PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences

Advance theory and evidence to guide contemporary rehabilitation practice

More than 1 billion people worldwide experience disability, and rehabilitation is recognized as a core global public health priority for the estimated one in three people who could benefit from it. Rehabilitation optimizes human functioning and reduces the experience of disability, expanding the focus on health so people can perform daily tasks and participate fully in home, school, work and community life.

UIC’s PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences trains future rehabilitation scientists through a customized, interdisciplinary course of study covering the theoretical, methodological and pedagogical foundations of the field.

You'll work closely with a faculty mentor to design an individualized plan of core and elective coursework paired with mentored research, immersing yourself in a shared research area from your first year through your dissertation defense.

Take the next step

Program infographic

Application Deadline January 15, 2026

Completion Time 3-5 years

Credit Hours 96 minimum

Course Delivery In-person

Your career

Our PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences prepares you to design, conduct and share a programmatic line of translational research that advances the rehabilitation field. Graduates are positioned for faculty roles at colleges and universities, at a time when the field continues to face faculty shortages.

Graduates also pursue roles such as:

Clinician scientist roles within academic medical centers
Administrative roles within clinical and community-based organizations
Research scientist roles within private industry and governmental agencies

You’ll graduate with the knowledge, skills and habits to advance the evidence base for rehabilitation practices that improve functional ability, activity performance and participation for people with, or at risk for, disability and chronic health conditions.

Learn from our faculty mentors

Our PhD program is housed in the College of Applied Health Sciences and draws on faculty from all five of its academic departments, giving you access to research and educational expertise across the college.

Tanvi Bhatt

Professor of Physical Therapy; director, Cognitive Motor and Balance Rehabilitation Laboratory

Sangeetha Madhavan

Professor of Physical Therapy; director, Brain Plasticity Lab

Andrew Boyd

Professor of Biomedical and Health Information Sciences

Mary Khetani

Professor of Occupational Therapy; director, Children’s Participation in Environment Research Lab

Tamar Heller

Professor of Disability and Human Development; director, Institute on Disability and Human Development

Robert Motl

Professor of Kinesiology and Nutrition; director, Integrative Physiology Lab

A mentor-driven course of study

You’ll immerse yourself in a research area of shared interest with your primary faculty mentor, shaping your own course of study as you progress through three degree milestones and complete at least 32 hours of research in your focus area.

Preliminary exam. Demonstrate your knowledge and readiness to pursue your dissertation.

Proposal. Design and propose your dissertation to your committee.

Defense. Prepare to publicly defend your completed dissertation.

Throughout the program, you’ll work with your faculty mentor on specific areas of investigation aligned with their expertise, contributing to research that helps transform current approaches to rehabilitation theory and practice.