The Ph.D. in Applied Sciences with specialization in Global Public Health provides postgraduate education to prepare students for a career in several essential and innovative areas of interdisciplinary specialization through a sound foundation in the biomedical, engineering, and data sciences. Like the MPH program, the Ph.D. in Applied Sciences with specialization in Global Public Health recognizes the need of the practitioner to be cognizant of the social, behavioral, policy, and regulatory dimensions of public health in the regional and global context of today’s world. Through its implementation of the science and engineering program perspective, they will prepare practitioners with a mission of innovation, implementation, education, and service as global citizens committed to health, disease identification, mitigation, and prevention. This is essential to meet our region’s global public health workforce needs. The graduate will be empowered to conduct independent and innovative research that addresses challenges and implements solutions through policy-makers’ engagement and train future leaders in the health sector, regionally and globally.
Program Goals and Objectives
The mission of the Ph.D. in Applied Sciences with specialization in Global Public Health is to prepare graduates to advance the public’s health through research, education, health promotion, and the improvement of health outcomes of populations and individuals domestically and globally by fostering critical thinking, leadership, and decision-making of a knowledgeable workforce and scholars.
- Implement a competency-based curriculum and systematic assessment to ensure that graduates are prepared with the knowledge, values, and skills to assume leadership roles in global public health as researchers and practitioners;
- Integrate experiential inter-professional teamwork with social and global perspectives into coursework, fieldwork, and thesis projects designed to foster the development of core public health competencies and a commitment to achieving health equity in community service in diverse communities;
- Link public health research and practice by engaging faculty, students, public health and medical professionals, and the community in conducting public health scholarly projects and applied research designed to advance the field and practice.
- Establish a synergy between disciplines focusing on translation, implementation, and assessment outside the classroom.
- Foster a holistic approach that respects the individual, the public, the global community, and the environment to ensure sustainability, responsibility, and accountability.
Learning Outcomes
The following outcomes are in addition to the Ph.D. program outcomes for the programs in global public health. These learning outcomes are based on the recommendations of the CePH, the accrediting body for Public Health. They also reflect the core public health competencies the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) identified.
Global Public Health Program Outcomes
Upon completion of the Ph.D. in Applied Sciences with specialization in Global Public Health, graduates will be prepared to:
- Understand the relationship between environmental, social, and cultural factors as well as biological determinants and community health; discuss solutions for health problems through an understanding of the holistic precision health concept.
- Critically analyze research evidence and relevant data (identify and apply appropriate statistical methods) to determine health care trends and best practices and develop suitable public health interventions.
- Manage public health projects through assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation, and sustainability to realize best practices.
- Communicate effectively and efficiently to leverage public health awareness.
- Assess how moral and ethical values influence decision-making, policy development, and health outcomes in diverse populations.
- Examine the application of community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles in public health programs and projects in various settings.
A distinguishing feature of the Ph.D. in Applied Sciences with specialization in Global Public Health, the Precision Health track elucidates our commitment to providing our students with training in an emerging, innovative, and growing area of expertise. The US National Institute of Health (NIH, 2017) is promoting the initiative into Precision Health by initiating the “All of Us” research program to use new technology to create some of the largest and most diverse longitudinal cohorts in history. The Dean of Stanford School of Medicine, Dr. Minor (2016), highlighted the importance of fostering Precision Health as a way to promote new integrations between health and other fields, such as engineering, computer science, and business innovation, to achieve our most prominent common end: making people healthy. Precision Health, as interpreted in the proposed programs, combines strengths in targeted delivery of nanoformulation (drugs, genes) with the personalized medical approaches of biomarker diagnostics, pharmaco- and toxicogenomics, and gene-environment interactions. It takes a holistic systems approach of the “omics” disciplines (genomics, proteomics, metabolomics), internal environment (e.g., microbiome), and external environment in identifying risk and intervention in nervous system disorders and mental well-being. It is based on appreciating individual differences that impact intervention and therapy. These programs, built on engagement, are also intimately keyed into the need for interpretation of risk to the public through health communication. Health communication is essential to motivate healthy behavior and reduce health risks and the burden of disease in communities, as well as at institutions and agencies throughout the nation and region, including the Ministry of Health and Population, the World Health Organization, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and governorate and local health departments, as well as the media.
