Graduate School of Public Health - Department of Biostatistics

Biostatistics is one of the significant tools for the study of variation in the life cycle of living organisms and the essential tool for the quantitative study of human growth, reproduction, morbidity, and mortality. The proper application of the theory of biostatistics requires a clear understanding of the concepts underlying statistical analysis. Training focuses on the theory and techniques for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting quantitative data related to the fields of public health and medicine. Students are given the opportunity to apply their knowledge in a consulting practicum and in both departmental and interdisciplinary research projects. Primary areas of application include clinical trials, breast and colo-rectal cancer, occupational and environmental health, diagnostic radiology, psychiatric research, infectious diseases in children, and organ transplantation. Primary areas of focus for methodological research include survival analysis, stochastic models of tumor growth, statistical methods in epidemiology, longitudinal data analysis, statistical computing, outcomes research, and ROC curve analysis. The majority of students gain experience by participating with faculty as a graduate student researcher (GSR). In addition to the mainframe computer and student microcomputer laboratories provided by the University, the department maintains a microcomputer laboratory for student usage and provides microcomputers in GSR offices.

Contact Information

Chairperson: Howard E. Rockette, PhD

Department Office: 318C Parran Hall

Phone: (412) 624-3022

Fax: (412) 624-2183

E-mail: biostat@pitt.edu

Admissions

In addition to University and general GSPH requirements, admission to all Biostatistics degree programs requires two semesters of calculus, a course in biology, a basic computing course, and the Graduate Record Examination. In some cases, course deficiencies can be satisfied the first term. The MPH and DrPH degrees also require six credits in biology, six credits in social science and a professional degree and/or background in health.

Financial Assistance

The department awards approximately 25 graduate student research assistantships and three teaching assistantships each year. These awards involve an average of 20 hours of work per week and include a monthly stipend; a scholarship covering tuition and medical insurance is included in the award based on merit. First year students and foreign students are eligible.

Requirements for Master's Degrees

The department awards both an MS and MPH degree. Students must complete 36 credit requirements for the master's degree plus a thesis and a comprehensive examination. The course requirements for the MS include more courses in statistical theory while course requirements for the MPH permit a wider range of public health courses.

Requirements for the Doctoral Degrees

Students must complete 72 credits of formal course work that includes both department and school requirements. Students must pass a qualifying examination to be admitted to candidacy. The remainder of the requirements entail a comprehensive examination, successful completion of a research dissertation, and a final oral examination.

Department of Environmental and Occupational Health

The mission of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health is to study and elucidate the health effects of exposure to chemical, physical, and biological agents encountered in the workplace or general environment. To accomplish this goal, the department supports a broad range of research, training, clinical, and service activities. The principal research focus is to reduce the uncertainty in estimating human health risks associated with exposure to potentially harmful agents. To accomplish this, the department is at the forefront of research on molecular dosimetry and toxicology. Training activities include a comprehensive curriculum in environmental and occupational health leading to an MS, MPH, or PhD degree. Clinical activities emphasizing preventive approaches are carried out by the department's Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

An MPH in Occupational Medicine is also available for physicians —either independently or as a part of the Occupational Medicine residency. A certificate program in Radiation Health is offered for students enrolled in the MS program. A Risk Assessment track is offered for currently employed environmental and occupational health practitioners. Students in the risk assessment track are introduced to areas of hazard identification (toxicology, structure-activity relationships, epidemiology); exposure assessment (environmental fate and transport, biological markers); risk characterization (quantitative and qualitative measures of uncertainty, Montel Carlo methods); risk management (federal risk management policy, EPA and OSHA approaches); and risk communication.

The Molecular Toxicology track is an integrated, modern curriculum combining the classical subdisciplines of toxicology, namely biochemistry/bioorganic chemistry, organ systems toxicology, pathology, pharmacology, and physiology with the rapidly emerging areas of cellular and molecular biology, genetics, molecular biomarkers and dosimetry, and computer-based toxicological and toxicokinetic modeling. This program was designed to provide students in the department with a modern and rigorous understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying toxicological processes. This scientific training is set in a public health context in which the students will also be trained in biostatistics and epidemiology to provide an understanding of how these laboratory-based disciplines can be extended and applied to the study of exposed human populations. This track combines existing courses in the department, the Graduate School of Public Health, and the University to provide thematic teaching and laboratory focus centered on the training of doctoral-level students in the department.

The computational toxicology area of specialization within the PhD and MS programs of Environmental and Occupational Health is designed to provide graduate students and postdoctoral students with knowledge of state-of-the-art computational approaches and techniques to explore the molecular mechanisms of toxicology; train graduate students and postdocs in the techniques that will enable them to assess the potential toxicity of new or untested chemicals and to formulate regulatory policy regarding the toxic effects of chemicals; and enable graduates to elucidate the strengths and weaknesses of existing computational techniques. Courses are taken in the departments of Environmental and Occupational Health, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Computer Science, Pharmacology, and Pathology.

