The PSAA and HPM Collaborative Degrees Program (CDP) is a coordinated educational effort of the Bush School and the School of Public Health. The CDP is designed for those individuals who intend to build an academic career focused on conducting research in the multidisciplinary field of health policy and economics. Specifically, this unique academic program will prepare individuals for careers in research universities and teaching colleges as well as for careers in consultancies or research agencies of all types (private, non-profit, local, state, federal or international). Students will work alongside a collection of highly-regarded faculty with expertise in public policy and expertise in health policy, economics and management. As part of this specialized program of study, students will attain knowledge, skills, and abilities to conduct high quality research, present papers at scholarly conferences, and submit research articles for publication. Ultimately, students who successfully complete all program requirements will receive both a Master of Public Service and Administration (MPSA) degree from the Bush School of Government and Public Service and a Doctor of Philosophy in Health Services Research (PhD) from the Department of Health Policy and Management in the School of Public Health.
Academic Themes and Curriculum Specifications
The CDP consists of a minimum of 103 credit hours for coursework beyond those earned for a Bachelor’s degree. The following coursework requirements are for students entering the collaborative program in the fall semester of 2019 or thereafter. The independent degree programs remain the same as they are currently approved.
I. Public Policy Foundational Core (24 credits)
Core courses within the MPSA Degree from the Bush School of Government and Public Service will serve as the curricular foundation of the CDP. Concomitantly, these courses will provide students with knowledge, skills, and analytical tools needed to perform effectively and ethically in a time when public servants consistently face new challenges. In addition, students will have ample opportunities to develop leadership skills and engage in public service activities both inside and outside the classroom through interactions with high-level public leaders, real-world consulting projects, student organizations, and the Bush School’s Public Service Leadership Program. The following eight (8) courses are designed to aid the development of principled leaders who will practice their organizational improvement skills in the public and nonprofit sectors.
- PSAA 601: Foundations in Public Service
- PSAA 611: Public Policy Formation
- PSAA 621: Economic Analysis
- PSAA 643: Foundations of the Nonprofit Sector
- BUSH 631: Quantitative Methods in Public Mgmt I
- BUSH 635: Quantitative Methods in Public Mgmt II
- PSAA Track Courses I and II: PSAA 622 – Public Finance and PSAA 615 – Policy Analysis
II. Public Policy Elective Courses and Capstone Research (15 credits)
Three Bush School elective courses (nine credits), chosen with the consent of the student’s academic advisor, will enhance each student’s experience. During their second year, students also will participate in two semesters (six credits) of capstone research courses. These courses allow students to tackle a problem or project in the real world, often working in conjunction with a government agency or nonprofit organization. Designed to test the knowledge and abilities students have developed through their previous classes and experiences, capstones necessitate strong teamwork, careful research, writing ability, and often a large amount of ingenuity in identifying ways to approach an issue or find a solution.
III. Health Services Research Core (27 + 4 credits)
The courses in the health services research core are designed to provide students with a broad foundation of knowledge about research methods and conceptual frameworks for health services research. The core consists of:
- PHPM 671: Introduction to Health Services Research.
- PHPM 672 : Health Services Research Methods.
- PHPM 674 : Secondary Analysis of Health Data.
- PHPM 6xx: Qualitative Methodology.
- PHPM 672 : Data Science for Health Services Research
- PHPM 676: Analytic Issues in Health Services Research
- PHPM 668: Applied Health Services Research (1 cr hr, repeated 1st 4 semesters)
- PHPM 6xx : Political Foundations for Public Health
- PHPM 661 : Introduction to Health Economics
- PHPM 619 : Organization Theory and Health Services
IV. Health Policy Cognate Courses (9 credits)
There are two cognate-area options in the PhD program in Health Services Research (health policy and health economics). Students must specify their cognate area no later than the end of their first semester in the PhD program.
The three required health policy cognate courses:
- PHPM 640: Health Politics and Policy
- PHPM 641: Health Policy Formation
- PHPM 643: Health Policy Analysis
The three required health economics cognate courses:
- PSAA 621: Economic Analysis*
- PHPM 654: Health Insurance and Managed Care
- PHPM 663: Cost-effectiveness Analysis
*For CDP participants selecting the health economics cognate, this requirement will be waived and replaced by an additional 3 credit HSR elective course.
V. Health Services Research Electives (15 credits)
The PhD program in Health Services Research requires students to complete 15 credits in elective courses. At least 9 of the elective credits must come from courses on research methods (including statistics and data analytics), but total elective credits may include any TAMU course, subject to approval by the PhD Program Committee.