Students
Students that may be interested in the Ph.D. in Applied Sciences with specialization in Global Public Health are students with Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from an accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in their major or higher, including natural sciences, engineering, medicine, pharmacy, and nursing, as well as the social and behavioral sciences: 1) Current AUC students in the M.Sc. in Engineering, Interdisciplinary programs, or other MSc. 2) Students from other academic institutions with a wide range of backgrounds who are interested in expanding their career options in public health, particularly current employees from local Departments and Ministries of Health and health agencies such as hospitals, physicians, nurses, safety engineers, agricultural engineers, and chemists. 3) current employees with an MSc, such as professionals working in hospitals, insurance companies, pharmaceuticals, sustainability, and other areas seeking to improve their skills and be eligible for a broader range of career options.
Degree Requirements
Admission
A Bachelor’s degree in the sciences, medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, nursing, or engineering, with a minimum GPA of 3.0 out of 4.0 or equivalent, and an MS or MPH from an accredited institution are required for the Ph.D. in Applied Sciences with specialization in Global Public Health program. Students with social and behavioral sciences, policy, management, and business backgrounds can be admitted into selected tracks but are subject to the core curriculum. Admission is also subject to the general university requirements for graduate programs. For those students whose grade records indicate promising ability but who otherwise may lack adequate preparation in sciences, biomedicine, or engineering, admission may be granted under the requirement that additional probationary courses will be taken.
Program Objectives
The objectives of the Ph.D. in Applied Sciences with specialization in Global Public Health are:
- To introduce students to a combination of fundamentals and field implementation research experience with an appreciation for community engagement, communication, and empowerment in affecting change through behavior, best practices, and policy pertinent to Public Health within the local, regional, and global communities. It is also aimed at creating a knowledgeable workforce needed to tackle the challenges and goals of the UN SDGs.
- Train students to function competently in the general five pillars of public health (Social and behavioral Sciences, Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Environmental Health, and Health Policy and Management) and other functional competency areas identified by the Council on Education for Public Health (CePH).
- Prepare and enable students to collaborate with communities and community-based healthcare professionals on public health initiatives.
- Empower students to assume beginning leadership roles in public health (specific to tracks) and in organizations and coalitions that advance public health.
- Educate students to critically analyze research evidence and relevant data (e.g., big data) to determine healthcare trends and best practices and develop appropriate public health interventions.
- Prepare and enable students to manage public health projects through assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation, and sustainability to realize best practices.
- Train students to communicate effectively and efficiently, in writing and orally, to foster collaboration, teamwork, and achievement of knowledge-practices dissemination and health outcomes for improved wellness, quality of life, and optimal intervention.
Ph.D. Specific Program Objectives
The mission of the Ph.D. in Applied Sciences with specialization in Global Public Health is to provide in-depth training to students in Global Public Health and take the lead in conducting original research leading to a doctoral dissertation.
The program’s primary goal is to provide students with an opportunity to contribute to advancing knowledge in the field of applied sciences pertinent to Global Public Health. The program aims to provide students with the opportunity to develop their professional knowledge and expertise to a high caliber and qualify for leadership positions in teaching, research, administration and management policy analysis, and program development. The program caters to industry and research institutes’ demands and strongly emphasizes original thinking, professional behavior, and ethical conduct.
Doctoral of Philosophy Degree Requirements
Students going through this program are expected to complete the following requirements:
- Pass the required coursework with a GPA of 3.0 or higher: This ensures the breadth of knowledge of the Ph.D. student.
- Passing a Qualifying Examination signifies that the coursework has been completed and that the student has sufficient background knowledge in their field of specialization.
- Present and defend a proposal of the intended research work: This demonstrates that the candidate has defined their research problem and can identify the research methodology they will adopt.
- Submit a written Dissertation and defend it in a final Oral Defense: This marks the completion of the requirements for the Ph.D. degree.
