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Health and Medical Sciences
PhD Health Sciences
Graduate
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Health Sciences

Our interdisciplinary program helps healthcare professionals become advanced practitioners, researchers, managers and educators - and Seton Hall is one of only two schools in New Jersey to offer the health sciences doctorate.

Whether your ultimate goals are in the classroom or the boardroom, as a clinician or a researcher, the Seton Hall Ph.D. in Health Sciences program offers a relevant specialization track. Our students can choose to focus on health professions leadership, movement science or speech-language pathology.

Students choose to study full- or part-time. Our classes meet once a week in the evening, using a synchronous online model of learning. Students can complete the synchronous online program plan in 6-years part-time or 3-4  years full-time.

We Aim to Prepare Health Scientists Who

  • Exhibit communication, educational and research skills to serve as active contributors to the healthcare system;
  • Consider ethical values and principles fundamental to the provision and receipt of healthcare services and research;
  • Use pedagogical and organizational skills necessary to deliver healthcare in an efficient and effective manner;
  • Critically appraise health science literature and apply the appropriate principles and procedures to the recognition, evaluation, interpretation, and understanding of current issues;
  • Apply the principles of scientific inquiry to investigate problems at the frontiers of knowledge; and
  • Demonstrate knowledge and sensitivity of culturally diverse populations and their attitudes toward health and illness.

Seton Hall University's Ph.D. in Health Sciences program offers unique opportunities that make students feel privileged and excited. The program emphasizes student-focused research, allowing participants to select projects aligned with their specialized tracks. This fosters deep expertise and positions graduates as knowledge brokers and change agents within the medical field.

The program's part-time evening courses cater to working professionals, providing them with the flexibility they need. Moreover, it offers abundant opportunities for collaborative research with faculty, further enhancing their excitement. This unique blend of personalized research, practical engagement, and unique opportunities equips students for significant roles in healthcare innovation and leadership. 

Why Earn a PhD Health Sciences?

Earning a PhD in Health Sciences positions graduates at the forefront of their individual health field, fostering innovation and leadership in both academic health center environments and the broader health care system. This advanced degree prepares health care professionals for a range of roles, from research and teaching to high-level management in healthcare settings. Career outcomes include leading roles in healthcare policy, university-level education, and specialized research, contributing significantly to the advancement of healthcare practices and health system improvements.

Our graduates go into higher education, research positions, advanced clinical positions, and leadership and management positions in diverse healthcare settings.

BY THE NUMBERS

  • 3 Specialization Tracks Available
  • 80 Students Currently Enrolled
  • 1 of Two N.J. Schools With Health Sciences Ph.D.
SHMS

Why a Ph.D.?

Whether your ultimate goals are in the classroom or the boardroom, as a clinician or a researcher, the Seton Hall Ph.D. in Health Sciences program offers a relevant specialization track.

Jesus Jessie Casida

“My research was the first to investigate the extent to which nurse managers’ leadership behaviors influence a nursing unit’s performance in areas such as patient satisfaction, length of hospital stay, cost effectiveness and quality care.”

Jesus “Jessie” Casida, Ph.D. ’07, RN, APN-C, CCRN-CSC
Executive Director of the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing and the George M. and Boyce W. Billingsley Endowed Chair in Nursing at the University of Arkansas

Curriculum

PhD in Health Science degree requires the completion of 57 credits beyond a master’s degree, including:

  • 12 credits Health Science Core Curriculum
  • 15 credits Research Core Curriculum
  • 18 credits Specialization Curriculum
  • 12 credits Dissertation Curriculum
  • Successful completion of programs:
    • Qualifying & Candidacy Examination
    • Proposal Hearing & Result Presentation
    • Defense Presentation
    • Dissertation UMI Publication

Our broad-based curriculum lets students explore many areas of health sciences. The curriculum covers core coursework, specialization tracks and research, culminating in the defense and publication of a doctoral dissertation.

Students develop their individualized plan of study with a dedicated academic adviser who is a member of the faculty. Coursework also is enhanced by regular interactions with professionals in varied health fields, including nursing, hospital and healthcare systems management, pharmaceutical, occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech-language pathology.

Program Overview: PhD in Health Sciences

The Ph.D. in Health Sciences degree program is designed for health professionals who are interested in pursuing an advanced research- and scholarship-focused education at the doctoral level.

Admission Requirements

A Master's degree from an accredited, entry-level healthcare professional program is required for admission.

Deadlines:

  • June 1 - Application deadline for admission starting in a Fall semester
  • November 1 - Application deadline for admission starting in a Spring semester

Application Requirements

  • Completion of Program Application which includes securing official academic transcripts, a professional letter of recommendation, personal statement, and GRE score preferred
  • Virtual interview with Program Admission Committee which includes completion of Critical Thinking Assessment and Essay

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Program Faculty

Our doctorally prepared faculty work together within the Department of Interprofessional Health Sciences and Health Administration to create a dynamic and challenging environment for our students. They are knowledgeable teachers and compassionate mentors whose expertise comprises a wide range of health disciplines, from physical therapy and neuroscience to corporate leadership and health law.

Meet all of our Ph. D. in Health Sciences Program faculty »

Genevieve Zipp posing
Genevieve Zipp
Program Director, Ph. D. in Health Sciences
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Michelle D'Abundo, Ph.D. posing
Michelle D'Abundo
Associate Professor
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Deborah Deluca posing
Deborah Deluca
Assistant Professor
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Learn the Art and Science of Caring

In response to society's rapidly changing healthcare needs, the School of Health and Medical Sciences combines the expertise of Seton Hall University with the resources of affiliate healthcare sites to provide exemplary academic and clinical training in graduate-level health sciences and health administration. The school's emphasis on interprofessional education prepares healthcare leaders of tomorrow to focus on patient-centered care and to make a difference in patients' lives and their communities.

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Contact Us

  • Patrick McDermott, M.A.
  • Assistant Dean for Graduate Enrollment and Student Affairs
  • School of Health and Medical Sciences
  • [email protected]
  • (973) 275-2062