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Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBMS)

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The Integrated Ph.D. Program (IPP) provides the most direct route to a Ph.D. degree in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBMS). In this program, students enter GSBMS without initially declaring an academic discipline. Graduates receive a Ph.D. in one of our existing programs – biochemistry & molecular biology, cell biology, microbiology & immunology, pathology, pharmacology, or physiology. 

Student Support

Qualifying students receive a financial aid package that includes a full tuition scholarship, stipend, medical and hospitalization insurance (annual premium paid by the GSBMS), and a waiver of the Student Health Services fee. Be advised, due to funding limitations and budgetary restraints for international travel, the GSBMS will only accept applications to the PhD program from international students if they are currently undergraduate or graduate students in the U.S. with an F1 visa.

Ph.D. Degree Timeline

Read about Tim's journey to research at NYMC  and  hear what our alumni have to say about our Ph.D. program.  

Milestones and Student Progress

• Advisors and committees Upon entry to the program, each student is assigned a first-year Academic Advisor who will (a) provide guidance with regard to GSBMS regulations and procedures, (b) advise the student on course and rotation selection, and (c) monitor the student's progress in the program. Each first-year research rotation will have a Rotation Advisor (a faculty member hosting a student in their laboratory for the period of that rotation). Once the student has declared a program, the Principal Investigator of the research laboratory the student has entered becomes the student’s Dissertation Advisor. The Program Director for the specific program the student has entered becomes the Academic Advisor, with special emphasis on course selection and guidance related to GSBMS program requirements and procedures. The Dissertation Advisor and the student establish the Advisory Committee in consultation with the Program Director. Once the student is ready to present a dissertation proposal, usually in the third year, the membership of the Advisory Committee may be modified to form the Dissertation Committee. Students are also encouraged to seek additional advice from other faculty on a one-to-one basis.
• Declaration of discipline (selection of academic program) Students declare their program at the beginning of the second year, by an announced date. Programs have the option to deny the student’s entry, which would force the student to declare a second choice. If no match can be made, the student will be dismissed from the Ph.D. program. According to this schedule, the student will have been admitted to a specific program by the Fall term of the second year, thus allowing an appropriate selection of courses for that term.
• Selection of dissertation research advisor This choice is normally made at the same time as the declaration of program, and is subject to the agreement of the proposed dissertation sponsor. In special circumstances, the selection of a dissertation sponsor may be delayed by one academic term. If the student has not yet selected a Dissertation Advisor, the first-year Academic Advisor will continue to serve on a temporary basis until the student finds a Dissertation Advisor.
• Qualifying (comprehensive) examination During the summer at the end of the second year, all students sit for the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination. In special circumstances, the exam for a particular student may be delayed for a short time. The student will be evaluated on his/her performance on the exam and on an assessment of his/her potential to conduct independent research. Passing the exam indicates that the student is prepared to undertake a doctoral dissertation and, therefore, will qualify the student for doctoral candidacy. Students who fail the qualifying exam on their first attempt may be allowed one additional attempt to pass the exam. Students who do not pass the qualifying exam will be dismissed from the Ph.D. program, but will be eligible to receive a Master’s degree, providing the appropriate requirements for that degree are fulfilled. Each exam will be constructed by the faculty of the student’s specific program, but the format will conform to standards set by the Graduate School. The format shall include both written and oral components. The student will be examined on his or her knowledge of the core concepts of the chosen discipline, including the core biomedical concepts taught in the first year. The student should also demonstrate an ability to think logically and critically, and demonstrate an understanding of how the scientific method may be used to address unanswered questions in his/her field.
• Formation of a dissertation committee Once the student is ready to present a dissertation proposal (during the Fall term of the third year – i.e., shortly after passing the Qualifying Exam), the second-year Advisory Committee becomes the Dissertation Committee. Members of the Advisory Committee can be replaced if their expertise is not relevant to the student’s dissertation project. The Dissertation Advisory Committee should consist of 4-5 graduate NYMC faculty members from different programs/departments. They should be selected based on their scientific expertise, which must be relevant to the student's dissertation project rather than department/program affiliation. One external member who is not a part of NYMC or GSBMS faculty can be a member of the Dissertation Committee upon approval of the Dissertation Advisor and the Program Director. The Dissertation Advisory Committee should meet at least two times per year to assess the student’s overall progress and to ensure timely defense and graduation of the student. Once the student is ready to present a dissertation proposal, the Dissertation Advisory Committee will be the recipient of the student’s final thesis.
• Presentation of a formal dissertation proposal Each student shall present to his/her dissertation committee an acceptable formal research proposal by the end of the Spring term of the third year.
• Dissertation progress reports The student shall present progress reports to the dissertation committee at every meeting. At some point, the committee shall decide that sufficient data have been collected and will authorize the student to prepare the dissertation itself.
• Dissertation defense The student shall provide the committee with a final draft of the dissertation at least two weeks in advance of a public defense of the dissertation. Because a public presentation and defense of the dissertation research is an academic tradition and a Graduate School requirement, the dean must approve all proposed dissertation defense dates.

NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATORY POLICY AS TO STUDENTS The New York Medical College admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the college. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs. See full non-discrimination statement with contact info .

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Graduate School Updates>

The latest COVID-19 news and information is available at  Penn State's Coronavirus Information website . 

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Update

On March 11 th  the University announced that beginning March 16 th  instruction for all students will be moving to a remote delivery format. Graduate students enrolled in resident courses should plan on participating remotely, and not coming to campus specifically for face-to-face instruction. Learn more at gradschool.psu.edu/covid19 .

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Integrated and Joint Degree Programs

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An integrated undergraduate-graduate (IUG) degree program combines a Penn State baccalaureate degree with a master’s degree as a continuous program of study. Integrated undergraduate-graduate students have the ability to pursue a coherent plan of study through the master’s degree, reduce the total time to completion for the master’s degree, work with the Graduate School faculty, and utilize the Graduate School resources. IUG degree programs are pursued by a small percentage of currently enrolled academically superior Penn State undergraduate students. Interested students may not be admitted to an integrated undergraduate-graduate degree program prior to their third semester of undergraduate study at Penn State (regardless of any accumulated AP credits earned prior to enrollment).

Students interested in learning more about any of the IUG programs below should speak with their undergraduate academic adviser before submitting an application to the Graduate School .

