Application Instructions
Bush School’s Public Service and Administration Department and Texas A&M’s School of Public Health Collaborative Degrees
The Bush School’s Public Service and Administration (PSAA) Department and the School of Public Health have joined forces to offer a Collaborative Degrees Program (CDP). This is a coordinated effort designed to prepare individuals for an academic career focused on conducting research in the multidisciplinary field of health policy and economics.
Students who successfully complete all program requirements will receive both a Master of Public Service and Administration (MPSA) from the Bush School and a Doctor of Philosophy in Health Services Research (PhD) from the Department of Health Policy and Management in the School of Public Health.
In order to participate in the CDP, applicants must first be admitted to the Bush School’s MPSA program and, subsequently, to the PhD program in Health Services Research in the Department of Health Policy and Management.
The HSR PhD program only matriculates new students in “odd” numbered years (e.g., 2021, 2023). Thus, current MPSA students apply to the HSR PhD program depending on the year of matriculation into the MPSA program.
“Even” year MPSA matriculation: MSPA students who begin in “even” numbered years may apply to the HSR PhD degree program after completing their first semester of MSPA coursework, but no later than February 15. CDP applicants will be notified if they are accepted by the HSR PhD program before the end of the spring semester and will enroll in the HSR PhD degree program for the following fall semester. “Even” year CDP participants would complete requirements for their MSPA during their second year by deferring enrollment in selected PhD courses.
“Odd” year MPSA matriculation: MSPA students who begin in “odd” numbered years may apply to the HSR PhD degree program after completing their first year of MSPA coursework, but no later than Nov 1. CDP applicants will be notified if they are accepted by the HSR PhD program before the start of the spring semester and will enroll in the HSR PhD degree program for the following fall semester. Accepted CDP participants may complete HSR PhD elective courses (to the extent permitted with prerequisite requirements) or any recommended public health preparatory courses during the spring semester, prior to beginning core PhD courses.
The CDP is designed to accommodate a relatively small number of students. Attempts will be made to limit net admissions to no more than five students per year.
The Bush School Admissions Office works with the Office of Graduate Admissions at Texas A&M to process all MPSA applications. You will need to apply through the MPSA Application process.
