The PhD program requires completion of a minimum of 90 credit hours, including 20 credit hours of dissertation work.  Students must fulfill the university resident requirement, pass a candidacy examination, write an acceptable dissertation, and pass a final oral examination.

Course requirements

All PhD students take a set of core courses; in addition, they complete a set of individualized courses emphasizing one area of interest.  The required courses include:

Allied Health Leadership and Teaching

• AM 830: Leadership and Health Policy
• AM 870: Curriculum Development
• AM 890: Evidence Based Practice
• EdP&L 851: College Teaching or Interdisciplinary Graduate Specialization in Teaching

Research Methods and Analysis

• A set of 3-4 courses on research methods and analysis.

·         Examples: Ag Ed 887, 888

·         Psych 826, 828, 830

·         Biostatistics in Public Health 701, 702 (recommended)

Interdisciplinary Seminar Series

• PhD Seminar offered Au, Wi, Sp, Su

Teaching and Research Practica

• AM 889/793 courses (mentored teaching experiences and supervised research practica)
• 2-3 teaching practica & 4-5 research practica

Courses in Area of Emphasis

Examples of Areas of Emphasis in the Health and Rehabilitation Sciences PhD program;

• Sports Nutrition
• Nutrigenomics
• Pediatrics
• Geriatrics

In most quarters an advanced topic course in these areas will be offered.  These courses cover specific topics in the areas of emphasis.  In addition to the advanced topic courses, a range of graduate level courses in allied medicine, medical dietetics, exercise physiology, neurosciences, psychobiology, psychology, management, and others meet the area of emphasis requirements or can be used as electives.

Obtaining an Adviser

The decision to admit a student into the Health and Rehabilitation Sciences PhD program is based in part on the recommendations of one of the School's graduate faculty members.  This faculty member is expected to serve as the student’s adviser through his or her program; however, the student can ask for another adviser in the first year.  The selection of adviser should be formally completed by the end of the first year.  The dissertation advisory committee should be selected by the beginning of the second year.