Consultative and service activities on a variety of fronts are conducted by departmental faculty, staff, and students to address regional, national, international, and societal needs related to environmental and occupational health.

Major Educational Areas and Programs

The Department of Environmental and Occupational Health offers the following master's, doctoral, and certificate programs:

Research Programs

The department conducts a broad range of active research programs in basic and applied sciences and in clinically oriented topics. In addition to primary research within the department, faculty participate in a wide variety of collaborative projects with other investigators in the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public Health, School of Medicine, and School of Engineering; in other major universities; and in governmental agencies including the National Institutes of Health and the Environmental Protection Agency. Current research programs include: protein and DNA adducts formed by hazardous chemicals; internal dosimetry and biomarkers of exposure; molecular approaches to identify individual susceptibility factors; expert computer systems to analyze structure-activity relationships of therapeutic agents and toxicants; respiratory physiology and inhalation toxicology; oxidative damage from chemical or radiation exposure; health effects of global change; free radical reactions in disease; radiation health; immunotoxicology and mechanisms of occupational asthma; reproductive and developmental toxicity; and radiopharmaceuticals.

Facilities

The department, as the nucleus of the University's Center for Environmental and Occupational Health and Toxicology, is housed in a suburban research park in a building that was constructed especially for toxicology research. Courses are given at both the Pittsburgh campus and at the research center in Blawnox, O'Hara Township; laboratory research activities are conducted at the Blawnox center. Shuttle services provide transportation for students, faculty, and staff between the main campus and the research facilities. Computer networks serve to further join the two facilities.

Contact Information

Chairperson: Bruce R. Pitt, PhD

Center for Environmental and Occupational Health and Toxicology

260 Kappa Drive

Pittsburgh, PA 15238

Phone: (412) 967-6500

Fax: (412) 624-1020

E-mail: tcostanzo@server.ceoh.pitt.edu

Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

A729 Crabtree Hall

University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA 15261

Phone: (412) 624-3155

Fax: (412) 624-3040

Admission

Each applicant for admission to an EOH departmental program is considered individually. Course work in mathematics and the physical, chemical, and biological sciences must be documented in the undergraduate transcript. Acceptable undergraduate training includes a bachelor's degree in the physical, chemical, or biological sciences with a minimum of two courses each in organic chemistry, biology, physics, and calculus. Applicants to the computational toxicology track must have successfully completed at least one computer language programming course.

Applicants for admission must also take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) unless the candidate already has a graduate or professional degree. Consistent with GSPH requirements, students are ordinarily required to have at least a 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale) overall undergraduate QPA, and a 3.00 QPA in the basic science courses (chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics).

Applicants for the MPH in Occupational Medicine must hold an MD or equivalent degree from an acceptable institution.

NOTE: Some tracks may require an interview before an admission decision will be made.

Applicants to the PhD track in Molecular Toxicology apply to the Interdisciplinary Biomedical Graduate Program in the School of Medicine. (See School of Medicine section of this bulletin.) Following one year of interdisciplinary study, students enroll in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at the Graduate School of Public Health, with specialization in Molecular Toxicology. The PhD is awarded by the Graduate School of Public Health.

Program Requirements

Students are required to take departmental core courses in each degree program in addition to GSPH school core course requirements. Please contact the department's Student Affairs Administrator for more information on individual tracks.

Master of Science and Master of Public Health (Non-Physician) Students

Students in master's degree programs must complete the prescribed course work plus an independent study under the supervision of a faculty member and a comprehensive examination (38 credits total). Most full-time students complete degree requirements in one year. Should the MS student wish to concentrate in the radiation health area with the intent of entering the Health Physics profession, additional courses may be taken. These lead to a certificate in Radiation Health. Attendance and participation in departmental seminars and journal clubs are required.

PhD Students

PhD students must complete a block of courses comprising school requirements and department requirements for a total of 72 credits. Attendance and participation in departmental seminars and journal clubs are required. During the first year of study, students have an opportunity to work in two different research laboratories. Following the comprehensive examination at the completion of the course work, an independent research project is chosen. A passing performance in a set of qualifying examinations completes the admission to candidacy for the PhD. Students then spend the remainder of the graduate program completing the research project and taking selected elective courses. Dissertation preparation and defense complete the PhD requirements. See General Requirements for Doctoral Degrees and Regulations Pertaining to Doctoral Degrees for more information.

