Health Policy and Management, PhD

PhD Program Overview

Program Director: Cassandra Crifasi, PhD, MPH

The Department of Health Policy and Management (HPM) offers a full-time, residential PhD program based in Baltimore, Maryland.  The program combines coursework, research mentoring, and access to world-class research facilities. Its faculty are active scholars and experienced teachers who train students to design and conduct original, student-investigator initiated research.

All students complete a common core curriculum that is designed to meet department-wide competencies.  Each student then chooses one of four concentrations for their dissertation work; each concentration includes additional required courses and concentration-specific competencies.  The required curriculum fulfills the Introductory Public Health knowledge learning objectives for all students. 

HPM PhD Concentrations include:

• The Bioethics and Health Policy concentration, where students and faculty address the ethical issues relevant to public health policy, practice, and research.
• The Health Economics and Policy concentration, where students and faculty address the most pressing challenges in health and health care through innovative, rigorous, and interdisciplinary research in the field of health economics.  
• The Health Services Research and Policy concentration, where students and faculty address the organization, financing, and delivery of both curative and preventive health care services and their impact on access, quality, outcomes, and cost, particularly for the most vulnerable.
• The Health and Public Policy concentration, where students and faculty address the development, implementation, analysis, and evaluation of public policies to prevent disease and injury, reduce inequalities, and promote the health and quality of life of populations.

PhD Program Year-by-Year Overview and Expectations

Below is a description of how students move through the doctoral program. Expectations and typical milestones are noted for each year.  

PhD Program Requirements

Course location and modality is found on the BSPH website.

The HPM PhD trains students to conduct original, investigator-initiated research. The curriculum combines a common core in health policy, epidemiology, economics, and biostatistics with one of four concentrations, each with its own required coursework and competencies. The program’s required courses also satisfy the Introductory Public Health learning objectives.

Departmental Core Competencies and Curriculum

Core Competencies: 
Upon successful completion of the PhD program in HPM, students will have mastered the following core competencies; specifically, by the end of the program students will have the ability to:

Core Curriculum:
To meet these competencies, all HPM PhD students are required to successfully complete the following core courses: 

¹

Students are expected to participate in the graduate seminar for the first three years of the program and as much as their schedule allows in year 4.

Through coursework, research, and practice, students in Health and Public Policy gain an understanding of the relationship between health and policy. Within this concentration, students may focus their elective and dissertation studies in one of the following areas: environmental and occupational health policy, injury prevention and control, social policy and health, and the practice of prevention; other specialty areas may be developed in consultation with each student's adviser and concentration director.

Health and Public Policy Concentration Competencies and Curriculum

Health and Public Policy Concentration Competencies: 
Upon successful completion of the PhD concentration in Health and Public Policy, students will have mastered the following core competencies; specifically, by the end of the program students will have the ability to:

Social policy and health examines how social policies influence public health and/or the relationship between healthcare policy and other social policies.

Practice of Prevention
The practice of prevention examines specific public health problems such as AIDS, tobacco, obesity, and violence and develops strategies for addressing problems through traditional and innovative policies.

HPM PhD Program Policies
 

General Program Policies

These general policies apply to all PhD students throughout their enrollment in the program.

Academic Advising

Each student is assigned a faculty adviser when admitted to the program. Advisers guide students through academic requirements and course selection and help plan the proper progression toward the degree. Because advisers know current School and departmental policies, their approval is required on many School documents. Any special requests or petitions submitted to School administrative offices also need the adviser’s endorsement, in addition to the approval of the Department chair.

EXPECTATIONS, RIGHTS, AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Advisers help students define educational goals, choose coursework and independent studies, and plan steps to reach those goals. They will periodically review a student’s academic progress, noting strengths and areas for improvement. Advisers offer guidance, but students make the final decisions within Department, School, and University policies.

