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Curriculum

Curriculum is subject to change.

Degree Requirements

The program curriculum is designed for either full-time enrollment (9 hours per fall/spring semester; 6 hours per summer semester) or flexible enrollment (minimum of 3 hours per semester). A minimum of 36 hours of required and elective courses must be completed. An additional 12 credit hours are required for dissertation research. A total of 48 hours earned is required for graduation.

In total, degree requirements include completion of a combination of required courses, electives, research activities, and program milestones (including dissertation).

Coursework

All coursework (required and elective) has been designed to primarily provide training in experimental design, methodology, and biostatistical analyses. Training also will be given in scientific writing (grants and manuscripts), professional development, and teaching. Students will not undertake additional coursework specific to the professional field in which a minimum of a master’s degree was previously obtained.

Research Activities

In addition to coursework, students will be involved in research projects that will lead to a dissertation. Students will select a research mentor after participating in a minimum of two laboratory rotations. As part of these research activities, students will give a yearly Works-In-Progress (WIP) seminar on their own research and will be required to attend a seminar series on a weekly basis for at least two semesters.

Program Milestones

Students will be required to complete three program milestones as part of their degree requirements. These consist of:

  • Qualifying exam (write and defend a mock grant proposal)
  • Dissertation proposal defense (present and defend idea for dissertation research)
  • Dissertation defense (write, present, and defend dissertation research)

Prescribed Sequence of Courses

The following is the sequence of required courses for the full-time option in the Ph.D. Program in Applied Clinical Research. There is a recommended sequence of courses for flexible option students which can be modified according to individual student needs. For students in both options, the sequence is subject to change. 

48

Total Program Hours

    • First Year
      • Fall | 9 Credit Hours

        Professionalism, Responsible Conduct of Research and Ethics I | 1 Credit Hour

        Introduction to Principles & Methods of Clinical & Translational Research | 3 Credit Hours

        Biostatistics | 3 Credit Hours

        Laboratory Rotations: Techniques in Applied Clinical Research | 1 Credit Hour

        Professional Development | 1 Credit Hour

      • Spring | 9 Credit Hours

        Professionalism, Responsible Conduct of Research and Ethics II | 1 Credit Hour

        Biostatistics II | 3 Credit Hours

        Grant Writing I | 1 Credit Hour

        Scientific Communication I | 1 Credit Hour

        Research Practicum | 3 Credit Hours

         

      • Summer | 6 Credit Hours

        Grant Writing II | 1 Credit Hour

        Professional Development II | 1 Credit Hour

        Research Practicum | 2 Credit Hours

        Elective Coursework | 2 Credit Hours

    • Second Year
      • Fall | 9 Credit Hours

        Doctoral Seminar I | 1 Credit Hour

        Teaching and Learning in Health Care Education | 2 Credit Hours

        Elective Coursework | 2 Credit Hours

        Dissertation Research | 3 Credit Hours

        Scientific Communication II | 1 Credit Hours

      • Spring | 9 Credit Hours

        Doctoral Seminar II | 1 Credit Hour

        Dissertation Research | 3 Credit Hours

        Elective Coursework | 5 Credit Hours

      • Summer | 6 Credit Hours

        Dissertation Research | 6 Credit Hours

    • Third Year
      • Fall | 9 Credit Hours

        Dissertation Research (if necessary to complete dissertation requirements) | 9 Credit Hours

      • Spring | 9 Credit Hours

        Dissertation Research (if necessary to complete dissertation requirements) | 9 Credit Hours

      • Summer | 6 Credit Hours

        Dissertation Research (if necessary to complete dissertation requirements) | 6 Credit Hours

Elective Courses

The following is a list of examples of available elective courses:

  • Practical Clinical & Translational Research Protocol Development
  • Clinical & Translational Research from Proposal to Implementation
  • Introduction to Patient Centered Outcomes Research & Comparative Effectiveness Research
  • Epidemiology for the Clinical Investigator
  • Developing & Commercializing Biomedical Research
  • Independent Research
  • Special Topics
  • Introduction to Neuroscience
  • Introduction to Pathology
  • Human Anatomy Lecture
  • Human Anatomy Dissection Laboratory
  • Human Physiology
  • Human Biology & Disease