PhD IN HEALTH PROMOTION AND PREVENTION RESEARCH (PhD/HPPR)

The Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health (COPH) at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) offers a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Health Promotion and Prevention Research (HPPR). The degree is awarded by the UAMS Graduate School in recognition of scholarly achievement evidenced by a period of successful advanced study, the satisfactory completion of prescribed examinations, and the defense of a dissertation addressing a significant issue relevant to social and behavioral sciences in public health.

The curriculum of the HPPR program provides extensive training in basic and applied research methodology that will allow public health scientists to serve as Principal Investigators responsible for developing an extramurally funded program of independent research.  Integrated within the multidisciplinary environment of an academic health sciences center, the proposed Ph.D. program is uniquely positioned to advance the understanding of interactions among biological, behavioral and cultural processes that are associated with the etiology and prevention of major chronic illnesses that constitute a significant public health challenge in Arkansas.  An advanced understanding of these complex interactions will expand the current knowledge base and foster the development and evaluation of new health care strategies and public health initiatives that subsequently can be implemented to enhance the health and well-being of individuals and communities throughout the state of Arkansas.  A strong emphasis on applied and community based research methods provides graduates with a solid foundation in the design and evaluation of public health service programs.  This perspective will foster collaboration with public health practitioners in the development of programmatic research that is truly responsive to the health needs of Arkansas residents and makes optimal use of public health infrastructure in the state.

Degree Conferred

Individuals who complete the training program will be awarded a Ph.D. in Health Promotion and Prevention Research. Graduates will be prepared for careers as academic research faculty in schools of public health, medicine, nursing, and other affiliated health sciences.  Graduates also will be prepared to function as research scientists in public and private foundations as well as in government agencies.  In these various settings graduates will be able to apply scientific methods as well as administrative skills in the development and implementation of interdisciplinary efforts intended to advance our understanding of a broad range of challenging public health problems.  Scientists who have been awarded a Ph.D. in Health Promotion and Prevention Research will demonstrate advanced skills in the following areas: applied behavioral analysis for population applications; qualitative and quantitative research methods; investigation of behavioral risk factors for health outcomes; design, application and evaluation of multidisciplinary health behavior interventions; research methods for the promotion of health and prevention of diseases; implementation and evaluation of  policy initiatives addressing health-relevant behavior in individuals, organizations, and communities. The degree program provides extensive mentored experience with research methodology relevant to the application of a social ecological model of behavior change in primary, secondary and tertiary prevention among rural, medically underserved and multicultural populations.  Research experience focuses on methods and skills relevant to community-based participatory research, outcomes research, and translational research.

Degree Requirements

The Ph.D. Program will require a minimum of sixty-six (66) semester credit hours and can be completed within a three-year period of full-time study.  All students (including those admitted on a conditional basis pending completion of pre-requisite coursework) must complete their full program of study within seven years after passing a doctoral candidacy exam, and must follow the published policies and procedures of the UAMS Graduate School.  Students enrolled in the Ph.D. program must complete: eighteen (18) semester credit hours in a health promotion and prevention research core; three (3) semester credit hours in statistical methods; three (3) semester credit hours in qualitative research methods and six (6) semester credit hours in behavioral science electives.  In order to develop research skills required to function as an independent investigator, students must complete six (6) semester credit hours of mentored research experience and eighteen (18) semester credit hours of dissertation research.  In addition to these core requirements, students will complete twelve (12) semester credit hours to develop an area of specialization.  Semester credit hours in the defined area of specialization may include didactic coursework (e.g. behavioral sciences, statistical methods, qualitative research methods), independent directed study, or mentored research.  A Doctoral Advisory Committee will be appointed during the first year of graduate study to assist the student in selecting a course of study that will best serve his or her professional and academic goals.  Approval of the initial dissertation proposal and of the final written dissertation and oral defense will be determined by this committee. The dissertation must address a scientific question relevant to the application of behavioral and public health sciences either through secondary analysis of an existing data set or by collecting and analyzing new data.  Students who complete all coursework and successfully propose and defend a dissertation are awarded a Ph.D. in Health Promotion and Prevention Research.

Doctor of Philosophy Candidacy Exam

Candidates for the Doctor of Philosophy degree must pass a candidacy examination administered after approximately one year of study in the doctoral program.  Results of the examination will be submitted to the Graduate School Office immediately following the examination.  After the student has passed the Doctor of Philosophy Candidacy Examination, the student must register for at least one (1) semester credit hour of dissertation for each semester and one (1) semester credit hour of dissertation for each summer session until the degree is awarded.  Registration for a minimum of eighteen (18) semester credit hours of dissertation is required of doctoral degree candidates.

Time Frame for Completion of Degree

After passing the candidacy examination the degree must be completed within seven consecutive calendar years.

Grade-Point Average to Receive a Degree

In order to receive a degree, a candidate must present a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 on all graduate courses required for the degree.  Failing to earn such an average on the minimum number of hours, the student is permitted to present up to six (6) additional hours of graduate semester credit in order to accumulate a grade-point average of 3.0; but in no case shall a student receive a degree who is obliged to offer more than six (6) additional hours of semester credit beyond the minimum.  In the computation of grade point, all courses pursued at this institution for graduate semester credit that are part of the degree program (including any repeated courses) and the thesis (if offered) shall be considered.  A student who repeats a course in an endeavor to raise his grade must count the repetition toward the maximum of six additional hours.