Students must schedule regular meetings—either in person or virtually—to discuss goals, progress, problems, and next steps. If an adviser cannot answer a question, they will refer the student to a knowledgeable source. Advisers should offer regular meeting times or provide a clear process for scheduling individual appointments. Both students and faculty may request a change of adviser; faculty may accept or decline specific advisees. To begin changing advisers, students should first consult the program director.

Change of Academic Adviser/Supervisor

If a student wishes to change their academic adviser or supervisor, they must submit a written request to the HPM PhD program director, Dr. Cassandra Crifasi, for review by department leadership.

Full-time Registration

The Department requires PhD students to be enrolled full-time for the duration of their program. Full-time registration as defined by HPM is 12 credits per traditional academic term (terms 1–4). PhD students are not required to register during the summer term. The Department discourages enrolling in more than 18 credits in a single term unless a concentration requires it; any decision to exceed 18 credits should be discussed with the student’s adviser beforehand.

University Residency Requirement

In year 1, HPM PhD students must enroll in at least 16 credits each term. Completing four consecutive terms at this level satisfies the PhD residency requirement.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Satisfactory academic progress is measured by the following:

• To maintain satisfactory academic performance and good academic standing, all PhD students must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.00 and grades of A, B, P (pass), or S (satisfactory) in all courses required by the School or department/concentration
• Written documentation of successful completion of all Bloomberg School and departmental degree requirements within the established time limitations
• Confirmation of satisfactory performance by the student’s department and/or adviser as required. Each term, the progress of students is reviewed, and those students not making satisfactory progress in terms of the cumulative grade point average and completion of requirements within established deadlines are identified. Students may not graduate unless in good academic standing. Continuation in the program while not in good academic standing falls under the purview of the department and program leadership.  
• A D is not considered a passing grade for HPM PhD students. Whether a D is considered acceptable to serve as a prerequisite will be determined by the course's sponsoring department. 
• IMPORTANT: Students receiving federal loans and federal work-study funding must adhere to the Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy posted on the Financial Aid Office website.

Pass/Fail Registration Option

All required core and concentration courses must be taken for a letter grade unless the course is only offered on a pass/fail basis (graduate seminars for example). 

Waivers for CEPH Competency Courses

Students who earned a degree from an accredited School of Public Health since 2020 have already met the CEPH learning objectives and do not need to repeat them through the Cells to Society courses. A waiver process is available. Contact the HPM Office of Academic Affairs before matriculation for details on how to request the waiver.

University PhD Policies

• PhD Mentoring Policies and Resources
• PhD Professional Development Policies and Resources
• University Requirements for PhD

BSPH Academic Policies

• Academic Leave of Absence (LOA) Policy
• Academic Ethics Code
• Student Grievance Policy

PhD Student Employee Union and Collective Bargaining Agreement

Information about the TRU-JHU PhD Student Union and the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) can be found on this website. 

• PhD students in the HPM PhD program who receive work appointments and/or health insurance premium subsidy through Johns Hopkins University are under the Collective Bargaining Agreement dated March 29, 2024-June 30, 2027.
• This agreement has established wages, work hours, benefits, and conditions of appointment, many of these are described below.
• Eligible PhD students will be contacted by the Union and may elect to join the union and pay dues or pay agency fees. All eligible PhD students are under the CBA, regardless of Union membership.
• This agreement only covers work, which is limited to 20 hours per week on average for base funding. A PhD student employee may voluntarily elect to participate in supplemental-funded activities beyond the 20 hours per week on average.
• Academic policies are defined elsewhere in this catalogue.

This is just a summary, not the actual terms of the CBA. To review the actual terms of the CBA please click on the link. Not all elements of the agreement are summarized below.  Questions may be directed to HPM via the department's CBA email, HPM_PhDCBA@jh.edu. 

