Mission Statement
The mission of the PhD program in Global Community Health and Behavioral Sciences is to train experts who will advance the field of community health through research, theory development, and teaching. The PhD is highly specialized, integrating theory and research in a focused substantive area, which include Maternal & Child Health, Nutrition, or Health Education & Communication. Graduates will have in-depth expertise necessary for a research career, and are expected to work in universities as faculty members or in research organizations.
Program Description
The purpose of the PhD Program in Global Community Health and Behavioral Sciences is to train experts who will advance the field of community health through research, theory development, and teaching. Graduates are expected to work in universities as faculty members or in research organizations. They will develop specific areas of expertise within Maternal & Child Health, Nutrition, or Health Education & Communication. Students are matched to faculty advisors with similar research interests. The course of study is individualized to the student's interests.
Students must complete certain core requirements and a total of 72 credit hours in public health. Students usually take courses in statistics, research methods, and advanced courses in their content area. The post-master's coursework usually takes 12-24 months to complete. At the end of the course work you must pass a comprehensive examination, conduct research, and complete a dissertation. Students work closely with doctoral advisors and doctoral committee members on their dissertation research.
Application Deadlines
Applications to our doctoral programs should be submitted via SOPHAS by our priority deadline of December 1 if you would like to be considered for fellowships and any available student funding. (SOPHAS processing delays are often caused by problems with transcript and GRE verification so we recommend you submit these as soon as possible.) Anyone who does not want to be considered for funding opportunities may submit their application to SOPHAS by our regular school deadline of January 15.
Program Competencies
Upon completion of the program, the graduate should be able to:
1. Analyze major social and behavioral sciences theories for application to evidence-based research.(GCHB 8820, GCHB 8750, GCHB 8800/8830, GHSD 7960)
2. Analyze qualitative and/or quantitative data in order to answer significant research questions in Social and Behavioral Sciences.(GCHB 8500, GCHB 6750, GCHB 8760, BIOS 6040, EPID 6230, BIOS 7060, BIOS 7150, BIOS 7350, EPID 6260, EPID 7120, EPID 7130, EPID 7310, GHSD 8250)
3. Synthesize the interdisciplinary perspectives within public health. (EPID 7120, BIOS 6040, GCHB 8800/ 8830)
4. Design, implement and evaluate independent theory-based scientific research in an academic or practice setting. (GCHB 8820, GCHB 8750, GCHB 8500, GCHB 8800/8830, SPHL 9900/9910, SPHL 8800, SPHL 8990, GCHB 7510, GCHB 6750, GHSD 7950)
5. Translate and disseminate knowledge of global community health problems in a specific area.(GCHB 8800/8830, GCHB 8820, BIOS 6040, EPID 6260, EPID 7120, EPID 6230, BIOS 7060, BIOS 7150, GCHB 8210, SPHL 9900/9910, SPHL 8990)
6. Adapt a well-rounded persona with a clear research focus including demonstrating ethical conduct, cultural sensitivity and a sense of academic integrity. (GCHB 8800/8830, SPHL 9900/9910, GCHB 8150)
Admissions Requirements
To be eligible for the PhD program students must have completed the requirements for a master's degree or 30 graduate-level credits in a field related to the doctoral area of study. Students must complete SOPHAS application and include in their application three letters of reference, at least two of which are from academicians. All students will be interviewed by faculty members before acceptance to assess their interests and ensure that department faculty members have the expertise to mentor them in their chosen area of study.
Program Requirements
Students must complete 72 credit hours of coursework and doctoral studies beyond the baccalaureate, with a minimum of 30 didactic hours at Tulane, within the doctoral program.
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Required Courses (21-26 Credits)
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GCHB 8750
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Social Determinants of Health I: Concepts, Theories, & Interventions
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3 Credits
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GCHB 8820
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Advanced Program Planning and Grant Writing for Research
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3 Credits
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GCHB 8800/ 8830
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GCHB Doctoral Seminar
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1 Credit
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BIOS 6040
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Intermediate Biostatistics
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3 Credits
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EPID 6260
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Survey Methodology
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3 Credits
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EPID 7120
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Epidemiologic Methods II
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3 Credits
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SPHL 8800
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Essentials in Research Readiness Skills
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2 Credit
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GCHB 8990
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Field Research
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3-9 Credits
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Electives (Remainder of credits to achieve 72 total credits)**
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Methods
(15 credits minimum):
GCHB 8150
GCHB 8200
GCHB 8210
GCHB 8500
GCHB 8760
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Community-Oriented Primary Care
Evaluation Theory
Advanced Monitoring and Evaluation
Advanced Qualitative Methods
Social Determinants of Health II: Measurement and Methods
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3 Credits
3 Credits
3 Credits
3 Credits
3 Credits
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BIOS 6040
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Intermediate Biostatistics
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3 Credits
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BIOS 6230 or EPID 6230
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Computer Packages for Statistical Analysis
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1 Credit
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BIOS 7060
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Regression
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3 Credits
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BIOS 7150
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Categorical Data Analysis
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3 Credits
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BIOS 7400
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Clinical Trials
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3 Credits
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BIOS 8350
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Clustered and Longitudinal Data Analysis
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3 Credits
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BIOS 8420
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Principles of Measurement
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3 Credits
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BIOS 8820
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Multivariate Methods
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3 Credits
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BIOS 8600
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Advanced Evaluation Research
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3 Credits
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EPID 7130
EPID 8220
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Observational Epidemiology
Analytic Epidemiology
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3 Credits
3 Credits
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EPID 7310
GHSD 7300
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Meta-analysis
Social Marketing and Behavior Change
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3 Credits
2 Credits
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GHSD 7950
GHSD 7960
GHSD 8250
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Research Approaches and Design for Global Health
Applied Interdisciplinary Theory for Global Health Research
Advanced Research Methods in Global Health
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3 Credits
3 Credits
3 Credits
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Content-specific
(6 credits minimum):
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GCHB 6750
GCHB 6760
GCHB 7090
GCHB 7160
EPID 7210
GCHB 7510
EPID 6480
GHSD 7120
GHSD 7020
EPID 6210
EPID 6220
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Nutrition Assessment and Monitoring
Public Nutrition in Low-Income Countries
Public Nutrition: Advanced Analysis
HIV Biological & Behavioral Surveillance in Hard to Reach Populations Using Respondent-Driven Sampling
Epidemiology of Sexually Transmitted Infections/HIV
Seminar in Women's and Children's Health
Reproductive Epidemiology
Monitoring and Evaluation of Maternal and Child Health
Communications Research for Family Planning Health
Cancer Epidemiology
Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology
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3 Credits
3 Credits
2 Credits
2 Credits
3 Credits
2 Credits
3 Credits
3 Credits
3 Credits
3 Credits
3 Credits
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**Others may also be considered with Advisor approval.
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Course Schedule
Comprehensive Examinations
On completion of the coursework listed above students will be required to pass two-day comprehensive examinations covering the theoretical and evidence basis for public health interventions and research methods.
Dissertation
Students must complete a dissertation representing theory-driven public health research that meets the school requirements for a PhD dissertation.
Scholarships
A limited number of funding packages are available for exceptionally qualified students which may include tuition scholarships and research/teaching assistant stipends. Contact our Student Services Coordinator for more information.
Additional Information
Policies and Procedures for Doctoral Programs may be found on the Academics Policies and Guidelines page.
For more information, contact Alexzandria Wasco at 504-988-6596 or awasco@tulane.edu.
