Graduate Catalog

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Program Structure and Requirements (with MSc Degree)

  • Program structure

To obtain a PhD degree in Public Health, students are required to successfully complete the following:

 

  • Students holding a Master’s degree. A minimum of 60 credit hours as specified below:
  • Core courses:  18 credit hours
  • Elective courses:  6 credit hours
  • Dissertation research: 36 credit hours

 

Students are also required to complete a written Qualifying Examination, Research Proposal Examination, and the PhD Dissertation Research.

Program Core (18 credit hours)

Students must  complete the core courses listed below.

Core Courses

PUBH 701Principles of Public Health Practice

3
PUBH 702Public Health Policy & Systems

3
PUBH 703Epidemiology

3
PUBH 704Biostatistics

3
PUBH 705Research Methods and Protocol Development

3
PUBH 706Doctoral Seminar

3

Program Electives (6 credit hours)

Students must complete 6 credit hours of electives. Program electives are listed below:

Elective Courses

PUBH 711Applied Artificial Intelligence in Public Health

2
PUBH 712Healthcare Analytics

2
PUBH 713Principles of Chronic and Infectious Disease

2
PUBH 714Qualitative Research

2
PUBH 715Environmental Public Health

2
PUBH 716Health Economics

2
PUBH 717Public Health Genomics and Personalized Prevention

2

Thesis Research (36 credit hours)

Students must complete a Dissertation that involves creative, research-oriented work within the field of public health, under direct supervision of the student’s Main Advisor and Student Advisory Committee (SAC). The outcome of the Dissertation Research should:

  • Demonstrate a high level of understanding and specialization in his/her field of study;
  • Show evidence that he/she is able to conduct independent investigation with rigor and discrimination;
  • Demonstrate the ability to acquire and collate information through the effective use of appropriate sources and equipment;
  • Appreciate the relationship of the area of his/her research to a wider field of knowledge;
  • Demonstrate a critical appreciation of the literature in his/her area of research;
  • Demonstrate an ability to recognize and validate research problems;
  • Demonstrate an understanding of relevant research methodologies and techniques and their appropriate application to his/her research;
  • Have made a significant and original contribution to the body of knowledge in his/her field of study;
  • Demonstrate an ability to appraise critically his/her contribution in the context of his/her overall investigation;
  • Constructively defend his/her research outcomes;
  • Write clearly, accurately, cogently, and in a style appropriate to purpose;
  • Construct coherent arguments and articulate ideas clearly; and
  • Show awareness of relevant research issues including environmental, political, economic, social, copyright, ethical, health and safety, exploitation of results, and intellectual property rights.

 

The research findings must be documented in a formal dissertation and defended successfully in a viva voce examination.

Thesis Research

PUBH 799PhD Research Dissertation

36

Total Credit Hours: 60