Dept. of Preventive Medicine, page 6

Dept. of Preventive Medicine, page 6
School of Medicine

Doctor of Philosophy in Preventive Medicine (Health Behavior Research)

The Department of Preventive Medicine, Division of Health Behavior Research, offers a degree program in preventive medicine (health behavior), leading to attainment of the Ph.D. The program is designed to train exceptional researchers and scholars in the multidisciplinary field of health behavior research. Students receive a thorough grounding in academic and research experience, encompassing theoretical and methodological training in such allied fields as communication, psychology, preventive medicine, biostatistics, public health and epidemiology. Students receive research experience by participating in projects conducted through the USC Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research (IPR). The doctoral program is full-time: students are expected to enroll for fall, spring and summer semesters.

Assistantships

Financial and educational support is provided to qualified doctoral students in health behavior research. Graduate (research and/or teaching) assistantships are half-time (20 hours per week) and provide tuition remission as well as a monthly stipend.

Computer Language Requirement

Sufficient familiarity in computer languages to operate major software packages for data management and analysis is required.

Course Requirements

The doctoral program in health behavior research is structured as a five-year course of study for students entering with a bachelor's degree. Students entering with an advanced degree may complete the doctorate in four years. Time requirements are subject to review and approval by the division's Graduate Program Committee and the Graduate School.

A total of 67 units of graduate study is required for the Ph.D. in health behavior research. Students are required to complete seven core courses: PM 500, 511aL, 515, 601, 602, 604 and 756 (total of 29 units). Other requirements include: one PM course not offered by health behavior faculty (minimum of 3 units); three substantive courses in a minor field (9 units); PM 524abc Practicum (6 units); and a minimum of four units each in PM 590, 690, 790 and 794ab.

For students entering with a bachelor's degree, one of the directed research projects will be equivalent in scope to a master's thesis. All research experiences/projects must be completed before registering for 794ab Doctoral Dissertation.

Screening Procedure

The progress of each student is reviewed at the end of every academic year. At the end of the first year of study, students who have not made satisfactory progress are advised that they will be dropped from the program unless their progress improves during their second year.

Guidance Committee

Each student's guidance committee consists of five members, including: no more than three health behavior faculty members; one other member from the Department of Preventive Medicine; and one member from a doctorate-granting program outside the School of Medicine, representing the student's minor field.

Qualifying Examination

Following course work and prior to beginning the dissertation, students must demonstrate written and oral mastery of the general field of health behavior research as well as of their chosen area of specialization (including the minor). The qualifying process includes a written examination on theory and literature relevant to a selected content area; the examination is administered by the student's guidance committee.

In addition to the qualifying examination, each student is expected to produce the following as evidence of qualification to conduct dissertation research: an academic dossier consisting of a summary of the student's academic record, teaching and research experience, and professional presentations and publications; at least one original empirical research paper of publishable quality, produced in connection with one of the student's courses or research experiences or developed independently; a dissertation proposal; and an oral defense of all the preceding materials.

Produced by the USC Division of Student Affairs, Office of University Publications, May 1, 1995
David Henriquez
univpub@stuaff.usc.edu