MPH Students in Occupational Medicine

Physicians in the Master of Public Health program in Occupational Medicine complete a minimum of 48 credit hours of required and elective courses and prepare a thesis, usually a research project or comprehensive review of the literature for a selected topic. Attendance and participation in departmental seminars and journal clubs are required. The degree may be undertaken by physicians either independently or as part of the occupational and environmental medicine residency. The residency program includes a first Postgraduate Year — (PGY)(2) — composed of course work and clinical practice and a second Postgraduate Year — (PGY)(3) — that provides practicum experience rich in exposure to the wide-ranging aspects of occupational health. At the end of the two years, the physician is eligible to take the board examination in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

Certificate in Environmental Health Risk Assessment

Prior or concurrent training in BIOST 2041 and EPIDEM 2011 or equivalent course work is required, in addition to the following courses: EOH 2175; EOH 2121; EOH 2122; EOH 2106; EOH 2180; EOH 2181; Case Studies in Risk Assessment (0 credits); and 2-3 credits of electives.

Certificate in Radiation Health

In addition to the degree requirements for the MS in Environmental and Occupational Health - Radiation Health track, students must take the following courses: EOH 2211; EOH 2223; EOH 2232; EOH 2234; EOH 2236; EOH 2237; EOH 2247; EOH 2255; EOH 2259; elective courses. A total of approximately 22 credits are required in addition to the MS requirements.

Department of Epidemiology

Epidemiology has been defined as the application of the scientific method to the study of disease in populations for the purpose of prevention or control. It is a key basic science of public health and preventive medicine. The epidemiological method for studying a problem involves three approaches: description of the frequency and determinants of a disease in a defined population, evaluation of factors that may cause a disease, and experimental studies of the effects of modifying risk factors on the subsequent frequency of disease. A major goal of the departmental training and research program is to develop techniques that will effectively reduce mortality and morbidity.

In-depth information concerning the Department of Epidemiology, facilities, faculty research interests, course descriptions, and the like can be found on the department's Web page: http://www.pitt.edu /~epidept/epihome.html.

Major Educational Areas

Students may pursue the MS, MPH, PhD, or DrPH in Epidemiology in a variety of areas. The major areas of focus within the department are aging, alcohol, chronic disease, clinical trials, environmental epidemiology, infectious disease, molecular epidemiology, nutrition, physical activity, psychiatric epidemiology, telecommunications and public health, and women's health. Students generally take a series of core courses in epidemiology and then specialize in one of these areas. Faculty in each of these specific areas have major research and/or community service programs that provide excellent facilities for student research and field training. The physical activity and women's health tracks are among the first such tracks to be offered by an American school of public health. For more information on the available areas, see the department's Web site.

Research

The research in the Department of Epidemiology involves many different populations. The World Health Organization Center for Diabetes Registries collaborates with investigators in over 70 countries. The studies of the molecular epidemiology of insulin-dependent diabetes focus on susceptibility genes for diabetes in different populations. Studies in Nigeria evaluate the causes of hypertension. The Nutrition and Epidemiology track is a leader in clinical trials involving the prevention of kidney failure, colonic polyps, hypertension, and coronary heart disease. The aging and chronic disease tracks are evaluating new methods of measuring cardiovascular disease among older individuals, as well as studying osteoporosis, stroke, depression, and dementia. The women's health study track includes detailed studies of menopause, obesity, exercise, diet, thrombosis, clotting factors, and behavioral attributes. The Molecular Epidemiology track represents a collaboration among the Departments of Epidemiology, Environmental and Occupational Health, and Human Genetics; it focuses on chronic disorders. There are also ongoing clinical trials in osteoporosis, exogenous hormones, and disease. Other projects include evaluation of screening for breast and cervical cancer and cardiovascular disease, as well as examination of the association of physical activity and chronic diseases in minority U.S. populations.

The epidemiology data center coordinates multi-center clinical trials and registries to evaluate new technology including coronary artery surgery, angioplasty, liver transplantation, brain resuscitation, and eye disease. The cancer epidemiology track is linked to the Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and includes research related to screening and early detection of cancer, the study of oncoproteins, dietary factors, and the risk of cancer and environmental determinants of cancer risk. The psychiatric and alcohol research track include studies of delinquency and antisocial behavior, suicide, depression, and alcohol and drug abuse, with a special emphasis on studies during pregnancy and early childhood. The infectious disease track focuses on hospital-acquired infections and, in collaboration with the Allegheny County Health Department, disease outbreaks in the community.

The Infectious Disease Epidemiology track is also jointly coordinated with the Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Program. The department maintains a close link with the Allegheny County Health Department, the Coroner's Office and the Pennsylvania State Health Department.

