Program Approval Form

Program Approval Form For approval of new programs and deletions or modifications to an existing program. Action Requested: Type (Check one): Create New (SCHEV approval required except for minors) B.A. B.S. Minor Inactivate Existing M.A. M.S. M.Ed. x Modify Existing (check all that apply) x Ph.D. Title (SCHEV approval required except for minors) Undergraduate Certificate* x Concentration (Choose one): Add Delete x Modify Graduate Certificate* x Degree Requirements Other: Admission Standards/ Application Requirements Other Changes: College/School: Health and Human Services Department: Health Administration and Policy Submitted by: PJ Maddox Ext: 3-1982 Email: pmaddox@gmu.edu Effective Term: Fall 2015 Please note: For students to be admitted to a new degree, minor, certificate or concentration, the program must be fully approved, entered into Banner, and published in the University Catalog. Justification: (attach separate document if necessary) Program Title: (Required) Title must identify subject matter. Do not include name of college/school/dept. Concentration(s): Admissions Standards / Application Requirements: (Required only if different from those listed in the University Catalog) Degree Requirements: Consult University Catalog for models, attach separate document if necessary using track changes for modifications Existing Health Services Research New/Modified Health Services Research Courses offered via distance: (if applicable) TOTAL CREDITS REQUIRED: 72 72 *For Certificates Only: Indicate whether students are able to pursue on a Full-time basis Part-time basis Approval Signatures Department Date College/School Date Provost s Office Date Interdisciplinary Council Use Only If this program may impact another unit or is in collaboration with another unit at Mason, the originating department must circulate this proposal for review by those units and obtain the necessary signatures prior to submission. Failure to do so will delay action on this proposal. Unit Name Unit Approval Name Unit Approver s Signature Date For Graduate Programs Only Graduate Council Member Provost Office Graduate Council Approval Date For Registrar Office s Use Only: Received Banner Catalog revised 6/7/12

PhD in Health Services Research - CURRENT Curriculum The PhD in Health Services Research is a post masters 60 credit academic program with two sub-specialized programs of study (concentrations) in Health Systems and Policy or Knowledge Discovery and Health Informatics. The program of study for the PhD degree consists of a common core, concentration and elective courses and dissertation sequence courses as follows: Program Core Courses I. Research and Computational Methods Domain (12 credits) 1. HAP 710 Inferential Statistics in Health Services Research and Management 2. GCH 804 Advanced Quantitative Data Analysis for Healthcare Research I 3. GCH 805 Advanced Quantitative Data Analysis for Healthcare Research II 4. HAP 760 Philosophy of Science in Health Services Research II. Knowledge Discovery and Health Informatics Domain (9 credits) 1. HAP 720 Health Data Integration 2. HAP 780 Data Mining in Health Care 3. HAP 820 Analytic Models in Health Services Management, Policy and Research III. Health Systems and Policy Domain (9 credits) 1. HAP 642 Health Policy Development and Analysis 2. HAP 762 Cost-Benefit Analysis in Healthcare Management and Policy 3. HAP 868 Advanced Research Seminar in Health Policy Analysis Total credit hours from Core Courses = 30 IV. Dissertation Sequence Courses (12 credits minimum) HAP 999 Doctoral Dissertation (12 credits minimum) Concentration Courses in Knowledge Discovery and Health Informatics (18 credit hours) 1. HAP 709 Healthcare Databases 2. HAP 730 Decision Analysis in Healthcare 3. HAP 745 Health Care Security Policy 4. HAP 752 Advanced Health Information Systems 5. HAP 755 Analysis of Causality in Health Services Research 6. HAP 821 Analysis of Categorical Data in Health Policy and Administration 7. GCH 806 Advanced Multivariate Statistics and Data Analysis in Healthcare Research 8. GCH 807 Measurement Theories and Applications in Healthcare Research 9. Other course supporting the student s research methods as approved by faculty adviser 10. RHBS 720 Principles of Clinical Trials 11. RHBS 816 Comparative Effectiveness Research 12. Other course(s) supporting the student s subject matter or research methods, as approved by the advisor. Concentration Courses in Health Systems and Policy (18 credit hours) 1. HAP 609 Comparative International Health Systems 2. HAP 661 Policy Development and Analysis for Community Health Programs 3. HAP 662 Health Policy for Elders and People with Disabilities 4. HAP 745 Health Care Security Policy 5. HAP 746 Health Policy Leadership 6. HAP 755 Analysis of Causality in Health Services Research 7. HAP 821 Analysis of Categorical Data in Health Policy and Administration 8. HAP 766 Policy Implementation and Health System Management Dilemmas

9. HAP 866 Politics Influencing Health Care Policy 10. GCH 806 Advanced Multivariate Statistics and Data Analysis in Healthcare Research 11. GCH 807 Measurement Theories and Applications in Healthcare Research 12. RHBS 808 Outcomes Measurement 13. RHBS 816 Comparative Effectiveness Research 14. Other course(s) supporting the student s subject matter or research methods, as approved by the advisor. Elective Courses in Health Systems and Policy and/or Knowledge Discovery and Health Informatics (up to 30 credit hours) Degree Total: 60 Credit Hours Note: All courses are 3 credits with the exception of HAP 999 (12 credits minimum). A maximum of 6 credits may come from 600 level courses.

