Health Research Methodology, Ph.D

Admission

While the field of focus is Health Research Methodology, the faculty is a diverse interactive group of researchers specializing in the evaluative and decision sciences in biostatistics/clinical trials; epidemiology/population health/health services; health economics/health policy analysis; and health measurement. Common to these diverse disciplinary interests is a central focus on the development and testing of theory and methods related to health problems. Thus, the program seeks candidates who show high scholarly promise from both clinical and non-clinical backgrounds: clinicians, in virtually all health-related disciplines, and non-clinicians, usually from backgrounds in the social and behavioural sciences. A candidate for the Ph.D. degree must comply with the School of Graduate Studies Regulations for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy, including completion of the equivalent of 1.5 full 700-level courses, as the minimum course requirement.

Course Requirements

Students who have not taken courses that represent an introduction to health research methods (HTH RS M *730  or HTH RS M *751  [or their equivalents]) and basic biostatistics (HTH RS M *702  [or equivalent]), and theory and practice of measurement (HTH RS M *727  [or its equivalent]) may be required to take these courses in addition to the regular course load. Students should consult program documentation for the specific requirements for the fields of specialization.

The specific recommended courses would depend on the student’s field of specialization, and their interest in exploring focused areas in depth. These courses could be taken from the following list:

Additional Information

Other course offerings may be considered; students will be encouraged to consider existing courses in the Faculties of Health Sciences, Business, Science, and Social Sciences.

Candidates must also:

1. Obtain a grade of at least B- in all courses.
2. Pass a Comprehensive Examination between twelve and twenty-four months following the start of doctoral studies at McMaster. The examination will test the student’s ability to acquire, evaluate critically, handle and conceptualize major issues in the discipline or sub-discipline to which their field of research belongs. They must include at least two of the aforementioned areas but these cannot be related directly to the thesis topic.
3. Complete a dissertation or thesis on an approved topic based on research carried out within the program, and defend the thesis at a final oral examination. The thesis will demonstrate the student’s ability to develop new methodology, or to advance one or several competing existing methodologies in a challenging new area of health care/health services research.

Students may be asked to meet additional requirements of the program, including participation in special seminars or colloquia.