• Accounting — Integrated B.S. in Accounting/Master's of Accounting
• Accounting (Great Valley) — Integrated B.S. in Accounting and M.P.Acc. in Accounting
• Accounting (Harrisburg) — Integrated B.S in Accounting/M.B.A.
• Aerospace Engineering — Integrated B.S. and M.I.A. in International Affairs (INTAF)
• African American Studies — Integrated B.A. and M.P.P. in Public Policy
• American Studies  — Integrated B.A./M.A. in American Studies
• Anthropology  – Integrated B.A. in Anthropology or B.S. in Anthropological Science, and a B.A. in Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies /M.A. in Anthropology
• Architecture  – Integrated BARCH-MARCH Program
• Architectural Engineering  – Integrated B.A.E./M.A.E. Program
• Biobehavioral Health -Integrated B.S. and M.P.H. in Public Health
• Biotechnology  – Integrated B.S. in Biotechnology/Master of Biotechnology in Biotechnology Program
• Communication Arts-  Integrated B.A./B.S and M.A. in Media Studies (MEDIA)
• Communication Arts and Sciences-  Integrated B.A./B.S in Communication Arts and Sciences and M.S. in Human Resources and Employment Relations (HRER) * effective Summer 2022
• Comparative Literature  – Integrated B.A./M.A. in Comparative Literature
• Computer Engineering-  Integrated B.S. in Computer Engineering and M.I.A in International Affairs
• Computer Science  – Integrated B.S./M.S. in Computer Science
• Computer Science-  Integrated B.S.in Computer Science and M.I.A in International Affairs 
• Computer Science (Great Valley) – Integrated B.S. in Computer Science/M.S.E. in Software Engineering
• Criminal Justice (Harrisburg) - Integrated B.S/M.A. in Criminal Justice 
• Curriculum and Instruction  – Integrated B.S. in Biology – M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction
• Curriculum and Instruction  – Integrated B.S. in Chemistry – M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction
• Curriculum and Instruction  – Integrated B.S. in Mathematics – M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction
• Education and Public Policy  – Integrated B.S/M.A. in Education Theory and Policy
• Electrical Engineering (Harrisburg) -  Integrated B.S. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering
• Electrical Engineering-  Integrated B.S. and M.I.A in International Affairs
• Engineering Science  – Integrated B.S./M.S. in Eng. Science and Mechanics
• English  – Integrated B.A./M.A. in English
• Enterprise Technology Integration — Integrated B.S. in Enterprise Technology Integration and M.S. in Cybersecurity Analytics and Operations  
• Environmental Engineering (Harrisburg) – Integrated B.S. in Civil Engineering/M.Eng. in Environmental Engineering
• Finance (Harrisburg) -Integrated B.S. in Finance/M.B.A.
• Geosciences  – Integrated B.S./M.S. in Geosciences
• Global and International Studies-  Integrated B.A./B.S. and M.I.A. in International Affairs
• Health Policy and Administration  – Integrated B.S./M.H.A.
• History  – Integrated B.A./M.A. in History
• Human-Centered Design — Integrated B.S. in Human-Centered Design and M.S. in Cybersecurity Analytics and Operations
• Human Resources and Employment Relations  – Integrated B.S. in Psychology/M.S. in Human Resources and Employment Relations
• Information Sciences and Technology  – Integrated B.S./M.S. in Information Sciences and Technology
• Information Sciences and Technology  – Integrated B.S. in Security and Risk Analysis/M.S. in Information Sciences and Technology
• Information Systems (Harrisburg) -Integrated B.S./M.B.A.
• Information Systems (Harrisburg) - Integrated B.S./M.S.
• International Affairs (INTAF)  – Integrated B.A. in Asian Studies/M.I.A. in International Affairs
• International Affairs (INTAF)  – Integrated B.A. in Chinese/M.I.A. in International Affairs
• International Affairs (INTAF)  – Integrated B.A/B.S in Criminology/M.I.A. in International Affairs
• International Affairs (INTAF)  – Integrated B.A. in German/M.I.A. in International Affairs
• International Affairs (INTAF)  – Integrated B.S. in German/M.I.A. in International Affairs
• International Affairs (INTAF)  – Integrated B.A. in International Politics/M.I.A. in International Affairs
• International Affairs (INTAF)  – Integrated B.A. in Japanese/M.I.A. in International Affairs
• International Affairs (INTAF)  – Integrated B.A. in Political Science/M.I.A. in International Affairs
• International Affairs (INTAF)  – Integrated B.A. in Russian/M.I.A. in International Affairs
• Labor and Human Resources/Human Resources and Employment Relations  (LHSHRER) – Integrated B.S./M.P.S.
• Labor and Human Resources/Human Resources and Employment Relations  (LHSHRER) – Integrated B.S./M.S.
• Landscape Architecture -Integrated B.L.A. and M.S. in Landscape Architecture  
• Management (Harrisburg)- Integrated B.S./M.B.A.
• Marketing (Harrisburg)- Integrated B.S./M.B.A.
• Mathematics  – Integrated B.A./Master of Applied Statistics
• Mathematics  – Integrated B.S./Master of Applied Statistics
• Mechanical Engineering  – Integrated B.S./M.S. in Mechanical Engineering
• Media Studies  – Integrated B.A./M.A. in Media Studies
• Meteorology  – Integrated B.S./M.S. in Meteorology
• Music  – Integrated B.A. in Music – M.A. in Music Theory
• Music  – Integrated B.A. in Music – M.A. in Music Theory and History
• Music  – Integrated B.A. in Music – M.A. in Musicology
• Music  – Integrated B.M. in Performance – M.A. in Music Theory
• Music  – Integrated B.M. in Performance – M.A. in Music Theory and History
• Music  – Integrated B.M. in Performance – M.A. in Musicology
• Public Policy-  Integrated B.A/B.S in Communication Arts and Sciences and M.P.P in Public Policy (PPOL)
• Project and Supply Chain Management (Harrisburg) -Integrated B.S./M.B.A.
• Science  – Integrated B.S. in Science – Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.)
• Security Risk Analysis -Integrated B.S and M.I.A in International Affairs 
• Sociology-  Integrated B.A./B.S and M.I.A. in International Affairs
• Spanish  – Integrated Spanish B.S. and Human Resources and Employment Relations M.S. Degree Programs (SPHRHR)
• Special Education  – Integrated B.S. and Curriculum and Instruction (M.Ed.)
• Statistics  – Integrated B.S. in Statistics and Master of Applied Statistics (M.A.S.)