CBA Summary

• Compensation
  • Academic year (AY) 26-27: $52,000 effective July 1, 2026
  • The hourly appointment rate will be $28.11/hour, at minimum for teaching/research supplemental appointments. 
  • Minimum 4 years of guaranteed funding for all PhD student employees in the Bloomberg School of Public Health.
  • PhD student employees with external awards paid through the University will have their compensation increased to the minimum rate during the period of guaranteed funding. 
• Benefits
  • Enrollment information will be available through HR Benefits for Students and Learners and communications will be sent in advance of benefits election periods.
  • Paid by the University
    • The University will pay the premiums for University Student Health Benefits Plan (SHBP), including dental and vision coverage, employee coverage for employees in full-time resident status during the terms of full appointments.
    • PhD student employees will receive subsidies of $4,500 per child per year for eligible children under 6 years and $3,000 per child aged 6-18 years or adult dependent, with a maximum of $12,000 per family per year, in installments throughout the year.
  • Reimbursed by University/Departments
    • The University will pay the cost of the health insurance premiums for eligible dependent children and spouses unable to work in the US, including dental and vision. Reimbursement procedures will be available on the HR Benefits website.
    • International students will be eligible to apply to a yearly fund to cover required visa fees. 
    • Students will be eligible for reimbursement for MTA All Access College Transit Passes or DC U-Passes. Registration and enrollment information will be available on the HR Benefits website.
• Time Off/Vacation/Leaves 
  • All University holidays are recognized. 
  • PhD student employees have at least 15 vacation days per year. Additional time can be given by a supervisor. 
  • PhD student employees receive 15 sick days per year with an additional 5 days if the student is primary caregiver. 
  • PhD student employees receive 5 days of bereavement leave for the passing of immediate and extended family members and close friends, with 1 additional day for those needing international travel. 
  • International PhD student employees who are required to travel out of the country in order to maintain their immigration status necessary to be able to continue their program at the University are eligible for up to fourteen (14) days off with pay during the period of such travel.
  • Parents are eligible for 8 weeks of paid leave following birth or adoption, with an additional 4 weeks for parents who have just given birth.  New Child Accommodation applies to the academic, not work, PhD student experience.
  • Leaves of absence, including family leave, medical leave, and personal leave, are governed by the applicable academic divisional and University leave policies.
• Work Hours
  • No PhD student employee shall be required to perform work for more than 20 hours/week on average.
  • Teaching appointments are included in the 20 hours of work that may be assigned. Academic coursework, exams, and academic research are in addition to this assigned 20 hours of work.
  • There are no restrictions on work external to Hopkins except when decreed by funding source or visa status.
  • All work appointments (baseline funding or supplemental funding) require an appointment letter. Appointment letters will define the expectations and requirements of the teaching, research, or other University activity appointment. Students should contact their department/program administrator with any questions.
• Union Representation
  • All directory information will be sent to the Union unless restricted. Supplemental information will require a FERPA consent form available on SIS self-service (jhed login required).
  • Union Representatives are current PhD Student Employees who are elected/selected to help their fellow PhD Student Employees navigate work-related disciplines, grievances, and other procedural/policy issues. Contact TRU-JHU with questions about specific Union Representatives.
  • TRU-JHU Contact Information
    • Website: trujhu.org
    • Phone: (443) 281-9462
    • Address: TRU-UE Local 197, PO Box 41149, Baltimore, MD 21203
    • Email: trujhu@gmail.com

Year 1 Expectations

The following describes policies and procedures related to the first year expectations. 

University Residency & Course Distribution Requirements

Residency requirement: To meet the university residency requirement, students must complete four consecutive terms of full-time enrollment. For this purpose, full-time enrollment is 16 credits per term.

Course distribution requirement: Each PhD student must complete at least 64 credits after matriculation. At least 18 of those credits must be formal coursework taken outside HPM, with a minimum of 9 credits taken in the BSPH. If a student completed a BSPH master’s degree within three years before entering the PhD program, the outside-HPM coursework requirement is reduced to 12 credits, including at least 6 credits in the BSPH.

