Trident

PhD Programs, Doctor of Health Science - Trident University

College of Health Sciences

Doctor of Philosophy in Health Sciences

Program Introduction

The Doctor of Philosophy represents the highest level of achievement in any academic discipline. TUI is proud to offer a research degree resulting in a Doctor of Philosophy in Health Sciences (Ph.D. HS).  Students who earn this degree are qualified to enter academia or the top levels of health care administration or health executive positions in government and the private sector. These graduates will have demonstrated excellence in their pursuit of academic study in their selected field. As with any quality Ph.D. degree, the work is challenging but the rewards are substantial. 


The purpose of the Doctor of Philosophy in Health Sciences program is to prepare professionals from health and health related fields as leaders, educators, researchers and scholars. Students select either the educator/researcher or practitioner concentration in International Health or Health Care Administration. All students in the program will have the opportunity to develop advanced research skills directed toward the creation of new knowledge demonstrated by a Ph.D. Dissertation.


Students will have the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills that may be used to function at the entry level of university professorial track teaching or at the highest levels of organizational management. Students will gain an extensive background and comprehension of various areas of health and will learn skills needed for acquisition and application of advanced knowledge including current developments in their area of specialty. Graduates will demonstrate effective scholarly writing and presentation, as well as skills needed to design, perform, compile, and successfully defend a doctoral level dissertation. The program also provides students with the ability to make contributions by publishing in peer-reviewed journals and/or presenting research in professional conferences. Students planning to enter an academic career will have the opportunity to learn skills for effective teaching in academic health profession programs.

Program Requirements


The College of Health Sciences offers the Doctor of Philosophy in Health Sciences Program degree with a variety of concentrations. The Ph.D. curriculum has the following components:


Core Courses: All students are required to take five (5) research methods courses and two (2) required theory courses in the field of health sciences. These courses provide the foundation for the elective courses which students may pursue in their specialized concentrations. All courses are four (4) semester unit courses. The last course taken prior to the dissertation series is the required DHS699, Dissertation Seminar.


Note: Students are required to purchase IBM SPSS Statistical Software for the quantitative research courses and dissertation research. 


Concentration Courses: In addition to the required core courses there are four (4) concentration courses (electives) needed to complete the degree plan. Students may select one concentration from an offering of three concentrations. These courses are generally in the specific area of the research that the student will pursue. All elective courses are valued at four (4) semester credits.


Comprehensive Exam: It includes a written and oral qualifying exam. Students will be examined on their understanding of research methods and statistical concepts related to the research process. The comprehensive exam will be conducted after the students have finished all of their courses via phone conference or e-conference (Elluminate).


Establishing the Committee: A dissertation Committee and dissertation chairperson will be established for each student. Each committee shall consist of three faculty members, one of whom serves as Chair of the Committee. One member of the committee or the Chairperson must be external to TUI. The Chairperson and the Committee will be responsible for guiding the student during the dissertation process.


IRB Application: Pursuant to Federal law and regulations, Institutional Review Board (“IRB”) review and approval is required for research involving human subjects. Accordingly, prior to the student conducting research involving human subjects, including the collecting and analyzing of data, the proposed study must be reviewed and approved by the TUI IRB.


Dissertation Study: Students demonstrate a synthesis of their doctoral study, knowledge and scholarship with a significant quantitative research project that contributes to general principles of knowledge in the field(s) potentially affected by the research. Following the completion of the course work including the Dissertation Proposal Seminar (DHS 699), students will work on the dissertation and register in subsequent sessions in the dissertation series (DHS700, DHS701, and DHS702), and dissertation continuation courses (DHS703 and above).


Please visit dissertation handbook for the detailed information.

 

Total Degree Credit Hour Requirement:

  • 7 core courses (28 credits)
  • 3 elective courses (12 credits)
  • 3 dissertation series courses (12 credits)

Concentrations: 7 core courses (28 credits) + 3 elective courses (12 credits)

  • Health Care Administration 
  • International Health, Educator/Researcher
  • International Health, Practitioner/Researcher

A detailed list of all Program/Concentration/Certificate course offerings and their descriptions is available on Trident University International’s catalog at http://www.trident.edu/catalog-handbook. 

Gainful Employment Disclosure

Trident University offers high quality degree programs designed to impart the skills and knowledge required to compete in today’s marketplace for high demand careers. While our mission is to prepare students effectively to pursue career and professional development in their respective fields, finding gainful employment is the individual responsibility of the student. We do not imply or guarantee that students will find employment or be placed in any particular job as a result of completing an educational program. In order to help students make informed decisions about academic choices, Trident University provides the following gainful employment information for all of its program offerings.

