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Faculty of Health

Program Details

The PhD in Health is offered as a full time residency program. Students who have completed a thesis-based Masters are eligible for two-year residency during which the student must reside in Halifax and pay full fees and tuition to HÂþ»­ University while completing required coursework and Comprehensive Exams. Subsequently, continuing fees will be paid as students complete research and prepare their dissertation (generally two additional years).

Students with a non-thesis based or entry to practice Masters are eligible for three-year residency.  These students will complete research experience courses which include a small-scale research/pilot project in their first year.  These must be completed before the student pursues the regular (two-year) program requirements.  

At this time there is no distance or part time option for the PhD in Health program.

Program Objectives

  • Prepare students to answer questions critical to improving health and social well-being locally, nationally and internationally.
  • Recognize and respond to the World Health Organization's (WHO) definition of health as "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."
  • Provide a focussed, research intensive program of study contextualized within the broader health perspective.

Two-Year Residency Timeline

For students who have completed a thesis-based Masters*.

Requirement Expected Completion Date
  • Common Health Seminar and Research courses (6 credits) 
  • advanced Research Methods/Statistics elective (3 credits) 
  • two additional electives (6 credits) 15 credits total
 End of Year 1
Comprehensive Exams After coursework has been completed
Thesis Proposal End of Year 2
Research and Dissertation Completion
 End of Year 4/5
*Students with non-thesis Master’s degrees may be eligible for the two-year program if they can demonstrate independent research.  Following the guidelines provided by the Faculty of Graduate Studies, ways to demonstrate equivalency include a major research paper, presentation at scholarly conferences, publications in journals, etc.

Three-Year Residency Timeline

Requirement Expected Completion Date
  • Research Project I and II (6 credits)
  • Additional advanced Research Methods/Statistics elective (3 credits)
 End of Year 1
All coursework including required courses as per two-year requirements (15 credits) 24 credits total End of Year 2
Comprehensive Exams After coursework has been completed
Thesis Proposal  End of Year 3
Research and Dissertation Completion End of Year 5/6

 

Additional Requirements

  • present at a local (e.g., The Crossroads Interdisciplinary Student Health Research Conference) or other scholarly conference at least once.
  • produce at least 2 peer-reviewed publications.
  • apply for at least one funding/scholarship award either prior to or during their program