Program Overview

Social and Behavioral Sciences PhD

The Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences administers the PhD in Social and Behavioral Sciences (PhD-SBS). This program provides advanced training in theory, methods, and research related to social and behavioral influences on population health that prepares students for advanced research and scholarship.

About the Program

The program provides experiences that support interdisciplinary learning; promote critical and theory-based problem-solving skills to address public health threats; and foster the development of professional values and ethics. Heavy emphasis is placed on scientific foundations, research methods, and statistics as well as hands-on research experience.

• Coursework and experiential learning emphasize the dynamic interaction of individual difference characteristics, social circumstances, and situational factors influencing health-promoting and health-damaging behavior and behavior change.
• Required research courses, structured research experiences each academic term, departmental professional development seminar presentations, and coursework in teaching and grant writing expand students' knowledge and application of research methods and analytic techniques while facilitating professional development and scholarship.
• Students choose advanced training opportunities in concentration electives in close consultation with a faculty mentor to ensure proper breadth and depth of training in their emerging areas of expertise.

Time Limit for Degree Completion

• The time limit for degree completion is 7 years.
• Campus Location: Main
• Full-Time/Part-Time Status: Full-time study is preferred.

Interdisciplinary Study

• Students are encouraged to develop programs of study that are interdisciplinary in nature, involving coursework or scholarly activities across departments, schools, and colleges.

Affiliation(s)

• Students are expected to work in close collaboration with their faculty research mentor in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences.
• In addition, students can consider collaborative research projects across affiliated units within the College of Public Health in coordination with their developing line of research and with approval of their research mentor and the Graduate Program Director.

Job Prospects

• Students in the program develop public health content expertise and skills in research, scholarship, teaching, and grant writing.
• Graduates of the PhD-SBS program are prepared to become faculty members or researchers in colleges and universities or to hold research-related positions in a wide range of organizations.

Non-Matriculated Student Policy

• Doctoral coursework is open only to students enrolled in the program.

Financing Opportunities

• Full-time PhD students generally receive financial support through University fellowships or teaching and research assistantships with department faculty that provide partial to full tuition remission plus a stipend related to hours worked.

Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadline

• December 15

Admission Requirements

• Admission into the PhD program is highly competitive.
• Not only must applicants display an exemplary academic record and potential for scholarship, but their research interests and area of emerging expertise must match those of Graduate Faculty who are available to take a new student.
• Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the Program Director prior to application to learn which faculty are interested in mentoring PhD students for the coming year.

Letters of Reference

• Number Required: 3
• From Whom: Letters of recommendation should be obtained from evaluators who can provide insight into the applicant's academic and research experiences and talents, as well as comment on the applicant's aptitude for doctoral-level study and research.

Coursework Required for Admission Consideration

• Applicants are expected to have completed coursework in the natural, social, or behavioral sciences related to health.
• Coursework in statistics and research methods is desirable.

Master's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline

• Nearly all students admitted to the program have a master's degree.
• Although a master's degree specifically in Public Health is not required, preference is given to applicants who have a background in the health sciences.

Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline

• A baccalaureate degree is required, although it need not be in Public Health.
• Preference is given to applicants who have a background in the health sciences.

Statement of Goals

• In no more than 750 words, identify the Social and Behavioral Sciences doctorate as the program for which you wish to be considered and why.
• Describe important academic and research achievements and interests.
• Specify how your research interests relate to your ultimate career goals and to ongoing work by faculty members affiliated with the PhD-SBS program.

Standardized Test Scores

• GRE: Optional but recommended.
• The median score of recently admitted applicants is above the 50th percentile on the verbal and quantitative subscales.
• Official GRE scores should be sent to SOPHAS using code 0151.

Program Requirements

General Program Requirements

• Number of Credits Required to Earn the Degree: 45

Required Courses

• Core Courses:
  • HRPR 5001: Current and Emerging Issues in Public Health and Health Professions
  • SBS 8005: Health Promotion in Vulnerable Populations
  • SBS 8009: Health Psychology
  • SBS 8105: Health Communication
  • SBS 8112: Creating Novel Interventions in Public Health
• Research and Statistics Courses:
  • EPBI 8012: Multivariable Biostatistics 2
  • EPBI 8201: Structural Equation Modeling 2
  • EPBI 8212: Grantsmanship in Health Research
  • HRPR 5999: Research Experience in Health Professions
  • SBS 8001: Research Methods in Public Health
• Electives: Select five from the following:
  • EPBI 5003: Spatial Analysis in Public Health
  • GDC 8003: Research Approaches in Communication, Development and Social Change
  • HRPR 8002: Qualitative Methods in Health Outcomes Measurement
  • SBS 5105: Maternal and Child Health
  • SBS 8006: Addictions and Dependencies
  • SBS 8018: Obesity: From Genes to Junk Food
  • SBS 9083: Readings and Conference in Public Health

Minimum Grade to be Earned for All Required Courses

• B-

Culminating Events

• Area Paper: Prior to sitting for the preliminary examinations, students must have successfully published or written a publishable paper in their chosen area of research interest.
• Preliminary Examinations: Students typically take their preliminary examinations during their third year of residency in the program, after completing the paper requirement.
• Dissertation Proposal: After passing the preliminary examinations, students may enroll in SBS 9998.
• Dissertation: The doctoral dissertation is an original theory-based research study that makes a significant contribution to the field of Public Health.