Doctoral Advisory Committee

A Doctoral Advisory Committee must be appointed within the first year of graduate study.  This committee will assist the student in selecting a course of study that will best serve his or her professional and academic goals.  Approval of the initial dissertation proposal and of the final written dissertation and oral defense will be determined by this committee.  At the time the committee is appointed, notification of the committee membership must be forwarded to the Graduate School Office. The committee will include no fewer than five (5) UAMS Graduate Faculty members, one of whom will be designated as chair to the Graduate School Office.  Three members of the committee must hold primary faculty appointments in the COPH.  With a program’s submission of an outside member form and curriculum vitae to the Graduate School office, and approval of the UAMS Graduate Council, one person who is not a UAMS Graduate Faculty member may serve as a required committee member but not as chair.

Approval of Dissertation

A public defense is required along with approval by 80% of the Doctoral Advisory Committee for acceptance of the dissertation.

Prerequisites to Degree Program

Individuals who have earned an MS or equivalent degree in a health-related field from a regionally accredited institution in the United States, or from a foreign institution with similar requirements for the MS degree, are eligible to apply for admission to the Doctorate Program in Health Promotion and Prevention Research.  Master-level coursework should address core public health sciences, an overview of behavioral theories and methods relevant to public health, and a basic foundation in research design and methods.  Applicants’ master theses should address a scientific question relevant to the application of behavioral and public health sciences either through secondary analysis of an existing data set or by collecting and analyzing new data. Master-level course work and research experience will be evaluated and approved prior to admission.

Students who have not earned an MS or equivalent degree may petition the Admissions Committee to consider an exception to this eligibility requirement. All applicants (with or without an MS or equivalent degree)  must demonstrate basic core competencies in public health, behavioral science, research design, and statistical methods in order to be considered for admission. Competencies in these areas may be demonstrated through the award of an MS or equivalent degree in a health-related field, successful completion of relevant course work at a regionally accredited institution of higher education or documented practical experience demonstrating the application of relevant skills. Individuals determined by the Admissions Committee to have demonstrated strengths in multiple core competencies may be considered for admission.

Application

Any individual desiring admission to the Graduate School must submit a fully completed application form to the Graduate School Office.  

Transcripts

It is the applicant’s responsibility to request that two official copies of the applicant’s academic record be sent directly to the Graduate School Office from EACH college or university that the applicant has previously attended. The academic record must include all courses, grades, semester credits attempted, and degree(s) earned.  Official transcripts must show completion of at least one graduate-level course in each of four key areas: health behavior and education; biostatistics; epidemiology; and research design.  Courses must have been completed within the five (5) years immediately preceding the requested semester of admission.  Applicants who have not completed these courses, but whose applications show exceptional potential for success, may be conditionally admitted to the Ph.D. program, but will be required to complete the courses through available COPH course offerings with grades of “B” or better before registering for core required courses in the Ph.D. program.

A minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.70 (A=4.00) or better on all undergraduate and graduate coursework attempted at a regionally accredited institution of higher education is required. Should an applicant fail to meet this requirement, the program may petition on behalf of the applicant the Dean of the Graduate School to consider an exception to this requirement.

Masters Thesis

All applicants must submit a copy of their master thesis or a written report demonstrating a comparable level of research experience and expertise that has been prepared in a manner consistent with publication in a peer-reviewed journal.  The thesis or research report will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee to evaluate the relevance and quality of the applicant’s research experience.  The review will specifically consider: relevance and adequacy of literature review; significance and specificity of a well defined hypothesis or research question; appropriate and effective application of experimental methods; selection and description of appropriate intervention and assessment methods; description and application of an appropriate data analysis plan; presentation and interpretation of results; discussion and integration of results within the public health literature.

Graduate Record Examination

A combined score of 1200 on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required.  The GRE must have been taken within five years immediately preceding the requested semester of admission.  Programs may petition the Dean of the Graduate School, on behalf of the applicant, to consider an exception to this requirement.

Supplemental Materials 

Applicants also must submit a curriculum vitae or résumé, a personal statement of interest (500-700 words), and four (4) letters of recommendation from persons who may be contacted for academic and professional references.

Requirements for Admission of International Applicants

1. All international applicants, including resident and non-resident aliens, whose native language is not English and who do not have a bachelor or master degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution, are required to achieve a minimum score of 550 on the paper based written Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).  A minimum score of 213 is required on the computer-based version of the examination.  (Programs have the option of setting higher score requirements.)  The test must be taken within the two years immediately preceding the requested semester of admission.  Programs may petition the Dean of the Graduate School, on behalf of the applicant, to consider an exception to this requirement based on the program’s interaction with the student. 

2. All international applicants are required to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).  Programs have the option to petition the Dean of the Graduate School on behalf of the applicant to substitute other official test scores on a case by case basis.

3. All international applicants who are in the U.S. in a non-resident alien status must have documentation of an appropriate status with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).  Applicants who are currently out of status with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will have no action taken on their application.

4. Students who are not U.S. Citizens must have on file at all times in the Graduate School Office current documentation of an appropriate status with the U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).  It is the responsibility of the student to notify the Graduate School of any changes in status.  Individuals who are out of status with the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) will be denied admission, and admitted individuals who become out of status during a period of enrollment will be denied student status for that period of enrollment and will be denied future enrollment.

The Admissions Committee will consider the sum total of the applicant’s work, educational experience, research experience, recommendations, and other application data and will not allow a single factor to outweigh others in making recommendations for admission.

For additional information regarding this degree contact the Chair of the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education at 501-526-6707.