Students who are admitted to the PhD program generally will have completed a master’s degree in a relevant discipline, or a terminal professional degree (e.g. MD, JD, PharmD) prior to matriculation. Admitted students who have attained only a bachelor’s degree will have to complete an additional 32 semester hours of coursework.
Cognate Areas
Each student must select one of two research areas known as cognates: (1) health economics or (2) health politics and policy. These cognate areas provide students with core knowledge relating to a specific conceptual approach for health services research. Students typically designate their cognate area at or before matriculation, but must designate a cognate area no later than the end of their first semester.
Summary of PhD Program Curriculum
PhD Core Courses
19 credit hours
Prescribed Statistics and Methods Courses
15 credit hours
Prescribed Cognate Courses
9 credit hours
Free Electives
12 credit hours
Capstone (Papers/Dissertations)
9 credit hours
Total
64 credit hours
PhD Core Courses
Course Number
Course Title
Credit Hours
PHPM 601
Foundations of Public Health
3
PHPM 619
Organizational Theory
3
PHPM 637
Political Foundations of Public Health
3
PHPM 661
Introduction to Health Economics
3
PHPM 671
Introduction into Health Services Research
3
PHPM 681
Seminar (1 hour, repeated first 4 semesters)
4
PHPM 601 is waived for students who have attained a public health degree from a CEPH-accredited institution. To be eligible for teaching assistant positions, students also must complete SOPH 676 (Professional Development Seminar in Public Health Teaching).
Prescribed Statistics and Methods Courses
Course Number
Course Title
Credit Hours
PHPM 672
Data Science for Health Services Research
3
PHPM 674
Secondary Analysis of Health Data
3
PHPM 678
Qualitative Research in Public Health
3
PHPM 667*
*Course available fall 2024. See your academic advisor for alternatives.