CTL Teaching Assistant Training Module

All HPM PhD students must complete the BSPH Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) Teaching Assistantship Training before their first TA assignment. This single, self-paced course prepares students to serve as TAs for both on-campus and online courses.  Registration information can be found on the CTL website. 

Academic Teaching Requirement

Teaching experience is a required part of the HPM PhD program to develop skills for delivering instruction in academic and professional settings. Each PhD student must serve as a full-time teaching assistant (TA) for six HPM departmental courses while enrolled. Only HPM courses officially allocated a TA by the department count toward this academic teaching requirement. Students in the Bioethics & Health Policy concentration may count up to two courses from the Berman Bioethics Institute toward their six-course requirement. Students typically fulfill the six-course requirement during years 1–3 and must complete it by June 30 of their third year.

When meeting the academic teaching requirement, students register for PH.300.828 Teaching in Health Policy and Management (1 credit). They register for this special studies course with the primary course instructor as their faculty mentor. At the end of the term the instructor evaluates the student based on TA performance and a short reflection paper. Registration for PH.300.828 and submission of the HR onboarding form serve as documentation that the teaching requirement has been completed.

Academic Research Apprenticeship

HPM PhD students must complete at least two research projects or activities, beyond their dissertation, over three academic terms to gain experience with different research approaches. Acceptable activities include, but are not limited to: research design (literature review, conceptual framework), community development/liaison work, needs assessment, development and piloting of interventions or materials, quantitative or qualitative data collection, data analysis and interpretation, policy analysis, manuscript or grant preparation, and other adviser-approved research tasks.

Students are encouraged to do these apprenticeships within the department but may pursue opportunities elsewhere in the School, University, or off campus. The two projects can be parts of the same study or two separate studies. Students typically complete the apprenticeship during years 1–3 and must finish it by June 30 of their third year.

During terms when they are meeting this requirement, students register for PH.300.863 HPM Academic Research Apprenticeship (3 credits) with the primary faculty member leading the research. The research lead evaluates the student based on a short reflection paper. Registration for PH.300.863 and receipt of a posted grade at the end of each term document completion. Apprenticeships are expected to average about 9 hours per week over at least three full academic terms.

Qualifying Exam

PhD students take the departmental qualifying exam at the end of their first year, offered each May/June. To be eligible, students must have completed the required first-year courses and maintained a minimum 3.0 GPA. Students who matriculate in the fall are expected to sit for the exam at that time; exceptions may be considered case-by-case by the Academic Policy and Admissions Committee (APAC) and the PhD Exam Committee. The HPM PhD Qualifying Exam Guidelines are available on the HPM doctoral SharePoint portal (portal login required).

Year 2 Expectations

The following describes policies and procedures related to the second year expectations.

Special Studies Registration 1st and 2nd terms

Second-year PhD students must register for 1 credit of special studies with their adviser in each of the first and second terms. During these terms they will identify one to three potential thesis topics using literature reviews and other research methods. This work prepares them for the Research and Proposal Writing courses in terms 3 and 4. By the end of the second year, students are expected to have a proposal that is ready to be defended successfully at the department and school-wide examinations.  

Thesis Proposal

All HPM PhD students must submit a narrative project description that addresses the following points before they may sit for the Departmental Oral Exam (DOE) and the school-wide Preliminary Oral Exam (POE).  The proposal should follow the NIH RO1 structure and include these components: Specific aims (1 page), Significance of the proposed research with a focus on demonstrating mastery of the literature (up to 4 pages), Innovation of the research and/or methods (up to 1 page), Conceptual model (up to 1 page), Approach (up to 9 pages), Timeline for dissertation completion (or Gantt Chart) (up to 1 page) and References, which are not included in the page limit. The proposal should generally run about 13-16 pages (excluding references), single spaced with a minimum of 11-point font.
Note: Format flexibility is allowed to accommodate disciplinary differences in consultation with advisers and concentration directors. For example, Bioethics students may have a normative specific aim; the methods section for that aim can be shorter or formatted differently as appropriate. 

