The PhD in Health Policy and Management program at the IU Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health is ideal for students who are interested in developing the analytical, methodological and professional skills needed to tackle the many health policy and management challenges facing Indiana, our nation, and the world. As a core discipline within the field of public health, health policy and management focuses on the creation of new knowledge that informs the advancement of health services delivery within and across the public, private, and non-profit sectors. With a PhD degree in HPM, students will be well-prepared to take on independent research roles as academic faculty members.

Students pursuing this degree must complete at least 90 credit hours that include advanced graduate coursework, passing a qualifying examination, and researching and defending a dissertation that makes an original contribution to the field. The department’s distinguished faculty members instruct, mentor, and collaborate closely with students. You’ll benefit from working with faculty members who are nationally recognized for their research in health information technology, healthcare organizations, health policy and law, health impact assessment, and more. To support this research, faculty members have a diverse research funding portfolio that includes grants and contracts from the NIH, AHRQ, SAMHSA, NCAA, CDC, and numerous Indiana state agencies. Students have access to outside expertise through the department’s longstanding close collaborations with the IU School of Medicine, the Regenstrief Institute, the IU Kelley School of Business, the IU McKinney School of Law, the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, the Indiana Hospital Association, the Indiana State Department of Health, and top health systems and professional organizations throughout the state and nation.

Please explore the information on our website to learn more about what makes the IU Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health the ideal place to pursue your doctoral degree. Have questions? Contact us. We’re here to help.

Justin Blackburn, PhD
Assistant Professor and PhD Program Director

Faculty

The Health Policy and Management (HPM) department is comprised of a renowned, award-winning and connected faculty. The faculty’s research interests are varied and focused on important local and global health issues, including health information technology, population health, healthcare organizations, health policy and law, health impact assessment, and public health systems and services.

Health Policy and Management Doctoral Program Director: Justin Blackburn, PhD

Curriculum

All PhD students must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 90 credits. For those without a recent MPH degree in health policy, the curriculum would consist of required core courses, methods courses, elective courses, a doctoral minor, doctoral research seminars and guided dissertation research. 

• PhD in Health Policy & Management Curriculum
• PhD Minor in HPM Curricula

Students

PhD students in the HPM department come from diverse backgrounds and have varied research interests. The students’ research interests include health information technology, mental health services, the organization of public health systems, and the impact of health policies and laws.

Competencies

The PhD in Health Policy & Management focuses on 10 core competencies that serve as a measure of growth and criteria for assessment. 

Admissions

Students start the PhD program in the Fall semester. The application deadline for Fall admission is May 1 (April 1 for international students). Applications will be reviewed as they are received. The deadline to receive priority for financial support is January 5.

It is strongly recommended that all transcripts be submitted no later than four weeks prior to the application deadline to allow sufficient time for the required transcript verification process.

Frequently Asked Questions

See our list of Frequently Asked Questions (and answers) about the PhD in Health Policy and Management program.