Contact Information

Chairperson: Lewis H. Kuller, MD, DrPH

Department Office: A527 Crabtree Hall

Phone: (412) 624-3054

Fax: (412) 624-7397

E-mail: kuller+@pitt.edu

 

Departmental Student Affairs

Phone: (412) 624-3060

Fax: (412) 624-1736

E-mail: pjw+@pitt.edu

Admissions

The department accepts students with a variety of prior health-related professional degree backgrounds and a very limited number of superior students who have completed a bachelor's degree. Students may matriculate for the MPH, MS, DrPH, or PhD degree. Applicants to the MS program must have an advanced degree in a professional discipline, e.g., biostatistics or human genetics. Postdoctoral fellows may enroll in either the MPH or MS program. Baccalaureate applicants are considered only for the PhD program (average duration four to five years) except for those applicants with bachelor's degrees in nutrition (who already have credentials as registered dietitians or have a biological science background), nursing, or psychology, or those who have had professional employment with a public health agency. A one-year MPH program is available for students with a prior health-related professional degree (such as MD, DDS, nursing, or psychology). A one-year MPH degree program is also available in nutrition and epidemiology for nutritionists who have completed their undergraduate training and have field experience, especially in a public health setting. In addition, a concurrent MPH is available for students pursuing doctoral programs at GSPH or other graduate and professional schools.

Applicants to the program should state the specific degree that they are seeking, the area of interest, and their need for traineeship or other financial support. Applicants lacking an advanced degree are required to take one of the following: Graduate Record Exam (GRE), Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), or the Dental College Admission Test (DCAT). These exam/test scores may also be required for applicants with advanced degrees. If so, the department will so notify.

Graduates of foreign medical schools, to be eligible for consideration, must meet one of the following criteria:

1. Hold a valid medical license in the United States or be eligible for medical licensure in the United States (e.g., have passed all necessary examinations and served required time in approved residency program); documentation must accompany application.
2. Be an outstanding candidate with appropriate background, training, and skills to justify consideration. (GRE scores are also required.) Foreign students admitted to the program are required to submit evidence of financial support adequate to cover the entire program of studies. See Graduate Admissions of International Students for more information.

For further information on admissions, see the department's Web page at: http://www.pitt.edu/~epidept/epihome.html.

Financial Assistance

A limited number of graduate student assistantships and teaching fellowships are also available. Sponsored training programs at pre- and postdoctoral levels are available in aging, psychiatric epidemiology, alcohol epidemiology, and HIV prevention.

Program Requirements: Master's and Doctorate Curricula

The student's course of study, including the sequencing of courses, is developed in conjunction with the major advisor, taking into account background, area of focus, degree program, and GSPH requirements. The minimum credit total is 30 for the master's programs and 72 for the doctoral programs. Prerequisites for the doctoral preliminary examination are: EPIDEM 2110, EPIDEM 2180, EPIDEM 2230, BIOST 2041, BIOST 2042, BIOST 2093 (or PSYED 2422), plus area of focus courses selected by the faculty advisor.

All students in the Department of Epidemiology must take the GSPH Core Courses (or the GPSH core course list). NOTE: BIOST 2041 is required in place of BIOST 2011.

Departmental Core Courses

The following are the required departmental courses for students pursuing degrees in the Department of Epidemiology.

Master's Program Course Requirements

EPIDEM 2170* Epidemiology of Selected Chronic Diseases

EPIDEM 2180 Epidemiological Methods 1

EPIDEM 2181 Design of Clinical Trials

EPIDEM 2210 Special Studies (minimum of 2 credits)

EPIDEM 2230* Epidemiological Methods 2

EPIDEM 2250 Seminar in Epidemiology

EPIDEM 2260 Epidemiological Basis for Disease Control

EPIDEM 2600 Introduction to Molecular Epidemiology

BIOST 2042 Introduction to Statistical Methods 2

BIOST 2093 Data Management and Analysis

or

PSYED 2422 (see Additional Frequently Used Courses below)

HRS 1027** Pathophysiology (or equivalent)

or

NUR 2004**Pathophysiology (or equivalent)

 

*Elective for master's

**If no health background (must be completed in first year)

Doctoral Program Requirements

Students pursuing doctorate degrees must take the master's program courses listed above as well as the following:

EPIDEM 3100 Research and Dissertation for the Doctoral Degree (minimum of 3 credits)

or

FTDR 0000 Full-time Dissertation Study (where applicable)

Additional Frequently Used Courses

Selection of these courses depends on the candidate's background, degree program, and area of focus.

EPIDEM 2150 Epidemiology of Cardiovascular Diseases

EPIDEM 2151 Physical Activity Epidemiology

EPIDEM 2160 Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases

EPIDEM 2161 Methods in Infectious Diseases Epidemiology

EPIDEM 2171 Cancer Epidemiology

EPIDEM 2173 Culture and Diversity in Epidemiological Research

EPIDEM 2182 Design of Clinical Trials 2: Contemporary Issues

EPIDEM 2200 Epidemiology and Health Services

EPIDEM 2213 Special Studies—Directed

EPIDEM 2220 Environmental Epidemiology

EPIDEM 2290 Biochemical Aspects of Nutrition and Disease

EPIDEM 2310 Psychiatric Epidemiology 1

EPIDEM 2320 Psychiatric Epidemiology 2

EPIDEM 2340 Epidemiologic Approaches to the Etiology and Treatment of Children's Psychiatric Disorders