The College of Medicine and the Graduate School at Penn State offer joint integrated medical-graduate programs, designed to provide depth in fundamental medical disciplines and preparation for basic or clinical research. Students interested in one of these programs should speak with their College of Medicine adviser submitting an application to the Graduate School .

• Anthropology Ph.D./M.D.
• Lifelong Learning and Adult Education M.Ed. (Harrisburg only)/M.D.
• Bioinformatics and Genomics M.D./Ph.D.
• Biomedical Sciences Ph.D./M.D.
• Business Administration M.B.A./M.D.
• Engineering Science and Mechanics Ph.D./M.D.
• Kinesiology (HHD, Altoona, Berks)   M.P.H
• Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Biosciences Ph.D./M.D.
• Public Health M.P.H./M.D.

The Graduate School collaborates with Dickinson Law and Penn State Law to offer several joint law-graduate degree programs. Students interested in any of the joint J.D./graduate degree programs listed below should speak with their Dickinson Law or Penn State Law adviser before   submitting an application to the Graduate School .

• J.D./Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) in  Business Administration  (Capital College/Dickinson Law)
• J.D./Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) in  Business Administration  (Smeal College of Business/Penn State Law)
• J.D./Master of Education (M.Ed.), Doctor of Education (D.Ed.), or Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in  Educational Leadership  (College of Education/Penn State Law)
• J.D./Master of Arts (M.A.) or Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in  Educational Theory and Policy  (College of Education/Penn State Law)
• J.D./Master of Health Administration (M.H.A.) in  Health Policy and Administration  (College of Health and Human Development/Penn State Law)
• J.D./Master of Education (M.Ed.), Doctor of Education (D.Ed.), or Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in  Higher Education  (College of Education/Penn State Law)
• J.D./Master of Science (M.S.) in  Human Resources and Employment Relations  (College of the Liberal Arts/Penn State Law)
• J.D./Master of International Affairs (M.I.A.) in  International Affairs  (School of International Affairs/Penn State Law)
• J.D/Master of Arts (M.A.) in  Media Studies  (Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications/Penn State Law)
• J.D./Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) in  Public Administration  (Capital College/Dickinson Law)
• J.D./Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) in  Public Health  (College of Medicine/Dickinson Law)

Interdisciplinary training for modern population and health research.

The Health Sciences Integrated PhD Program (HSIP) offers doctoral student training across multiple disciplines within the health sciences, spanning from informatics and program evaluation to implementation science and outcomes research. It builds upon existing master's degree programs in these fields and incorporates new areas of strength in measurement and health behavior. Integration across these programs provides the flexibility for doctoral students to receive rigorous interdisciplinary training in the core content needed for population and health research in the 21st century.

Choose a Track

• Health & Biomedical Informatics
• Health Services & Outcomes Research
• Healthcare Quality & Patient Safety
• Social Sciences & Health
• Biostatistics

Explore the Curriculum

Meet Our Team

Learn more about the people behind our program via the links below. Our faculty members are each assigned to a track, allowing them to provide our doctoral students with more specialized training. 

• Meet the current students
• Browse our faculty by track  

How to Apply   Read the FAQ

Testimonials

Lindsay Zimmerman, PhD, MPH

[email protected]

Managing Principal of Research & Engagement, Upfront Healthcare

Dr. Zimmerman completed her undergraduate studies in Biological Sciences at DePaul University, and later her MPH with an Epidemiology focus at University of Illinois at Chicago. She currently serves as the Managing Principal of Research & Engagement at Upfront Healthcare and leads the Barbara Bartosch Institute for Patient Activation Research. Prior to Northwestern, Lindsay was the Director of Research for the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Division of Family Planning at Cook County Health, Chicago's primary safety-net hospital system.

The doctoral program in Health and Biomedical Informatics, within the Health Sciences Integrated PhD Program, allowed Lindsay to deepen her informatics and data science skillsets, while also allowing her to collaborate with other like-minded students, faculty, and investigators working in the healthcare and public health fields. Lindsay's dissertation focused on understanding the relationship between social determinants of health and cardiovascular health using sequential pattern mining and machine learning techniques. Her dissertation was supported by The Graduate School's Presidential Fellowship and an F31 dissertation grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Dissertation Title: Complex Exposures to Social Determinants of Health through Young Adulthood and Associations with Mid-life Cardiovascular Health and Events: The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study

Cindy Barnard, PhD, MBA, MSJS

[email protected]

Vice President, Quality, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare, Associate Professor, Northwestern University Center for Healthcare Studies, Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety

Dr. Barnard completed her undergraduate studies in Psychology at Bryn Mawr College, her MBA at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, and a Master's degree in Jewish Studies at Spertus Institute. She serves as Vice President of Quality for the Northwestern Medicine system of seven hospitals and four medical practice groups. Cindy has served on the faculty of the Northwestern MS program in Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety since its inception. She has held leadership roles in the National Association for Healthcare Quality, the Illinois Hospital Association, and the board of Project Patient Care, and has published in healthcare quality, patient safety, ethics and policy. 

The doctoral program in Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety, within the Health Sciences Integrated Program, enabled Cindy to construct an interdisciplinary, cross-cutting curriculum to advance her research skills and to explore emerging areas in healthcare quality. Her qualifying examinations addressed the potential for patient-reported outcomes to play a role in quality evaluation, and innovative approaches to quality improvement in a federally qualified health center. 

Dissertation Title: An Innovative RAPPORTS Model of Patient-Centered Quality

Gayle Kricke, PhD, MSW

[email protected]

Clinical Quality Leader, Northwestern Medicine Adjunct Professor, Northwestern University School of Communication Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety

Dr. Kricke completed her undergraduate studies in Human Development and Psychological Services at Northwestern University, and her MSW at the University of Michigan where she was a McGregor Geriatric Social Work Fellow. She serves as a Clinical Quality Leader for the Northwestern Medicine system, supporting projects and initiatives that span the system's seven hospitals and four medical practice groups. Prior to entering the Health Sciences Integrated Program, Gayle worked as a social worker in the Department of Health and Aging at Rush University Medical Center, where she led the development of a nationally-recognized evidence-based transitional care model for complex older adults returning home after an inpatient hospital stay. 