PhD Pre-Orals Progress Report

The Department supports timely progress through the PhD program by requiring regular progress reports. All PhD students must submit these reports to the HPM Office of Academic Affairs. Students who have passed the written qualifying exam but not yet the Preliminary Oral Exam (POE) must submit reports every December 1 and June 1 until they pass the POE. Each report must be reviewed, discussed, and approved by the student’s adviser before submission.

Individual Development Plan (IDP)

The Individual Development Plan (IDP) is a tool for self-reflection, planning, and communication between the student and their faculty adviser and mentors. Its purpose is to support the student’s success in the program and readiness for their chosen career. The IDP helps the student to:

• assess current skills, interests, and strengths;
• plan skill development to meet academic and professional goals; and
• communicate and collaborate with supervisors, advisers, mentors, and potential employers about evolving goals and needed skills.

Timing and requirements:

• Rising second-year HPM PhD students will receive instructions for preparing the IDP after they pass the first-year qualifying exam.
• Students must complete the self-assessment and IDP and then meet with their adviser to discuss it before submitting their first progress report (due in the fall of the second year).
• Third- and fourth-year students must revisit and discuss their IDP with their adviser annually when submitting their yearly progress report.

Year 3 Expectations

The following describes policies and procedures related to the third year expectations. 

Departmental Oral Exam (DOE)

The Departmental Oral Exam (DOE) assesses whether the student is ready, both academically and research-wise, to pass the school-wide oral exam and to conduct their thesis research independently. The DOE should be held near the end of year 2 or the start of year 3 and must be completed before substantial engagement in thesis research. It cannot occur until after the student has passed the departmental qualifying exam.

The DOE is based on the student’s thesis proposal, which the faculty committee uses as the basis for questioning. The committee must include at least three faculty members, one of whom must be the student’s adviser. A fourth alternate member should be identified and may participate. Guidelines for the Departmental Preliminary Oral Exam are available on the Department’s SharePoint portal (login required).

School-wide Preliminary Oral Exam (POE)

The Preliminary Oral Exam (POE) occurs after the student has passed both the departmental qualifying exam and the Departmental Oral Exam (DOE). Its purpose is to determine whether the student has the knowledge and ability to carry out substantial research in their chosen area, as described in the PhD PPM.

Examiners will evaluate the student’s logical reasoning, breadth of relevant knowledge, and capacity to design and complete research that leads to a dissertation. The student’s proposal is used to assess these abilities, but the POE is not a defense of that specific proposal. The student should be prepared to explain and defend the public health significance of the proposed work and the methods proposed to investigate it.

The POE should be taken as early as is feasible, before substantial engagement in thesis research, and only after passing the DOE. If a student fails the POE and is allowed a reexamination, the reexamination must occur within one year.

IRB Approval

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) helps students apply ethical principles when their research involves human subjects or human data, even if formal IRB review is not required.

All HPM PhD research must receive IRB review. Students must obtain IRB approval or an approved exemption within three months of passing the POE. Students should consult the IRB website and review the Student Primer and FAQ posted there.

Thesis Research Documentation Form

PhD students must submit the "Thesis Research Documentation Form" within three months of passing the School-wide Preliminary Oral Exam. The form requires signatures from the student, their adviser, and the HPM Academic Office before submission. Submit the completed form to the HPM Office of Academic Affairs; the office will forward it to the appropriate school office. Forms sent directly to the school without the HPM Academic Office signature will not be accepted.

HPM Student Dissertation Grant Proposal Submission Process 

Dissertation funding from outside the School usually requires a formal grant proposal. HPM supports students through proposal submission and award management.

Students planning to apply for external dissertation funding must contact the Department’s Grants and Contracts Manager for help with the application. All proposals to external funders must be reviewed and approved by the Office of Research Administration (ORA). The department requires submission of all application materials at least 8 business days before the funder’s deadline. Contact the Grants and Contracts Analyst for specific internal deadlines.