PhD in Health Services Research PROPOSED (with narrative changes) Reduction in Credit Students must have a master s degree before being admitted to the 72-credit PhD program. Up to 12 hours of graduate credit approved by the student s academic advisor 30 hours of relevant graduate credit may be substitutedawarded for past master s-level courses. Credit for prior graduate course work will be reviewed and awarded on a course-by-course basis. Students will complete a minimum of 60 additional credits following the curriculum below. Curriculum The PhD in Health Services Research is a post-masters 72-credit academic program with two specialized programs of study (concentrations) in Health Systems and Policy or Knowledge Discovery and Health Informatics. The program of study for the PhD degree consists of a common core, concentration and elective courses, and dissertation sequence courses as follows: Core Courses (from 3 Domains and the Dissertation) Core Course Credit Hours = 30 credit hours I. Research and Computational Methods Core Courses (12 credit hours) II. Knowledge Discovery and Health Informatics Core Courses (9 credit hours) III. Health Systems and Policy Core Courses (9 credit hours) Concentration Courses Students pursue additional courses in one of two concentrations domains: Knowledge Discovery and Health Informatics or Health Systems and Policy. Concentration Course Credit Hours = 18 credit hours Elective Courses Students complete the remaining credits (up to 30) through additional elective course work, in consultation with their advisors. Elective Course Credit Hours = up to 30 credit hours Concentration and Elective Courses Students pursue additional courses in one of two concentration domains: Knowledge Discovery and Health Informatics or Health Systems and Policy. Doctoral-level elective courses outside of CHHS and/or concentration-related content areas may be taken as approved by the student s academic adviser. Concentration and Elective Course Credit Hours = 30 credit hours Dissertation Dissertation = 12 credit hours minimum Degree Total: 72 Credit Hours Program Core Courses I. Research and Computational Methods Domain (12 credits) 1. HAP 710 Inferential Statistics in Health Services Research and Management 2. GCH 804 Advanced Quantitative Data Analysis for Healthcare Research I 3. GCH 805 Advanced Quantitative Data Analysis for Healthcare Research II 4. HAP 760 Philosophy of Science in Health Services Research II. Knowledge Discovery and Health Informatics Domain (9 credits) 1. HAP 720 Health Data Integration 2. HAP 780 Data Mining in Health Care 3. HAP 820 Analytic Models in Health Services Management, Policy and Research HAP 709 Healthcare Databases

III. Health Systems and Policy Domain (9 credits) 1. HAP 642 Health Policy Development and Analysis HAP 742 Health Policy Development and Analysis 2. HAP 762 Cost-Benefit Analysis in Healthcare Management and Policy HAP 715 Health Economics 3. HAP 868 Advanced Research Seminar in Health Policy Analysis Total credit hours from Core Courses = 30 IV. Dissertation Sequence Courses (12 credits minimum) HAP 998 Doctoral Dissertation Proposal (1-6 credits) HAP 999 Doctoral Dissertation (12 6 credits minimum) Concentration and Elective Courses in Knowledge Discovery and Health Informatics (18 30 credit hours) 1. HAP 709 Healthcare Databases HAP 618 Computational Tools in Health Informatics 2. HAP 730 Decision Analysis in Healthcare 3. HAP 745 Health Care Security Policy 4. HAP 752 Advanced Health Information Systems 5. HAP 755 Analysis of Causality in Health Services Research 6. HAP 821 Analysis of Categorical Data in Health Policy and Administration 7. GCH 806 Advanced Multivariate Statistics and Data Analysis in Healthcare Research 8. GCH 807 Measurement Theories and Applications in Healthcare Research 9. Other course supporting the student s research methods as approved by faculty adviser 10. RHBS 720 Principles of Clinical Trials 11. RHBS 816 Comparative Effectiveness Research 12. Other course(s) supporting the student s subject matter or research methods, as approved by the advisor. Concentration and Elective Courses in Health Systems and Policy (18 30 credit hours) 1. HAP 609 Comparative International Health Systems 2. HAP 661 Policy Development and Analysis for Community Health Programs 3. HAP 662 Health Policy for Elders and People with Disabilities 4. HAP 745 Health Care Security Policy 5. HAP 746 Health Policy Leadership 6. HAP 755 Analysis of Causality in Health Services Research 7. HAP 821 Analysis of Categorical Data in Health Policy and Administration 8. HAP 762 Cost Effectiveness for Health Care Management and Policy Decisions 98. HAP 766 Policy Implementation and Health System Management Dilemmas 109. HAP 866 Politics Influencing Health Care Policy 110. GCH 806 Advanced Multivariate Statistics and Data Analysis in Healthcare Research 121. GCH 807 Measurement Theories and Applications in Healthcare Research 132. RHBS 808 Outcomes Measurement 143. RHBS 816 Comparative Effectiveness Research 154. Other course(s) supporting the student s subject matter or research methods, as approved by the advisor. Elective Courses in Health Systems and Policy and/or Knowledge Discovery and Health Informatics (up to 30 credit hours) Degree Total: 72 Credit Hours Note: All courses are 3 credits with the exception of HAP 998 (1-6 credits) and HAP 999 (6 credits minimum).hap 999 (12 credits minimum). A maximum of 6 credits may come from 600-level courses.

