PhD in Public Health (Social and Behavioral Health Sciences)

Program Overview
Curriculum

About the Program

The Rutgers School of Public Health and Rutgers School of Graduate Studies' rigorous PhD in Public Health degree is designed to support public health professionals seeking a research-based graduate program, offering advanced study across five concentration areas.

Biostatistics
Epidemiology (specialized pharmacoepidemiology courses available)
Environmental and Occupational Health
Social and Behavioral Health Sciences
Health Systems and Policy

This webpage provides details on the PhD in Public Health (Social and Behavioral Health Sciences). General PhD in Public Health information can be found here.

Competencies

Each concentration identifies competencies for each degree offered. These competencies reflect the full range of knowledge, skills, and other attributes that a student will acquire as a result of completing the requirements for a particular degree.

Upon graduation, a student completing the PhD in Public Health curriculum in Social and Behavioral Health Sciences will be able to:

Design and conduct research investigations related to health behavior;
Apply univariable and multivariable analytic techniques to understand health behaviors;
Demonstrate ability to critically analyze and interpret the scientific literature;
Develop grant writing skills to establish a program of funded research;
Demonstrate proficiency in individual or organizational models of behavior change; and
Construct conceptual or empirical models describing the behavior of individuals or households regarding their health status.

Ready to take the next step?

Several Department of Health Behavior, Society, and Policy faculty are open to doctoral students, including, Cristine Delnevo, Shauna Downs, Nir Eyal, Kymberle Sterling, and Andrea Villanti.

Curriculum for Students Enrolled Fall 2020 and After

Students seeking the PhD in Public Health-Social & Behavioral Health Sciences degree must complete a minimum of 72 credits of academic work with a minimum GPA of least 3.2 overall and a 3.2 in the set of required courses specified by the concentration; earn no more than nine (9) credits bearing grades less than B; and complete the degree requirements within seven years. Courses are three credit hours unless otherwise noted and semester when each course is typically offered is noted parentheses. Students should review the Forward Schedule for long-term course planning and the Course Schedule for each semester to determine when, where, and how a course is offered.

PREREQUISITES

Prerequisites do not count toward the 72-credit PhD curriculum. MPH from an accredited school or program meets prerequisite requirements. PHCO 0502 and PHCO 0504 must be completed before Year 1, Fall semester (e.g., online summer before) if student does not have graduate-level coursework in these two areas.

PHCO 0502 - Principles and Methods of Epidemiology (or equivalent)
PHCO 0504 - Introduction to Biostatistics [Prerequisite: Quantitative Skills Assessment] (or equivalent)
PHCO 0505 - Social and Behavioral Health Sciences in Public Health (or equivalent)

PHD IN PUBLIC HEALTH CORE COURSES (9 credits)

PHCO 0512 - Public Health Foundations (Spring) If a student holds an MPH from a CEPH-accredited school or program of public health, course is waived, but not the credits.
ENOH 0701 - Public Health Research Ethics (Spring-Even Years)
HBSP 0700 - Advances in Public Health Theories (Fall-Odd Years)

REQUIRED CONCENTRATION COURSES (27 credits)

Students should review the Course Descriptions in the School Catalog for specific information about prerequisites required for required courses and recommended electives.

HBSP 0654 - Health Communication/Risk Communication (Spring)
HBSP 0701 - Grant Writing for Public Health, Behavioral and Biomedical Research (Fall-Even Years)
HBSP 0703 - Evaluation and Research Design for Public Health Interventions (Fall-Even Years)
HBSP 0724 - Population Health and Public Policy (Fall)
HBSP 0726 - Intermediate Survey Research Methods (Summer)
BIST 0535 - Biostatistical Computing (Fall/Spring)
BIST 0551 - Applied Regression Analysis for Public Health Studies¹ (Fall/Spring)
BIST 0615 - Categorical Data Analysis (Fall)
EPID 0656 - Intermediate Epidemiologic Research Methods (Fall/Spring)

RECOMMENDED ELECTIVE COURSES (12 credits)

Behavioral Sciences Electives (6 credits) selected with Advisor approval
Analytical Electives (6 credits) selected with Advisor approval

