Prospective Graduate Students! The Department of HHP is looking for new MS (thesis) and PhD students for research positions [click here for more information]

The PhD program in HHP is based on the concept that the successful candidate should have a basic general knowledge of all areas related to health promotion and human physiology, a strong working knowledge of the research techniques that may appropriately be applied to problems in health promotion and human physiology, and an in-depth theoretical and practical knowledge in at least one specialized area in the fields of health promotion and/or human physiology.

By closely working together with an individual mentor, PhD students will also obtain training in the general areas of grantsmanship, oral and written communication of scientific research data in the form of journal articles and presentations at scientific conferences, and teaching. Thus, the PhD program in HHP will prepare students for a successful career in academic and non-academic settings.

Required Materials and Apply Online

Prerequisites: Students seeking admission to the PhD in HHP must hold a BS or BA degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0. Furthermore, courses in anatomy and physiology with laboratory sections as well as coursework in statistics are prerequisites. Typically, these prerequisites are met by a total of 8 SH of anatomy and physiology (3-SH lecture and 1-SH laboratory component for anatomy and physiology, respectively) and a 3-SH introductory statistics course .

Total Semester Hour Requirements: 72 semester hours of graduate coursework, which includes all research-related coursework.

Required courses: The following courses are required by all students.

One introductory course in statistics selected from:

• BIOS:4120  Introduction to Biostatistics  3 s.h.
• PSFQ:6242 Selected Applications of Statistics  3 s.h.
• STAT:3510/IGPI:3510 Biostatistics  3 s.h.
• STAT:4143/PSQF:4143 Introduction to Statistical Methods  3 s.h.

Two advanced courses in statistics selected from:

• BIOS:5120/IGPI:5120/STAT:5610 Regression & ANOVA in Health Sciences   3 s.h.
• STAT:6513/PSQF:6243 Intermediate Statistical Methods   4 s.h.

Graduate Seminar Courses (4 enrollments at 1 SH each) selected from:

• HHP:6300 Seminar in Motor Control   1 s.h.
• HHP:6400 Integrative Physiology Seminar   1 s.h.
• HHP:6500 Seminar in Health Promotion   1 s.h.

Research-related coursework (all of these):

• HHP:6000 Research (minimum of 10 SH over several semesters)
• HHP:6020 Research Methods and Ethics  3 s.h.
• HHP:7000 Practicum in College Teaching (only for students without a teaching assistantship)  ARR
• HHP:7900 Thesis PhD (minimum of 12 SH over several semesters)

Elective courses: are used to enhance a student’s knowledge in the special area of interest and to broaden the student’s knowledge in the general area of HHP. Elective courses will be selected in consultation with the academic advisor/mentor. Examples of elective courses include:

• HHP:3050 Obesity:  Causes, Consequesnces, Prevention, and Treatment  3 s.h.
• HHP:3440 Physical Activity Interventions  3 s.h.
• HHP:3450 Immuniology in Health and Disease  3 s.h.
• HHP:4020 Health Communication and Coaching Strategies  3 s.h.
• HHP:4320 Nutrition Interventions  3 s.h.
• HHP:4390 Understanding Human Disease  3 s.h.
• HHP:4450 Genetic Basis of Disease  3 s.h.
• HHP:5200 Epidemiology of Physical Activity  3 s.h.
• HHP:6030 Physical Activity and Dietary Behavior Change. 3 s.h.
• HHP:6050 Advanced Topics in Obesity  3 s.h.
• HHP:6130 Advanced Skeletal Muscle Physiology  3 s.h.
• HHP:6150 Clinical Exercise Physiology  3 s.h.
• HHP:6200 Advanced Metabolic Exercise Testing & Prescription  4 s.h.
• HHP:6260 Advanced Respiratory Pathophysiology  3 s.h.
• HHP:6310 Advanced Sport and Exercise Nutrition  3 s.h.
• HHP:6410 Advanced Exercise Physiology 3 s.h.
• HHP:6460 Advanced Cardiovascular Physiology 3 s.h.
• HHP:6470 Advanced Physiology of Aging   3 s.h.
• HHP:6510 Advanced Energy Metabolism in Health and Disease   3 s.h.
• HHP:7300 Advanced Neural Control of Posture & Movement  3 s.h.
• ACB:5203 Gross Human Anatomy for Graduate Students   6 s.h.
• BIOC:3110 Biochemistry  3 s.h.
• BIOC:3120 Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I  3 s.h.
• BIOC:3130 Biochemistry and Molectular Biology II  3 s.h.
• EPID:4400 Epidemiology I:  Principles  3 s.h.
• EPID:5241 Statistical Methods in Epidemiology  4 s.h.
• EPID:6350 Nutritional Epidemiology  2 s.h.
• EPID:6400 Epidemiology II:  Advanced Methods  4 s.h.
• EPID:6600 Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases  3 s.h.
• FRRB:7000 Free Radicals in Biology and Medicine   4 s.h.
• MMED:6230 Pathogenesis of Metabolic/Cardiovascular Disorders. 3 s.h.
• MPB:5153 Graduate Physiology   4 s.h.
• NSCI:4353/BIOL:4353 Neurophysiology   3-4 s.h.
• NSCI:7235 Neurobiology of Disease  3 s.h.
• OEH:4310 Occupational Ergonomics:  Principles  3 s.h.
• OEH:6310 Occupational Ergonomics:  Applications  3 s.h.
• PCOL:3101 Pharmacology I: A Drug's Fantastic Journey  3 s.h.
• PCOL:3102 Pharmacology II: Mechanisms of Drug Action  3 s.h.
• PTRS:5210 Kinesiology and Pathomechanics  4 s.h.
• PTRS:6224 Activity-Based Neural and Musculoskeletal Plasticity in Health Care  4 s.h.
• PTRS:7812 Biomedical Instrumentation and Measurement  3 s.h.
• PTRS:7875 Analysis of Activity-Based Neural and Musculoskeletal Plasticity  3 s.h.

Graduate Student Handbook

Graduate Student Handbook (PhD)