Curriculum
The Health Sciences Integrated Program (HSIP) offers doctoral student training across multiple disciplines within the health sciences. PhD students have the opportunity to focus on the following tracks:
Estimated Timeline to the Degree
Year 1
- Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Doctoral Colloquium
- Three core competencies
- Five track requirements
Year 2
- Core competency writing course
- Three or more courses from track requirements or electives
- Mentor-evaluated research/dissertation development course
- Plan for qualifying exams
Year 3
- Additional courses if necessary
- Prepare for and complete qualifying exams
- Dissertation proposal and proposal defense
- Student teaching experience
Year 4
- Dissertation project
Core Courses & Competencies
Health Sciences Integrated PhD students must take coursework in several core competency areas. Track faculty may designate which courses fulfill each competency for a student in their track. A more advanced course can be substituted if the student already has the equivalent of introductory course.
To complete a track, there are track-specific requirements of approximately five to eight additional classes in that content area and related electives.
If a comparable course has been taken at another graduate institution, then a student may be able to waive a requirement. A minimum number of nine graded courses must be taken to fulfill the residency requirement of The Graduate School at Northwestern University.
| Core Competency | Courses (choose one for each competency) |
|---|---|
| Ethics | HSIP 400 Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Doctoral Colloquium |
| Informatics | |
| Communication | |
| Statistical Methodology | BIOSTAT 302 Introduction to Biostatistics |
| PH 302 Introduction to Biostatistics | |
| HQS 440 Fundamental Methods in Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety | |
| Research Design | EPI_BIO 301 Introduction to Epidemiology |
| HSR 425 Introduction to Quantitative Methods in Health Services & Outcomes Research | |
| HSIP 441, 442, 443 Informatics Methods I, II, III | |
| Measurement and Outcomes | HSIP 401 Introduction to Health Measurement Science |
| HSIP 441, 442, 443 Informatics Methods I, II, III | |
| Writing | PPH 445 Writing and Peer Reviewing for Publication |