. TOEFL results may be substituted instead of taking the DRP. (Use 5240 for the ETS institutional code)
Additional Program Requirements
- A written letter of interest with a vision statement
- Documentation of a confirmed graduate research assistantship or fellowship that includes financial support. The support must be formally committed by either an external sponsoring agency or a Gallaudet faculty member through a funded project or the graduate program. Acceptable evidence includes an external award or support letter (e.g., NSF, NIH, Fulbright, Vocational Rehabilitation or other agencies) or official assistantship, fellowship or traineeship offer letter. The documentation must specify the funding source, period of support, and level of financial commitment.
- A proctored essay in both American Sign Language (ASL) and English. These essays will be reviewed by the admissions committee to assess language proficiency. Based on the review, the committee may require admitted applicants to enroll in appropriate ASL and/or English courses during their first year (Y1), with interpreter support provided only in Y1 as needed.
- Your ASL essay and English essay will be completed during the same proctored session. Contact the Graduate Admissions Office to schedule a session with a graduate admissions counselor.
- During the session, you will:
- Meet via Zoom with your proctor
- Record your ASL response on Zoom
- Compose your written essay in real time using Microsoft Word
- Standard time limit: 2 hours
- Submit the video and essay with the proctor’s assistance
Courses & Requirements
Summary of Requirements
Year 1
AHC 605
This is a graduate-level introduction to statistics for human-computer interaction. Topics include principles of inferential statistics, hypothesis testing, and experimental design; data handling, description, and visualization; probability; confidence intervals and t-tests; chi-square test, analysis of variance, and multiple comparisons; and simple linear regression. Students will learn to apply these tools to real-world data using R, and how to interpret and communicate the results of their analyses. No prior statistics or programming knowledge is required.
Year 2
AHC 601 or permission of the instructor
AHC 601
permission of the instructor
This seminar addresses professional writing and presentation skills needed by many doctoral level professionals in education. Students analyze and evaluate grant proposals, published articles, and presentations for structure, word choice, voice, and content. They construct short manuscripts that adhere to the American Psychological Association style format. In addition, students prepare media-enhanced presentations for professional audiences, including parent groups, teachers, school administrators, and professional conferences.
EDU 805 or equivalent
This seminar is first in a series and provides a forum for doctoral students to explore and discuss beliefs and practices related to teaching undergraduate and graduate university education courses; topics include course design, course preparation and presentation, use of appropriate technology and media, organizing effective participatory learning, inclusive and equitable practices, developing and using effecting teaching strategies and standards-based assessment techniques, and mentoring for reflective teaching/learning. In addition to seminars, the doctoral student will complete a minimum of 20 (twenty) hours of field experience consisting of classroom observation and conferencing with university faculty.
Admission to a Gallaudet University doctoral program or permission of the instructor.
Advanced Quantitative Research Design 1 equips students with the knowledge and skills necessary for conducting original rigorous quantitative research with human participants. Topics include sampling and measurement techniques, data analysis, and ethical considerations for research with human participants, with emphasis on deaf-centric research. In addition, the course discusses quantitative study designs, with particular focus on experimental and non-experimental group designs. Students will also learn to craft a research proposal.
Matriculation as a Ph.D. student or permission of the instructor.
Advanced Quantitative Research Methods II is a continuation of Advanced Quantitative Research Methods I, focusing on specialized research designs and equipping students with the necessary expertise to tackle complex research problems and design robust, deaf-centric quantitative studies. Topics include considerations in the design, conduct, and analysis of non-empirical, survey, small n, longitudinal, and retrospective designs, as well as data visualization and contemporary ethical issues such as representation, positionality, and researcher misconduct. Students will also learn to write up and present the results of a research study.
Matriculation as a Ph.D. student and completion of HSL 888 (or equivalent) or permission of the instructor.
Year 3 +
This course provides credit for individual student research projects at the dissertation stage, conducted under approved faculty supervision. Students may register for 1-9 credits per semester.
Students are eligible to take this course after completing all 1st and 2nd year coursework.
Information
Ph.D. in Accessible Human-Centered Computing and Policy (AHCP) Requirements
Explore the Ph.D. program in Accessible Human-Centered Computing and Policy at Gallaudet University. Discover requirements and advance accessibility in technology.
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Learn about Gallaudet University’s graduate admissions requirements, application steps, deadlines, and program-specific criteria on our Graduate Admissions page.
Graduate Programs International Graduate Students Non-Degree Seeking Graduate Students Contact Your Graduate Admissions CounselorTuition and Financial Aid
Accessibility is central to everything we do at Gallaudet—from inclusive learning environments to equitable access to graduate education. Our tuition structure and financial aid options are designed to support graduate students from a wide range of professional and financial backgrounds.
Contact
- Ph.D. in Accessible Human-Centered Computing and Policy
- raja.kushalnagar@gallaudet.edu
- christian.vogler@gallaudet.edu
