PhD in Health Systems and Policy

Health Systems & Policy

The OHSU-PSU School of Public Health (SPH) has made a significant impact on the health systems and policies of Oregon, which is a national leader in health care reform. Our graduate degrees build on a decades-long tradition of innovation and groundbreaking research, equipping you for leadership careers in government administration, nonprofit advocacy, research, education, health services delivery, and related fields.

By earning your graduate degree at the OHSU-PSU SPH, you will become part of a dynamic culture that fuses the energy of two institutions: a world-class academic health center (OHSU), and a community-engaged research university (PSU) with nationally renowned graduate programs in social work, public administration, urban affairs, and other disciplines. That combination yields creative, interdisciplinary partnerships that give rise to new models for health systems management and policy. It also allows you to get involved in major research projects and reform initiatives, while interacting with stakeholders from throughout the health system.

Program Benefits

The OHSU-PSU School of Public Health’s Ph.D in Health Systems and Policy program is distinguished by its:

• Collaborative, whole-system orientation that draws on expertise from multiple academic disciplines and community stakeholders.
• Deep community engagement, with an emphasis on solving real-world health system challenges.
• Exceptional faculty who combine academic expertise with high-level achievements in designing, implementing, and evaluating health system reforms.
• Commitment to equitable, socially just health systems that serve all populations.
• Diverse community partnerships with consumer advocates, government administrators, health services practitioners, health system administrators, policy analysts, nonprofit activists, academicians, researchers, and other stakeholders.
• Tight-knit culture that fosters supportive relationships among faculty and students.
• High-profile contributions to health reform at the local, state, and national levels.
• Direct access to OHSU’s medical health and scientific experts, and PSU’s leading scholars in public policy, urban affairs, and the social sciences.

Ph.D. in Health Systems & Policy

The Health Systems and Policy doctoral program provides outstanding academic training to support careers in education and research, as university faculty or in applied policy positions. You can also apply your Health Systems and Policy Ph.D. to pursue executive leadership roles in government, nonprofit, and private-sector health organizations, including health systems and insurance companies.

Our PhD in Health Systems & Policy has a heavy emphasis on domestic (i.e., U.S.) health policy, as that is where the faculty have expertise. Successful applicants to the program bring a demonstrated early track record of experience in domestic systems operations and/or research, and a foundational understanding of health services delivery in the United States.

In addition to completing core coursework in health systems, policy, and health services research, you can concentrate your studies in one of four emphasis areas:

• Health systems organization, financing, and delivery
• Health policy analysis and application
• Health services access, quality, and cost
• Community-based health and social services

All four concentrations in the Health Systems and Policy Ph.D. program integrate classroom theory with applied experience in community settings.

Accreditation & Rankings

The OHSU-PSU School of Public Health is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).

Program Requirements & Guide

The doctoral program in Health Systems and Policy requires the completion of 104-115 credits in the following areas:

• Health Systems courses
• Policy courses
• Research Design and Methods courses
• Public Health foundational courses
• Dissertation seminar
• Dissertation credits

Students may transfer in previously completed comparable graduate courses from an accredited university that fulfill course requirements.

Please refer to the Program Guide for an overview of all degree requirements and a current program of study – Ph.D. Requirements.

Application Information

Fall 2024 Applications will open August 18th. All documents are submitted to SOPHAS – www.sophas.org.

The GRE is no longer required. Any scores submitted will not be considered during application review.

Deadline:

• January 15 - Decisions provided by end of March.

All application materials, including official transcripts from all schools attended and letters of recommendation, must be received in SOPHAS before the deadline in order to be reviewed. Applications completed after January 15 will not be considered.