Core Curriculum
All students seeking the Ph.D. in Health Services degree complete the Foundation course (SBSF 8005), the Foundation Research Sequence, and three KAMs that focus on the social and behavioral science foundations important to all professions. The depth and application components of the core KAMs focus on students’ preferred area of study; KAMs are therefore listed under each specialization. In addition, all students must complete a dissertation.
Foundation Course (6 cr.)
SBSF 8005 Foundations for Doctoral Study (6 cr.)
All beginning Ph.D. in Health Services students are required to successfully complete this course, and are automatically enrolled in it during their first quarter. In this course, students develop a Professional Development Plan and a Plan of Study as their guide to the rest of their program.
Foundation Research Sequence (14 cr.)
These courses are online seminars, requiring students to participate in weekly, Web-based discussions. Instructors guide discussions, require specific readings and written assignments, and evaluate assignments.
SBSF 8417 Research Seminar I: Human Inquiry and Science (4 cr.)
HLTH 8427 Research Seminar II: Design in Human, Public Health, and Health Services Research (5 cr.)
HLTH 8437 Research Seminar III: Data Analysis in Human, Public Health, and Health Services Research (5 cr.)
Dissertation (30 cr.)
HLTH 9000 Dissertation (30 cr.)
Specialized Curriculum
In addition to the core KAMs, students in the General Program and the Health Management and Policy specialization must complete three specialized KAMs unique to the Health Services curriculum. Students pursuing the Community Health Promotion and Education specialization complete a series of online public health courses in place of the specialized KAMs.
General Program
The General Program in Health Services takes an interdisciplinary approach to health services study. This may include multiple issues of health and human behavior, including health and healing, health and professional behavior, health and social behavior, health and life span issues, or a self-designed concentration.
Core KAMs I¬–III (42 cr.)
Core KAM I: Principles of Social Change (14 cr.)
In this KAM, students analyze public policy related to an important health services issue, based on both theory and research.
Breadth: SBSF 8110 Theories of Social Change (5 cr.)
Depth: HLTH 8120 Current Research in Social Change (5 cr.)
Application: HLTH 8130 Professional Practice and Social Change (4 cr.)
Core KAM II: Principles of Human Development (14 cr.)
This KAM provides students with a critical analysis of major human development theories. Students perform a research-based examination of a human development theory with applicability to health services. This KAM also includes a theory- and research-based design of a health program using health behavior and utilization models that include human development variables.
Breadth: SBSF 8210 Theories of Human Development (5 cr.)
Depth: HLTH 8220 Current Research in Human Development (5 cr.)
Application: HLTH 8230 Professional Practice and Human Development (4 cr.)
Core KAM III: Principles of Organizational and Social Systems (14 cr.)
This KAM offers students a critical examination of major systems theories and theorists. Students analyze and compare health systems involving different delivery, international, or philosophical systems. This KAM also includes the design, implementation, and execution of a health services system evaluation.
Breadth: SBSF 8310 Theories of Organizational and Social Systems (5 cr.)
Depth: HLTH 8320 Current Research in Organizational and Social Systems (5 cr.)
Application: HLTH 8330 Professional Practice and Organizational and Social Systems (4 cr.)
Specialized KAMs V–VI (42 cr.)
Specialized KAM V: Advanced Theory, Methods, and Practice in Health Services (14 cr.)
In this KAM, students analyze issues surrounding contemporary health services within the context of community health, health administration, or health and human behavior. They examine contemporary concepts and methods of community health and human behavior, strategic management of health services, or alternative health care. They also explore the application of selected concepts and methods, and their professional role within a specific theoretical and applied context in health services.
Breadth: HLTH 8510 Health Services in the Contemporary Context (5 cr.)
Depth: HLTH 8520 Current Concepts and Methods in Health Services (5 cr.)
Application: HLTH 8530 Integrative Professional Practice in Health Services (4 cr.)
Specialized KAM VI: Contemporary Issues and the Ethical Delivery of Health Services (14 cr.)
In this KAM, students analyze contemporary and future issues in a specific area of health services and their implications as considered from the perspective of various ethical paradigms. They examine a selected health services issue from the perspective of various ethical decision-making models. They also apply theory- and research-based ethical models to a health services setting.
Breadth: HLTH 8610 Health Services Delivery and Ethical Implications (5 cr.)
Depth: HLTH 8620 Health Services Delivery and Ethical Decision-Making (5 cr.)
Application: HLTH 8630 Ethical Theories Applied in Health Services (4 cr.)