The doctoral program in Health Quality and Patient Safety within the Health Sciences Integrated Program enabled Gayle to develop practical skills for improving healthcare quality and patient while also researching methods for advancing the field. Her qualifying examinations addressed the impact of electronic health records on care coordination for complex older adults, and also developed a framework for integrating health services research, operations, and quality improvement activities within the Veterans' Health Administration. Gayle's dissertation on end-of-life care quality for older adults with multiple chronic conditions was supported by an R36 research grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Dissertation Title: The Association Between Multiple Chronic Conditions, Domains of End-of-Life Care Quality, Care Coordination, and the Perception of End-of-Life Care for Older Adults

Julie Yonek, PhD, MPH

[email protected]

Clinical Services Research Fellow, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, Health Services and Outcomes Research

Dr. Yonek holds a Bachelor of Science in Animal Physiology from the University of California at San Diego and a Master's of Public Health in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from San Diego State University. Prior to starting her doctoral training, Julie worked as a Research Associate for the Center for Healthcare Studies at Northwestern University, where she served as the project director and leader author on a report describing the health status and availability of resources that promote health within Chicago's 77 communities. The doctoral program in Health Services and Outcomes Research within the Health Sciences Integrated Program enabled Julie to advance these research skills and develop content expertise in adolescent mental health services, a topic of great interest to her. For her qualifying examinations, she conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effectiveness of care delivery models focused on integrating mental and physical health services in pediatric primary care settings. She also wrote a mock R01 grant proposal to evaluate the psychometrics of a recently developed measure of integrated care, and to assess the extent of integrated care implementation in pediatric primary care settings. Julie is currently completing an NIMH-funded clinical services research fellowship in the Department of Psychiatry at UCSF. Her research focuses on using mobile health technologies to facilitate integration of mental health services in pediatric primary care, and models to accelerate the implementation of evidence-based prevention and treatment interventions in this setting. After the fellowship she plans to stay in academic research and continue her trajectory to becoming an independent investigator in adolescent mental health services research.

Dissertation Title: The Patient-Centered Medical Home: Impact on Mental Health Treatment and Health Services Use Among Adolescents with Probable Need for Mental Health Treatment

Yinan Zheng, PhD, MSc

[email protected]

Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Population Epigenetics, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center and Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Health and Biomedical Informatics

Dr. Zheng received his Bachelor of Science in Biostatistics from Southern Medical University in Guangzhou, China. He started his graduate training in the United States in 2011 at Northwestern University, earning his MS in Epidemiology and Biostatistics in 2012 and his PhD in Biomedical Informatics in 2017. Yinan's research centers around identifying epigenomic biomarkers linking environmental exposures and lifestyle behaviors (air pollution, diet, physical activity, etc.) with various aging-related disease developments (cancer, cardiovascular diseases, dementia, etc.) in large population cohorts and clinical trials. During his doctoral training, Yinan had 28 peer-reviewed publications with over 400 citations and he also invented several advanced and widely used biostatistical and bioinformatic tools for longitudinal and high-dimensional epigenomic data analysis. 

Yinan is continuing this research as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center for Population Epigenetics at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center within the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine's Department of Preventive Medicine. He also serves as a member of the Student Editorial Board for the Journal of American Medical Informatics Association (JAMIA). And he is a New Investigators Committee member at the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study (CARDIA). 

Dissertation Title: DNA Methylation in Repetitive Elements and Cancer

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Health Sciences Integrated Program

Degree requirements.

Learn more about the program by visiting the Health Sciences Integrated PhD Program

See related Interdisciplinary Clusters and Certificates

Degree Types: PhD

The Health Sciences Integrated Program (HSIP) offers doctoral student training in multiple disciplines within the health sciences. PhD students can choose to focus studies on:

• Health and Biomedical Informatics
• Health Services and Outcomes Research
• Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety
• Social Sciences and Health
• Biostatistics

The PhD program builds upon existing master's degree programs in these fields and incorporates new areas of strength in measurement and health behavior. Doctoral students receive rigorous interdisciplinary training in the core content needed for population health research in the 21st century.

Each student develops an individualized course of study that draws on the broad and deep resources found in The Graduate School and the Feinberg School of Medicine. HSIP provides a strong academic foundation for students to excel in research that addresses processes and methodologies in the clinical and population sciences.

The ultimate goal of the program is to produce graduates who will be leaders in population health science with the ability to connect approaches and methods from multiple disciplines.

Additional resources:

• Department website
• Program handbook(s)

Program Statistics

Visit PhD Program Statistics for statistics such as program admissions, enrollment, student demographics and more.

Program Contact

Contact Erica Ramos Program Assistant 312-503-5533

The following requirements are in addition to, or further elaborate upon, those requirements outlined in  The Graduate School Policy Guide .

The Health Sciences Integrated Program requires:

• Coursework (see track-specific requirements below).
• Two written Qualifying Exams and an oral defense.
• Teaching experience.
• Written Dissertation Proposal and an oral defense.
• Doctoral Dissertation and an oral defense.

Health and Biomedical Informatics Track

Informatics is the study of information: how you collect it, how you organize it, and how you use it to solve problems. Health and Biomedical Informatics is informatics applied to healthcare and biomedical research. This track contains many different sub-fields that use similar techniques and tools but apply them to different problem areas. 

Total Units Required: 13 or 13.5

The requirement for a grant writing course my also be fulfilled by taking DGP 496-3 Introduction to Life Science Research  in the Summer quarter for zero credit.

Other electives may be taken with adviser approval. 

Health Services and Outcomes Research Track

This track covers a multidisciplinary field of scientific investigation that studies how social factors, financing systems, organizational structures and processes, health technologies, and personal behaviors affect access to health care, the quality and cost of health care, and ultimately our health and well-being. Its research domains are individuals, families, organizations, institutions, communities, and populations. 

Total Units Required: 14.5

Other electives may be taken with adviser approval.

Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety Track

This track focuses on the knowledge, skills, and methods required for improving healthcare delivery systems in regard to quality and safety. The topics covered include: healthcare quality context and measurement, changing systems of care delivery, healthcare disparities, accountability and public policy, safety interventions and practices, health information technology, simulation and the sciences of teamwork, human factors, risk assessment methods, and leadership and governance. 

Total Units Required: 13

Independent study or other approved elective.

