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Areas Of Study
Master's Degree Program
Epidemiology
:: Health Policy and Management :: Native Hawaiian and Indigenous Health :: Social
and Behavioral Health Sciences
Doctoral Degree Program
Community-Based
and Translational Research (DrPH) :: PhD
in Epidemiology ::
Graduate Certificate
Graduate Certificate in Global Health and Population Studies
Master's Degree Program and Areas of Study
Epidemiology
Specialization Head: Andrew
Grandinetti, PhD, (808) 956-7495
Email: andrewg@hawaii.edu
Overview
Epidemiology is the study of the distributions and determinants
of health-related events in human populations. A basic tenet
of epidemiology is that diseases are not randomly distributed
in the population. Determining the prevalence and risk factors
associated with these events, as well as measuring the magnitude
of such occurrences, is the basis of public health action.
An essential part of this determination involves the utilization
of epidemiologic and biostatistical methods to evaluate the
effectiveness of disease control measures.
Students enrolled in the epidemiology specialization are
required to take advanced level training in chronic and infectious
disease epidemiology, advanced biostatistics, and research
design. There is opportunity for students to choose from epidemiology
electives in the following areas: infectious diseases, nutrition,
genetics, environment, aging, HIV/AIDS, cancer and heart disease.
Course work in specialized statistical applications is also
available. Students will participate in on-going epidemiological
research programs throughout the university system or community
through a field work assignment.
Degree Programs Offered
Master of Public Health
MPH students specializing in epidemiology gain knowledge and
skills in epidemiologic methods, biostatistics, the collection
and analysis of epidemiologic data, and the epidemiology of
chronic and infectious diseases. The first semester focuses
on public health core requirements. The remainder of the program
includes advanced and elective course work designated by the
student’s committee to meet the student’s professional
goals. In order for students to develop skills and document
competencies in public health, the development and completion
of an epidemiologic study in a public health setting (i.e.,
a field practicum) is also required. During the final semester,
a capstone paper and public presentation based on the practicum
integrates a student’s MPH experience.
The MPH degree program generally requires two academic years
of full-time study and the required number of credits for
graduation is 42. A minimum of 18 credits must be earned in
courses numbered 600-798, including at least one graduate
seminar in the major or a related field. No more than 9 credits
of PH 699 (directed reading/research) may be applied to meet
the degree requirements. Please note that the precise degree
requirements for each student will be determined in consultation
with his/her adviser and program committee members.
Students with a professional interest in epidemiology should
pursue the master of public health (MPH) degree.
Master of Science in Public Health
The MS (Thesis, Plan A) degree program generally
requires two academic years of full-time study. A minimum
of 31 credit hours is required, which must include 18 credits
of course work and between 6 to 12 hours of thesis research
(PH 700). A minimum of 12 credits must be earned in courses
numbered 600-798 (excluding 699 and Thesis 700), including
at least one graduate seminar in the major or a related field.
No more than 12 credits (combined total) of PH 699 (directed
reading/research) and PH 700 (thesis research) may be applied
to meet these minimum requirements. Candidates must complete
a thesis as well as a final oral examination. Please note
that the precise degree requirements for each student will
be determined in consultation with his/her adviser and thesis
committee members.
Students whose objective is research or doctoral study are
expected to select the MS Plan A thesis degree program.
Qualifications for Admission
In addition to meeting the general admissions requirements
of the University’s Graduate Division, individuals applying
to the epidemiology specialization will be expected to have
the academic background, experience, interests and commitment
for professional training in this field. While no specific
undergraduate major is specified, candidates should have one
year of coursework in a biological science, chemistry, and
at least one semester of calculus is recommended. Applicants
must also have computer skills in word processing, spreadsheet
construction and internet applications. Experience in an applied
health-related field or biomedical research is preferred.
Health Policy and Management
Specialization Head: Deon Canyon,
PhD, MPH, DBA (808) 956-6263
Email: dcanyon@hawaii.edu
Overview
The importance of educating future public health leaders in
the area of health policy and management is apparent. The
current escalating rate of health care expenditures cannot
be sustained. Reform of the health care system is needed.
Training in health policy and management will enable our students
to better understand the issues and to make significant contributions
to this debate, as well as other pressing issues in public
health.
