Health Behavior, Society & Policy

Competencies for the PhD in Public Health -- Health Systems & Policy (72 credits)

Each Department 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 curriculum in Health Systems & Policy will be able to:

• Apply economic theories and demographic methods to the analyses of basic issues and trends in the population’s health, health care use, spending, and delivery, health insurance status, and with regard to specific health policy interventions
• Construct conceptual and empirical models describing the behavior of individuals and households regarding their health status and their access to and use of health care services and private and public health insurance
• Apply relevant statistical techniques and software to the analyses of large data sets
• Critically evaluate both proposed and implemented health policy interventions and the empirical research seeking to assess the impact of policy interventions in the health care sector

PhD in Public Health-Health Systems & Policy (72 credits)

Students seeking the PhD in Public Health- Health Systems & Policy 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 department; 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.

• CORE COURSES (11 credits)
  • PHCO 0501 - Health Systems and Policy
  • PHCO 0502 - Principles and Methods of Epidemiology (Prerequisite: Quantitative Skills Assessment)
  • PHCO 0504 - Introduction to Biostatistics (Prerequisite: Quantitative Skills Assessment)
  • PHCO 0508 - Issues in Environmental and Occupational Health (1 credit)
  • PHCO 0510 - Issues in Health Education and Behavioral Science (1 credit)
• REQUIRED COURSES (21 credits)
  • HBSP 0600 - Health Behavior & Policy Research Design & Methods [formerly HSAP 0614/SBHS 0600]
  • HSAP 0615 - Health Care Economics
  • HSAP 0661 - Health Care Policy
  • HSAP 0663 - Issues in Private and Public Health Insurance
  • HSAP 0671 - Topics in Health Systems & Health Care Policy
  • HSAP 0673 - Population Health and Public Policy
-also-
• Choose one of the following four:
  • BIST 0551 - Applied Regression Analysis for Public Health Studies
  • BIST 0615 - Categorical Data Analysis
  • BIST 0650 - Applied Longitudinal Data Analysis
  • EPID 0563 - Introduction to Outcomes Research
• RECOMMENDED ELECTIVE COURSES (16 credits)
  • HSAP 0515 - Data for Health Services Research and Policy
  • HSAP 9523 - Sociology of Health
  • HSAP 9585 - American Social Policy
  • HSAP 9594 - Program Evaluation
  • HSAP 9595 - Economics of Poverty
  • SBHS 0705 - Intermediate Survey Methods
  • UGPH 0600 - Introduction to Global Public Health
  • PHEL 0580 - Independent Study in Research Methods (1-3 credits)
• REQUIRED RESEARCH (24 credits)
  • RESH 0760 - Doctoral Research

Curriculum for PhD in Public Health-Health Systems & Policy (72 credits)

Students seeking the PhD in Public Health-Health Systems & Policy 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 department; 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.

• PREREQUISITES
  • PHCO 0501 - Health Systems and Policy (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
• REQUIRED COURSES (24 credits)

  The following represents a typical course schedule and the order in which courses would be taken for a student in the PhD program. Schedule is subject to change.

  YEAR 1	COURSE	CREDITS
  FALL	BIST 0535 - Biostatistical Computing (formerly Biometrics Computing) (Mon, 6-8pm)	3
  	EPID 0656 - Intermediate Epi Methods (Mon, 3-5pm)	3
  	HSAP 0773 - Population Health and Public Policy (Tue, 3-5pm)	3
  	SBHS 0715 - Evaluation & Research Design for Public Health Interventions (Wed, 3-5pm)	3
  	RESH 0700 - Doctoral Colloquium1	0
  	TOTAL	12
  SPRING	BIST 0551 - Applied Regression Analysis for Public Health Studies2 (Thu, 6-8pm)	3
  	SBHS 0705 - Intermediate Survey Research Methods (Wed, 3-5pm)	3
  	NEW: Theories and Models for Public Health (under development)	3
  	RESH 0700 - Doctoral Colloquium1	0
  	RESH 0760 - Doctoral Research	2
  	TOTAL	11

  ---

  YEAR 2	COURSE	CREDITS
  FALL	BIST 0615 - Categorical Data Analysis (Wed, 6-8pm)	3
  	Specialization Courses	6
  	RESH 0700 - Doctoral Colloquium1	0
  	RESH 0760 - Doctoral Research	2
  	TOTAL	11

  SPRING	Specialization Courses	9
  	RESH 0700 - Doctoral Colloquium1	0
  	RESH 0760 (Section 000) - Doctoral Research: Dissertation Proposal Seminar	3
  	TOTAL	12

  ---

  YEAR 3	COURSE	CREDITS
  FALL	RESH 0700 - Doctoral Colloquium1	0
  	RESH 0760 - Doctoral Research	9
  	TOTAL	9
  SPRING	RESH 0700: Doctoral Colloquium1	0
  	RESH 0760 - Doctoral Research	8
  	TOTAL	8

• REQUIRED SPECIALIZATION COURSES (15 credits) Note: Students should review the Course Descriptions in the School Catalog for specific information about prerequisites required for courses.
  • HSAP 0615 - Health Care Economics
  • HSAP 0661 - Health Care Policy
  • HSAP 0663 - Issues in Private & Public Health Insurance 
  • HSAP 0671 - Topics in Health Systems & Health Care Policy
  • HSAP Elective - Elective (3 credits) Selected with advisor approval
• REQUIRED RESEARCH (24 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:
¹PhD students should register for RESH 0700-Doctoral Colloquium each Fall and Spring semester they are enrolled at the School of Public Health.
²With Advisor approval, may substitute with BIST 0610 - Advanced Regression Methods for Public Health Studies

Curriculum for PhD in Public Health-Health Systems & Policy (72 credits)

Students seeking the PhD in Public Health-Health Systems & Policy 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.

• 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 0501 - Health Systems and Policy (or equivalent)
  • PHCO 0502 - Principles and Methods of Epidemiology [Prerequisite: Quantitative Skills Assessment]
  • PHCO 0504 - Introduction to Biostatistics [Prerequisite: Quantitative Skills Assessment]
• PHD IN PUBLIC HEALTH CORE COURSES (9 credits)
  • PHCO 0512 - Public Health Foundations 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)
  • HBSP 0700 - Advances in Public Health Theories (Fall)
• REQUIRED CONCENTRATION COURSES (36 credits) Note: Students should review the Course Descriptions in the School Catalog for specific information about prerequisites required for required courses and recommended electives.
  • HSAP 0615 - Health Care Economics (Fall/Spring)
  • HSAP 0661 - Health Care Policy
  • HSAP 0663 - Issues in Private and Public Health Insurance (Spring)
  • HSAP 0773 - Population Health and Public Policy (Fall)
  • HBSP 0701 - Grant Writing for Public Health, Behavioral and Biomedical Research
  • 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)
  • SBHS 0705 - Intermediate Survey Research Methods (Spring)
  • SBHS 0715 - Evaluation and Research Design for Public Health Interventions (Fall)
• RECOMMENDED ELECTIVE COURSES (3 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 (Section 000) - Doctoral Research: Dissertation Proposal Seminar (3 credits) Taken in Spring in Year 2
  • RESH 0760 - Doctoral Research (21 credits)
• 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 0724 - Effectively Teaching and Training Adults (3 credits)
  • Complete Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) (0 credit)
  • 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