PhD Curriculum & Competencies
Curriculum
The curriculum consists of the following courses. This course of study requires a minimum of four years of full-time study.
| Course Number - Class Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| HP&M 870: Research Inquiry: Defining and Supporting the Research Problem; Research Design and Analysis | 3 |
| HP&M 873: Statistical Applications Using Large Data Bases | 3 |
| HP&M 875: Modeling in Health Services Research | 3 |
| HP&M 885: Instructional Methods in Health Services Education | 1 |
| HP&M 886: Applied Health Services Research | 3 |
| HP&M 887: Practicum in Health Services Education | 2 |
| HP&M 901: Doctoral Seminar in Health Policy | 3 |
| HP&M 900: Doctoral Seminar in Prespectives in Population Health Research | 3 |
| HP&M 903: Doctoral Seminar in Quality and Safety | 3 |
| HP&M 905: Doctoral Seminar in Social Determinants of Health | 3 |
| HP&M 906: Doctoral Seminar in Comparative Health Systems | 3 |
| HP&M 910: Health Services Research Methods | 3 |
| HP&M 912: Qualitative Health Research | 3 |
| HP&M 990: Advanced Topics in Population Health | 1-3 per |
| HP&M 991: Individual Directed Readings or other elective approved by the advisor | 1-3 per |
| HP&M 999: Dissertation | 1-12 |
| Biostatistics, Preventive Medicine or related Methods Course (elective with advisor's permission) | 3 |
| Qualitative Methods Course (elective with advisor's permission) | 3 |
| Quantitative Methods Course (elective with advisor's permission) | 3 |
PhD Competencies
Upon completion of the PhD in Population Health, each student should be able to demonstrate:
- A working knowledge of the U.S. health care system, its historical development, organizational structures and financing mechanisms
- An understanding of the process and evolution of health care policies in the U.S. and their relationship to policies of other advanced economic nations
- An understanding of basic principles of economics as applied to health care systems
- An understanding of the role of culture and the behavioral dynamics of differentiation and stratification in health and medicine, the health professions, and in hospitals and other health care organizations
- Working knowledge of both qualitative and quantitative research paradigms, including research design, measurement, epidemiology, survey research, evaluation of health and health care systems and interventions, as well as participant observation, intensive interviewing and content analysis.
- Working knowledge of descriptive and inferential statistical analysis as applied to basic research strategies employed in health services research
- Advanced content (theoretical and conceptual as well as familiarity with the research literature) in a defined area of health policy including health care management. [Each student’s specialization plan must be recommended by the student’s doctoral committee and approved by the director of doctoral studies.]
- Application of content specialization to the critical analysis of research literature and the development of independent research questions
- The ability to translate research questions into research designs
- Advanced specialization in at least one area of research methods, such as epidemiology, survey design, evaluation, qualitative or econometrics
- Familiarity with large data sets and the ability to prepare and statistically analyze them
- Acquired expertise and experience in developing curriculum and effective classroom and online teaching within a health services administration program