The mission of the Health Policy and Management
(HPM) specialization is to provide students with the knowledge
and skills to develop, analyze, and advocate for health policies
to improve the health and well-being of individuals and populations;
and, to administer and manage the delivery, quality, and costs
of health care services in communities, with a focus on the
underserved populations. Course work prepares students for
a career in health services, policy and management. Opportunities
to participate in research and service programs are provided.
Degree Program Offered:
Master of Public Health (MPH)
All MPH students complete five public health foundation courses,
a field practicum, a final scholarly paper and an oral examination.
Support for these elements is already in place. For the specialization
in Health Policy and Management, the following coursework
is required: 1) Introduction to Health Policy; 2) Health Economics;
3) Program Planning; 4) Program Evaluation; 4) Public Health
Leadership and Systems Thinking; 5) Current Topics in Community
Health. The total credit requirement is 42.
Qualifications for Admission
For the Health Policy and Management specialization, students
must meet the Graduate Division’s admission requirements.
In addition, preference may be given to students with training
in social science, health, or human services. Prior paid or
voluntary work experience in the health care or human services
fields is preferred, but not required.
Native Hawaiian and Indigenous Health
Specialization Head: Maile Taualii, MPH, PhD (808) 956-7231
Email: mtaualii@hawaii.edu
Overview
The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues Working Group defines Indigenous communities, peoples and nations as those which, having a historical continuity with pre-invasion and pre-colonial societies that developed on their territories, consider themselves distinct from other sectors of the societies now prevailing on those territories, or parts of them. They form at present non-dominant sectors of society and are determined to preserve, develop and transmit to future generations their ancestral territories, and their ethnic identity, as the basis of their continued existence as peoples, in accordance with their own cultural patterns, social institutions and legal system. This MPH specialization is designed to provide students with skills and training necessary to serve Indigenous people and assist in addressing their health and wellness needs.
Indigenous people throughout the world experience grave health and socioeconomic disparities. Many of the current inequities are the result of historical national and local policies designed to eliminate and/or assimilate Indigenous people. Knowledge of history, policy, health determinants and ethics is essential to address and eliminate the inequities faced by Indigenous people.
Students enrolled in the Native Hawaiian and Indigenous Health specialization are required to take advanced level training in Indigenous health policy, ethics and research design. There is opportunity for students to choose from Native Hawaiian and Indigenous Health electives in many areas across the campus. Students will participate in on-going research programs with Indigenous communities through a practicum assignment.
Degree Program Offered
Master of Public Health (MPH)
The Native Hawaiian and Indigenous Health specialization will prepare students for leadership roles in Indigenous health policy and culturally safe health services. Graduates will better meet the social and cultural needs of Indigenous people, thereby enhancing the quality and effectiveness of those health services and policies. The improved quality and effectiveness of Indigenous health services contributes to the reduction of Indigenous health disparities and the improvement of Indigenous peoples’ health.
For MPH students specializing in Native Hawaiian and Indigenous Health, the following coursework is required: 1) Health Ethics, Law and Politics; 2) Native Hawaiian Health Determinants; 3) Indigenous Applied Research Methods; 4) Cultural Competency in Health Care; 5) Community-Based Participatory Research; 6) Integrative Seminar. The first semester focuses on public health core requirements. In subsequent semesters, students take required and elective course work to meet the Native Hawaiian and Indigenous Health competencies, as well as the student’s professional goals. A 240-hour field practicum is required which allows students to apply knowledge and skills in a community public health stetting. During their final semester, students will prepare a report on their practicum experience, complete a research-intensive final paper, and deliver a public presentation as a demonstration of mastery of program competencies and present their finding in a capstone presentation. The capstone includes a final oral examination which requires students to demonstrate mastery of program competencies and integration of classroom knowledge. A student-selected advisor and program committee guides the student’s course of study, practicum experience, capstone and research paper.
The MPH degree program generally requires two academic years of full-time study. The required number of credits for graduation is 42. A minimum of 18 credits must be earned in courses numbered 600-798, including at least one graduate seminar in the major or related field. No more than 9 credits of PH 699 may be applied to meet degree requirements. Please note that the precise degree requirements for each student will be determined in consultation with his/her advisor and program committee members.
