Program Description
Our PhD in Population Health Science prepares leaders to analyze the determinants of health and to develop, implement, and evaluate health interventions, and health policies and systems that improve the health and quality of life of populations.
Program Specializations
Classes are a mix of onsite courses, held at Thomas Jefferson University's Center City campus, and online classes. Onsite courses are offered during the day and evening, accommodating working adults. Online courses are offered asynchronously using best practices and interactive learning, and are taught by faculty with years of experience and recognized expertise.
The PhD in Population Health Science requires completion of a minimum of 62 credits, including competency examination and dissertation. Students specialize in one of five areas:
- Applied Health Economics & Outcomes Research (AHEOR)
- Health Behavior Science
- Health Data Science
- Healthcare Quality & Safety (HQS)
Learning Goals/Outcomes
Graduates of the PhD program are able to:
- Demonstrate advanced knowledge and application of population health frameworks and concepts
- Apply knowledge of the structures, performance, quality, policy, and environmental context of health care to the formulation of solutions to, and prevention of, population health problems
- Formulate population health research questions that are informed by relevant theoretical and conceptual models; systematic reviews of the literature; valid, reliable, and generalizable data; and stakeholder needs
- Select appropriate study designs to address specific population health research questions
- Collect, analyze, and/or interpret data obtained either prospectively (by survey, surveillance, qualitative, or mixed methods) or retrospectively through existing public and private sources to identify determinants of health
- Conduct ethical and responsible research in the design, implementation, and dissemination of population health research through implementation of research protocols with standardized procedures
- Apply appropriate design and analytic methods to clarify associations between variables and to identify causal inferences
- Communicate findings and implications of population health science research through multiple modalities to academic, professional, and lay audience
Curriculum
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Matriculation Requirements 1 | ||
| Basic Biostatistics | 3 | |
| Research Methods | 3 | |
| Core Coursework: Methods | ||
| Select one of the following: | 12 | |
Specialization: AHEOR | ||
| Adv Stats Mthds Data Analysis | ||
| Adv Stat/PH:Multi-Lvl Modeling | ||
| Epi & Evidnc Outcomes Research | ||
| Adv Res Meth for Appl Obs Stud | ||
| Specializations: Required for Health Behavior Science, HQS, and HDS | ||
| Adv Stats Mthds Data Analysis | ||
| Adv Stat/PH:Multi-Lvl Modeling | ||
| PBH 606 | Advanced Epidemiology | 3 |
| Eval&Outcomes Research&Design | ||
| Core Coursework: Population Health Fundamentals | ||
| HPL 500 | US Healthcare Org & Delivery | 3 |
| POP 500 | Essentials of PopulationHealth | 3 |
| AHE 501 | Economics of Health Insurance | 3 |
| PBH 502 | Society,Behavior&Environment | 3 |
| PHS 602 | Bioethics | 1 |
| PHS 620 | Teaching/Learning Seminar | 3 |
| Integrative & Mentored Research | ||
| PHS 700 | Integrative Research Seminar (1 credit each, four times) | 4 |
| PHS 660 | Mentored Research Experience | 1-3 |
| Specialization Coursework | ||
| Select one of the following specializations: | 15 | |
| Examination & Dissertation | ||
| PHS 800 | Comprehensive Exam Prep | 1 |
| PHS 801 | Comprehensive Exam | 1 |
| PHS 805 | Dissertation Proposal Seminar | 3 |
| PHS 807 | Dissertation Proposal Defense | 1 |
| PHS 810 | Dissertation Progress | 3 |
| PHS 811 | Final Dissertation Defense | 3 |
| PHS 812 | Dissertation Progress (if needed) | 1 |
| Total Credits | 70-72 | |
- 1
Grade of B or above
Specialization: Applied Health Economics & Outcomes Research
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select five of the following: | 15 | |
| Statistics I | ||
| Statistics II | ||
| Economic Modeling I | ||
| Economic Modeling II | ||
| SubjectiveOutcomesHealthEval | ||
| Claims-Based AHEOR | ||
| Intl Health Tech Assessment | ||
| Eval&Outcomes Research&Design | ||
| Fundamentals of Data Wrangling | ||
| Advanced Data Analysis | ||
Specialization: Health Behavior Science
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PBH 602 | AdvSoc&BehTheory&Int 1 | 3 |
| PBH 512 | Qualitative Research Methods | 3 |
| PBH 515 | Cultural Humility & Competence | 3 |
| PHS 710 | Adv Health Behav Method & Meas | 3 |
| PHS 680 | Adv Anl Top for Health Beh Sci | 3 |
- 1
Prerequisite of PBH 502 Society,Behavior&Environment
Specialization: Healthcare Quality & Safety
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select five of the following: | 15 | |
| Intro Healthcare Qual & Safety | ||
| Appl Princ of Healthcare Qulty | ||
| Business Case for Quality | ||
| Appl Princ of Patient Safety | ||
| Adv Tools & Methods for HQS | ||
| Adv Appl of HQS in Clin Set | ||
| Change Management | ||
Specialization: Health Data Science
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select five of the following: | 15 | |
| Statistics I | ||
| Statistics II | ||
| Fundamentals of Data Wrangling | ||
| Advanced Data Analysis | ||
| Data Visualization | ||
| Data Science I | ||
| Data Science II | ||