REQUIRED RESEARCH (24 credits)

RESH 0701 - Doctoral Colloquium I (0 credit) Taken in Fall and Spring in Year 1
RESH 0702 - Doctoral Colloquium II (0 credit) Taken in Fall and Spring in Year 2
RESH 0760 - Doctoral Research (20 credits)
RESH 0761 - Doctoral Research: Dissertation Proposal Seminar (3 credits) Taken in Spring in Year 2
1611-5556 - Ethical Scientific Conduct (1 credit) [Offered through School of Graduate Studies] Taken in Spring in Year 1

OTHER REQUIREMENTS (0 credits)

Pass Qualifying Exam (written and oral) Typically completed at the end of Year 2
RESH 0730 – PhD Seminar (0 credit) Attend PhD seminar once per month for Fall and Spring semesters, every year
Earn a Teaching Certificate from Rutgers Teaching Assistant Program (TAP) [0 credits] or complete HBSP 0725 - Effectively Teaching and Training Adults (3 credits)
Complete Ethical Scientific Conduct Refresher (0 credit) Taken in Year 5
Complete Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) online training on Human Subject Research Protections (For Students Enrolled Fall 2024 and After)

All PhD students are expected to engage in research activities with their Faculty Advisor.

Notes:
¹With Advisor approval, may substitute with BIST 0610 - Advanced Regression Methods for Public Health Studies

Curriculum for Students Enrolled Fall 2018 to Fall 2019

Students seeking the PhD in Public Health-Social & Behavioral Health Sciences degree must complete a minimum of 72 credits of academic work with a minimum GPA of least 3.2 overall and a 3.2 in the set of required courses specified by their concentration; earn no more than nine (9) credits bearing grades less than B; and complete the degree requirements within nine years. Courses are three credit hours unless otherwise noted and semester when each course is typically offered is noted parentheses. Students should review the Forward Schedule for long-term course planning and the Course Schedule for each semester to determine when, where, and how a course is offered.

PREREQUISITES

PHCO 0505 - Social and Behavioral Health Sciences in Public Health (or equivalent)

CORE COURSES (9 credits)

MPH from an accredited school or program meets Public Health core requirements. PHCO 0502 and PHCO 0504 must be completed before Year 1, Fall semester (e.g., online summer before) if student does not have graduate level coursework in these two areas.

PHCO 0502 - Principles and Methods of Epidemiology (Prerequisite: Quantitative Skills Assessment)
PHCO 0504 - Introduction to Biostatistics (Prerequisite: Quantitative Skills Assessment)
PHCO 0512 - Public Health Foundations (available in Spring 2019)

REQUIRED COURSES (24 credits)

HBSP 0700 - Advances in Public Health Theories
HBSP 0703 - Evaluation and Research Design for Public Health Interventions
HBSP 0724 - Population Health and Public Policy
HBSP 0726 - Intermediate Survey Research Methods
BIST 0535 - Biostatistical Computing (formerly Biometrics Computing)
BIST 0551 - Applied Regression Analysis for Public Health Studies¹
BIST 0615 - Categorical Data Analysis
EPID 0656 - Intermediate Epi Methods

REQUIRED SPECIALIZATION COURSES (15 credits)

Students should review the Course Descriptions in the School Catalog for specific information about prerequisites required for courses.

HBSP 0654 - Health Communication/Risk Communication
Behavioral Science Electives (6 credits) - Selected with Advisor approval (Example: EPID 0637 - Social Epidemiology)
Analytical Electives (6 credits) - Selected with Advisor approval (Example: UGPH 0605 - Qualitative Research Methods)

REQUIRED RESEARCH (24 credits)

RESH 0700 - Doctoral Colloquium²(0 credits)
RESH 0760 (Section 000) - Doctoral Research: Dissertation Proposal Seminar (3 credits)
RESH 0760 - Doctoral Research (21 credits)

All PhD students are expected to engage in research activities with their Faculty Advisor.

Notes:
¹With Advisor approval, may substitute with BIST 0610 - Advanced Regression Methods for Public Health Studies

²PhD students should register for RESH 0700-Doctoral Colloquium each Fall and Spring semester they are enrolled at the School of Public Health.