 

OPEID: 041279

Program Name and Length

CIP Code: 51.0000
Program Name: Doctor of Philosophy in Health Sciences
Program Level: Doctorate
Credential Level: 06
Program Length in Months: 72

Cost

Total Tuition and Required Fees
For the entire program completed in normal time		 $52,975
Note: The total tuition and required fees includes 44 units of required coursework and the maximum allowable time to complete the dissertation (48 units/12 sessions). Doctoral students who complete the dissertation phase in less time would have lowered the overall costs of the program by $2,300 per session of dissertation enrollment not needed.
Total Estimated Costs for Books and Supplies $180
The estimated annual cost of a statistical software such as SPSS is $90. The $180 is based on an estimated 2 years of use while enrolled in the Ph.D. HS program.
Total Annual Room and Board
Charges for living on campus		 Not Applicable
URL for Program Cost Information: http://www.trident.edu/tuition-fees/

Debt at Program Completion July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2012

Number of Students Completing the Program
Graduated between 7/2011 - 6/2012		 12
Students Completed with Student Loan Debt
Of the completers reported above		 5
The Median Cumulative Debt for Each of the Following
For all students (both borrowers and non-borrowers)

Federal Student Loan Debt:

Private Loan Debt:

Institutional Financing Plan Debt:


N/A

N/A

N/A
Note: Less than 30 graduates - The majority of graduates in this program did not carry a debt balance at the time of graduation, therefore median debt per graduate is $0.

Program Completion in Normal Time July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2012

Normal Time in Months to Complete Program
As published in institution catalog		 72
Students Who Completed the Program Within the Normal Time
Of the total number of students completing the program		 10
Completion Rate Within Normal Time 83%

For more information on jobs related to this program, please click on the below links to the O*NET website sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.

 

11-9110Medical and Health Services Managers

11-9111Administrators, Hospital

11-9111Administrators, Medical Records

11-9111Clinic Directors

11-9111Medical and Health Services Managers

11-9150Social and Community Service Managers

11-9151Directors, Child Welfare

11-9151Directors, Family Service Center

11-9151Directors, Youth Program

19-1042Research Public Health Specialists

19-3099Demographers

19-3099Ethnologists

21-1091Educators, Health

21-1091Educators, Public Health

21-1099Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other

25-1053Professors, Environmental Science, Management, and Policy

25-1065Professors, Public Policy

25-1071Professors, Nutrition

25-1071Professors, Public Health

 

Bureau of Labor Statistic’s SOC Websites:
http://www.bls.gov/soc/home.htm
http://www.bls.gov/soc/2010/soc_alph.htm
http://www.bls.gov/soc/major_groups.htm

 

O*Net Websites:
http://www.onetonline.org/crosswalk/
http://www.onetcenter.org/taxonomy.html

 

Job Placement

Job Placement Rate for Program Completers: Data Not Available

Admissions Requirements

All applicants to the Ph.D. Programs at TUI are required to possess the following:

  • Have an earned Master's degree from an accredited college or university with at least 30 graduate level semester credits.
  • Have a grade point average of 3.4 (on a 4.0 scale) on all work completed during the Master's degree. An official transcript of all prior academic work must be submitted.
  • Possess analytical and critical thinking skills sufficient to deal with the doctoral program, demonstrated by a sample of research or academic publication. Must submit a sample of research oriented writing, or publication.
  • Possess writing and oral communication skills sufficient to conduct and deliver the results of meaningful research. Must submit an essay that includes current personal, intellectual and professional interests and why the student applies to the degree at TUI.
  • Submit a current Curriculum Vita (Resume).
  • Possess information technology skills sufficient to effectively participate in the TUI Ph.D. pedagogical model.
  • Possess Internet skills sufficient to effectively conduct research at a Ph.D. level.
  • Have successfully completed, with a grade of B or better, at least one course in Research Methods or Statistics at the Master’s or higher level. If a student does not meet the research requirement, it can be met by successfully completing a Research Methods course from the TUI Masters program with a grade of B or better. This course will be considered a prerequisite and not included in the total number of Ph.D. course units required by the student's degree plan.

 

*You may apply only once to the TUI Ph.D. program, if denied no additional applications to the same program will be accepted.

Transfer Policy

  • TUI accepts up to four semester credits of Doctoral level courses from accredited doctoral granting institutions provided the transferred course meets the same general content standards as the TUI course.
  • Students are required to provide official transcripts of ALL prior academic work without exception.
  • Prior academic work will be articulated during the admission process.
  • Transferred courses will be posted to the student’s permanent record.
  • Transfer credits will not be included in the calculation of overall GPA.
  • Students may formally appeal transfer decisions to the Provost or designee.  Appeals must be submitted in writing within 5 business days and must be accompanied by supporting documentation or evidence.