After submitting a grant, the student must be reachable by email or phone for at least 72 hours in case questions arise.

Thesis Advisory Committee

Within three months of passing the POE, each PhD student must form a thesis advisory committee. The committee must include the student’s adviser plus at least two other faculty members (from inside or outside the Department). The committee will meet with the student at least once a year until graduation to review progress.

Before each annual meeting, the student must submit a written summary report to the advisory committee. Once approved by the committee, that summary must be included with the student’s annual progress report submitted to the Department each June. A sample summary report is available on the Department’s SharePoint portal (login required).

Post-Orals Progress Report

The Department supports timely progress through the PhD program by requiring annual progress reports. After a student passes the POE, they must submit a progress report to the HPM Office of Academic Affairs every year until graduation. Reports are due June 1 and must be reviewed and discussed with the student’s adviser before submission.

Process to Request an Extension to the School-wide Preliminary Oral Exam

The School requires students to take the POE before the start of their fourth year. If a student cannot meet this deadline, they must request a formal extension from both the Department and the School before continuing in the program.

Key points and timeline

• Submit the initial extension request at least two months before the start of the fourth year. The extension may cover no more than two terms.
• The request is first reviewed by the HPM APAC Student Matters Subcommittee; if approved there, it is forwarded to the School’s Committee on Academic Standards (CAS) Student Matters Subcommittee for final review.

Required materials (incomplete requests will not be considered)

• A letter from the student stating the reasons for the extension (signed by the student).
• A supporting letter from the student’s adviser (signed).
• A timetable and plan, developed with the adviser, listing specific milestones and deadlines the student will meet to prepare for the POE.
• A copy of the student’s current transcript.

If HPM approves the request, the Department will include a supporting letter when forwarding it to the School. If the School grants an extension, the student and adviser must document progress at intervals set by the School subcommittee (no more than every 90 days) showing advancement toward the plan’s milestones. Failure to meet those milestones may lead to further action. Requests for a second extension are reviewed very carefully and require full supporting documentation.

Year 4 Expectations

The following describes policies and procedures related to the fourth year expectations. 

Thesis Guidelines

All PhD students must complete an original research project and present it as a thesis. The thesis must be based on original work, be of publishable quality, and be acceptable to the Department and the student’s faculty readers. Although preliminary research ideas may be discussed during the application process, the formal thesis proposal must be developed, reviewed, and approved by Departmental faculty while the student is enrolled in the BSPH program.

Thesis format options
PhD students in HPM may choose either a traditional thesis or a manuscript-oriented thesis. The format choice should be decided by the time of the Departmental Oral Exam (DOE). If a student later wishes to change formats, they must obtain approval from their adviser and thesis committee.

Traditional thesis

• Structure: abstract, five chapters, references, and appendices. Chapter lengths and organization will vary by discipline; the following is a guideline:
  • Abstract: brief summary of purposes, methods, key results, and implications (about 2–3 double-spaced pages).
  • Chapter 1 – Introduction: statement of the problem and specific aims (about 5–6 pages).
  • Chapter 2 – Literature review: detailed review of the literature relevant to the topic and methods (about 30–60 pages).
  • Chapter 3 – Methods: description of study design, data sources, instruments, data processing, analyses, and human subjects considerations (about 20–40 pages).
  • Chapter 4 – Results: presentation of main findings, often organized by aims or research questions (about 25–50 pages).
  • Chapter 5 – Discussion and implications: interpretation of findings, limitations, policy or practical implications, and directions for future research (about 25–50 pages).
  • References: full citation list in any standard format.
  • Appendices: instruments, additional tables, the student’s CV, and other supplementary material. Key results should appear in the main text, not only in appendices.

