An interdepartmental Ph.D. degree in human sciences with specializations from multiple departments.

Description

This is an interdepartmental program. See specific specializations for more information.

Specializations

1. Apparel Design

   • On Campus

   The Doctor of Philosophy program in Human Sciences with a specialization in Apparel Design is designed to educate apparel design scholars who can comprehensively apply theory, knowledge and academic research to their specialties. An in-depth look is taken at fundamental apparel design disciplines as well as relevant interdisciplinary knowledge and technologies, in which students should play a leading role in the future. Related fields will vary depending on the specific focus of the student but may include and are not be limited to anthropology, art, business, education, history, psychology, technology, theater, and women and gender studies.

   See Textiles for more information.

   Goals and objectives for the specialization in Apparel Design include:

   1. Conduct independent scholarly work in apparel design including hands-on apparel design practices.
   2. Critique and interpret scholarly design work of others and apply to own work. 
   3. Develop a collection of original apparel designs that will be part of an exhibition, runway show or other forms of visual presentation.

   Admission Requirements

   • Minimum English proficiency: Paper TOEFL 550, Internet TOEFL 79, IELTS 6.5.
   • Entrance exam(s): GRE (optional)
   • Resume
   • Personal Statement: Letter of application describing educational and career goals.
   • Portfolio
   • Writing Sample: Any of the following would be an appropriate writing sample: Manuscript or published article resulting from earlier research, such as master's thesis; Paper given at professional meeting; substantial paper, such as review of literature; Grant proposal; Critique of a research article; Professional materials developed for use in one's workplace; Course paper.
   • Three recommendation letters

   Department

   Textiles, Merchandising, and Fashion Design

2. Biochemical and Molecular Nutrition

   Admission Requirements

   • GRE (optional)
   • Resume/CV
   • Personal Statement:  This statement (1-2 pages) is one of the most critical parts of your application. This is your opportunity to tell us about your personal and professional goals, why you desire a graduate degree in this area, and anything else that provides the Graduate Committee with a glimpse of "who you are." Demonstrate to the Graduate Committee that your goals have been well thought out and that you understand what you are getting into. If you have job and/or volunteer experience that is relevant to your academic pursuits, be sure to provide details. It is helpful to highlight your strengths, although you should also address any weaknesses (such as poor grades or low GRE scores) and describe how that will affect your success as a graduate student. If you believe that extenuating circumstances have hindered your academic progress, describe them in enough detail to help the Graduate Committee judge your application.
   • Faculty: Identify at least one (max 3) graduate faculty members with whom you are applying to work. Applicants must have faculty willing to accept them and serve as their faculty mentor.  After submitting their application, applicants should start communicating with faculty mentors with shared research interests to learn about faculty research, how the applicant would fit into the lab and if assistantship funding is available. A strong applicant identifies a clear and well-defined interest within one of the Nutrition and Health Sciences disciplines. It is the applicant's responsibility to contact faculty with similar interests. Do not contact every faculty member with a general interest. Take the time and explore faculty profiles and read their published papers to see if what they do also sparks an interest.
   • Assistantship:  Admitted applicants who want to be considered for an assistantship may submit their application online at https://cehs.unl.edu/nhs/assistantships-hourlypositions-fellowships/.

   For financial consideration, apply by February 15 for Fall.

   Department

   Nutrition and Health Sciences

3. Child Development/Early Childhood Education

   • On Campus

   The comprehensive Ph.D. program in Child Development/Early Childhood Education is designed to prepare students to be independent scholars in research and education professions. To meet this objective we make three guarantees to students admitted to the program. Every student will have:

   1. An intensive research experience
   2. An independent teaching opportunity
   3. An opportunity for international engagement

   See Child Development/Early Childhood Education for more information.

   Admission Requirements

   • GRE (optional)
   • Resume/CV
   • Personal Statement
   • Writing Sample
   • Three Letters of Recommendation

   Department

   Child, Youth, and Family Studies

4. Communication Disorders

   • On Campus

   A Ph.D. in Human Sciences with a specialization in Communication Disorders will prepare you as a scholar in both applied and basic aspects of communication. The focus is to prepare you for leadership roles in teaching, research and/or clinical management, depending on your personal goals and objectives.

   See Special Education and Communication Disorders for more information.

   To be considered for priority funding, apply by January 15 for the Fall term.

   Admission Requirements

   • GRE
   • Resume/CV
   • Personal Statement
   • Writing Sample
   • Assistantship Application:  To be considered for an assistantship, 1) check the appropriate boxes in the Funding section of the Additional Information page and 2) complete the SECD Graduate Assistantship Application.
   • Faculty:  Review current faculty and their areas of research.  The SECD Advisor Agreement Form (or an equivalent memo directly from the advisor), with all affirmative responses and a faculty member signature, is required prior to admission to this program.

   Department

   Special Education and Communication Disorders

5. Global Family Health and Wellbeing

   • On Campus

   The doctoral program in Global Family Health and Wellbeing prepares doctoral-level professionals to:

   1. Improve outcomes for families around the world through scholarship, research, outreach, and advances in clinical practice, and
   2. Advance international perspectives of family, couple and individual health and well being (including physical, emotional, psychological and relational health);

   See Child, Youth and Family Studies for more information.

