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.