Qualifications for Admission
In addition to meeting the general admissions requirements of the University’s Graduate Division, individuals applying to the Native Hawaiian and Indigenous Health specialization are expected to have the academic background, experience, interest, and commitment for professional training in public health. While no specific undergraduate major is specified, candidates should have completed coursework in the social sciences or humanities such as mathematics or statistics, public policy or political sciences, and psychology or sociology. Applicants must also have computer skills in word processing, spreadsheet construction and Internet applications. Experience in an applied health/social sciences field or in health/social sciences research which serves an Indigenous population is preferred.
Social and Behavioral
Health Sciences
Specialization Head: Claudio Nigg,
PhD, (808) 956-2862
Email: cnigg@hawaii.edu
Overview
Over the last century, chronic diseases have replaced infectious
diseases as the leading causes of death and, despite advances
in medicine and technology, health disparities are increasing
in almost every country. Unhealthy lifestyle behaviors such
as tobacco use, lack of physical activity, poor nutrition,
unsafe sexual practices, substance abuse and overexposure
to the sun are major contributors to disability and death.
Social factors, such as discrimination, poverty, dangerous
living and work environments, and unequal distribution of
resources (including health care resources), also affect health
status. In this program, students will examine a) behavioral
and social theories in health promotion; b) behavioral, social,
environmental, and political interventions that can promote
health theories in health promotion; and c) skills required
for assessing health problems and for planning and evaluating
health programs. Course assignments provide students the opportunity
to apply knowledge, to practice skills, to enhance computer
literacy, and to improve oral and written communications.
Opportunities to participate in university-based and community-based
research and service programs are provided.
Degree Programs Offered
Master of Public Health (MPH)
MPH students specializing in social and behavioral health
sciences gain knowledge and skills in public health research
methods, biostatistics, theories of health behavior change,
needs assessment, planning, and evaluation. The first semester
focuses on public health core requirements. In subsequent
semesters, students take required and elective course work
to meet the social and behavioral health sciences competencies,
as well as the student’s professional goals. A 240-hour
field practicum is required which allows students to apply
knowledge and skills in a community public health stetting.
During the final semester, students complete an integrative
seminar, prepare a capstone paper, and deliver a public presentation
as a demonstration of mastery of program competencies and
integration of classroom knowledge and field experience. A
student-selected adviser and program committee guides the
student’s course of study, practicum experience, and
capstone.
The MPH degree program generally requires two academic years
of full-time study. The required number of credits for graduation
is 42. A minimum of 18 credits must be earned in courses numbered
600-798, including at least one graduate seminar in the major
or related field. No more than 9 credits of PH 699 may be
applied to meet degree requirements. Please note that the
precise degree requirements for each student will be determined
in consultation with his/her adviser and program committee
members.
Students interested in a broad understanding
of public health and its application in communities should
pursue the master of public health (MPH) degree. The MPH is
the preferred terminal degree for public health practitioners
and also provides a solid foundation for professional doctoral
degree work.
Qualifications for Admission
In addition to meeting the general admissions requirements
of the University’s Graduate Division, individuals applying
to the social and behavioral health sciences specialization
will be expected to have the academic background, experience,
interests and commitment for professional training in public
health. While no specific undergraduate major is specified,
candidates should have coursework in mathematics or statistics,
biology or human development, and sociology or psychology.
Applicants must have computer skills in word processing, spreadsheet
construction and internet applications. Experience in an applied
health/social sciences field or in health/social sciences
research is preferred.
Doctoral Degree Program and Areas of Study
Community-Based and
Translational Research
Graduate Chair: Kathryn
Braun, DrPH, (808) 956-5768
Email: kbraun@hawaii.edu
Overview
Translational research is the investigation of how to successfully
transform scientific discoveries arising from laboratory,
clinical, or population studies into community applications
to reduce incidence, morbidity, and mortality. Community-based
participatory research (CBPR) in health is a collaborative
approach to research that equitably involves investigators
and members of the community in the research process and recognizes
the unique strengths that each brings. This approach increases
the likelihood that interventions will be embraced by the
community and that community members will gain knowledge,
skills, and other benefits from the research.
Degree Program Offered
Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)
The DrPH program will prepare students to lead programs and
conduct independent investigations addressing public health
topics relevant to culturally diverse groups, with a special
focus on those in the state of Hawai‘i and the Asia-Pacific
region. The program focuses on translational research and
emphasizes community-based participatory research methodologies.
DrPH students are expected to publish their
work in peer-reviewed journals and present at national and
international forums. All DrPH students will complete mentored
teaching and research practica.