   Admission Requirements

   • GRE (optional)
   • Resume/CV
   • Personal Statement
   • Writing Sample
   • Three Letters of Recommendation

   Department

   Child, Youth, and Family Studies

6. Leadership Studies

   • On Campus

   The doctoral program specialization in leadership studies is designed for individuals interested in studying leadership and leadership development. It is ideal for those interested in becoming a leadership scholar.
   See Leadership Studies Ph.D. for more information.

   Admission Requirements

   • GRE: GRE waivers are only granted in rare circumstances (e.g. GRE is not available in your country of residence); contact alec@unl.edu to request a waiver.
   • Curriculum Vitae or Resume: Your vitae should include a complete account of your academic and professional history along with your community activities, service, accomplishments, and awards.
   • Personal Statement: Describe 1) one to three personal and professional goals or objectives and how this degree will help you achieve them, 2) how your past experience (work, volunteer, research, etc.) provides you a context for studying in this field, and 3) how your interests align with research, extension, and/or creative activity of each of the ALEC faculty you list in the Faculty section.
   • Essay (required): Choose one (and only one) of the following prompts (using APA style guidelines, 500 words max, not including references), reflecting your area of study:
     • Prompt 1: Why is it important to teach leadership?
     • Prompt 2: Evidence-based practices in leadership development are important.
     • Prompt 3: Is leadership more art than science?
     Academic writing or using evidence-based knowledge within writing is necessary for success in this graduate program. Your response should not be a reflection or musings of your personal thoughts but a demonstration of how you write a short argument using evidence-based knowledge. The graduate committee wants to see the following: demonstration of critical thinking as appropriate for academic writing; synthesis of information, knowledge, and/or evidence to reveal significant insights, themes, or ideas; integration of knowledge and information collected from well-chosen sources in appropriate ways; a writing "flow" and/or a high-quality writing style; appropriate use of organization/format, grammar, and punctuation.
   • Writing Sample: Provide a writing sample that demonstrates your scholarly writing ability, for example a term paper, thesis, or published article.
   • Other Upload: Provide a document sharing any specific experience you have engaging in research, especially any of the following: specific social science research you've conducted (by yourself or as part of a team; if in a team, articulate your contributions specifically); program/project evaluation experience; quantitative research methods experience; coursework or training in statistics and/or math; any project (for class or work) where you engaged in data analysis (either quantitatively or qualitatively); experience engaging in life sciences (e.g. biology, animal science, plant science) and/or physical sciences (e.g. physics, chemistry) research; qualitative research methods experience; experience conducting interviews; or experience coding/analyzing audio, video, or written materials. It is not expected you have any and certainly not all these experiences.
   • Faculty: Review current faculty and their research areas on this page and on ALEC Graduate Faculty. With attention to which faculty are currently accepting new students, identify at least one (max 3) faculty members in this department with whom you would like to work. Also address faculty interest alignment in Personal Statement.
   • Letters of Recommendation (three): One letter should speak to your capacity to be a successful student (e.g. from a faculty member); one letter should speak to your professional capacity (e.g. from a supervisor); the remaining letter can speak to anything you believe makes you an ideal candidate for our program (e.g. commitment to diversity and inclusion, research capacity, teaching and training experience).
   • Funding/Assistantship: See ALEC Funding and Assistantships for information and the assistantship application.  To be eligible for an ALEC assistantship you must be admitted to an ALEC graduate program; you may complete the assistantship application prior to being admitted.

   The priority admission deadline is December 15; applications submitted after this date may be considered if space is available.

   Department

   Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication

7. Material Culture and Textile Studies

   • On Campus

   The goal of the Ph.D. in Human Sciences with a specialization in Material Culture and Textile Studies is to educate professionals and academics who can comprehensively apply theory, research, and knowledge in their respective and chosen career fields.

   Students will gain an in-depth understanding of the various applications and methodologies that incorporate and/or focus on object-based research as a primary means of studying the cultural, social, economic, political, and personal experiences of people, both past and present. Related fields such as (but not limited to) history, art history, anthropology, sociology and women’s and gender studies are included in the specialization to enhance students’ abilities to understand and apply concepts and theories from outside their particular area of expertise and contribute to the development of original research and advancement of knowledge in the interdisciplinary field of material culture.

   See Textiles for more information.

   Admission Requirements

   • GRE (optional)
   • Resume
   • Personal Statement: Letter of application describing educational and career goals.
   • Portfolio: The portfolio is recommended for Material Culture applicants.
   • Writing Sample: Any of the following would be an appropriate writing sample: Manuscript or published article resulting from earlier research, such as master's thesis; Paper given at professional meeting; substantial paper, such as review of literature; Grant proposal; Critique of a research article; Professional materials developed for use in one's workplace; Course paper.
   • Three recommendation letters

   Department

   Textiles, Merchandising, and Fashion Design

8. Merchandising

   • On Campus

   The objective of a Doctor of Philosophy of Human Sciences with a specialization in Merchandising is to prepare future practitioners who can critically apply knowledge of merchandising practices to the soft-goods industry.  Learning innovative merchandising techniques, including the extensive use of technology, will provide students with applicable knowledge of the field.  Students will also learn and apply theory and research methods to address industry challenges. In addition, interdisciplinary knowledge, from fields such as marketing and educational psychology, will enhance students’ perspectives toward research.

