Academic Program

Health Education

Doctoral Degree

The Health Education PhD program is designed to provide a strong research focus for students that already have master's level training in health education or a closely related field. Graduates of the program will most likely be employed as faculty in academic institutions or as researchers with governmental or private health agencies. Bachelor's level students interested in pursuing a PhD in health education may apply, but will first be admitted to the MS program. Upon successful completion of the MS program, and with faculty approval, students will be transitioned directly into the PhD program without submitting further application materials. Masters level health education students trained at other institutions may be admitted directly into the PhD program, but may be assigned additional coursework to complete while in the program that would be equivalent to the MS at UC. Masters level students from other disciplines may apply directly to the PhD program, but will be required to complete all MS and PhD requirements prior to graduation. In some cases it may be preferable to complete the MS as a second master's degree in route to the PhD. All decisions concerning transfer of credit and remedial work will be decided by the student's program committee upon admission to the program. No more than 55 quarter hours may be transferred into the PhD program from previous graduate work.

Admission Requirements

Admission Guidelines and Prerequisites

Students who wish to be admitted to the Health Education PhD Program must meet all the minimum requirements established by the program for admission. The Health Promotion & Education Program in The Division of Human Services in the College of Education has adopted the following minimum requirements for admission into a graduate program:

  • The applicant must possess a Masters degree from an accredited college or university.
  • The applicant must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 at the undergraduate level leading to the Bachelor Degree. Amy previous graduate/master's work should have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.25. All calculations are based on a 4.0 scale.
  • Applicants must successfully complete a full sequence of courses in anatomy and physiology. Students admitted to the program that have not completed anatomy and physiology may choose to take an approved anatomy/physiology sequence concurrently with their graduate program.
  • International students must take the TOEFL exam and score a minimum of 580 (paper) or 237 (computer) or 93 (internet) to be admitted to the program.
    • < GRE scores of 500 quantitative, 500 verbal and 4.0 analytical

    The program gives preference to applicants who have above a 3.25 undergraduate GPA, a 3.5 GPA for any graduate work completed, GRE scores above the 50th percentile, and undergraduate and graduate coursework in behavioral and/or biological sciences. Interviews in person or by phone are strongly recommended.

    Unclassified graduate students are admitted to the Graduate Division for study but not admitted into a graduate degree program. They may take courses for graduate credit. The number of credits taken under this classification that are accepted for a degree program ordinarily will not exceed nine (9) graduate credits. The only requirement for admission as an unclassified student is evidence of a baccalaureate degree.

International Admission Requirements

International students must take the TOEFL exam and score a minimum of 580 (paper) or 237 (computer) or 93 (internet) to be admitted to the program.

TOEFL Scores: International students must submit original copies of TOEFL scores. On the TOEFL students must score a minimum of 580 on the paper version, 237 on the computer version or 93 on the internet version to be admitted to the program. You can obtain information on the TOEFL and apply on line at http://www.toeflgoanywhere.org/. To be able to serve as a graduate teaching assistant, international students must also take and pass the Test of Spoken English which is administered upon arrival at UC.

Application Information

Application Procedures

Deadlines for submission of all materials for the PhD program is March 1st for the following academic year. PhD students are only admitted in the fall term. The graduate faculty will make admission decisions during the first three weeks of March and will make offers of financial assistance shortly after.

To begin the application process, complete the Online Graduate Application Form and submit the application fee at: http://www.grad.uc.edu/content/gradapp.cfm

The remaining materials described below may be sent individually to the following address or they may be sent as a complete packet in one envelope (8 1/2 x 11 or larger) to:

Randall Cottrell, D.Ed., CHES Program Coordinator and Graduate Program Director 526 Teachers College University of Cincinnati P. O. Box 210068 Cincinnati, OH 45221-0068

Transcripts:Provide one copy of final and interim transcripts bearing official seals from all institutions attended, showing courses, grades, all degrees and dates of attendance from all previous colleges/universities attended. Keep transcripts in the original, unopened envelopes from the respective colleges. Applicants whose previous degrees were earned at the University of Cincinnati may request the program to download their transcripts. International students should submit official, translated transcripts.

