DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN HEALTH ECOLOGY
The PhD in Health Ecology responds to the demand for doctorally trained researchers and academicians in the health professions. This program is designed for a wide range of health professionals who hold entry level master and clinical doctoral degrees in fields such as human development and family studies, occupational therapy, physical therapy, nursing, therapeutic recreation, kinesiology, social work, health administration, special education, speech-language-hearing, and psychology. Students will learn to leverage their own disciplinary knowledge base with those of other related disciplines in order to develop advanced understanding and competence to conduct transdisciplinary research.
The uniqueness of this program lies in its mission to prepare doctoral students to become leaders in interdisciplinary approaches that address the complex challenges associated with the maintenance and promotion of health and life quality across the life span, by acknowledging the diversity of communities and societies. It fosters synthesis of information and approaches across multiple disciplines with an emphasis on posing novel questions, explanations, outcomes, or solutions. The program is designed to foster a transdisciplinary approach to training scholars who are well-equipped to proactively address micro (e.g., individuals, families) and macro (e.g., socio-economic, communities, cultural, environmental, institutional systems) issues critical for health, quality of life, health-care, and their interrelationships.
Under the direction of faculty mentors, students will employ a variety of investigative approaches and methodologies that transcend basic, clinical, behavioral, and social sciences to address significant health and life-quality related issues and challenges confronted in our diverse society in a holistic and integrative way. Students will become effective transdisciplinary leaders and change agents in health research, academia, evidence-based practice, and health-care policy development and system transformation. Research internships and mentored teaching experiences are also integrated into the curriculum to provide additional opportunities for first-hand learning and application of program constructs.
CURRICULUM
The PhD in Health Ecology requires a minimum of 49 credit hours beyond the master’s degree, for which students will receive up to 30 advanced-standing credits. The curriculum includes: 12 credits of core courses, 12 credits of research methods/statistics courses, 12 credits of Health Ecology Cognate courses, 3 credits of a research internship sequence, 1 credit of preliminary exams, and 9 credits of dissertation requirements (3 credits for the proposal and 6 credits for the dissertation).
Please direct inquiries to:
Adam Davey, PhD, Program Director
215-204-7881
Adam Davey, Director, Doctoral Program in Health Ecology
Tel. (215) 204-7881 Fax. (215) 204-1386