EPIDEM 2350 Epidemiology of Alcohol Use and Abuse

EPIDEM 2400 Behavioral Factors in Disease

EPIDEM 2525 Nutrition Assessment Laboratory

EPIDEM 2540 Nutrition and Epidemiology of Disease

EPIDEM 2550 Methodological Issues in Behavioral Lifestyle Interventions

EPIDEM 2670 Special Topics - Injury Epidemiology

EPIDEM 2710 Epidemiology of Women's Health

EPIDEM 2711 Physiology in Women

EPIDEM 2720 Environmental Causes of Reproductive Failure

EPIDEM 2850 Introduction to Pharmacoepidemiology

EPIDEM 2900 Epidemiology of Aging

EPIDEM 2980 Biology and Physiology of Aging

BIOST 2016 Introduction to Sampling

BIOST 2019 Public Health Statistics

BIOST 2045 Statistical Methods in Public Health

BIOST 2046 Analysis of Cohort Studies

BIOST 2048 Occupational Biostatistics

BIOST 2049 Applied Regression Analysis

BIOST 2052 Multivariate Analysis

BIOST 2054 Survival Analysis

BIOST 2092 Introduction to Computing

BIOST 2095 Introduction to Database Management Systems

BIOST 2097 Data Processing and Fortran

HSADM 2555 International Health Policy and Management

HSADM 2558 Health Program Evaluation

HSADM 2561 Demographic Techniques

HSADM 2563 Community Health Assessment

HSADM 2585 Historical and Sociological Perspectives in Public Health

HSADM 3002 Health Survey Methods

HSADM 3003 Seminar in Advanced Evaluative Techniques

HSADM 3004 Integrative Seminar in Health Services Research

HSADM 3012 Research Ethics

HSADM 3015 Geographic Information Systems and Spatial Data Analysis

HUGEN 2022 Human Population Genetics

PSYED 2001 Introduction to Research Methodology

PSYED 2030 Experimental Design

PSYED 2422 Data Analysis Using Computer Packages

PSYED 3410 Applied Regression Analysis

PSYED 3471 Constructing Questionnaires and Conducting Surveys

Department of Health Services Administration

The Department of Health Services Administration, created in 1948, is organized into two major divisions. The Division of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences (BCHS) prepares individuals to apply knowledge about how social, cultural, political, and behavioral factors impact upon the health of populations and on health care programs designed to serve these populations. The Division of Health Policy and Management prepares individuals for leadership and management positions throughout the domain of public health and health management.

Educational programs of the Division of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences build upon a common body of public health knowledge and social/behavioral science concepts, theories and applied research methods. The Master of Public Health (MPH) Program prepares students to assess the health status and needs of populations, formulate health policy and public health interventions and to evaluate these interventions as well as develop recommendations for improvement. Students learn and practice assessment and research skills in the context of social and behavioral change at the individual, organizational, and community levels. A program with the School of Social Work, the MPH/PhD in Public Health Social Work, trains social workers for leadership positions in public health systems with a focus on maternal and child health and prepares them for research and teaching posts. Students also have the option to receive the MPH and the Master of Public Administration (MPA) or the Master of Public and International Affairs (MPIA) a joint program with the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs.

The BCHS Division's Master of Health Promotion and Education (MHPE) Program, a joint program between the Graduate School of Public Health and the School of Education, prepares professionals to enter a variety of organizational settings to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate health promotion and disease prevention services in diverse populations. The MHPE curriculum is guided by a set of competencies, developed by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, which health educators are expected to master.

Affiliated directly with the University's Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business, the Division of Health Policy and Management's educational program awards the Master of Health Administration (MHA) degree. The program, with a strong managerial and organization emphasis as applied to the health field, also offers dual degree options allowing students to be granted a Master of Business Administration (MBA) granted by Katz or the MPH granted by the GSPH in addition to the MHA. Another option is the MPH/JD degree jointly awarded by the School of Law and the GSPH.

Students in the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) Program address advanced problems in public health and the health care system and develop a strong background in research methods, allowing them to pursue a career such as teaching in schools of public health or other professional schools or conducting health services research or health policy analysis in a variety of settings. Focus areas in the program are health services organization, policy, law and economics, maternal and child health, and public health gerontology and long-term care.

Affiliated Educational Certificate Programs

Students in the Department of Health Services Administration may pursue a variety of certificates to complement their area of study.

Certification in Public Health and Aging

The educational program is designed for students pursuing careers in public health, long-term care, or aging services. The program emphasizes theory, research, and practice with a focus on the multidisciplinary nature of gerontological public health and the potential contribution of public health to gerontology. Students enrolling in the program must be degree-seeking and must meet the entry requirements of their respective department/programs.