VI. PhD Qualifying Exams
To progress to candidacy for the PhD degree in HSR, students complete written qualifying exams, generally during the summer after completing 2 years of course work. The qualifying exams consist of two parts, one covering research design and data analytic issues, and the other covering content specific to the student’s cognate area (health policy or health economics). Students must pass both parts to continue in the PhD program. A student who fails either part of the qualifying exam may retake the portion failed once. The retake must be completed within 1 year of the original test date. A student who fails an exam on the second attempt will be dismissed from the PhD program.
After passing the qualifying exams, PhD students are expected to form their dissertation research committee, which consists of 4 (or optionally 5) members of the graduate faculty at TAMU. For all PhD students, the chair of the dissertation committee must be a member of the HPM faculty, and one member must be external to HPM. For CDP participants, typically one member of the dissertation committee will be a member of the Bush School faculty.
VII. Dissertation Research Hours (Minimum 9 credits)
A dissertation is an extended and detailed piece of original research containing a rigorous examination of existing research literature and research methodologies. It is a structured piece of writing – in either the traditional or the three article format – that develops a clear, concise, and logical argument that improves or extends existing research.
Each PhD student, working with his/her dissertation research committee, is responsible for developing a dissertation research proposal. Students must pass an oral exam on their dissertation proposal, conducted by their dissertation committee. After achieving approval for the dissertation proposal, each student will provide an oral defense of the completed dissertation, to be evaluated by the student’s dissertation committee. The final dissertation defense cannot occur less than 90 days after approval of the dissertation proposal.
VIII. Admissions Criteria
In order to participate in the CDP, applicants must be admitted to both the 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 (2019, 2021, etc.). Thus, the timing of CDP participant applications for admission to the HSR PhD program will differ based on the year of matriculation into the MPSA program.
“Even” year: CDP participants who matriculate into the MSPA program in “even” numbered years may apply to the HSR PhD degree program after 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 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 (see “Even” Year course sequence table).
“Odd” year: CDP participants who matriculate into the MSPA program in “odd” numbered years may apply to the HSR PhD degree program after completing the 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 beginning of the Spring semester, and 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 (see “Odd” Year course sequence table).
The CDP is designed to accommodate a relatively small number of students who intend to build an academic career focused on conducting research in the multidisciplinary field of health policy and health economics. Attempts will be made to limit net admissions to no more than 5 students per year.
Timeline – Even Years
| Timeline | |
| 1. Student applies to the MPSA program and is admitted | |
| 2. Student enrolls in MPSA program | Fall Yr 1 |
| 3. Student applies to HPM PhD. program | Spring Yr 1 |
| 4. Student is accepted to HPM PhD. Program | Summer Yr 1 |
| 5. Student enrolls in HPM PhD program | Fall Yr 2 |
| 6. Student completes the Public Policy Foundational Core and the Public Policy Elective Courses and Capstone Research requirements (a total of 39 hours) | Spring Yr 2 |
| 7. Students who satisfy the admission requirements for the CDP track administratively transferred into the 39-hour MPSA track | Spring Yr 2 |
| 8. Student graduates from the 39-hour MPSA program | Spring Yr 2 |
Timeline – Odd Years
| Timeline | |
| 1. Student applies to the MPSA program and is admitted | |
| 2. Student enrolls in MPSA program | Fall Yr 1 |
| 3. Student applies to HPM PhD program | Fall Yr 2 |
| 4. Student is accepted to HPM PhD Program | Winter Yr 2 |
| 5. Student completes the Public Policy Foundational Core and the Public Policy Elective Courses and Capstone Research requirements (a total of 39 hours). | Spring Yr 2 |
| 6. Students who satisfy the admission requirements for the CDP track administratively transferred into the 39-hour MPSA track | Spring Yr 2 |
| 7. Student graduates from the 39-hour MPSA program | Spring Yr 2 |
| 8. Student enters the HPM PhD program | Fall Yr 3 |
Bush School and HPM Collaborative Degrees Program
(Minimum 103 Credit Hours Required)
Suggested Course Sequence (“ODD” Year MSPA Matriculation)
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester | Summer Semester | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | PSAA 601 PSAA 621 BUSH 631 PSAA 643 | PSAA 611 BUSH 635 PSAA 622 PSAA Elective I | PSAA Professional Internship |
| Year 2 | PSAA Capstone I PSAA 615 PSAA Elective 2 PH Prep Course* | PSAA Capstone II PSAA Elective 3 HSR Elective 1 PH Prep Course* | |
| Year 3 | PHPM 671 PHPM 661 Elective+ PHPH 668 (1 cr. hr.) | PHPM 619 PHPM 672 Cognate Course 1 PHPH 668 (1 cr. hr.) | HSR Elective 2 (optional) |
| Year 4 | Qualitative Methods HSR Methods Elec 2 Cognate Course 2 PHPH 668 (1 cr. hr.) | PHPM 676 PHPM 674 EDAD Elective 4 Cognate Course 3 PHPH 668 (1 cr. hr.) | PhD Qualifying Exams Form Dissertation Committee |
| Year 5 | HSR Methods Elec 3 Dissertation | Dissertation | Final Dissertation Defense |
| Year 6 | Dissertation (If needed) | Final Dissertation Defense |
*if applicable;
+PSAA students will receive course waiver for PHPM 6xx (replaced with Elective).
