Graduate Training Programs in Clinical Investigation, ScM

Graduate Training Programs in Clinical Investigation, ScM

Applications are not accepted for the ScM degree program. The ScM is a thesis-requiring degree only awarded to GTPCI PhD students who are unable to fulfill the full set of PhD requirements due to curtailed time available, unanticipated research difficulties, or late shifts in thesis projects.  

Requirements for completion of the ScM Degree:

• 70 credit hours of coursework (53 credits of required foundational coursework + 17 credits of pathway-specific elective courses)
• Must earn a C or better in all required courses and maintain a minimum 2.75 GPA
• Comprehensive examination at the end of the didactic year
• Continuous registration for the Research Forum following the didactic year
• Evidence of original research productivity as evidenced by submission of an acceptable Master’s thesis

Comprehensive Examination

Taken after successfully completing the core coursework.  It is a 4-hour, in-person, open-notes exam, distributed at the end of 4^th term.  

Required Coursework

Completion of Introduction to Online Learning is required prior to beginning 1st term.

According to the requirements of the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), all BSPH degree students must be grounded in foundational public health knowledge. The courses below meet these requirements: 552.601, 552.603, 552.607, 552.608, 552.609, 552.610, 552.611, 552.612.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
PH.390.750	Introduction to Clinical Research (Optional in Summer prior to matriculation)	2
PH.552.601	Foundational Principles of Public Health	0.5
PH.552.603	The Role of Qualitative Methods and Science in Describing and Assessing a Population's Health	0.5
PH.552.607	Essentials of Environmental Health	0.5
PH.552.608	Biologic, Genetic and Infectious Bases of Human Disease	0.5
PH.552.609	Psychological and Behavioral Factors That Affect A Population's Health	0.5
PH.552.610	The Social Determinants of Health	0.5
PH.552.611	Globalization and Population Health	0.5
PH.552.612	Essentials of One Health	0.5
PH.550.600	Living Science Ethics - Responsible Conduct of Research	1
PH.550.860	Academic & Research Ethics at JHSPH
PH.390.673	Emerging Ethical and Regulatory Issues in Clinical Research (Emerging Ethical and Regulatory Issues in Clinical Research)	3
PH.390.751	Seminars in Clinical Investigation	2
PH.390.752	Seminars in Clinical Investigation II	2
PH.390.710	Biomedical Writing I	2
PH.390.711	Biomedical Writing II	2
PH.390.721	Grant Writing and Scientific Presentation Skills I	2
PH.390.722	Grant Writing and Scientific Presentation Skills II	4
PH.140.621	Statistical Methods in Public Health I (or 140.651)	4
PH.140.622	Statistical Methods in Public Health II (or 140.652)	4
PH.140.623	Statistical Methods in Public Health III (or 140.653)	4
PH.140.624	Statistical Methods in Public Health IV (or 140.654)	4
PH.340.751	Epidemiologic Methods 1	5
PH.340.752	Epidemiologic Methods 2	5
PH.340.753	Epidemiologic Methods 3	5
PH.390.855	Research Forum	1
70 total credits are required: choose electives to reach 70

In addition to the Schoolwide policies, current students can view all GTPCI ScM program policies in the GTPCI Student Handbook.

Upon successful completion of the Master of Science degree, students will have mastered the following competencies:

• Generate and present valid research questions that address topics of public health importance.
• Recognize assumptions inherent in a particular statistical model and the corresponding limitations of the statistical method.
• Appraise scientific data for bias, confounding, and other sources of error.
•  Recognize basic principles of data science including artificial intelligence and machine learning and basic principles of health services research.
• Characterize the fundamentals of informed consent from the ethical, legal, and regulatory perspectives and apply ethical and regulatory principles to research proposals.

According to the requirements of the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), all BSPH degree students must be grounded in foundational public health knowledge. Please view the list of specific CEPH requirements by degree type.