Goal Statement:Provide one typewritten copy of your academic and professional goals, approximately 1-2 pages long. Explain how you believe the Health Promotion and Education program will help you to meet these goals. This writing sample will also be used as one of the criteria for evaluating the application.

Resume:One typewritten copy of your resume containing academic and professional data. It should include: name; address; email, phone; date of birth; citizenship; colleges attended with degrees, dates conferred and grade point average; employment history; professional experience; present employer; names of references who are writing letters for you.

Recommendations:Provide at least three current letters of recommendation from people familiar with your academic and professional abilities. Ask them to introduce themselves on their letterhead stationary and describe their relationship to you, what your academic and professional abilities are, and why they think you will prosper in the Health Promotion and Education graduate program. Submit business-size envelopes to the persons writing the letters. Advise the writer to sign his/her name across the flap of the sealed envelope. Either have the recommenders send these letters directly to the program OR have them sent to you and enclose these unopened envelopes in your application packet.

Graduate Record Examination: An original copy of scores taken within the five-year period preceding admission is needed. All sections of the General Tests are required. Be sure to identify the University of Cincinnati as one institution to which scores are to be sent. Do not identify a specific department as all GRE scores go the Graduate School and are then made available to programs. You must allow sufficient time for scores to reach our office ahead of any application deadlines. Students can not be fully admitted until official scores are available. To facilitate time, we will accept original student copies of the scores if they are enclosed with the above materials. This will allow us to process your application; however, you must still have ETS send us the original scores. Enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want your student copy returned to you. Computer administered versions of the GRE are available at UC Monday-Saturday. For information on the procedures for taking the Graduate Record Examination via computer, call (513) 556-7173 or go to 100 University Pavilion Building. You can also obtain information on the GRE and apply on line at http://www.ETS.org and click on GRE.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all materials are received in the Health Promotion and Education program, including the application and appropriate GRE scores. Please check all pertinent dates carefully and start the application process much earlier than the time you hope to be starting classes.

INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE PROCESSED AND MAY NOT BE RETURNED. THIS INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, GRE AND TOEFL SCORES, TRANSCRIPTS, AND RECOMMENDATION LETTERS.

Program Requirements

Program Details

PhD Program- The PhD program in health education at the University of Cincinnati is designed to prepare health education researchers and future faculty members. Each student will be assigned a faculty mentor and it is expected that the student will graduate with a minimum of two refereed publications and several state, regional, or national level professional presentations. Further, students will be expected to teach undergraduate health education classes and will fulfill all requirements of the University of Cincinnati's "Preparing Future Faculty Program." Graduates of the program can expect faculty positions in academia or work as senior level researchers in governmental or private health agencies

The Faculty

The strength of any program is its faculty. The Health Promotion and Education faculty at the University of Cincinnati are outstanding teachers and scholars, and are well-respected leaders in the field. The faculty have a diverse range of research interests and areas of expertise, which provide numerous opportunities for students to become involved in research studies and externally funded projects. The Program has a long-standing history of working collaboratively on interdisciplinary projects with other colleges and departments. Faculty are currently working on over $2 million in externally funded projects and have participated in grants and contracts funded at over $6 million in the last five years. Current projects are being conducted with the Ohio Department of Health, the Ohio Department of Education, Spectrum Sports Medicine Clinics, and the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services.

Additionally, the faculty members have leadership roles in various national and state organizations, which provides tremendous networking opportunities for students. One faculty member is a Past-President of the American Association for Health Education and other faculty members serve on state, national and international level committees and task forces for several other professional associations. The faculty have also authored or co-authored four professional preparation textbooks that are used in health education programs throughout the United States and the world.

