Prerequisites
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.
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 |
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).
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. |
Analytical Issues in Health Services Research I |
3 |
PHPM 676 |
Analytical Issues in Health Services Research II* *New course title for fall 2024. |
3 |
Course Number |
Course Title |
Credit Hours |
PHPM 662 |
Advanced Health Economics |
3 |
PHPM 663 |
Cost-Effectiveness Analysis and Health Policy |
3 |
PHPM 654 |
Health Insurance and Managed Care |
3 |
Course Number |
Course Title |
Credit Hours |
PHPM 640 |
Health Policy and Politics |
3 |
PHPM 641 |
Advanced Health Policy |
3 |
PHPM 643 |
Health Policy Analysis |
3 |