Comprehensive Exam and Dissertation Requirements Two comprehensive examinations (written and oral) will determine whether the student has the necessary knowledge and skills to undertake dissertation work. The comprehensive exams must be taken within one year of completion of all coursework (except for dissertation sequence courses). Students shall indicate, by the end of the previous regular semester, their intent to take the written comprehensive exam. Students must have organized a dissertation committee with a chair approved by the HSR PhD Program Director. The dissertation committee will develop and evaluate the individual s comprehensive exams on a pass/no-pass basis. Students must pass both comprehensive exams to enter PhD candidacy. Students who fail to pass the written and oral comprehensive exam may attempt each exam again the following semester. No more than one additional written and oral comprehensive exams will be permitted. Students who do not pass both comprehensive exams after the maximum number of attempts will be dismissed from the program. Written Comprehensive Exam Members of the dissertation committee will utilize a written comprehensive examination to assess the student s ability to apply theoretical concepts of research design and methods (including study design, data acquisition or collection, data management, analysis and interpretation) to relevant research questions in the student s concentration and area of research. Oral Comprehensive Exam Members of the dissertation committee will utilize an oral comprehensive examination to assess the student s knowledge of theory and application pertaining to the content of the field and relevant subject matter, based upon the student s concentration and areas of research. Advancement to Candidacy Students who pass the written and oral comprehensive exams and all core and concentration course requirements advance to candidacy. A student must advance to candidacy status before taking the dissertation course. Dissertation After advancement to candidacy, the HSR PhD student must complete an approved dissertation. The student must seek and obtain the approval of the HSR PhD Program Director on the selection of his/her Dissertation Chair and committee members. The committee must have at least three members of which one must be a FT member of the Department of Health Administration and Policy. The Chair must hold a Graduate Faculty appointment in the Department of Health Administration and Policy (HAP) and be approved by the Program Director. The second member of the dissertation committee must be a FT, Research or Affiliate Faculty member of the HAP Department or College of Health and Human Services and the third member of the Committee must be from the College and Health and Human Services or other academic unit at George Mason University. A fourth member of the committee may be appointed, from another academic unit or from outside GMU, with the approval of the Program Director. Within six months of passing the comprehensive examinations, the student must submit a draft dissertation proposal to the Dissertation Chair and committee. The proposal shall describe the proposed research as directed by the Chair and Committee. Failure to submit the proposal in a timely manner is grounds for academic probation. The proposal must provide a detailed literature review that provides the context and rationale for the research objectives, state the dissertation objective(s), and describe the proposed study design and analytic methods. The proposal must address the feasibility of completing the dissertation research and state the chair and members of the student s dissertation committee (with signatures or other appropriate documentation through e-mail) and include a short rationale for the inclusion of each member. An oral proposal defense must be scheduled with dissertation committee members who have agreed to serve. During the oral proposal defense, the student will describe their proposed research and address questions by the committee members. At the oral defense, the Dissertation Committee determines approval or disapproval of the proposal. Committee disapproval is accompanied by written recommendations for improving the proposed research with expectations for resubmission.

JUSTIFICATION: 1. Substitution of HAP 709 for HAP 820 Following the request of SCHEV external reviewers to improve consistency of courses in the domain areas, HAP 820 is switched with HAP 709 (Healthcare Databases). The databases course provides crucial background needed to design and query databases and is thus at the core of requirements for the PhD program in which data analysis is a key component. 2. Substitution of HAP 715 for HAP 762 HAP 715 is deemed by program faculty to be more appropriate as a fundamental core course on health policy and systems. 3. Substitution of HAP 742 for HAP 642 Program faculty feel this course, as with all core courses in the Health Systems and Policy Domain, should have the PhD rigor of a 700-level course. 4. Adding HAP 998-Doctoral Dissertation Proposal University requires this course to be included as separate and distinct component of the doctoral dissertation sequence.