Core Curriculum

The doctoral program’s curriculum includes two concentration emphases: 1) population health; or 2) clinical outcomes research. Specialization to support each student’s planned dissertation research project will be provided based upon advanced advisor-approved courses in a cognate area.

Population Health
The population health specialization will focus on understanding the community and the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of public health and community-based interventions. It will emphasize methodology in observational study design, determinants of population health, and development of evidence-based public health practice including efficiency, effectiveness, and access studies. Students will identify a cognate area that provides theoretical and/or methodological depth related to a population health problem and its determinants. A cognate area may be multi-disciplinary or discipline-specific. As an example of a multi-disciplinary approach, a student might develop a family violence cognate through the selection of courses in psychology, sociology, public policy, and social welfare. Another example of a potential cognate area might be health communications, with courses found primarily in journalism or psychology.

Clinical Outcomes Research
The clinical outcomes specialization will provide students with the tools to enhance preventive or chronic care strategies, and analyze the patient care outcomes for clinical disciplines. Moreover, the students within the clinical outcomes specialization will be able to formulate policies, advance clinical practice, or identify patient-based opportunities to improve medical care. As an example of a multi-disciplinary approach, biomarkers for cancer may become a cognate emphasis with advanced courses selected from the graduate programs in Experimental Molecular and Cellular Biology or Molecular Genetics. Another cognate area might relate to evaluating the impact of e-health initiatives upon ischemic heart disease medication management, with advanced courses selected from the departments of Technology and Society or Pharmacologic Sciences.

Additional Requirements
In addition to the core and concentration requirements, doctoral students will be required to pass a preliminary written examination, complete a dissertation, and submit two publishable manuscripts. A teaching practicum and three Graduate Seminars in Research Writing are also required. For more information, please see the program bulletin.