Admissions Criteria

Applications for admission into the Ph.D.degree program in Health Policy and Management, located in the Population Health department at the University of Kansas, will be accepted from individuals with the following credentials:

1. A master's degree in health policy and management or a related field including, but not limited to, health services administration, public policy, public health, public administration, business, economics, social sciences, biological sciences, or nursing.
2. Minimum GPA of 3.5 (on a scale where 4.0 = A) for all post-baccalaureate coursework.
3. At least one graduate-level statistics course.

The need for additional foundational coursework will be evaluated on an individualized basis during the Admissions process.

Admissions Materials

The application process is almost completely online. You may access our application form via KUMC Application Service Software. The following materials are required to apply for the Ph.D.program in the Population Health department:

1. A completed Graduate Application for Admission to the University of Kansas.
2. A $60 non-refundable application fee (for both domestic and international applicants). The application fee of $60 is paid when you click SUBMIT from the online application. Applicants can pay by Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express or by Electronic Check. U.S. banks only.  Application fees are non-refundable. Electronic checks will be held for approximately six business days while the check clears.
3. Three academic letters of recommendation. Applicants must provide the names and e-mail addresses of three (3) academic references who are qualified to comment on their potential success in a doctoral program. Please notify your references that they will receive an e-mail form "KU Medical Center requesting them to complete an online reference form. They should also upload a letter of reference in addition to completing the form.
4. A Statement of Career Objectives and Purpose (uploaded to the system). Please address the following items as a part of your response:
   1. Future career objectives and justification for seeking a PhD
   2. Potential research aims and areas of interest
   3. Identify program fit and how you match with the program
5. Transcripts of all post-secondary academic work. Arrange to have one official copy of each transcript from every college and university that you have attended sent directly to:

   ku_phd-hpm@kumc.edu
   OR mailed to:
   PhD Health Policy and Management Program
   ATTN: Zoë Baldwin
   The University of Kansas Medical Center
   3901 Rainbow Blvd, MS 1008
   Kansas City, KS 66160

6. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general exam scores are not required.
7. A copy of the applicant’s master’s thesis, graduate-level research paper or other example of the applicant’s scholarly research writing (uploaded to the system or e-mailed to the above address)
8. A copy of the applicant's resume or curriculum vitae (uploaded to the system).
9. International Applicants. Students submitting international applications have additional requirements, as follows:
   • TOEFL scores will be considered as part of the application. The test must have been taken within two years of the first semester of enrollment. When submitting test scores to KUMC, please submit only original scores sent directly from the testing agency.  Photocopies will not be accepted. For testing purposes, the  ETS school code is 6895. Only international applicants with IBT-based TOEFL parts scores above the following thresholds will be considered for admission:
     • Listening: 23
     • Reading: 23
     • Speaking: 24
     • Writing: 19
   • Students with degrees from outside the U.S. are required to submit a foreign credential evaluation (FCE) performed by an established transcript review service to determine the U.S. degree equivalency cumulative GPA requirements. The HP&M Ph.D.program will accept evaluations from SpanTran, World Education Service (WES) and Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE). Other companies will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The evaluation must be course by course, include U.S. grade equivalency for each course with cumulative U.S. GPA equivalency, and U.S. degree equivalency earned (bachelor’s master’s, doctorate, etc.). The evaluation should be sent directly from the company to the HP&M Ph.D.program.
   • Please be advised that international students are not eligible for federal student loans or scholarships. International students must be financially prepared to handle the full cost of living here and attending school.
   • For additional information related to attending KUMC, please refer to the  KUMC International Programs site.

Application Deadline

Application process is now open for the Fall 2024 admission season.

Review of applications will begin December 15, 2023. Final application deadline is February 15, 2024. Requests submitted after February 15 may be considered on a case-by-case basis; please contact the program coordinator for further information.

Background Checks

University of Kansas Medical Center now requires a criminal background check prior to admitting students to graduate programs. Prior to final acceptance and initial enrollment in classes, applicants will be directed to have a background check completed by Validity Screening Solutions. The applicant must pay a one-time fee for the background check directly to Validity Screening Solutions. The HP&M Ph.D.program will review the information obtained through the background check and make a final decision on the applicant’s eligibility for the program. The program will then notify the applicant regarding final acceptance or denial of admission.

Technical Standards

The University of Kansas Medical Center is committed to equal opportunity and nondiscrimination in all programs and activities, and does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin or ancestry, age, gender expression, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or creed, disability, veteran status or genetic testing & screening. Disability accommodation requests should be directed to the  Academic Accomodation Services Office.

The following abilities and expectations required by all students admitted to the Ph.D.in Health Policy and Management are available on the  Technical Standards and Requirement form.