Program Overview

Clinical and Translational Sciences Dual-Title PhD Program

The Clinical and Translational Sciences Dual-Title PhD Program gives students the opportunity to tailor their graduate education for health-related careers in the laboratory, clinic, community, and industry.

Offered through participating graduate programs in Penn State’s Colleges of Agricultural Sciences, Health and Human Development, Medicine, and Nursing, this program features more than 85 approved elective courses and 10 affiliated major programs spread across two campuses. Diversity is reflected in both students and in more than 70 faculty, each with a unique interest in clinical and translational science.

Integrating the requirements of the major program with clinical and translational science allows students to individualize the doctoral experience by creating new research teams in academia, industry, medicine, government, and the community.

Program Details

Eligibility and Academic Requirements

To pursue a dual-title PhD in clinical and translational science, applicants must be accepted by The Graduate School, one of the participating graduate major programs, and the Clinical and Translational Sciences Program. Students complete degree requirements for their major simultaneously with those required for clinical and translational sciences. Graduates are awarded a single degree in the student’s major field and in clinical and translational sciences. Prospective dual-title program students must first be admitted to a major program. Students must meet all eligibility requirements for the major program and the Clinical and Translational Sciences Program.

Eligibility

• Any pre-qualifying student enrolled in an affiliated major program is eligible to apply.
• If a student’s major program is not affiliated, the major program head should contact the Clinical and Translational Sciences Program administrator.
• Post-qualifying students should contact the administrator to learn more about the Translational Science Graduate Certificate Program.

Academic Requirements

• Students are expected to demonstrate that they are making good academic progress in their major program.
• Applicants must have a graduate GPA of at least 3.5 in a research area related to human health.
• All Penn State graduate students are required to complete Scholarship and Research Integrity (SARI) training.
• Much of this training is completed with self-study computer-based modules administered through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative at the University of Miami.
• The Clinical and Translational Sciences Program has training requirements in addition to a student’s major program.
• Prior to taking a qualifying exam, potential Clinical and Translational Science students are expected to complete the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative modules.

Major Programs

The Clinical and Translational Sciences Program is affiliated with the following major programs:

• Anatomy PhD (Hershey)
• Biobehavioral Health (University Park)
• Biomedical Sciences (Hershey)
• Food Science (University Park)
• Human Development and Family Studies (University Park)
• Integrative and Biomedical Physiology (University Park)
• Kinesiology (University Park)
• Neuroscience (Hershey)
• Neuroscience (University Park)
• Nursing (Hershey, University Park)
• Nutritional Sciences (University Park)
• Pathobiology (University Park)

Application Process

Applicants must be admitted to a graduate major program before applying to the Clinical and Translational Sciences Program. Once admitted, students may apply to the Clinical and Translational Sciences Dual-Title PhD Program before arriving at Penn State, any time prior to taking the qualifying exam, or shortly thereafter. The following elements are required:

• Statement of interest, including the candidate’s reasons for pursuing a career that includes clinical and translational science.
• Letter from the candidate’s research adviser, which endorses the candidate’s participation in the program.
• Letter of support from the head of the candidate’s major program.
• A description of the candidate’s academic performance to date (transcript).
• An academic vita.

About Dual-Title PhDs

What is a dual-title PhD?

A dual-title degree is a single degree titled in two fields. A dual-title program encompasses a course of study that integrates both the graduate major and dual-title fields throughout graduate training. This makes dual-title degrees academically distinct from minors, options, and double degrees.

Does it take longer to earn a dual-title PhD?

Ten of Penn State’s dual-title PhD programs have sufficient history to compare the time to degree for dual-title students and students enrolled only in the graduate major program. The median time for dual-title students was 5.2 years vs. 5.3 years for major programs.

Is there an advantage to a dual-title PhD?

By integrating a second distinct, but complementary, field of study into their major program, dual-title students develop valuable skills and approaches beyond those of their major field. Clinical and translational science career paths are expanding, with opportunities in academic, medical, industrial, and community settings. One goal of the dual-title PhD program is to attain proficiency in interdisciplinary team science to improve clinical and health outcomes.