Social Sciences and Health Track

The educational mission of this track is to prepare its graduates for scholarly and research careers in patient centered outcomes, their mechanisms, and intervention applications via training at the scientific interface of biomedical and social sciences. Particular emphasis is placed on measurement of quality of life, behavioral and functional outcomes, applications that improve quality of life, health and health care at the individual and systems levels, as well as the developmental mechanisms that shape these outcomes across the lifespan. The overarching goal of this track is to train scientists who are experts in a particular area of patient-centered outcomes research (e.g. outcomes sciences, developmental mechanisms, behavior and health), while also developing proficiency in multiple areas of relevance to leading an innovative team. 

Other courses to fulfill the ethics requirement may be taken with adviser approval. 

Last Updated: September 12, 2023

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PhD Program

Program overview.

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Rigorous, discipline-based research is the hallmark of the MIT Sloan PhD Program. The program is committed to educating scholars who will lead in their fields of research—those with outstanding intellectual skills who will carry forward productive research on the complex organizational, financial, and technological issues that characterize an increasingly competitive and challenging business world.

Start here.

Learn more about the program, how to apply, and find answers to common questions.

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Check out our event schedule, and learn when you can chat with us in person or online.

Start Your Application

Visit this section to find important admissions deadlines, along with a link to our application.

Click here for answers to many of the most frequently asked questions.

PhD studies at MIT Sloan are intense and individual in nature, demanding a great deal of time, initiative, and discipline from every candidate. But the rewards of such rigor are tremendous:  MIT Sloan PhD graduates go on to teach and conduct research at the world's most prestigious universities.

PhD Program curriculum at MIT Sloan is organized under the following three academic areas: Behavior & Policy Sciences; Economics, Finance & Accounting; and Management Science. Our nine research groups correspond with one of the academic areas, as noted below.

MIT Sloan PhD Research Groups

Behavioral & policy sciences.

Economic Sociology

Institute for Work & Employment Research

Organization Studies

Technological Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Strategic Management

Economics, Finance & Accounting

Accounting  

Management Science

Information Technology

System Dynamics  

Those interested in a PhD in Operations Research should visit the Operations Research Center .  

PhD Program Structure

Additional information including coursework and thesis requirements.

MIT Sloan Predoctoral Opportunities

MIT Sloan is eager to provide a diverse group of talented students with early-career exposure to research techniques as well as support in considering research career paths.

Rising Scholars Conference

The fourth annual Rising Scholars Conference on October 25 and 26 gathers diverse PhD students from across the country to present their research.

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The goal of the MIT Sloan PhD Program's admissions process is to select a small number of people who are most likely to successfully complete our rigorous and demanding program and then thrive in academic research careers. The admission selection process is highly competitive; we aim for a class size of nineteen students, admitted from a pool of hundreds of applicants.

What We Seek

• Outstanding intellectual ability
• Excellent academic records
• Previous work in disciplines related to the intended area of concentration
• Strong commitment to a career in research

MIT Sloan PhD Program Admissions Requirements Common Questions

Dates and Deadlines

Admissions for 2024 is closed. The next opportunity to apply will be for 2025 admission. The 2025 application will open in September 2024. 

More information on program requirements and application components

Students in good academic standing in our program receive a funding package that includes tuition, medical insurance, and a fellowship stipend and/or TA/RA salary. We also provide a new laptop computer and a conference travel/research budget.

Funding Information

Throughout the year, we organize events that give you a chance to learn more about the program and determine if a PhD in Management is right for you.

PhD Program Events

May phd program overview.

During this webinar, you will hear from the PhD Program team and have the chance to ask questions about the application and admissions process.

June PhD Program Overview

July phd program overview, august phd program overview.

Complete PhD Admissions Event Calendar

Unlike formulaic approaches to training scholars, the PhD Program at MIT Sloan allows students to choose their own adventure and develop a unique scholarly identity. This can be daunting, but students are given a wide range of support along the way - most notably having access to world class faculty and coursework both at MIT and in the broader academic community around Boston.

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Profiles of our current students

MIT Sloan produces top-notch PhDs in management. Immersed in MIT Sloan's distinctive culture, upcoming graduates are poised to innovate in management research and education.

Academic Job Market

Doctoral candidates on the current academic market

Academic Placements

Graduates of the MIT Sloan PhD Program are researching and teaching at top schools around the world.

view recent placements 

MIT Sloan Experience

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The PhD Program is integral to the research of MIT Sloan's world-class faculty. With a reputation as risk-takers who are unafraid to embrace the unconventional, they are engaged in exciting disciplinary and interdisciplinary research that often includes PhD students as key team members.

Research centers across MIT Sloan and MIT provide a rich setting for collaboration and exploration. In addition to exposure to the faculty, PhD students also learn from one another in a creative, supportive research community.

Throughout MIT Sloan's history, our professors have devised theories and fields of study that have had a profound impact on management theory and practice.

From Douglas McGregor's Theory X/Theory Y distinction to Nobel-recognized breakthroughs in finance by Franco Modigliani and in option pricing by Robert Merton and Myron Scholes, MIT Sloan's faculty have been unmatched innovators.

This legacy of innovative thinking and dedication to research impacts every faculty member and filters down to the students who work beside them.

Faculty Links

• Accounting Faculty
• Economic Sociology Faculty
• Finance Faculty
• Information Technology Faculty
• Institute for Work and Employment Research (IWER) Faculty
• Marketing Faculty
• Organization Studies Faculty
• System Dynamics Faculty
• Technological Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Strategic Management (TIES) Faculty

Student Research

“MIT Sloan PhD training is a transformative experience. The heart of the process is the student’s transition from being a consumer of knowledge to being a producer of knowledge. This involves learning to ask precise, tractable questions and addressing them with creativity and rigor. Hard work is required, but the reward is the incomparable exhilaration one feels from having solved a puzzle that had bedeviled the sharpest minds in the world!” -Ezra Zuckerman Sivan Alvin J. Siteman (1948) Professor of Entrepreneurship

Sample Dissertation Abstracts - These sample Dissertation Abstracts provide examples of the work that our students have chosen to study while in the MIT Sloan PhD Program.

We believe that our doctoral program is the heart of MIT Sloan's research community and that it develops some of the best management researchers in the world. At our annual Doctoral Research Forum, we celebrate the great research that our doctoral students do, and the research community that supports that development process.

The videos of their presentations below showcase the work of our students and will give you insight into the topics they choose to research in the program.