Management of Nonprofit Organization Certification Program

The nonprofit sector is composed of a vast collection of private, tax-exempt institutions providing a wide range of human services, educational and research programs, health care, cultural and artistic programs, and many other public services. This educational program emphasizes practical as well as theoretical approaches to nonprofit organizational management and is designed for students pursuing careers in management and policy analysis in the nonprofit sector. Students may enroll in this program either as degree-seeking or as non-degree students.

Certificate in Women's Studies

Graduate students in any area at the University of Pittsburgh or special students who have already completed an advanced degree at Pitt or elsewhere may apply to pursue a certificate in Women's Studies, awarded at both the master's and doctoral level by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

Certificate in Latin American Studies

MPH students interested in Latin America may obtain a certificate in Latin American Studies upon completion of their master's program. To apply to the program, students should register with the Center of Latin American Studies (CLAS) early in their graduate programs in order to take advantage of lectures, seminars, films, and other events on Latin America. Candidates for Latin American Studies certificates also are eligible for travel and research awards.

Research Focus

Health Services Administration faculty, through their research programs, are improving the public health knowledge base in such areas as:

The department has a state-of-the-art computer-assisted telephone interviewing system housed within the department's Office of Survey Research, which is affiliated with the University Center for Social and Urban Research. The Health Policy Institute, founded through the collaboration of the University of Pittsburgh, the Allegheny Conference on Community Development and Pittsburgh-based foundations, conducts studies and educational programs that help inform decision-makers about health care issues and options that influence health in the Pittsburgh region. The Center for Research on Health Care, operated jointly by the Department and the Division of General Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, conducts cost and outcomes studies of a wide range of medical and public health services.

Contact Information

For information about the department and its programs, visit the department's Web site: http://www.edc.gsph.pitt.edu/hsa /.

The following is a list of contact persons for the Department of Health Services Administration:

Admission: MPH Applicants

In addition to meeting the Graduate School of Public Health's general admission requirements, applicants seeking the Master of Public Health degree must:

Applicants for dual degree options must meet the MPH admission requirements. The deadline for application materials for August admission is May 1 and for January admission, October 1.

Admission: MPH/PhD in Social Work Applicants

Applicants planning to pursue the MPH and a PhD in social work must meet the admission requirements for both programs. Specifically, for admission to the MPH social work training program or the MPH/PhD track, the MPH requirements are that applicants have a master's degree in social work (MSW) from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)-accredited program, post-MSW professional experience (usually at least two years), and prior professional experience in health/human services setting, with particular emphasis on maternal and child health experience. Deadlines for application are the same as those for MPH applicants.

Admission: MHPE Applicants

In addition to GSPH and School of Education general requirements, admission requirements to the MHPE Program are a minimum QPA of 3.00 or higher, and a minimum score of 500 each on the quantitative and verbal portions of the Graduate Record Examination. The admissions committee looks carefully at the ability of the applicant to communicate both in written form (as judged by the application essay) and orally. Applicants are encouraged to schedule a face-to-face interview with the members of the committee as part of the application process. International applicants are to submit scores of 550 or higher for the verbal and quantitative sections of the TOEFL (213 or higher for the computer-based TOEFL test). Deadlines for application for admission are March 1st for August admission and October 1st for January admission.

Admission: MPH/JD Applicants

Applicants to the joint degree program must complete formal applications for admission to both the School of Law and the Graduate School of Public Health.

Admission: MHA, MHA/MBA, and MHA/MPH Applicants

The MHA application form is required to apply for the MHA, MHA/MBA, or MHA/MPH degrees. One of the two dual-degree options can be chosen after a student is well into the MHA curriculum. Requirements for admission include a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, acceptable scores on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), and successful completion of at least one college-level course in (integral and differential) calculus. Full-time students can enroll in July of each year and part-time students in July, January, and throughout the academic year. Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

Admission: DrPH Applicants

For admission to the doctoral program, an applicant must meet the Graduate School of Public Health's general admission requirements. In addition, applicants must possess a master's degree in public health or its international equivalent or a graduate degree in a field relevant to the objectives of the program. Applicants also must have successfully completed the following specific course requirements: six college credits in behavioral sciences, including a course in sociology or social psychology, and additional credits in such subjects as sociology, anthropology, psychology, political science, or economics and a course in statistics equivalent to the GSPH course, Biostatistics 2011. Applicants are encouraged to have had mathematics through the calculus level.

Applicants must submit scores from the GRE; the minimum acceptable score is 500 on both the verbal and quantitative sections. International applicants must submit scores from the TOEFL; the minimum score required is 550 (or 213 for the computer-based test). In the application essay, applicants must articulate a clear understanding of how the program of study will benefit them in achieving their career goals, and three professional or academic recommendations are to be submitted with the application. The Doctoral Committee only admits new students once per year - for the Fall Term (August). The deadline for application materials for Fall Term admission is March 30.

