Degree Programs
Doctor of Philosophy - Health Policy and Management
PhD in Health Policy and Management
The PhD in Health Policy and Management program at the Indiana University Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health at Indianapolis trains students in the advanced analytical and methodological techniques of health services research to inform health policy and management within and across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.
Didactic training is provided by an outstanding faculty with specialized expertise in health services research, including non-experimental research design, quantitative and qualitative analysis, administrative claims and electronic health records, health equity, and public and population health informatics.
Students are mentored in a collaborative environment with access to a rich array of opportunities to conduct research with local public health and health system partners as well as on projects funded by state and national agencies.
Alumni of the program have been successful as independent researchers in both academic settings and in public and private organizations. Their work has appeared in top tier, peer-reviewed publications, and has been used to inform policy and innovate practice to address health-related challenges in both Indiana and the nation.
To support this research, faculty members have a diverse research funding portfolio that includes grants and contracts from the NIH, AHRQ, SAMHSA, NCAA, CDC, and numerous Indiana state agencies.
You will have access to outside expertise through the department’s longstanding close collaborations with the IU School of Medicine, the Regenstrief Institute, the IU Kelley School of Business, the IU School of Nursing, the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, the Indiana Hospital Association, the Indiana State Department of Health, and top health systems and professional organizations throughout the state and nation.Curriculum
The Health Policy and Management PhD program consists of 90 credit hours and can be completed on a full-time or part-time basis. Students must complete the PhD courses within seven years of matriculation into the program.
After finishing their coursework, students have up to seven additional years to complete their dissertation. However, students must complete their coursework and dissertation within a 10-year period.
Public Health Foundations
Take all three courses for a total of 9 credits.
- PBHL-P 501 U.S. Healthcare System and Health Policy (3 credits)
- PBHL-P 510 Introduction to Public Health (3 credits)
- PBHL-B 551 Biostatistics for Public Health (3 credits)
Health Policy and Management Foundations
Take all four courses for a total of 12 credits.
- PBHL-H 786 Healthcare Organizations Research (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 611 Policy Evaluation, Implementation, and Management (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 514 Health Economics (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 658 Health Policy and Program Evaluation (3 credits)
PhD seminars
- PBHL-H 747 Health Policy and Management Research Seminar (12 credits)
- PBHL-S 725 Preparing for Academics in Public Health (1 credit)
Methods and Skills courses
Required courses
Take all five courses for a total of 15 credits.
- PBHL-B 562 Biostatistics for Public Health II (3 credits)
- PBHL-S 619 Health Disparities and Health Equity (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 781 Research Design in Health Policy and Management Research (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 782 Quantitative Methods in Health Policy and Management (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 783 Qualitative Methods for Health Services Research (3 credits)
and
Elective courses
Choose three courses for a total of 9 credits.
- PBHL-E 606 Grant Writing for Public Health (3 credits)
- PBHL-B 552 Fundamentals of Data Management (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 628 Healthcare Information Systems (3 credits)
- PBHL-E 635 Foundations of Public Health Informatics (3 credits)
- PBHL-E 647 Introduction to Population Health Analytics
- NURS-D 735 Population Health Surveillance and Management (3 credits)
- NURS-R 615 Comparative Effectiveness and Patient-centered Research (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 751 Doctoral Readings in Health Policy and Management (variable 1-3)
- PBHL-H 752 Doctoral Level Directed Research (3 credits)
Minor area (12 credits)
Students must complete a PhD minor. The minor must contain at least four graduate courses (12 credit hours) and comply with the requirements of the minor department/unit. Students wishing to complete a minor outside of the following should consult with the program director for guidance: epidemiology, biostatistics, social and behavioral sciences, health informatics, sociology, policy analysis.
Dissertation (20 credits)
- PBHL-H 799 Dissertation Proposal (4 credits)
- PBHL-H 800 Dissertation Research (16 credits)
For students who started the PhD in Health Policy and Management prior to fall 2023
Public health foundations
Take all three courses for a total of 9 credits.
- PBHL-P 506 Population and Public Health (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 641 Ethics in Public Health (3 credits)
- PBHL-B 551 Biostatistics for Public Health (3 credits)
Health Policy and Management foundations
Take both of the following courses for 6 credits.
- PBHL-H 786 Healthcare Organizations Research (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 787 Health Policy Research (3 credits)
and
One of the following courses for 3 credits.
- PBHL-H 658 Health Policy and Program Evaluation (3 credits)
- PBHL-S 510 Introduction to Research Methods in Public Health (3 credits)
and
One of the following courses for 3 credits.
- PBHL-H 514 Health Economics (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 619 Financial Management for Public Health Organizations (3 credits)
PhD Seminars
- PBHL-H 747 Health Policy and Management Research Seminar (12 credits)
- PBHL-S 725 Preparing for Academics in Public Health (1 credit)
Methods and skills courses
Required courses
Choose five courses for a total of 15 credits.
