Health Equity Sciences - Doctor of Philosophy
Program Description
The doctoral program in Health Equity Sciences (HES) focuses on health disparities and equity from public health, population health, and community health perspectives. Underserved and marginalized groups experience health disparities attributable to economic, social, cultural, and environmental disadvantages at higher rates than other groups. The HES program provides advanced training to prepare graduates to become health equity researchers and to assume leadership positions in governmental (local, state, federal) and non-governmental agencies, public health and social justice organizations, health care organizations, and institutions of higher learning. Graduates will have the ability to conduct original research that addresses complex health problems, develop culturally competent community-based programs, and design and conduct program evaluations. They will be able to apply their expertise in research methodology, statistical analysis, and health communication in many settings, including rural, tribal, border, and other underserved communities. The focus of the program will be on research to address existing and emerging health disparities and health equity. Through a cooperative agreement with the University of New Mexico, students are provided with advanced comprehensive training to prepare them for positions of leadership in state, federal, and global governmental and non-governmental agencies, public health and social justice organizations, health care provider organizations, and institutions of higher learning.
Program Curriculum
NOTE: Students will participate in a mix of program-specific courses using the HES (i.e., Health Equity Sciences) prefix and graduate-level courses from across the NMSU campus and from UNM by cooperative arrangement/MOU. All HES courses will be at the doctoral level (6000 or 7000), including content offerings and research/dissertation hours; courses from across the NMSU campus will be graduate-level (5000 or higher).
| Prefix | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses (24 Credits) | ||
| HESC 6110 | Doctoral Seminar in Health Equity | 3 |
| HESC 6120 | Quantitative Research Methods in Health Equity Sciences | 3 |
| HESC 6130 | Seminar in Behavioral and Social Change for the Promotion of Health Equity | 3 |
| HESC 6250 | Design and Evaluation of Programs to Promote Health Equity | 3 |
| HESC 6210 | Advanced Multiple Regression for Health Equity Sciences | 3 |
| HESC 6220 | Regression-Based Structural Equation Modeling for Health Equity Sciences | 3 |
| Qualitative Research Elective (3 credits) Choose one from the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Qualitative Research | 3 | |
| Qualitative Data Analysis and Interpretation | 3 | |
| Seminar in Qualitative Research Methods | 3 | |
| Qualitative Research Methods in Communication | 3 | |
| Qualitative Research Methods | 3 | |
| Statistics or Research Methods Elective (3 credits) Choose one from the following: | 3 | |
| Seminar in Data Visualization | 3 | |
| Statistical Inference I | 4 | |
| Statistical Inference II | 0,3 | |
| Statistical Methods for Data Analytics | 3 | |
| Statistical Analysis with R | 3 | |
| Fundamentals of GIS | 0,4 | |
| Geographic Theory and Application | 3 | |
| Quantitative Methods in Psychology I | 3 | |
| Track (12 credits) Select any four courses within one chosen track: 1 | 12 | |
| Socio-Cultural & Behavioral Sciences | ||
| Seminar in Social Stratification | 3 | |
| Health Disparities: Determinants and Interventions | 3 | |
| International Health Problems | 3 | |
| Rural Health Issues | 3 | |
| U.S.-Mexico Border Health Issues | 3 | |
| Hispanic Health Issues | 3 | |
| Coping with Loss and Grief: A Cross-Cultural Perspective | 3 | |
| American Indian Health | 3 | |
| Issues in Nutritional Anthropology | 3 | |
| Seminar in Religion and Politics | 3 | |
| Proposal and Grant Writing | 3 | |
| Health Across the Lifespan | ||
| Introduction to Gerontology | 3 | |
| Health Promotion for the Older Adult | 3 | |
| Adulthood and Aging | 3 | |
| Proposal and Grant Writing | 3 | |
| Health Administration and Policy | ||
| Public Health Policy Analysis | 3 | |
| Principles of Health Program Management | 3 | |
| Public Health Finance and Budget Management | 3 | |
| Public Health Policy Analysis | 3 | |
| Proposal and Grant Writing | 3 | |
| Applied Biostatistics | ||
| Statistical Inference I | 4 | |
| Statistical Inference II | 0,3 | |
| Advanced Regression | 3 | |
| Statistical Models for Complex Data Structures | 3 | |
| Statistical Methods for Data Analytics | 3 | |
| Statistical Analysis with R | 3 | |
| Applied Multivariate Analysis | 3 | |
| Statistical Analysis I | 3 | |
| Continuous Multivariate Analysis | 3 | |
| Proposal and Grant Writing | 3 | |
| Completion of Preliminary Paper/Comprehensive Exam 2 | ||
| Research and dissertation courses (18 hours) | 18 | |
| Doctoral Research | 1-15 | |
| Independent Study | 1-15 | |
| Doctoral Dissertation | 1-15 | |
| Completion of Written dissertation and oral defense 3 | ||
| Total Credits | 54 | |
- 1
Track Elective courses will be determined with the consultation of the student's advisor.
- 2
Pass written and oral components of the preliminary paper/comprehensive exam
- 3
Pass written and oral components of the dissertation
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| HESC 6110 | Doctoral Seminar in Health Equity | 3 |
| HESC 6130 | Seminar in Behavioral and Social Change for the Promotion of Health Equity | 3 |
| HESC 6210 | Advanced Multiple Regression for Health Equity Sciences | 3 |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| HESC 6120 | Quantitative Research Methods in Health Equity Sciences | 3 |
| HESC 6220 | Regression-Based Structural Equation Modeling for Health Equity Sciences | 3 |
| Concentration Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Summer | ||
| HESC 6991 | Doctoral Research | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Qualitative Methods Elective | 3 | |
| Statistics/Research Methods Elective | 3 | |
| Track Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| HESC 6250 | Design and Evaluation of Programs to Promote Health Equity | 3 |
| HESC 6991 | Doctoral Research | 3 |
| Track Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Summer | ||
| HESC 6991 | Doctoral Research | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| HESC 7000 | Doctoral Dissertation | 3 |
| Track Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| HESC 7000 | Doctoral Dissertation | 3 |
| Track Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 54 | |