How Should We Measure the Digital Economy?

2020 PhD Doctoral Research Forum Winner - Avinash Collis

Watch more MIT Sloan PhD Program  Doctoral Forum Videos

• [email protected]

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M.S. Leading to Ph.D.

This policy applies  only  to students who enter the PhD program without a Masters degree recognized by Columbia. Every MS/PhD track student (registration status ETCOMS) must apply for MS graduation in order to receive the MS degree from Columbia University and be awarded advanced standing towards the PhD.

The faculty will approve the MS degree application following successful completion of six (6)  breadth requirement  courses completed in the Computer Science Department at Columbia, not including imports, including all four (4) distribution courses and two electives. The student must have also satisfactorily completed at least 30 graduate points as required by SEAS.

[Revised by full faculty vote, 11/6/13, to remove 4701 from the core.  Revised again by full faculty vote, 4/4/14, to abolish the core entirely and institute the distribution requirement.  Students enrolled in Spring 2014 or earlier may choose either four core courses or the four-course distribution requirement, plus two electives, to fulfill the MS/PhD requirements.  Students enrolled in Fall 2013 or earlier may treat 4701 as core for this purpose.]

Last updated on October 5, 2018.

Find open faculty positions here .

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In the News

Press mentions, dean boyce's statement on amicus brief filed by president bollinger.

President Bollinger announced that Columbia University along with many other academic institutions (sixteen, including all Ivy League universities) filed an amicus brief in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York challenging the Executive Order regarding immigrants from seven designated countries and refugees. Among other things, the brief asserts that “safety and security concerns can be addressed in a manner that is consistent with the values America has always stood for, including the free flow of ideas and people across borders and the welcoming of immigrants to our universities.”

This recent action provides a moment for us to collectively reflect on our community within Columbia Engineering and the importance of our commitment to maintaining an open and welcoming community for all students, faculty, researchers and administrative staff. As a School of Engineering and Applied Science, we are fortunate to attract students and faculty from diverse backgrounds, from across the country, and from around the world. It is a great benefit to be able to gather engineers and scientists of so many different perspectives and talents – all with a commitment to learning, a focus on pushing the frontiers of knowledge and discovery, and with a passion for translating our work to impact humanity.

I am proud of our community, and wish to take this opportunity to reinforce our collective commitment to maintaining an open and collegial environment. We are fortunate to have the privilege to learn from one another, and to study, work, and live together in such a dynamic and vibrant place as Columbia.

Mary C. Boyce Dean of Engineering Morris A. and Alma Schapiro Professor

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Life Sciences

Harvard Griffin GSAS provides exceptional opportunities for study across the depth and breadth of the life sciences through the Harvard Integrated Life Sciences alliance.

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Follow Harvard Integrated Life Sciences (HILS) on Twitter . 

Whether you are interested in conducting research on virus structures at the atomic level or on environmental impact in large ecosystems, you will find a good fit for your academic goals through the Harvard Integrated Life Sciences (HILS).

The HILS alliance is composed of 13 PhD programs of study across three Harvard faculties—Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, and Harvard Medical School. Being a HILS student provides academic and research flexibility, including options to take courses, do laboratory rotations, and even choose a dissertation advisor from across the HILS PhD programs, subject to specific program requirements and lab availability. However you customize your training, HILS is with you every step of the way.

• Biological and Biomedical Sciences
• Biological Sciences in Public Health
• Biomedical Informatics
• Chemical Biology
• Chemistry and Chemical Biology
• Molecular and Cellular Biology
• Neuroscience
• Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
• Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology
• Systems, Synthetic, and Quantitative Biology​

To learn more about HILS programs, faculty, and students, please read the HILS Connections brochure .

Enhancing Your Research Experience before Applying

We are looking for creative people from a variety of backgrounds who are passionate about the life sciences. Most incoming PhD students in HILS programs have enjoyed a previous research experience. Harvard Griffin GSAS and Harvard University offer a range of exciting and challenging summer research and internship programs designed to help current undergraduates boost crucial research skills.

Harvard Integrated Life Sciences

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Inclusion—with Intention

How BIPOC PhD students are working to build a foundation of skills and understanding crucial for the creation of a truly inclusive environment at Harvard. 

School of Life

As a PhD student in chemistry and chemical biology, Lisa Awaitey studies biological processes to build synthetic models that mimic them. Her work could inspire solutions to one of humanity’s biggest challenges: climate change.

Signal of Strength

Anita Reddy, a PhD student in biological and biomedical sciences at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, is trying to fill in some of the gaps in our knowledge of how exercise works on the molecular and cellular levels.

TB or Not TB?

As a member of Professor Eric Rubin’s lab at Harvard Chan, PhD candidate Harry Won is researching a new approach to treating a disease that kills millions of people around the world: tuberculosis.

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3 July 2023

9 minutes read

Integrated PhD Program in the USA: A Comprehensive Guide

Key Takeaways:

• Integrated MS Ph.D. programs provide a direct path to earning both Master’s and Doctoral degrees, focusing on early research involvement.
• Admission requirements typically include a bachelor’s degree, strong academic records, recommendations, a purpose statement, and standardized test scores.
• Programs feature a blend of coursework and research, culminating in a dissertation.
• Benefits include shorter completion time, seamless transition to research, and enhanced career prospects.
• Funding options like assistantships, fellowships, and grants are essential for financial support.

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• Introduction

In recent years, there has been a growing trend among students to pursue an integrated MS Ph.D. program. This program offers the unique opportunity to combine a Master’s degree with a Doctorate, providing a seamless path to advanced academic and research pursuits.

If you’re considering studying in the USA and want to explore the possibilities of an integrated MS Ph.D. program, this article is here to guide you through the process.

From entry requirements to funding options, we will cover all the essential aspects of pursuing an integrated MS Ph.D. program in the USA.

• What is an Integrated MS Ph.D Program?

An integrated MS Ph.D. program is a combined degree program that allows students to earn both a Master’s and a Doctoral degree in a specific field of study.

Unlike traditional programs where students complete their Master’s degree first and then apply for a separate Ph.D. program, an integrated program streamlines the process by integrating the two degrees into a single curriculum.

This approach offers several advantages to students, such as early exposure to advanced research and a more efficient progression toward a doctoral degree.

Integrated MS Ph.D. programs have gained popularity in the USA due to the flexibility and comprehensive learning they provide.