- PBHL-B 562 Biostatistics for Public Health II (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 644 Health Impact Assessment (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 781 Research Design in Health Policy and Management Research (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 782 Quantitative Methods in Health Policy and Management (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 783 Qualitative Methods for Health Services Research (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 657 Application of Cost Effectiveness Analysis in Public Health (3 credits)
and
Electives
Take all three courses for a total of 9 credits.
- PBHL-E 606 Grant Writing for Public Health (3 credits)
- PBHL-E 710 Advanced Public Health Survey Methods (3 credits)
- PBHL-E 563 Systematic Reviews and Meta analysis in Health Sciences (3 credits)
Minor area (12 credits)
Dissertation research (20 credits)
- PBHL-H 799 Dissertation Proposal (4 credits)
- PBHL-H 800 Dissertation Research (16 credits)
Other requirements for the PhD in Health Policy and Management
Public health coursework
Health Policy and Management PhD students without a graduate degree, certificate, or coursework in public health will be required to complete online introductory modules on environmental health and social and behavioral science to ensure they have basic competencies in all five core public health areas. This is a requirement of the Council on Education in Public Health (CEPH), the Fairbanks school’s accrediting body.
PhD advisory committee
The Department of Health Policy and Management will assign the student to an advisory committee after completion of the first year in the PhD program. The advisory committee will include at least two health policy and management faculty; one member may be from another discipline. The advisory committee will approve the student’s program of study and counsel the student until he or she passes the qualifying examination. The chair of the PhD advisory committee will be a full-time faculty in the department of health policy and management. Faculty who meet the IU Indianapolis Graduate School guidelines will be eligible to serve as dissertation advisors.
Minor area
The student will select at least one minor from outside the department of health policy and management. The PhD minor typically includes four graduate-level courses, complies with requirements of the respective minor department or program, and must be approved by the student’s advisory committee. Examples of minors include: bioethics, international research ethics, biostatistics, epidemiology, health economics, medical sociology, medical anthropology, nursing administration, business administration, and bioinformatics.
Qualifying examinations
The written qualifying examination is designed to assess the student’s attainment of the stated Health Policy and Management PhD competencies and is taken after the coursework for the PhD has been completed. Students who fail the qualifying examination are normally allowed to retake it once.
Students who have passed the qualifying examination must enroll each semester (excluding summer sessions) for dissertation credits. Once students have accumulated 90 credit hours in completed coursework and dissertation credits, they may maintain continuous enrollment by enrolling in G901 for six credit hours at a cost of $150. Students can enroll in G901 for no more than six semesters.
The department of health policy and management will monitor the students’ progress toward the PhD degree and make recommendations to the University Graduate School Indianapolis regarding the nomination to candidacy, the appointment of a research committee, the defense of the dissertation, and the conferring of the PhD degree.
Dissertation
The dissertation will be written on an original topic of research and presented as one of the final requirements for the Health Policy and Management PhD degree. The student’s dissertation research committee will be comprised of members of the graduate faculty. The chair of the dissertation research committee must be a regular faculty member in the department of health policy and management, and a full member of the graduate faculty. The student will submit to the IU Indianapolis Graduate Office, acting for the University Graduate School Indianapolis, a two-page prospectus of the dissertation research and the membership of the research committee at least six months before the defense of the dissertation.
After the committee has reviewed the dissertation, the decision to schedule the defense will be made. The student will then present and defend the dissertation orally in a public forum before the committee. Following the dissertation defense, all deficiencies must be adequately addressed to obtain approval by the dissertation research committee.
Competencies
The PhD in Health Policy & Management focuses on 10 core competencies that serve as a measure of growth and criteria for assessment.
- Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the history, structure, and operation of health care systems domestically and internationally.
- Understand and apply bioethical principles and theories, and utilize them in research, policy, and practice.
- Design and conduct health policy and services research studies.
- Access, manage, and utilize administrative and other secondary data sources in research studies.
- Prepare grant applications and manage research projects.
- Analyze and evaluate policies and programs.
- Utilize and report the results of advanced quantitative and qualitative data analysis.
- Interpret and report the findings of original research for scholarly audiences.
- Translate and apply findings from original and existing research in policy and practice.
- Educate and train students and professionals about health policy and management.
Admissions
Admission to the Health Policy and Management PhD program at the IU Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health is based on completion of a baccalaureate degree, although it is anticipated that many applicants will have completed a post-baccalaureate degree in public health or other health-related discipline.Graduation Record Examination (GRE)
GRE scores are not required for admission, however, if you plan to attend the PhD program as a full-time funded student, you are strongly encouraged to submit them with your application, since some funding sources require current GRE scores (less than five years old) in order for students to be eligible. Applicants must submit GRE scores to SOPHAS using the following designation DI Code: 0167.