Specialized KAM VII: Advanced Case Study in Health Services (14 cr.)
This KAM provides an examination of methods and techniques employed in case studies and applied change in a health services setting. Students analyze current and upcoming social problems in a specific area of health services and their corresponding change interventions and implications. This KAM also includes the design, execution, and evaluation of a case study demonstrating the process of planned change in a health services setting.
Breadth: HLTH 8710 Theories of Case Study Research and Applied Change in Health Services (5 cr.)
Depth: HLTH 8720 Relating Change Theories to Practice in Health Services (5 cr.)
Application: HLTH 8730 A Case Study of Applied Change in Health Services (4 cr.)
Community Health Promotion and Education Specialization
The Community Health Promotion and Education specialization prepares students to provide leadership in the planning, administration, and management of health promotion and education programs, including leadership in conducting evaluative research on the effectiveness of those programs. This mixed-model specialization combines KAM-based learning and online courses, providing a comprehensive range of community health promotion and education competencies.
Public Health Behavioral Science Foundation Courses (16 cr.)
These courses are part of the Public Health master’s-level curriculum and provide a foundation for health services administrators. All four of these courses must be successfully completed before a student may enroll in the advanced specialization (8000-level) courses.
PUBH 8115 Social, Behavioral, and Cultural Factors in Public Health (4 cr.)
PUBH 8135 Leadership, Professionalism, and Ethics in Public Health Practice (4 cr.)
PUBH 8175 Health Policy and Management (4 cr.)
PUBH 8235 Program Design, Planning, and Evaluation (4 cr.)
Core KAMs I¬–III (42 cr.)
Core KAMs I–III must also be completed before a student may enroll in the advanced specialization (8000-level) courses. Students are required to complete SBSF 8417 and one KAM within one year (4 full quarters) of completion of SBSF 8005.
Core KAM I: Principles of Social Change (14 cr.)
The first KAM provides students with a critical analysis of classic and contemporary theories of social and cultural change. Students examine the social history of health promotion and education through literary classics from the humanities. They perform research-based analysis of the present and projected impact of societal forces on the health promotion and education profession or type/setting of service delivery. Students analyze public policy related to an important health promotion and education issue, based on both theory and research.
Breadth: SBSF 8110 Theories of Social Change (5 cr.)
Depth: HLTH 8125 Current Research in Social Change: Health Promotion and Education (5 cr.)
Application: HLTH 8135 Professional Practice and Social Change: Health Promotion and Education (4 cr.)
Core KAM II: Principles of Human Development (14 cr.)
This KAM provides students with a critical analysis of major theories of human development. Students perform a research-based examination of a human development theory relevant to health promotion and education. This KAM also includes a theory- and research-based design of a health promotion and education program using health behavior and utilization models that include human development variables.
Breadth: SBSF 8210 Theories of Human Development (5 cr.)
Depth: HLTH 8225 Current Research in Human Development: Health Promotion and Education (5 cr.)
Application: HLTH 8235 Professional Practice and Human Development: Health Promotion and Education (4 cr.)
Core KAM III: Principles of Organizational and Social Systems (14 cr.)
This KAM offers students a critical examination of major systems theories and theorists. Students analyze and compare different delivery, international, or philosophical systems pertaining to health promotion and education. This KAM also includes the design, implementation, and execution of an evaluation of a health promotion and education system.
Breadth: SBSF 8310 Theories of Organizational and Social Systems (5 cr.)
Depth: HLTH 8325 Current Research in Organizational and Social Systems: Health Promotion and Education (5 cr.)
Application: HLTH 8335 Professional Practice and Organizational and Social Systems: Health Promotion and Education (4 cr.)
Advanced Specialization Courses (25 cr.)
Students must have completed core KAMs I–III and all public health behavioral science foundation courses prior to enrolling in these advanced specialization courses.
PUBH 8200 Organizing Community Action for Health Promotion and Education (5 cr.)
PUBH 8210 Public Campaigns for Health Promotion and Education (5 cr.)
PUBH 8215 Public Health Policy Design and Implementation (5 cr.)
PUBH 8220 Health Promotion and Education Interventions in Diverse Populations (5 cr.)
PUBH 8225 Design and Analysis of Community Trials (5 cr.)
Health Management and Policy Specialization
In the Health Management and Policy specialization, students concentrate on a specific functional management or policy area, on the management of services/organizations dedicated to one stage in the continuum of care, or on one institutional/industry-specific management or policy area that cuts across different levels of care. This specialization must be studied within the “integrated delivery system” model.