These programs are designed to bridge the gap between advanced coursework and independent research, allowing students to develop a strong foundation in their field while also conducting in-depth research.

Quick Tip: Begin your program research and application preparations early.

Entry Requirements for an Integrated MS PhD Program

To be eligible for an integrated MS Ph.D. program in the USA, students must meet certain entry requirements. While specific requirements may vary between universities and programs, common prerequisites include:

• Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution in a relevant field related to their intended area of study.
• Admission is highly competitive, and universities seek candidates with exceptional academic performance and a strong potential for research.
• Applicants must submit strong letters of recommendation from professors or professionals who can assess their academic abilities and potential for research.
• A well-written statement of purpose is required, outlining research interests and career goals, and demonstrating the applicant’s motivation and fit for the integrated MS Ph.D. program .
• Many programs require applicants to submit scores from standardized tests, assessing verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing skills.
• International students must demonstrate proficiency in the English language through standardized tests like TOEFL or IELTS .
• Some programs may consider prior work or research experience as an additional factor in the admissions process.

It is important to note that entry requirements may vary between universities and programs. It is advisable to check the specific requirements of each institution you are interested in applying to.

• Structure of an Integrated MS Ph.D. Program

Integrated MS Ph.D. programs typically span a longer duration compared to traditional Ph.D. programs. The structure varies depending on the university and discipline, but a common framework includes the following:

• Core courses that provide a comprehensive understanding of the subject, building a solid foundation in the chosen field of study. These courses cover essential knowledge and skills relevant to the discipline.
• Courses that allow students to focus on their specific research interests and develop expertise in specialized areas within their field of study. These courses are more advanced and tailored to the student’s research goals.
• Involves original research under the guidance of a faculty advisor. Students engage in research projects aligned with their interests, contributing to the existing body of knowledge in their field. Develop critical thinking and analytical skills.
• Assessments that evaluate students’ knowledge and research competency. These exams may be oral or written and cover foundational and specialized coursework.
• Requires independent research and the writing of a dissertation that contributes to the existing knowledge in the field. Students analyze data, draw conclusions, and present their research findings in a comprehensive written document.
• Presentation and defense of the dissertation in front of a committee of faculty members. Involves a question-and-answer session to assess students’ understanding and ability to defend their research findings.

Benefits of Pursuing an Integrated MS Ph.D. Program

Opting for an integrated MS Ph.D. program offers several benefits to students:

• By combining the two degrees, students save time compared to pursuing them separately. An integrated program allows students to complete both degrees in a shorter timeframe compared to the sequential pursuit of a Master’s degree followed by a Ph.D.
• Integrated programs provide a smooth transition from coursework to research, allowing students to start their research journey early. This early exposure to research and integration of coursework with research activities enhances the learning experience and helps students develop a deep understanding of their chosen field.
• Integrated programs offer a comprehensive understanding of the subject, both at the Masters and Doctoral levels. Students acquire a strong foundation in the field through coursework and further deepen their knowledge through research activities. This interdisciplinary knowledge equips graduates to tackle complex problems and make significant contributions to their field of study.
• Integrated programs provide students with early exposure to cutting-edge research and equip them with the skills necessary to conduct independent research. Through research projects, students have the opportunity to work closely with faculty mentors, collaborate with peers, and contribute to ongoing research in their field. This research experience plays a crucial role in shaping students into independent researchers and scholars.
• Graduates of integrated programs often possess a competitive edge in the job market, as they have acquired advanced knowledge and research skills. Employers value the interdisciplinary expertise, research experience, and ability to work on complex problems that integrated MS Ph.D. graduates bring to the table. Integrated MS PhD programs prepare students for careers in academia, research institutes, industry, and other professional settings.

Funding Opportunities for Integrated MS Ph.D. Programs

Funding is a crucial aspect to consider when pursuing an integrated MS Ph.D. program. Financing your education and research can be accomplished through various funding options, including:

• Graduate Assistantships : Many universities offer graduate assistantship positions to integrated MS PhD students. These positions provide a stipend and, in some cases, a tuition waiver in exchange for teaching or research assistance. Graduate assistants may assist faculty members in teaching undergraduate courses, conducting research, or working on other academic projects.
• Fellowships and Scholarships : Universities and external organizations offer fellowships and scholarships to support talented students pursuing integrated MS Ph.D. programs. These awards are often based on academic merit, research potential, or specific criteria related to the field of study. Fellowships and scholarships may cover tuition expenses, provide a living stipend, or both.
• Research Grants : Integrated MS Ph.D. students have the opportunity to apply for research grants to fund their research projects. These grants can be obtained from funding agencies, government bodies, private foundations, or industry sponsors. Research grants provide financial support for conducting research, data collection, equipment purchase, travel expenses, and other research-related costs.
• Work-Study Programs : Some students opt for work-study programs to fund their education while gaining practical experience in their field. Work-study programs provide part-time employment opportunities on campus or in affiliated organizations. These positions allow students to earn a paycheck while balancing their academic and research responsibilities.

When applying for an integrated MS Ph.D. program, it is important to research the funding opportunities available at each university. The financial support options may vary between institutions, and it is advisable to explore all available options to secure funding for your education and research.

Quick Tip: Network with potential advisors and current students for insights and a stronger application.

• How to Apply for an Integrated MS PhD Program

The application process for an integrated MS Ph.D. program generally involves the following steps:

• Identify universities and programs that offer integrated MS Ph.D. programs in your field of interest. Consider factors such as the faculty expertise, research opportunities, funding options, and the overall reputation of the university.
• Carefully review the admission criteria and make sure you meet all the prerequisites. Pay attention to the required academic qualifications, standardized test scores, English language proficiency, and any additional requirements specific to the program.
• Gather all the required documents, including transcripts, test scores, letters of recommendation , and a well-crafted statement of purpose. Your statement of purpose should clearly articulate your research interests, career aspirations, and why you are interested in pursuing an integrated MS Ph.D. program at the respective university.
• Submit your applications online through the university’s admission portal or any designated platform. Ensure that all the required documents are submitted within the specified deadlines. Pay attention to any additional application requirements, such as writing samples or interviews.
• If shortlisted, you may be invited for an interview as part of the selection process. The interview may be conducted in person, over the phone, or through video conferencing. Prepare for the interview by familiarizing yourself with your research interests, the faculty’s research, and potential research collaborations.
• Once accepted, carefully evaluate your options and choose the program that aligns with your academic and career goals. Consider factors such as faculty expertise, research opportunities, funding packages, and the overall fit of the program with your research interests. Complete the enrollment formalities to secure your seat in the program.

