PhD in Health Promotion Sciences

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

• The applicant must be in good standing with the college or university where currently enrolled or last attended.
• Master’s degree in Public Health (or relevant Master's degree) from an accredited institution.
• Completion of the five core public health courses.
• Graduate grade point average of 3.5 or above.
• GRE test is required. Scores should be sent to SOPHAS by using the code 4244.
• Submission of the SOPHAS application and the supplemental OUHSC Hudson College of Public Health application.
• Career goal statement uploaded through SOPHAS.
• Current CV/Resume uploaded through SOPHAS.
• Three letters of academic or professional recommendation uploaded through SOPHAS by the recommender. Applicants must list recommenders’ contact information on the application and then upon submission, SOPHAS will send instructions to each recommender on how to submit their letter electronically through the online portal.
• Transcripts:
  • U.S. Applicants: SOPHAS requires a separate official transcript from every U.S. and Canadian institution attended. Applicants must arrange for official transcripts from all prior undergraduate, graduate, and professional study institutions to be sent to SOPHAS. Instructions for sending your transcripts to SOPHAS can be found here. You will need to have a copy of your transcripts in hand so that you will be able to complete the coursework section of the application. Do not enter foreign courses taken at Universities outside the U.S. or Canada into the coursework section of the application.  
  • International Applicants: Submit transcripts/mark sheets to the World Education Services (www.wes.org) for a course-by-course evaluation. Applicants must designate SOPHAS to receive the evaluation.
• International applicants are required to demonstrate English proficiency by submitting TOEFL (score of 88 or above) or IELTS (score of 6.5 or above) that meet the minimum required score. TOEFL scores must be submitted to SOPHAS using the designation code #5688; and
• Interview with Admissions Committee (in-person or via web-conferencing).

APPLICATION DEADLINES

PhD in Health Promotion Sciences:

• Spring: October 15
• Fall: June 15

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

CURRENT OU STUDENTS OR ALUMNI APPLICATION PROCESS

Application Instructions for Current OU Students and OU Alumni can be found here.

NON-OU STUDENTS OR ALUMNI APPLICATION PROCESS

Submit a SOPHAS application (www.sophas.org) and required fee (click here to review information regarding SOPHAS fees and fee waivers). The documentation identified in the ‘Admission Requirements’ section must be submitted in SOPHAS.

Applicants to the OU Hudson College of Public Health are required to submit a supplemental application and fee. The supplemental application is available via the OU Health Sciences Center website at: https://apps.ouhsc.edu/admissions/. Applicants must select the same program(s) in the supplemental application as they did in the SOPHAS application.

PLEASE NOTE: Fee waivers are not available for the supplemental application.  

• $100 for one or two professional programs (Certificate / MPH / MHA programs). One professional program = $100. Two professional programs = $100.
• $75 for one or two graduate program(s) (MS / PhD programs).
• $175 for one professional program AND one graduate program (i.e. applicant applies to both the MPH in Biostatistics and the MS in Biostatistics).

COST & FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Student support opportunities to offset costs include graduate research assistantships and public health scholarships. Students may expect additional costs that include, but are not limited to, a personal computer, textbooks, insurance, and supplies. For financial aid information, contact the Financial Aid Office at (405) 271-2118.

Financial support opportunities for students:

• graduate research assistantships - may be eligible for waiver of non-resident tuition
• Hudson College of Public Health scholarships
• fellowships such as the Hudson Fellowship
• traineeships

Estimated Costs

Bursar’s Office – Tuition and Fees

Financial Assistance

Scholarship Opportunities

CURRICULUM

• BSE 5960 Overview of Public Health (3 credit hours) 

Two additional courses in either Qualitative or Quantitative Methods Electives, such as the following options:

A minimum of fifteen credit hours in a substantive area of public health / health promotion will comprise the primary area of concentration specific to the student’s interests. Examples of concentration areas relevant to this department include social determinants of health, minority health, health disparities, nutritional health/food security, workforce development, health and aging, and social justice. Students and advisors must identify sufficient courses to satisfy the declared major. 

A minimum of nine credit hours from relevant areas of public health or an established discipline in the social and behavioral sciences will comprise a secondary area of concentration specific to the student’s interests. 

Dissertation work occurs in steps. Close collaboration with the faculty advisor and dissertation committee members is required throughout the process. 

• The required coursework noted above (Core, Methods, Major, and Minor) is completed first.
• Written comprehensive exams are then taken that cover three content areas: Theory, Methods, and the student’s substantive and related concentrations. The Theory and Methods content comprises a departmental exam. It will have no fewer than three evaluators and any faculty member in the department can submit questions and serve as an evaluator.  The Substantive Area exam will be prepared by the student’s dissertation committee. In the event that a student fails part or all of a comprehensive exam, she/he will be required to retake the exam.
• Dissertation Proposal Oral Defense – Once the student has successfully passed the written comprehensive exams, the student will complete and orally defend a dissertation proposal under the direction of the five-member Dissertation Committee.
• Dissertation Oral Defense – Once the student has successfully completed the dissertation work, the five-member Dissertation Committee will conduct the oral defense of the dissertation.

• Doctoral students will have a range of teaching experience opportunities and may be invited to facilitate educational activities.  Such opportunities should be discussed by the student and their advisor and/or advisory committee to determine suitability. 
• Doctoral students are required, prior to initiation of Doctoral research, to complete a one credit course in RCR approved by the Department, complete CITI training in Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) and Protection of Human Research Subjects, and attend the OUHSC IRB In-House Education Program.

Not all courses are offered on an annual basis and certain courses are important prerequisites for other courses.  In order to assure that students are following the proper course sequence, all students must meet with their advisor each semester in order to complete enrollment for the next semester.  In addition, all students are requested to enroll for at least six credit hours per semester to facilitate students progressing through the curricula as a cohort.

Courses outside the College of Public Health can support a concentration and are acceptable curricular elements with advisor approval.  Students will work with faculty advisors to determine the optimal selection of coursework. 

CLICK HERE FOR A PDF PRINTABLE VERSION OF THE CURRICULUM.

This degree program is subject to the policies and procedures printed in Hudson College of Public Health Bulletin.

ACCREDITATION/CREDENTIALING

STEM DESIGNATION

PROGRAM BROCHURE

PhD Programs Brochure