Manuscript-oriented thesis

• Structure:
  • Three (or more) papers tied to the student’s thesis topic (one may be a comprehensive literature review if suitable for publication).
  • An integration chapter that synthesizes and discusses the findings from the manuscripts, draws conclusions, and suggests further research.
  • An appendix detailing methods and any necessary data tables to understand the analyses.
• Requirements:
  • The student must be first author on the three manuscripts used in the thesis.
  • No manuscript that was submitted for publication before the student passed the POE may be included.
  • Co-authorship must follow International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) authorship guidelines.

Role of the faculty adviser (for any thesis)

• The adviser’s role is to guide and support the student’s independent research and completion of the thesis.
• The thesis must represent the student’s original and independent work. Advisers may give feedback and be co-authors when appropriate, but they should not draft the first version of manuscript sections or perform substantial rewrites on the student’s behalf.
• Decisions about co-authorship should be made early in the writing process.

Thesis Approval

PhD advisers must officially approve the final thesis draft before it is shared with the Final Oral Examination (FOE) committee. Each thesis copy distributed to committee members must include a signed Thesis Approval Form (available on the Department SharePoint portal). Students should provide the approved final thesis to all readers at least five weeks before the FOE.

Thesis Readers and Final Oral Exam (FOE)

The Department must submit paperwork to the School's Office of Academic Affairs to establish the formal final examination committee at least six weeks before the defense. (Forms are available on the Department SharePoint portal; login required.)

Final Public Seminar and Closed Oral Final Defense

The final steps for a PhD candidate include a public seminar followed immediately by a closed oral thesis defense before the Final Oral Examination (FOE) committee.

Scheduling and attendance

• The public seminar is 1 hour. The closed defense must be scheduled for an additional 2 hours.
• FOE committee members must attend both the public seminar and the closed defense.
• Students are encouraged to attend peers’ public seminars when possible.

Outcome and revisions

• The FOE committee will evaluate each component of the thesis as Acceptable, Acceptable with Revisions, or Unacceptable (applies to both traditional and manuscript-oriented theses).
• Under an adviser’s guidance, the student must revise the thesis until all components are judged Acceptable.

Post-exam obligations

• Passing the FOE does not end the student’s responsibilities. Students must remain continuously registered until all degree requirements are complete, including receiving thesis acceptance letters and submitting the final electronic thesis to the Sheridan Library.
• Once all materials are submitted and accepted, the student will be reported to the Committee on Academic Standards as complete.

Online Submission of Thesis to Sheridan Library

• ETD Electronic Submission
• Formatting Instructions
• Sheridan Library contact: dissertations@jhu.edu
• Publication Embargo: Students are allowed to choose an embargo period of 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 years during the ETD submission. This means that the Sheridan Library will withhold publication of the thesis for the period of time chosen. The Sheridan Library does make some details of the thesis public (student name, degree, thesis title, abstract) during the embargo period, but the actual thesis is hidden from view. 
• The Department of Health Policy and Management does not require submission of an electronic or paper copy of the final thesis document to the department. However, students must forward the thesis acceptance confirmation from the Sheridan Library to the HPM Office of Academic Affairs to certify completion of all program requirements. 

Extension Request for Completion of Degree Requirements

PhD Program Learning Outcomes

HPM PhD Departmental Competencies

Upon successful completion of the PhD program in Health Policy and Management, students in each of the four concentrations will have mastered the following core competencies; specifically, by the end of the program students will have the ability to:

• Analyze the nature, scope and determinants of major health policy problems by applying conceptual frameworks from key academic disciplines, formulating testable hypotheses, and identifying appropriate interventions based on an understanding of the existing evidence base.
• Critique the policymaking process, including the underlying roles of legislation, regulation, litigation, and advocacy; the differences between federal, state, and local policies; and the influence of academic research in the policy formulation and evaluation processes.
• Assess the organization and financing of public health and/or medical services and critique their impact on access and use, quality of care, costs, and outcomes.
• Apply appropriate rigorous empirical methods to the evaluation of health policy, including a well-rounded foundation of the methods and tools of public health.
• Communicate scientific findings effectively through written and oral methods to technical and lay audiences, demonstrating an ability to interpret study limitations and prior research.
• Conduct research in accordance with the highest ethical standards, scientific integrity, and interpersonal collegiality.

