The Program

The Rochester Bridges to the Doctorate Program is the first of its kind that provides scientific mentoring for deaf and hard of hearing individuals to become a strong candidate for a doctoral degree program in biomedical or behavioral science disciplines.  The University of Rochester (UR) is a premier research institution that offers graduate lab research experience, doctoral-level mentoring, and valuable networking opportunities.  The Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) has a number of master’s degrees in the biomedical and behavioral sciences.  The National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) is one of nine colleges at RIT, and is the foremost technical higher education institution for the deaf in the world.  Deaf and hard of hearing students will be paired with faculty, students, and staff from NTID, RIT, and UR.

Who Should Apply?

Deaf and hard of hearing students who have been accepted into one of the biomedical or behavioral science master’s degree programs at RIT may apply for the Bridges program.  Applicants must have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better with a desire to become a biomedical or behavioral scientist.

Program Expectations

Want a quick list of what is involved in the Bridges Program?  Click below!

Learn What’s Expected

Degree Programs

Students chosen to become Bridges Scholars must be accepted into a qualifying RIT MS program.  Click below for more information on those programs, as well as recommended Ph.D. programs offered at UR.

Browse Degree Programs

FAQs

There are always questions that don’t get answered on the main pages, so click below to find out more.  If you still don’t find an answer to all of your questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us!

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