PhD in Health Services Research Curriculum
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.
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. |
Analytical Issues in Health Services Research I | 3 |
| PHPM 676 | Analytical Issues in Health Services Research II* *New course title for fall 2024. |
3 |
Health Economics Cognate Courses
| 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 |
Health Politics and Policy Cognate Courses
| 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 |