Concentration in Bioethics and Health Policy Competencies

Upon successful completion of the PhD concentration in Bioethics and Health Policy, students will have mastered the following core competencies; specifically, by the end of the program students will have the ability to:

• Recognize ethical dimensions of problems in public health practice, research, and health policy, and identify which ethical principles or foundational ethical theories are at stake and potentially in tension.
• Analyze ethical problems in public health practice, research, and health policy, identify and communicate morally compelling lines of argument that may include: building on existing ethical frameworks, further specification of an existing framework or ethical principle; further specification of an ethical norm or formulating a novel ethical norm.
• Critically review and synthesize relevant literature from moral and political philosophy and public health ethics in analyzing moral problems in public health practice, research, and health policy.
• Identify when, why, and how empirical scholarship can make a contribution to bioethics and how data can be relevant to normative analysis.
• Construct ethical arguments for or against different kinds of public health programs and policies.

Concentration in Health Economics and Policy Competencies

Upon successful completion of the PhD concentration in Health Economics and Policy, students will have mastered the following core competencies; specifically, by the end of the program students will have the ability to:

• Apply key concepts in microeconomic theory, including how the behavior of individual households and firms affects the market supply and demand of goods and services and how market failures arise under certain circumstances.
• Analyze key theoretical concepts in health economics, including the underlying determinants of health, patient demand for healthcare services, and the organization and financing of healthcare services, with an emphasis on critiquing the effects of alternative forms of financing and organizing healthcare services on cost, quality, access, and overall public health.
• Apply key concepts in applied econometrics, including sophisticated empirical models for healthcare utilization, expenditures, and health outcomes.
• Apply key concepts in applied econometrics, including various rigorous empirical approaches that emphasize causal inferences for policy analysis.
• Conduct original research in the field of health economics, ranging from conception of innovative ideas through study design, selection and application of appropriate analytic methods and data; interpretation of results; and both written and oral dissemination of findings.

Concentration in Health and Public Policy Competencies

Upon successful completion of the PhD concentration in Health and Public Policy, students will have mastered the following core competencies; specifically, by the end of the program students will have the ability to:

• Identify, describe, and analyze a public health problem, and recommend an appropriate policy solution to address it (e.g., legislative, regulatory, judicial, organizational).
• Examine and explain the steps of the policymaking process, including problem setting, formulation, implementation, analysis, and evaluation.
• Critically compare and apply theories of the policy process to the study of public health problems.
• Characterize the major institutions, sectors, and stakeholders involved in the policymaking processes at the global, federal, state, and local levels.
• Effectively translate and communicate public health policy research, in both oral and written forms, to policymakers, key stakeholders, and the public.

Concentration in Health Services Research & Policy Competencies

Upon successful completion of the PhD concentration in Health Services Research and Policy, students will have mastered the following core competencies; specifically, by the end of the program students will have the ability to:

• Characterize and illustrate key concepts and developments in the field of health services research, including issues relating to care quality and safety, access, cost, and the role and effects of alternative forms of organizing and financing services. 
• Integrate and critique theoretical and empirical literature in the formulation of an original and significant health services research and policy research question with a clear and testable hypothesis.
• Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of experimental, quasi-experimental and observational study designs and formulate the most appropriate design for a specified research question.
• Identify, evaluate, and determine the most suitable data source for a specified research question (data sources may include existing data sources or the development of a primary data collection protocol utilizing quantitative or qualitative methods). 
• Select and implement appropriate analytic techniques from advanced epidemiological, statistical, economic, and qualitative or survey methods to examine a specified research question. 

CEPH-Defined Introductory Public Health Learning Objectives

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.