Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences—Department of Health Science 339 The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Health Science is a postprofessional, distance-based, research doctoral program designed for master’s degree-prepared clinical health professionals, public health practitioners, and senior-level health care administrators. The focus of the Ph.D. in Health Science is to educate and graduate research practitioners with the skills and knowledge to conduct research in a complex society and environment, while focusing globally within the framework of health policy. The Ph.D. in Health Science requires 64 credits for completion. Students take courses through online delivery, with on-campus or virtual institutes. Successful completion of comprehensive exams is required before moving to the dissertation stage. The dissertation is 12 credits, with a virtual or on-campus oral defense. Students have up to seven years to complete the program. The Doctor of Philosophy in Health Science is designed to provide a means of Ph.D. completion for working health care professionals currently at the master’s degree level, increasing opportunities for health practitioners to earn a terminal degree in the field of health science with a core focus in research. It will prepare graduates to function both independently and interdependently within the clinical and non-clinical research environment and for advanced development of new knowledge in their fields of expertise. The Ph.D. in Health Science program challenges the student to examine the current state of health care; apply sophisticated knowledge of research design, biostatistics, and epidemiology to the literature of their core discipline; and initiate the design and follow up mechanisms for research in health care. Candidates may select between a virtual or face-to-face dissertation defense. This decision should be made in collaboration with the dissertation chair. The oral defense is held on the Fort Lauderdale/Davie Campus. This must be arranged with the Ph.D. program office at least 45 days in advance of the final defense. Admissions Requirements The Ph.D. program will admit health care professionals with diverse graduate education, professional level health care work history, and life experiences who have demonstrated capacity to pursue a rigorous course of graduate study and increasingly responsible positions in health care. Applicants interested in the Ph.D. in Health Science program will apply directly to the program. The Ph.D. Committee on Admissions will recommend prospective students for admission by considering the overall qualities of the applicant through Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, statement of intent, writing samples, letters of recommendation, and the personal interview. 1. All applicants must hold a master’s degree or a professional doctorate (for example, Au.D., D.P.T., O.T.D., D.S.W., Dr.P.H., D.M.D., SLP.D., D.C.) from a regionally accredited college or university, prior to matriculation in the program. 2. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative master’s degree or a professional doctoral GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale. 3. Prior health care or health research experience is required and is strongly considered in the admissions process. Applicants must submit a copy of their current state license and/or professional certification or verifiable documentation regarding this experience to the Office of Admissions. The Ph.D. is a postprofessional degree designed for health practitioners, public health professionals, and health care administrators from a wide variety of disciplines. Students in this program must demonstrate expert practice of a recognized health occupation at a professional level, or have five years of administrative experience in a health care organization, with progressively increasing responsibilities during that time. The successful applicant’s health profession may emphasize delivery of services to individual clients (e.g., Au.D., PA, PT, OT, R.N., LCSW) or be population based (e.g., M.P.H., M.H.A.). An appropriate level of professional practice is generally recognized by health professions licensure (e.g., Au.D., R.N., PT, OT, RDH), a national certification or registration (e.g., PA-C, RVT, RRT, CRNA, FACHE), a recognized academic credential (e.g., M.P.H., M.S.N., M.S.W., M.H.A., M.B.A., J.D., M.A. or M.S. in Audiology, D.P.T., O.T.D.), or a combination of the above. The successful administrative or health care education applicant will demonstrate at least five years of professional experience with increasing levels of responsibility in a health care or health care education setting. Professional experience will be documented by an organizational chart demonstrating the applicant’s position within the organization and a letter of recommendation from a supervisor attesting to the applicant’s level of responsibility within the organization. Health care administrators or health care educators will also need to submit a statement concerning their career and professional goals within the health care environment. Fellowship or certification by a recognized health certifying body (e.g., FACHE, FNSCA, CISSN) is desirable. All questions regarding the appropriateness of an applicant’s qualifications for admission can be discussed with the department chair or program director on an informal basis, but the official recommendations are made by the Committee on Admissions to the dean of the Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences, who makes the final determination. Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Health Science Program
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