The functional management or policy approach includes the following categories:
- Clinical Resources Management
- Facilities Management
- Financial Management
- Human Resources Management
- Information Management/Health Information
- Marketing Management
- Operations Management
- Public Policy Management
The continuum of care approach focuses on the administration of services and organizations associated with one of the following levels of care:
- Preventive Care
- Intake/Screening
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Restorative Care
- Continuing Care
- Evidence-Based Public Health
The institutional/industry-specific approach concentrates on the administration, management, and policy issues of one of the following organizational types encompassing different levels of care:
- Alternative Delivery Systems
- Consulting Firms
- Consumer Health Advocacy
- Foundations
- Higher Education
- Industry Suppliers
- Insurance Providers
- International Health Agencies
- Managed Care Organizations
- Military/Veterans Health Facilities
- Professional Associations
Students who want to pursue this program must declare the specialization by the end of the second quarter of enrollment in their Professional Development Plan and Program of Study.
Core KAMs I¬–III (42 cr.)
Core KAM I: Principles of Social Change (14 cr.)
The first KAM provides students with a critical analysis of classic and contemporary theories of social and cultural change. Students examine the social history of management and policy through literary classics from the humanities. They perform research-based analysis of the present and projected impact of societal forces on the health management and policy profession or a health services organization or industry. Students analyze public policy related to an important health services issue, based on both theory and research.
Breadth: SBSF 8110 Theories of Social Change (5 cr.)
Depth: HLTH 8123 Current Research in Social Change: Health Management and Policy (5 cr.)
Application: HLTH 8133 Professional Practice and Social Change: Health Management and Policy (4 cr.)
Core KAM II: Principles of Human Development (14 cr.)
This KAM provides students with a critical analysis of major human development theories. Students perform a research-based examination of a human development theory relevant to health management and policy. This KAM also includes a theory- and research-based design of a health program using health behavior and utilization models that include human-development variables.
Breadth: SBSF 8210 Theories of Human Development (5 cr.)
Depth: HLTH 8223 Current Research in Human Development: Health Management and Policy (5 cr.)
Application: HLTH 8233 Professional Practice and Human Development: Health Management and Policy (4 cr.)
Core KAM III: Principles of Organizational and Social Systems (14 cr.)
This KAM offers students a critical examination of major systems theories and theorists. Students analyze and compare different delivery, international, or philosophical systems pertaining to health services management and policy. This KAM also includes the design, implementation, and execution of an evaluation of a health services system.
Breadth: SBSF 8310 Theories of Organizational and Social Systems (5 cr.)
Depth: HLTH 8323 Current Research in Organizational and Social Systems: Health Management and Policy (5 cr.)
Application: HLTH 8333 Professional Practice and Organizational and Social Systems: Health Management and Policy (4 cr.)
Specialized KAMs V–VII (42 cr.)
Specialized KAM V: Advanced Theory, Methods, and Practice in Health Services (14 cr.)
This KAM provides an examination of methods and techniques employed in case studies and applied change in health management and policy. Students analyze current and future social problems and issues in health services management and policy and corresponding change interventions and implications. This KAM also includes the design, execution, and evaluation of a case study demonstrating the process of planned change in a health services setting.
Breadth: HLTH 8513 Health Services in the Contemporary Context: Health Management and Policy (5 cr.)
Depth: HLTH 8523 Current Concepts and Methods in Health Services: Health Management and Policy (5 cr.)
Application: HLTH 8533 Integrative Professional Practice in Health Services: Health Management and Policy (4 cr.)
Specialized KAM VI: Contemporary Issues and the Ethical Delivery of Health Services (14 cr.)
Breadth: HLTH 8613 Health Services Delivery and Ethical Implications: Health Management and Policy (5 cr.)
Depth: HLTH 8623 Health Services Delivery and Ethical Decision-Making: Health Management and Policy (5 cr.)
Application: HLTH 8633 Ethical Theories Applied in Health Services: Health Management and Policy (4 cr.)
Specialized KAM VII: Advanced Case Study in Health Services (14 cr.)
Breadth: HLTH 8713 Theories of Case Study Research and Applied Change in Health Services: Health Management and Policy (5 cr.)
Depth: HLTH 8723 Relating Change Theories to Practice in Health Services: Health Management and Policy (5 cr.)
Application: HLTH 8733 A Case Study of Applied Change in Health Services: Health Management and Policy (4 cr.)