Doctoral Coursework
As part of the process of achieving candidacy, a doctoral student must complete a set of courses known as doctoral candidacy coursework. It includes at least thirty-six (36) credit hours of relevant graduate coursework beyond the bachelor’s degree, of which at least eighteen (18) credit hours must be earned at AUC. Students who change their major specialization from that used for their master’s degree to a new specialization for their Ph.D. degree may have to take more than thirty-six (36) hours to fulfill the course requirements. Because of the program’s interdisciplinary nature and to ensure sufficient breadth of study, the program is designed to include required core coursework in areas outside one’s main specialization. In addition, the student must complete three (3) credit hours of Seminar courses and register for thirty-three (33) credit hours of Dissertation research work. Courses for each specialization will be listed at the 5000 and 6000 levels, and remedial courses will be taken at the 4000 level whenever necessary.
The Academic Advisor and the Research Advisory Committee
The student’s specialization determines the academic advisor and is particularly important for assistance in the preliminary course planning of a student’s Ph.D. program. Each specialization has at least one faculty member advisor (usually the Graduate Program Director of the discipline). The academic advisor will be available to help the students with their preliminary choice of courses. As the student progresses in the program, she/he chooses the members of the Research Advisory Committee, which consists of the Chair of the Committee (Dissertation supervisor) and at least two other members. This committee plays a more significant role in finalizing the courses for the student’s Plan of Study and advising their research work. It is the student’s responsibility to find an AUC faculty member willing to serve as the Research Advisory Committee Chair and choose, in consultation with them, the other members.
Ph.D. Plan of Study for Qualification and Candidacy
The Ph.D. plan of Study is intended to help students select courses and ensure that their academic program meets the Ph.D. coursework requirements. It will also allow students to identify a sequence of courses that meets their professional objectives. A preliminary Plan of Study will be drafted in consultation with the student’s academic advisor and should be submitted before the student signs up to take the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination.
As the student advances in the program, they should choose the members of their Research Advisory Committee. The final study plan will be drafted in consultation with the Research Advisory Committee. A final, up-to-date copy must be submitted before the student applies to take the qualifying exam.
The Plan of Study must list the courses the student has to take to satisfy the qualification coursework requirements and constitute a coherent program within the scope of the chosen specialization (taken or intended). It is the student’s responsibility to ensure all requirements are met. Any departure from the requirements must be requested by written petition, which should typically flow from the supervisor to the director of the specialization area and then to the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research for final approval.
Doctoral Qualifying Examination
The purpose of the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination is to evaluate the student’s ability to analyze problems and to synthesize solutions. It should demonstrate the ability of the student to interrelate basic concepts and ideas in her/his field of study. At least twelve (12) weeks prior to the examination, the student must submit a request indicating her/his intention to take the examination. The Ph.D. Qualifying Examination will be administrated by an Examining Committee in each specialization.. Following the examination, the Examining Committee will submit an evaluation of the student’s performance to the Office of the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research. The qualifying examination is typically taken in the semester immediately following the completion of the course work credit hours, but no later than during the fourth semester since admission into the program. Any deviation from this schedule must be made by written petition and subsequent approval as indicated earlier.
Students who wish to sit for the Qualifying Examination in a given semester are required to register for PHDS 6888 during the add/drop period of that semester.
The Proposal Defense
Typically, in the semester, immediately after the successful completion of the qualifying examination, the student has to write a research proposal under the guidance of the Dissertation supervisor and will give a Proposal Presentation in front of the Research Advisory Committee. Upon the acceptance of the proposal by the Research Advisory Committee, the student makes an oral presentation of the research proposal, including relevant background material. During and after the presentation, the committee will explore the research project with the student to provide guidance and evaluate its suitability. They will report their recommendation to the Office of the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research. If the student does not present an acceptable proposal, the student must take immediate steps to refine the proposal in consultation with the dissertation supervisor. The Proposal Presentation requirement is completed when the Research Advisory Committee chair reports a successful proposal presentation to the associate dean’s office for graduate studies and research at the School of Sciences and Engineering.
Following the proposal’s acceptance, the Dissertation Defense Committee is finalized. The committee consists of three members of the Research Advisory Committee and two external examiners. The external examiners should be well-qualified and highly established experts in the candidate’s field of study. The committee will be selected in consultation with the supervisor, the Research Advisory Committee, and the director of the specialization area and approved by the Ph.D. program director and the associate dean for graduate studies and research at the School of Sciences and Engineering.
Publications Requirement
Before the dissertation defense, the candidate is required to have at least two accepted peer-reviewed international research publications, one of which must be a journal publication in a reputable international journal. The publications should originate from the Ph.D. (not a previous M.Sc.).