Candidates who successfully complete the DrPH
program in Community-Based and Translational Research will
be able to collaborate with community partners to identify
and address public health issues as well as conduct independent
research, train public health workers, and demonstrate expertise
in the following areas: health disparities, cultural competency,
evidence-based public health practice, and community-based
participatory research.
For students entering the DrPH program with
an MPH degree, the minimum number of credits for graduation
is 39. For students without an MPH degree, the minimum number
of credits for graduation is 39 credits, plus the number of
credits associated with missing prerequisites.
Qualifications for Admission
In addition to meeting the general admissions requirements
of the University’s Graduate Division, individuals applying
to the DrPH program must have either a master’s degree
in public health or a graduate degree in an allied profession.
PhD in
Epidemiology
Graduate Chair: Eric Hurwitz,
PhD, (808) 956-7425
Email: ehurwitz@hawaii.edu
Overview
The PhD in epidemiology is comprised of graduate faculty from
the Department of Public Health Sciences, Cancer Research
Center of Hawai‘i, Department of Tropical Medicine,
Medical Microbiology and Pharmacology, Department of Microbiology,
and the Pacific Basin Reseach Center, thereby providing a
diverse opportunity for those interested in pursuing a PhD
in epidemiology.
Degree Program Offered
PhD in Epidemiology
Candidates who successfully complete the doctoral
program in epidemiology will be prepared to teach in academic
and other settings, conduct independent and collaborative
epidemiologic research, and provide consultative services
to academic, not-for-profit, governmental, and private organizations.
Qualifications for Admission
Applicants must meet the general admissions requirements of
the University's Graduate Division. Although applicants to
the PhD program are not required to have a master's degree
in epidemiology or closely related field, all applicants are
expected to have a master's degree and a strong background
in the natural and/or social sciences. The program encourages
applications from candidates who are committed to epidemiologic
research and practice, and have past research and related
work experience. Applicants should also have well-focused
research interests and career goals. A prospective epidemiology
applicant is expected to communicate with a faculty
member in his/her area of interest or with the program's
chair, and must be accepted as an applicant by a faculty member
prior to seeking admission. The faculty member involved will
serve as the advisor upon the individual's admission into
the PhD program.
For students entering the PhD program with an
MPH or MS in Epidemiology or Biostatistics, the minimum number
of credits for graduation is 30. The minimum number of credits
for students who do not have an MPH or MS in Epidemiology
or Biostatistics is 30 credits plus the number of credits
associated with missing prerequisites.
Graduate Certificate
Global Health
Director: Deon Canyon, PhD, (808) 956-6263
Email: dcanyon@hawaii.edu
Overview
Global Health is an area for study, research, and practice that places a priority on improving health and achieving equity in health for all people worldwide. Global health emphasizes transnational health issues, determinants, and solutions; involves many disciplines within and beyond the health sciences and promotes interdisciplinary collaboration; and is a synthesis of population-based prevention with individual-level clinical care.1 It may be distinguished from Public Health due to the inclusion of individual care, and fromInternational health, which refers to population health in developing or low-income countries and is typically limited to infectious disease, nutrition, child health, reproductive (maternal) health, water, shelter, sanitation, and aging, mental health and culture.
Global health has thus emerged as a broader, transdisciplinary, transboundary and more inclusive concept that focuses on social, biological and environmental causal factors to better understand the interrelated mechanisms that underlie global health problems. Health challenges that are typically associated with global change include the cultural, economic, political, and environmental aspects of health disparities; shifts in the global burden of illness; emerging and resurging infectious diseases; climate change consequences that affect the health of vulnerable populations; and the health implications of ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss.
Degree Program Offered
Graduate Certificate in Global Health and Population Studies
The goal of the graduate certificate program is to
prepare students to work with diverse populations in rapidly evolving environments that present both geographical and cultural challenges. To provide students with a program that supplements their degree and which is essential for a career in health sectors where real-world problems necessitate holistic and integrative approaches. Knowledge and skills imparted by the program provide an awareness of transnational global health conditions, problems and solutions in developing and developed nations. The development of transdisciplinary knowledge and skills are emphasized, which are increasingly needed to address contemporary global health challenges that often blur the boundaries of academic disciplines.
Please see the Global Health and Population Studies website for details.
Qualifications for Admission
Applicants must meet the general admissions requirements of the University's Graduate Division. See the Global Health and Population Studies Admissions page for details.
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