Financial Assistance

There are occasional Graduate Student Assistant (GSA) or Graduate Student Research (GSR) positions available for students enrolled in the Department's educational programs. There are also some opportunities for paid field practicum positions. In the social work training program (MPH or MPH/PhD), at least one student is funded full time through the PHSW Project annually. Students in the MPH/PhD program generally will receive financial support from the MCH training grant only during their initial three terms of study. The School of Social Work provides financial support during the second three terms of study and also attempts to assist students during their dissertation research phase.

Financial aid opportunities are available for students in the MHA Program through the Nathan Hershey Endowment, A. Boyd Anderson Scholarship, Western Pennsylvania Health Information Management System Society Scholarship, Fitzpatrick Scholarship, and Katz Tuition Fellowships.

Requirements for Master's Degrees

The following section details the requirements for each of the master's degrees offered through the Department of Health Services Administration's educational programs.

Master of Public Health (MPH) Requirements

The MPH Program is a 45-credit program requiring students to complete the GSPH core courses (9 credits), the division core courses (18 credits) and elective courses (18 credits). The Division Core includes courses covering subject areas in the following categories: social/behavioral theory and concepts; applied social/behavioral research methods; and experience in applying social/behavioral theories and methods.

Electives are selected from a range of courses that focus on particular issues, policies, or programs that have a social/behavioral emphasis. Students are required to complete a practicum in a public health setting and prepare an essay that demonstrates the ability to synthesize and analyze applications of social/behavioral health science concepts and methods in a public health setting through a particular policy and programmatic directive and/or intervention.

MPH/JD Requirements

Students enrolled in the joint-degree program receive integrated training in law and public health over a three-and-one-half year period. The combined credit-hour requirements for the JD and MPH degrees obtained separately is 118 credits (88 for the JD, usually completed in six full-time terms, and 30 for the MPH, usually completed in two full-time terms). In the joint-degree program, the two degrees are awarded for a combined total of 100 credits. This reduction in credit-hour requirements is made possible by the acceptance of 12 credit hours of MPH course work toward the JD degree and the acceptance of six credit hours of JD course work toward the MPH degree. The first year of law school must be completed in a single academic year before embarking on studies in public health. Neither degree may be granted prior to the fulfillment of all requirements for the joint-degree program.

MPH/PhD in Social Work Requirements

Students in the MPH/PhD Public Health Social Work Program must complete 36 credit hours of academic course work that includes a field practicum and an MPH essay. Required courses include the GSPH core, the BCHS Division core, and electives which must include maternal and child health courses. For details on the requirements for the PhD component of this joint degree, in the School of Social Work's section of this bulletin.

MPH/MPA and MPH/MPIA Requirements

The MPH/MPA or MPH/MPIA Program requirements are such that students must meet minimum requirements for both the GSPH and the GSPIA. These include taking the required core for each of the schools and additional required courses for a total of 63 credits.

Master of Health Promotion and Education (MHPE) Requirements

Students in the MHPE Program must complete 45 credits of course work, including the GSPH core and division courses (24 credits) and required courses taken in the Department of Health, Physical and Recreation education, School of Education (21 credits). The required course work focuses on social/behavioral health science concepts and methods as well as courses specific to health education content areas such as stress management, lifestyle and health, mental health, exercise physiology, nutrition, and critical pedagogy for health educators. A 300-hour professional field practicum is required as well as preparation and defense of a formal, written analysis of the practicum experience as it relates to the student's course work. See the Health Promotion and Education Program of the School of Education's section of this bulletin for further details.

Master of Health Administration (MHA) Requirements

The MHA Program is a 56-58 credit program for MHA students and a 71 credit program for MHA/MBA or MHA/MPH students. Required courses for MHA students include the GSPH core except for particular courses where the content is incorporated in program courses offered by the GSPH or by the Katz Graduate School of Business. Other required and elective courses are those offered by the GSPH or by Katz that develop skills that contribute towards problem-solving, organization building, and interpersonal relations, and those that develop conceptual abilities that permit understanding of major public and private sector institutions and their interactions, basis resource development and allocation processes in the health sector, and relevant political and policy formulation processes in the health sector. The curriculum also helps students gain an understanding of their personal values in relation to the values of society and the professions and ethical factors in relation to societal expectations and the moral and ethical constructs that guide a manager's choices.

Students in the MHA/MBA and the MHA/MPH tracks must meet additional course requirements. Students in the MHA/MPH track must complete a master's essay.