Suggested Course Sequence (“EVEN” Year MSPA Matriculation)
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester | Summer Semester | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | PSAA 601 PSAA 621 BUSH 631 PSAA 643 | PSAA 611 BUSH 635 PSAA 622 BUSH Elective I | PSAA Professional Internship |
| Year 2 | PSAA Capstone I PSAA 671 PHPM 661* PSAA 615 PHPM 668 (1 cr. hr.) | PSAA Capstone II PHPM 619* PHPM 672 Cognate Course I PHPM 668 (1 cr. hr.) | PH Prep Courses (if applicable) |
| Year 3 | Qualitative Methods HSR Methods Elec 1 Cognate Course 2 PHPH 668 (1 cr. hr.) | PHPM 676 PHPM 674 Cognate Course 3 PHPH 668 (1 cr. hr.) | PhD Qualifying Exams Form Dissertation Committee |
| Year 4 | Elective+ HSR Elective 1 Add HSR Elective 1 HSR Methods Elec 3 | HSR Elective 2 Add HSR Elective 2 Add HSR Elective 3 | Dissertation |
| Year 5 | Dissertation | Dissertation | Final Dissertation Defense |
| Year 6 | Dissertation (If needed) | Final Dissertation Defense |
*counts as PSAA Electives 2 & 3, replaced by additional HSR elective courses;
+PSAA students will receive course waiver for PHPM 6xx (replaced with Elective).
Allocation of Minimum Credit Hours across Degree Programs
| Course | Credit Hours Toward MPSA | Credit Hours Toward PhD | “ODD” timing | “EVEN” timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSAA 601: Foundations in Public Service | 3 | Fall 1 | Fall 1 | |
| PSAA 611: Public Policy Formation | 3 | Spring 1 | Spring 1 | |
| PSAA 621: Economic Analysis | 3 | Fall 1 | Fall 1 | |
| PSAA 643: Foundations of the Nonprofit Sector | 3 | Fall 1 | Fall 1 | |
| BUSH 631: Quantitative Methods in Public Mgmt I | 3 | Fall 1 | Fall 1 | |
| BUSH 635: Quantitative Methods in Public Mgmt II | 3 | Spring 1 | Spring 1 | |
| PSAA 622: Public Finance (or alternate track equivalent) | 3 | Spring 1 | Spring 1 | |
| PSAA 615: Policy Analysis (or alternate track equivalent) | 3 | Fall 2 | Fall 2 | |
| PSAA 675: PSAA Capstone Seminar I | 3 | Fall 1 | Fall 1 | |
| PSAA 676: PSAA Capstone Seminar II | Fall 2 | Fall 2 | ||
| PSAA Electives | 9 | Spring 1, 2, Fall 2 | Spring 1, 2, Fall 2 | |
| HSR Core (PHPM 671; 661; 619; 672; 676; 674; Qual Methods & 668 (4hrs). [PHPM 6xx waived] | 25 | Fall 3, 4 Spring 3, 4 | Fall 2, 3 Spring 3, 4 | |
| HSR Cognate Area | 9 | Spring 3, 4 Fall 4 | Spring 2, 3 Fall 3 | |
| HSR Electives | 18 | Spring 2 Fall 4,5 | Fall 4,5 | |
| Dissertation Research | 9 | Yrs 5, (6) | Yrs 5, (6) | |
| Total Credit Hours | 39 | 61 |
For more information about this program and application process, contact:
- Robert Ohsfeldt, PhD
- Regents Professor and Chair, PhD Program Committee
- Department of Health Policy and Management
- School of Public Health
- Texas A&M University
- College Station, Texas 77843-1266
- E-mail: rohsfeldt@tamu.edu
- Joanna Lahey, PhD
- The Bush School of Government and Public Service
- Texas A&M University
- 4220 TAMU
- College Station, TX 77843-4220
- Office: 979-458-3463
- Webpage