   See Textiles for more information.

   Goals and objectives for the specialization in Merchandising include:

   1. Explore innovative merchandising techniques, including the extensive use of technology.
   2. Learn and apply theory and research methods to address industry challenges.

   Application Requirements

   • GRE (optional)
   • Resume/CV
   • Personal Statement
   • Writing Sample: Any of the following would be an appropriate writing sample: Manuscript or published article resulting from earlier research, such as master's thesis; Paper given at professional meeting; substantial paper, such as review of literature; Grant proposal; Critique of a research article; Professional materials developed for use in one's workplace; Course paper.
   • Three letters of recommendation

   Department

   Textiles, Merchandising, and Fashion Design

9. Nutrition and Health Sciences

   • On Campus

   The Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences offers graduate degrees within Research Areas and Professional Specializations that are driven by the graduate faculty.

   See Nutrition and Health Sciences for more information.

   Admission Requirements

   • Resume/CV
   • Personal Statement:  This statement (1-2 pages) is one of the most critical parts of your application. This is your opportunity to tell us about your personal and professional goals, why you desire a graduate degree in this area, and anything else that provides the Graduate Committee with a glimpse of "who you are." Demonstrate to the Graduate Committee that your goals have been well thought out and that you understand what you are getting into. If you have job and/or volunteer experience that is relevant to your academic pursuits, be sure to provide details. It is helpful to highlight your strengths, although you should also address any weaknesses (such as poor grades or low GRE scores) and describe how that will affect your success as a graduate student. If you believe that extenuating circumstances have hindered your academic progress, describe them in enough detail to help the Graduate Committee judge your application.
   • Faculty: Identify at least one (max 3) graduate faculty members with whom you are applying to work. Applicants must have faculty willing to accept them and serve as their faculty mentor.  After submitting their application, applicants should start communicating with faculty mentors with shared research interests to learn about faculty research, how the applicant would fit into the lab and if assistantship funding is available. A strong applicant identifies a clear and well-defined interest within one of the Nutrition and Health Sciences disciplines. It is the applicant's responsibility to contact faculty with similar interests. Do not contact every faculty member with a general interest. Take the time and explore faculty profiles and read their published papers to see if what they do also sparks an interest.
   • Assistantship:  To be considered for an assistantship, check the appropriate boxes on the Funding section (on the application's Additional Information page) and upload your completed Assistantship Application in the Program Requirements Page.  See NUHS Graduate Programs for information.

   For financial consideration, apply by February 15 for Fall.

   Department

   Nutrition and Health Sciences

10. Textile Science

    • On Campus

    See Textiles for more information.

    The goal of the Ph.D. in Human Sciences with a specialization in Textile Science is to educate textile scientists who can comprehensively apply theory, academic research and application of knowledge to their specialties.  An in-depth look is taken at fundamental textile material science disciplines, as well as relevant interdisciplinary knowledge and technologies, in which students play a leading role in the future.  Related fields like chemistry and statistics are focused to enhance students’ abilities to solve complex problems within or outside their area of expertise and contribute to the development of textiles with original research.

    Goals and objectives for the specialization in Textile Science include:

    1. Apply theory, knowledge and academic research to specialties in the textile science field.
    2. Examine fundamental textile material science disciplines, which includes the study of interdisciplinary topics.

    Application Requirements

    • GRE (optional)
    • Resume
    • Personal Statement
    • Writing Sample: Any of the following would be an appropriate writing sample: Manuscript or published article resulting from earlier research, such as master's thesis; Paper given at professional meeting; substantial paper, such as review of literature; Grant proposal; Critique of a research article; Professional materials developed for use in one's workplace; Course paper.
    • Three letters of recommendation

    Department

    Textiles, Merchandising, and Fashion Design

11. Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design

    • On Campus

    See Textiles for more information.

    Department

    Textiles, Merchandising, and Fashion Design

Applying for Admission

Standard requirements for all graduate programs

• Application for Admission with $50 non-refundable application fee.
• Transcripts (unofficial): Uploaded as part of application form.

  If International: Uploads must include all college- or university-level transcripts or mark sheets (records of courses and marks earned), with certificates, diplomas, and degrees plus certified English translations.

  After admission: Official documents are required from all students who are admitted and enroll. Photocopies of certified records are not acceptable. International students enrolled in other U.S. institutions may have certified copies of all foreign records sent directly to the Office of Graduate Studies by their current school’s registrar office.

• If applicant’s native language is not English, verification of English proficiency is required.

  When sending TOEFL scores, our institution code is 6877 and a department code is not needed.

• If applicant is not a US citizen and expects an F or J visa: financial information.
• Applicants must also fulfill any additional requirements the department specifies at the time of application.

Additional requirements specific to this program

See Specializations section above for program-specific requirements.