The Success of Past Students

Since the PhD program was new in Fall, 2006, there is no data available on program graduates. The Masters degree program, however, has an excellent placement rate for graduates. Graduates of the Health Promotion and Education Program have received positions throughout the United States in a variety of agencies. Past graduates are employed at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Heart Association, the Northern Kentucky Health Department, the American Cancer Society, The American Red Cross, Mercy Hospital and many other sites. Previous students have been awarded the Secretary of Health and Human's Services' Innovations in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Award, the Association for Worksite Health Promotion's Student Research Award, and UC's Outstanding Behavioral/Social Sciences Thesis Award. We believe graduates of the new PhD program will have similar success.

The Resources Available at the University of Cincinnati

Outstanding Library System- The University's libraries subscribe to over 6,750 current periodicals and house nearly 700,000 volumes in microfilm and approximately one million books. The University libraries belong to the OhioLink System and participate in the Greater Cincinnati Library Consortium, which makes available to students the resources of all other Ohio colleges and universities as well as the Cincinnati Public Library.

Grant Opportunities- Competitive grants are available through the university and the college to assist with the costs of conducting thesis/dissertation research. PhD students may also work with faculty on externally funded grants and contracts.

Technology Resources- Professors in the program use "Blackboard", a web based course management program, to make course materials more easily accessible to students. The College of Education has several computer labs set aside specifically for access to students of the college and most courses are taught in rooms equipped with computers and data projectors.

College Life

- There is always something to do at UC. The University of Cincinnati is the home of the Bearcats, and boasts outstanding men's basketball and football teams. Women's basketball and volleyball have also received national recognition and are great to watch. Additionally, the renowned College Conservatory of Music (CCM) frequently hosts a variety of performances from drama to opera to comedy. The university recently completed a new multi-million dollar state of the art student recreation center which is open to graduate students.

Financial Aid

On a limited basis, two types of financial aid are available to PhD students through the Health Promotion & Education Program. The Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) is a stipend and full-tuition award that requires students to teach and or assist faculty 19 hours a week. In addition GA's receive a stipend of approximately $10,500 for the academic year. GA's are awarded April-August as available and run from September through June. The University Graduate Scholarship (UGS) offers partial tuition and is available for the academic year or summer. These are awarded on a competitive basis. Students receiving a UGS are not required to work for the program. Students must be admitted into a graduate program before they can be considered to receive either of these awards.

For more information on scholarships that are available based on your program and/or areas of interest, please contact the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, 401 Teachers College, (513) 556-2327.

Curriculum

The PhD Program in Health Promotion and Education at the University of Cincinnati is a minimum of 136 credit hours beyond the bachelor's degree. It is expected that most students will take a minimum of four years beyond the bachelor's degree or three years beyond the M.S. degree to complete the program.


Degree Requirements

Program Progression and Milestones

Listed below are important stages that mark the progression leading to the PhD degree in health education:

  • Application for admission
  • Financial aid application (optional)
  • Notification of acceptance to program
  • Notification of financial aid
  • Program planning
  • Completion of course work including core and residency requirementsThese must be completed within seven calendar years of first enrollment as a matriculated student in the College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services.
  • Successful completion of candidacy exams
  • Dissertation proposal accepted
  • Dissertation defense
Internships

Internships are not required of all students in the PhD program. Students with little or no health education experience may be required to complete an internship as part of their coursework. Many opportunities for health education internships exist, as there are more than two hundred health related agencies and organizations in the Cincinnati area. Examples of these include corporate health/wellness programs, voluntary agencies, public health departments, neighborhood health centers, developmentally disabled programs, human sexuality programs, patient education programs and hospital wellness and staff development. In addition, placements are available in other areas of the state and country.

Culminating Experience

All PhD students will complete a doctoral dissertation. The proposal for the dissertation must be accepted by the dissertation committee as soon as possible after being granted candidacy. Students are responsible for knowing the program's candidacy exam dates and dissertation dates. All university dates for completion of these experiences must be adhered to in order to graduate in the quarter requested.

Graduation

The student must be registered for a minimum of one graduate credit hour in each academic year from enrollment in the program until graduation. In addition, the student must submit a graduation registration form in the term prior to when graduation is expected. This is done online at www.grad.uc.edu. If the student registers and does not graduate, she or he must reapply for graduation the next term. Failure to apply for graduation by the university deadline will delay graduation for one quarter.