The admission committee does not list expected minimum scores.
Statement of purpose and objectives
Provide an essay of approximately 750 words describing your past education, experience, and current professional career objectives. You are encouraged to comment on any or all of the following: plans you have to use your education and training; the needs and/or challenges you perceive as important in your field of study; and, any personal qualities, characteristics, and skills you believe will enable you to be successful in your chosen field of study.
Résumé or CV
For each position on the résumé or CV, provide the job title, employing agency, dates employed, and responsibilities held. Indicate any additional strengths or skills such as fluency in foreign languages, research experience, teaching experience, community service, and demonstration of leadership skills. Include professional certifications, honors, and awards.
Official post-secondary transcripts
Official post-secondary transcripts from all U.S. institutions attended must be sent directly from the institutions to SOPHAS. This includes previous study at Indiana University.
It is strongly recommended that all transcripts be submitted no later than 15 days before the application deadline to allow SOPHAS adequate time to verify transcripts. Please note it can take up to four weeks for transcripts to be verified.
Transcripts must be sent from institution in the institution's sealed envelope directly to SOPHAS.
For regular mail, please send your transcript to:
SOPHAS
P.O. Box 9111
Watertown, MA 02471-9111
For overnight delivery ONLY:
SOPHAS
c/o Liaison International
311 Arsenal Street
Watertown, MA 02472
Phone: 617-612-2090
World Education Services (WES): ICAP course-by-course evaluation for all post-secondary foreign institutions attended. Please note: U.S. applicants who studied at foreign institutions as part of a study abroad experience at their U.S. college or university, do not need to provide a WES evaluation of their study abroad coursework.
International applicants
Applicants who have attended post-secondary institutions outside of the U.S. are also required to submit the following supporting documentation to SOPHAS with their application:
World Education Services (WES) ICAP evaluation of foreign academic credentials
The Indiana University Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health requires all applicants with foreign academic credentials to provide a World Education Services (WES) ICAP course-by-course evaluation of those credentials. Applicants should submit their transcripts to WES at least one month in advance of the application deadline to ensure that the evaluation is completed in time.
Through special arrangements with SOPHAS, WES will deliver its credential evaluation report directly to SOPHAS by secure electronic transmission. This expedites the delivery of the evaluation report—as well as images of the applicant’s verified transcripts—to SOPHAS and allows SOPHAS to process the report most efficiently.
Visit WES for more information
U.S. applicants who have attended post-secondary institutions outside of the U.S. as part of a study-abroad program at a U.S. college or university, do not need to provide a WES evaluation of their foreign coursework as long as it is noted on their U.S. transcript.
Please note: Upon admission to IU Indianapolis, international students will be required to provide the Indiana University Office of International Affairs with original transcripts from all universities attended in the U.S. and abroad.
Letters of recommendation
Three letters of recommendation from persons qualified to assess your academic work; clinical, public health, or professional experiences; or leadership potential in public health. These letters should be from professional sources who can provide an unbiased, current and critical assessment of your abilities, skills, strengths and weaknesses related to successfully completing a doctoral program.
Interview
The applicants are invited to interview at the discretion of the admission committee.
In-person interview: Applicants will be invited to participate in an in-person interview with several members of the admission committee. Alternative arrangements can be made for applicants unable to be interviewed onsite.
Completion of an on-site essay: Applicants participating in the interview process may be asked to write a short essay on a specific topic assigned to them using Microsoft Word. The purpose of this step is to allow the admissions committee to assess the applicant's English writing skills.
The PhD in Epidemiology admissions committee conducts interviews using Zoom video conferencing for applicants who are unable to travel to Indianapolis for the interview. Note that applicants will need access to a webcam and microphone for the interview.
Proof of English proficiency
Applicants whose native language is not English or whose academic study was done exclusively at non-English speaking institutions, must prove English proficiency by providing either official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores. Scores must be less than two years old.
The preferred minimum English language test scores for admission to the Fairbanks School of Public Health are:
- Internet-based TOEFL: minimum score of 92
- Computer-based TOEFL: minimum score of 263
- Paper-based TOEFL: minimum score of 620
- IELTS (total band score): minimum score of 7
SOPHAS applicants
SOPHAS applicants should use the following designations:
- Submit TOEFL scores to SOPHAS using the following designation DI Code: 5688.
- IELTS scores can be uploaded electronically to SOPHAS. Upload IELTS scores in the standardized test section of the application and include your TRF number.
English language test waiver
The English Language test requirement may be waived if an applicant has earned a bachelor’s degree or higher from the U.S. or other English-speaking country.
Updated: April 2025
