HSPA student
The written exam, or specialty field exam, is a four-hour compehensive assessment of students' knowledge of their specific focus area.

Curriculum

Minimum Required Units

Graduate Division has mandated that all graduate students who receive a fellowship (including the program Block Grant) must be registered in 12 units by the end of the third week of classes. This policy includes those students who have GSI and GSR appointments in addition to a block grant from the department. Students who are on a wait list for a class should enroll in additional independent study units with their advisor until their class schedule has been finalized. The period of time to adjust grading options, number of units, add or drop classes extends past the middle of each semester.

A total of 60 units composed of courses, seminars, and independent study is required of all HSPA students. Units earned from courses taken as Masters students cannot count toward the PhD requirement.

Core Classes

Each student must take two classes from each of the following groups, and receive a grade of B+ or above with the exception of courses taken in the Economics Departments. The passing grade for economics is a B. Classes are chosen from the approved lists. Sequence courses such as PP 210 A & B are considered as 2 separate courses and therefore fulfill the economics core requirement for organizations and policy/politics students.

Select one of three specialty fields in addition to Research Methods/Design requirements:

Ph.D. Seminars

All students are required to attend the HSPA First/Second-Year Seminar during all four semesters of their first two years.  The seminars will be taught by rotating faculty and are organized in content to avoid duplication of material.

After passing the specialty field exam students are strongly encouraged to attend the HSPA Dissertation Seminar taught by Helen Halpin, or an equivalent seminar, during all semesters until graduation. Students who are preparing to take their Qualifying Exam will have the opportunity to practice their presentation with their peers.

Students are required to register for and attend the Health Services Research Colloquium ALL semesters.  The seminar meets alternate Tuesdays from 12:30-2 pm.  Students are strongly encouraged to regularly attend research colloquia in their specialty field departments as well.

The intent of the colloquium is to provide an opportunity for HSPA students across all stages of completion to meet regularly, be presented with on-going research and participate in stimulating discussions with faculty and guest speakers.

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Other Health Research Seminars

International health seminars:

Conferences:

Academy Health Annual Meeting; held in early June in various locations. The call for abstracts opens November 1st.  Presenting your work at professional conferences is a great way to get exposed to others in your field.  If interested, you should start talking with faculty now to get advice about preparing an abstract to submit. The 2009 meeting will be held in Chicago.

You should speak with your advisor or other faculty in your field about other conferences to consider attending also.  For example:

HSPA has a travel stipend for those students who will be presenting relevant subject matter at a conference. Please navigate to Program Policies section on travel grants for more information.

 

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