Requirements for the Doctor of Public Health Program

The minimum credit requirement for the DrPH Program is 72 credits of completed course work and independent research. Twenty-four credits may be awarded for a previously earned master's degree. Twelve (transfer or advance standing) credits may be allowed for graduate work taken after earning the master's degree. All students must complete a common core of courses in the following categories:

1. History and philosophy of health services (8 credits)
2. Analytical perspectives on health services (17-19 credits)
3. Courses in a selected focus area (19 - 21 credits). Focus areas include health services organization, maternal and child health, policy, law, and economics, and public health gerontology and long-term care.
4. A minimum of two dissertation credits also must be earned.

Students take a preliminary (qualifying) examination at the end of the first year of full-time course work and a comprehensive examination when the student has completed all of the required course work. Following successful completion of the comprehensive examination, the student is admitted into candidacy and begins dissertation study under the direction of a dissertation committee. The dissertation and oral defense of the dissertation much be completed within five years of the comprehensive examination. See General Requirements for Doctoral Degrees for further information.

Requirements for Certificate Programs

The following section details the requirements for the certificates available to Department of Health Services Administration students.

Certification in Public Health and Aging

Requirements for certification in Public Health and Aging include completion of the required core curricula in the student's respective degree program. In addition, the program requires a minimum of 15 credits which include completion of two required courses — HSADM 2532, Dimensions of Aging: Culture and Health (two credits) and HSADM 2533, Issues in Long-Term Care Services (three credits) — and 10 credits of elective courses selected from the designated listing of approved courses in the GSPH and the School of Social Work.

Management of Nonprofit Organizations Certification Program

A minimum of 15 credits is required. Courses include one required course — PIA 2170, Management of Nonprofit Organizations — and electives from the designated listing of courses offered by the GSPH and GSPIA.

Certificate in Women's Studies

See Women's Studies Program under the Faculty of Arts and Sciences for certificate requirements.

Certificate in Latin American Studies

See Latin American Studies under the University Center for International Studies for certificate requirements.

Department of Human Genetics

The Department of Human Genetics provides graduate training in the fields of human genetics and genetic counseling. The mission of the department is to discover new knowledge about the genetic determinants of human health and disease through basic and applied research; to educate students, trainees, and other interested persons in that knowledge; and to apply that knowledge to improve the health of populations, families, and patients.

The human genetics curriculum provides an understanding of basic genetic mechanisms affecting human genes, chromosomes, cells, individuals, and populations of organisms in both normal and disease states. Public health applications are achieved through the detection and quantification of the effects of intrinsic factors such as age, sex, exposure to extrinsic agents such as chemical pollutants or therapeutic agents, and by understanding gene-environmental interactions in determining the distribution of health and disease in the human population. The underlying focus is on the theory and techniques for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting quantitative data.

Major Educational Areas and Programs

Courses offered by the department address the areas of human population and quantitative genetics, genetic toxicology, biochemical and molecular genetics, cytogenetics, and genetic counseling.

The principal objective of the courses in human genetics is to train students to critically examine the role of genes and genetic variation in determining the distribution of health and disease in the general population. To achieve this objective, training is provided in both experimental and statistical approaches to the direct detection or estimation of the impact of genes on the health of individuals, families and populations. Such approaches include the evaluation of the relative roles of genetic and environmental factors and their interaction in determining the distribution of disease in the population, so-called "ecogenetics." The program provides for concentrations in two areas: human genetics (MS, PhD) and genetic counseling (MS), although students in the Human Genetics track may concentrate in one of five areas: molecular and biochemical genetics and genomics research; population genetics and genetic epidemiology; cytogenetics; gene therapy; clinical genetics.

The American Board of Medical Genetics has accredited the program for all six tracks, including the PhD and MS graduates.

Human Genetics

This area is concerned with the study of the mechanisms of genetic variability and its impact on health at the population level. An important component is the study of the fraction of genetic variability that leads directly to disease or determines an individual's susceptibility to diseases caused by pathogens or adverse environments.

Genetic Counseling

The objectives of the program are:

1. To provide a balanced program of study integrating courses in molecular genetics, medical genetics, and psychosocial and multicultural counseling including biomedical ethics.
2. To provide extensive direct patient contact experience in a variety of clinical placements so that the student gains an appreciation of how the practicing genetic counselor functions in different work settings.
3. To prepare students at the Master of Science level for entering the profession of genetic counseling and assuming the role of a professional in medical and academic settings.

This is a full-time, two-year program. Course work occurs in the first year and is followed by a ten-month clinical rotation at nearby hospitals. The clinical internship involves laboratory experience and direct patient contact.

Research

Research in the Department of Human Genetics includes studies of basic genetic mechanisms of segregation and recombination; family and population studies of normal and disease phenotypes; chromosome structure and chromosomal mechanisms in disease; physical and genetic mapping of genes to public health; interaction of genes with the environment; assessment of genetic risk; and the detection of genetic disease. Application of the knowledge is explored with research in ethics, genetic counseling and screening, as well as in therapy by gene transfer. The focus of faculty research is on human genetics but includes experimental studies in appropriate non-human animals and studies on evolution.

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