Requirements for the Ph.D. in Health Economics

Full-Time Ph.D. Student Degree Plan

First Year

Fall Semester:

• ECON 5803 - Mathematical Economics (3 credits)
• ECON 5073 - Microeconomic Theory I (3 credits)
• ECON 5813 - Econometrics I (3 credits)

Spring Semester:

• ECON 5823 - Econometrics II (3 credits)
• ECON 7661 - Health Economics I (3 credits)
• Electives - Any course numbered 6000 or higher with an ECON or HSMP prefix. (3 credits)

Second Year

Fall Semester:

• ECON 7662 - Health Economics II (3 credits)
• ECON 6073 - Research Seminar (3 credits)
• HSMP 7010 - Foundations in Health Service Research I and II (2 credits)
• Elective - Any course numbered 6000 or higher with an ECON or HSMP prefix. (3 credits)

Students must successfully pass a preliminary examination by the start of their fourth semester coursework to ensure that they are qualified for doctoral study.  The preliminary exam will cover topics in microeconomic theory, econometrics, and health economics.

Spring Semester:

• HSMP 6609 Cost-Benefit and Effectiveness in Health (2 credits)
• HSMP 7601 Research Design & Proposal Preparation (3 credits)
• HSMP 6605 Health Policy (3 credits)

Third Year

• HSMP 7609 Health Services Research Methods II (3 credits)
• HSMP 6602 - Health Equity (3 credits)
• Elective - Any course numbered 6000 or higher with an ECON or HSMP prefix. (3 credits)

Ph.D. students must defend their dissertation proposal after completing or registering for all non-dissertation coursework and concurrent with applying for admission to candidacy. Students are advanced to candidacy for the Ph.D. once they have completed all required coursework and examinations, and have successfully presented their dissertation proposal to their dissertation committee.

Fourth Year

After students are advanced to candidacy, they must complete a total of 30 hours of dissertation credits to complete the PhD. Each fall and spring semester, students are expected to register for a minimum of 5 semester hours of dissertation research; if unable to register for at least 5 semester hours, students must request a leave of absence from the PhD program until able to complete the minimum dissertation requirement. Students may take up to two semesters’ leave of absence before they are unenrolled from the program. Students then would need to reapply to the program.

Each student must write and defend a dissertation containing original contributions and evidence of significant scholarship that the student’s primary advisor and dissertation committee deem satisfactory.

Part-Time Ph.D. Student Degree Plan

First Year

Fall Semester:

• ECON 5803 - Mathematical Economics (3 credits)
• ECON 5813 - Econometrics I (3 credits)

Spring Semester:

• ECON 5823 - Econometrics II (3 credits)
• ECON 7661 - Health Economics I (3 credits)

Second Year

Fall Semester:

• ECON 5073 - Microeconomic Theory I (3 credits)
• HSMP 7010 - Foundations in Health Service Research I and II (2 credits)

Spring Semester:

• HSMP 6609 Cost-Benefit and Effectiveness in Health (2 credits)
• One Electives - Any course numbered 6000 or higher with an ECON or HSMP prefix. (3 credits)

Third Year

Fall Semester:

• ECON 7662 - Health Economics II (3 credits)
• ECON 6073 - Research Seminar (3 credits)

• HSMP 7601 Research Design & Proposal Preparation (3 credits)
• One Electives - Any course numbered 6000 or higher with an ECON or HSMP prefix. (3 credits)

Fourth Year

Fall Semester:

• HSMP 7609 Health Services Research Methods II (3 credits)
• HSMP 6602 - Health Equity (3 credits)

Spring Semester:

• HSMP 6605 Health Policy (3 credits)
• Elective - Any course numbered 6000 or higher with an ECON or HSMP prefix. (3 credits)

Ph.D. students must defend their dissertation proposal after completing or registering for all non-dissertation coursework and concurrent with applying for admission to candidacy. Students are advanced to candidacy for the Ph.D. once they have completed all required coursework and examinations, and have successfully presented their dissertation proposal to their dissertation committee.

Fifth+ Years

After students are advanced to candidacy, they must complete a total of 30 hours of dissertation credits to complete the PhD. Each fall and spring semester, students are expected to register for a minimum of 5 semester hours of dissertation research; if unable to register for at least 5 semester hours, students must request a leave of absence from the PhD program until able to complete the minimum dissertation requirement. Students may take up to two semesters’ leave of absence before they are unenrolled from the program. Students then would need to reapply to the program.

Each student must write and defend a dissertation containing original contributions and evidence of significant scholarship that the student’s primary advisor and dissertation committee deem satisfactory.