The Dissertation and Its Defense - Final Oral Defense
Upon completion, the dissertation will be sent to the external examiners for evaluation. The Ph.D. program director will contact the examiner two months before the final oral defense and will be asked to provide detailed written evaluations of the dissertation. The examiner’s recommendations will inform the decision of the Ph.D. program director and the associate dean for graduate studies and research whether the student proceeds to final oral defense or whether major revisions - including additional work - are needed. Copies of the external examiner’s reports will be shared with the student before the defense to address them. The student will defend the dissertation in an open examination before the committee. The remote attendance of an international external examiner residing abroad in the final oral defense is permitted. Each member of the Dissertation Defense Committee will submit a written evaluation of the dissertation after the Oral Defense. Following the successful oral defense, the student must consult with the dissertation supervisor about any changes required by the committee and must address these changes before the final submission of the dissertation to the school dean.
Program Competencies
Consistent with the Association of Schools and Programs in Public Health (ASPPH) Definition of the Ph.D. and Dr.PH. in Public Health and the Doctorate Model for Public Health: Definition: The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in the global public health concentration is designed to prepare the student for a profession in teaching and research. Ph.D.s and Doctor of Science (ScD) in public health continue their careers teaching at a university, conducting research in a national laboratory, or doing fieldwork with populations across the globe.
A PhD in Public Health is much more research-based and covers topics ranging from disease and injury prevention to health informatics and communication. Typical focus areas include Bioethics, Environmental Health (Industrial Hygiene, Toxicology), Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Laboratory Sciences, Genetics and Genomics, etc. Each location is rooted in public health but focused on its scope. Because of this, classes and the curriculum will be focused on research in the context of public health issues.
Critical Analysis
Competencies are essential, including synthesizing and applying evidence-based research and theory from various disciplines and health-related data sources to advance programs, policies, and systems that promote population health.
- Apply theoretical and evidence-based perspectives from multiple disciplines in designing and implementing programs, policies, and systems.
- Interpret quantitative and qualitative data following current scientific standards.
- Design needs and resource assessments for communities and populations.
- Develop surveillance systems to monitor population health, health equity, and public health services.
- Synthesize information from multiple sources for research and practice.
- Evaluate the performance and impact of health programs, policies, and systems.
- Weigh risks, benefits, and unintended consequences of research and practice.
Course and Research Requirements
Minimum number of credit hours beyond the B.Sc. degree: 72
Dissertation hours 33
Seminar hours 3
Course hours 36 (See below)
The required number of semester credit hours of coursework for the Ph.D. degree depends on the M.Sc. degree. It is determined by the student’s academic advisor or program director at the time of admission. At least eighteen (18) credit hours of coursework must be earned at AUC.
Case 1: MPH or M.Sc. from AUC
Case 1A: MPH from AUC A candidate may receive up to 24 hours of credit to be counted towards the Ph.D. degree
Case 1B: M.Sc. in a different Applied Sciences or Engineering discipline from AUC.
A candidate may receive up to 18 hours of credit to be counted toward the Ph.D. degree.
Case 2: MPH or M.Sc. achieved outside of AUC
Case 2A: MPH or M.Sc. in the same Applied Sciences or Engineering discipline achieved outside AUC. A candidate may receive up to 18 hours of credit to be counted toward the Ph.D.
Case 2B: M.Sc. in a different Applied Sciences or Engineering discipline achieved outside AUC.
A candidate may receive up to 12 hours of credit to be counted toward the Ph.D. degree.
Concentrations
The courses of the core and tracks were selected or developed to reflect the themes supported by the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) (2012) Framing the Future: The Second 100 Years of Education for Public Health”, the WHO Eastern Mediterranean priority of Human Resources for Health (http://www.who.int/alliance-hpsr/projects/middleeast-polforum/en/), and emerging challenges in Public Health, regionally and globally. These include non-communicable diseases (cardiovascular, diabetes, obesity, malnutrition, congenital disabilities, mental and neurodegenerative disorders), early detection, surveillance, and intervention (Precision Health) [The State of Health in the Arab World, 1990-2010: An Analysis of the Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors. (2014). The Lancet, 383:309-320].
These tracks are:
- Precision Public Health;
- Global Public Health Policy and Management