Ph.D. in Public Health students are currently accepted in five concentration areas: biostatistics, environmental and occupational health, epidemiology, health systems and policy, and social and behavioral health sciences. The Rutgers School of Public Health has several Ph.D.
fellowships annually and faculty also support Ph.D. students on extramural
research funds. Scholarly "fit" with faculty research is an important
criteria in our admissions decisions. A current summary of
federally-funded research at the Rutgers School of Public Health made be
found by using the NIH Research Portfolio Online Report Tools.
The Ph.D. degree requires a minimum of 72 credit
hours for completion. Candidates for the Ph.D. in Public Health are required to enroll
full time and are required to complete qualifying written and oral
qualifying examinations, as well as complete and defend original
dissertation research. Through doctoral-level research, Ph.D. students
will develop expertise on a single topic, design and implement a
research project, integrate and interpret complex data, and complete a
comprehensive dissertation. Students must plan this carefully. Although
students will work closely with faculty advisers, students bear
responsibility for developing research of publishable quality. The
curriculum and academic progress of all doctoral students is monitored
annually. Ph.D. students complete required and elective coursework during the first two years of full-time study. Ph.D. students then begin their dissertation
research in the third year of full-time study.
PROGRAM
REQUIREMENTS
Each student must participate in the Doctoral Colloquium each fall and spring semester, fulfill a teaching requirement, be immersed in research,
pass a qualifying exam, and defend a dissertation. The curriculum must
total a minimum of 72 credits, including a minimum of 24
credits of doctoral research. Each concentration has its own set of
required specialization courses.
Satisfactory progress extends beyond GPA--students must meet three
major milestones in a timely fashion. First, Ph.D. students are expected
to advance to candidacy within three (3) years of admission to the
doctoral program. Second, students should defend their dissertation
proposal within one (1) year of advancing to candidacy. Third, a
student's entire course of study, including coursework, qualifying exam,
thesis research and defense, must be completed within seven (7) years of
admission to the doctoral program.
DOCTORAL COLLOQUIUM
PhD in Public Health students participate in Doctoral Colloquium I and II each Fall and Spring semester in Year I and Year 2, respectively. In Doctoral Colloquium I (RESH 0701), students gain knowledge and skills to prepare a comprehensive literature review which students are encouraged to submit for publication. In Doctoral Colloquium II (RESH 0702), students gain knowledge and skills to develop a high-quality grant application (e.g., F31) or equivalent to obtain mentored research training and funding while conducting dissertation research.
PHD SEMINAR
PhD in Public Health students participate in PhD Seminar (RESH 0730) each Fall and Spring semester they are enrolled at the Rutgers School of Public Health. The purpose of the PhD Seminar is to familiarize students with the major streams of research on pressing topics in public health, help students to complete the PhD program by building a community, and help students develop the skills necessary to become an engaged scholar and be competitive on the academic job market.
TEACHING REQUIREMENT
PhD in Public Health students must complete a teaching requirement. Students must complete the Doctoral Course for Teaching: HBSP 0725 - Effectively Teaching and Training Adults (3 credits) or Earn a Teaching Certificate from the Rutgers Teaching Assistant Program (TAP)
RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
All Ph.D. students are expected to engage in research
activities with School of Public Health faculty under the direction of
their faculty adviser. This experience may vary by concentration and
faculty adviser. At a minimum, students are expected to present as well
as publish at least one first authored paper prior to their
dissertation proposal defense.
QUALIFYING EXAMINATION
Each PhD in Public Health student must complete and pass a qualifying examination (written and oral) before being admitted to PhD candidacy. The qualifying examination evaluates the student's competence in their concentration and assesses the student¿s readiness to undertake a dissertation. The qualifying examination comprises a written component and an oral component and is scheduled annually, typically during the first week of June. Once the student has completed their coursework, the student will sit for the qualifying examination (at the end of the second year).
Each concentration establishes the content and structure of the qualifying examination. The qualifying examination will be assessed by the student¿s Qualifying Exam Committee. A student's qualifying examination committee comprises four faculty members with expertise in the area; all of whom must be School of Public Health primary or secondary faculty members (typically three faculty from within the student¿s department and one external to the student's department but within the School of Public Health and no less than two primary faculty members). The Qualifying Exam Committee Chair must be a primary faculty member of the School of Public Health and a full member of the PhD in Public Health Graduate Program. The student's advisor cannot chair the Qualifying Exam Committee. The qualifying examination is assessed by faculty members. The qualifying examination may result in a pass, deferred pass with conditions, or a fail.
PUBLICATION OF DISSERTATION AND ACADEMIC DATA
After the granting of the doctorate, the Rutgers School of Graduate Studies in New
Brunswick will have the dissertation microfilmed. The dissertation must,
therefore, be prepared with the same care as if it were to appear in printed
form. The abstract that must accompany the dissertation will be published in Dissertation Abstracts and, therefore, must be ready for publication when it is
submitted to the dean. University Microfilms of Ann Arbor, Michigan, will
microfilm the dissertation and publish the abstract. Information concerning the
preparation of the dissertation and abstract and the agreement with University
Microfilms that the candidate is to sign are available in the Office of the
School of Graduate Studies, Rutgers University-New Brunswick.
PH.D. CURRICULUM SUMMARY
The PhD in Public Health degree requires a minimum of 72 credit hours, including a minimum of 24 credits of doctoral research. Candidates for the PhD in Public Health degree are expected to enroll full-time and are required to be immersed in research, earn a teaching certificate (or complete HBSP 0725), participate in Doctoral Colloquium I and II, pass a qualifying examination (with written and oral components), as well as complete and defend original dissertation research.
- 9 CREDITS-Public Health Core Courses: Students in all concentrations must take the PhD in Public Health core courses.
- 39 CREDITS-Concentration and Elective Courses: Each concentration has developed its own set of required and elective courses. Students may visit the School of Public Health website, review the School Catalog, or meet with their Concentration Director to learn more about their specific concentration¿s curricula.
- 24 CREDITS-Doctoral Research: Includes one credit of Ethical Scientific Conduct (1611-5556) taken in the Spring semester of the first year of full-time study, three credits of Dissertation Proposal Seminar (RESH 0761) taken in the Spring semester of the second year of full-time study, and 20 credits of Doctoral Research (RESH 0760).
CONCENTRATIONS OFFERING THE PH.D. DEGREE
- Biostatistics
- Environmental and Occupational Health
- Epidemiology
- Health Systems and Policy
- Social and Behavioral Health Sciences
Degree Requirements 