The application process may vary slightly between universities and programs. It is important to consult the program’s official website or contact the admissions office for detailed information about the application process and deadlines.

• Difference Between Integrated MS Ph.D. and Regular Ph.D. Programs

Integrated MS Ph.D. programs differ from regular Ph.D. programs in several ways:

It is important to consider these differences when choosing between an integrated MS Ph.D. program and a regular Ph.D. program. The choice should align with your academic and career goals, research interests, and desired depth of study in your field.

• Top Universities in the USA Offering Integrated MS Ph.D. Programs

Several esteemed universities in the USA offer integrated MS Ph.D. programs across various disciplines. Here are some of the top universities known for their integrated programs:

These universities have a strong reputation for their research programs and offer integrated MS Ph.D. programs in a wide range of disciplines.

It is advisable to explore the specific programs offered by each university and consider factors such as faculty expertise, research opportunities, and available funding.

If you aspire to pursue advanced academic and research opportunities, an integrated MS Ph.D. program in the USA can be an excellent choice.

It offers a structured pathway to obtain both a Master’s and a Doctoral degree, enabling you to delve deeper into your chosen field of study.

By understanding the entry requirements, program structure, funding options, and the differences between integrated MS Ph.D. and regular Ph.D. programs, you’ll be well-prepared to embark on your journey toward an integrated MS Ph.D. program .

Explore the universities offering such programs, connect with potential advisors, and take the necessary steps to submit a compelling application. Your integrated MS Ph.D. experience awaits!

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Can I apply for an integrated MS Ph.D. program if I already have a Master’s degree?

Yes, many universities accept applicants with existing Master’s degrees for their integrated MS Ph.D. programs. Having a Master’s degree may provide you with a competitive advantage in the admissions process, as it demonstrates your ability to handle advanced coursework and research.

Do I need to contact potential advisors before applying to an integrated MS Ph.D. program?

While it’s not mandatory, reaching out to potential advisors can help you establish a connection and gain insights into their research interests. Connecting with potential advisors can also provide you with valuable guidance on the program and enhance your chances of being admitted.

What is the difference between an integrated MS Ph.D. program and a joint degree program?

Integrated MS Ph.D. programs combine coursework and research for a seamless progression toward a Doctoral degree. The Master’s and Doctoral degrees are obtained sequentially within a single program.

Joint degree programs, on the other hand, involve pursuing two separate degrees simultaneously, often in different disciplines. Joint degree programs allow students to earn both degrees independently, and the coursework and research requirements are designed accordingly.

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Table of Contents

• • Introduction
• • What is an Integrated MS Ph.D Program?
• • Structure of an Integrated MS Ph.D. Program
• • How to Apply for an Integrated MS PhD Program
• • Difference Between Integrated MS Ph.D. and Regular Ph.D. Programs
• • Top Universities in the USA Offering Integrated MS Ph.D. Programs
• • Conclusion

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Integrated Applied Mathematics

Integrated applied mathematics (ph.d.).

Why pursue a Ph.D. in integrated applied mathematics at UNH?

Integrated applied mathematics is a thriving field in which advanced mathematical and computational methods are brought to bear on complex problems from science, engineering, industry and society. Our program is designed to facilitate interdisciplinary research with participating faculty as you apply cutting-edge mathematical analysis and high performance computing to outside disciplines. You’ll be poised for work in fields such as data science, high-tech manufacturing, government research and academia.

Program highlights

Our program provides focused training in applied mathematics and an application area to give you a graduate-level education and research experience. Our faculty have expertise in a wide variety of applied math topics and application areas, including numerical methods, fluid dynamics, signal processing, dynamical systems and aerodynamics.

Potential career areas

• Communications
• Data science
• Manufacturing
• Numerical analysis
• Quantitative research
• Systems engineering

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Contact Information

Curriculum & Requirements

Program description.

The IAM Program prepares students for research and teaching careers in the mathematical solution of critical problems in science and engineering. The emphasis of the IAM program is on the use of mathematics and computing to facilitate impactful interdisciplinary research. Accordingly, all students must achieve a high level of training through the required coursework. An IAM Ph.D. candidate is expected to achieve expertise in both applied and computational mathematics as well as one area of specialization including, but not limited to: Fluid Dynamics, Dynamical Systems, Plasma and Space Physics, Mathematical Geo- or Environmental Science, Materials and Solid Mechanics, or Biophysics.

Admission Requirements

Applicants to the IAM Ph.D. Program are expected to have a bachelor’s degree or master's degree in mathematics or an appropriate science or engineering field.

Please visit the  Graduate School website  for detailed instructions about applying to the program.

Requirements for the Program

Additional elective as approved by your advisor and program.

Candidacy Requirements

Students must pass a three part Ph.D. qualifying exam:

• Comprehensive exam in mathematical methods
• Comprehensive exam in scientific computing
• Oral or written exam in a specialization area

Students must select a research adviser and have identified a research topic.

Dissertation

Students must submit a written thesis proposal and give a seminar presentation summarizing the proposal to a dissertation committee. 

Upon completion of research, a student must give a seminar summarizing the research objectives, methods, findings, and significance.

Students must submit a dissertation that includes original research in applied mathematics.  The dissertation must comply with all policies put forth by the Graduate School

Student Learning Outcomes

• Students are skilled at mathematical manipulations and analytic calculations broadly covering the field of applied mathematics. 
• Students have developed sufficient mathematical background and understanding of key concepts to have a functional literacy in modern applied mathematics journals. 
• Students can use numerical algorithms to approximate solutions to mathematical problems which are intractable by hand calculation and understand the impact of consistency, stability, and accuracy in the context of numerical computing. 
• Students have made independent contributions to a significant mathematical research project and have clearly demonstrated the ability to conduct high-level, self-directed research in applied mathematics. 
• Students are capable of disseminating the results of their research through written (e.g., journal) publications and oral presentations or seminars.

Application Requirements & Deadlines

Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:

• Fall : Feb. 15 (for funding); April 1 (recommended US; final international); July 1 (final)
• Spring : Dec. 1 , Nov. 1 for international students
• Summer : N/A
• Special : N/A

Application fee : $65

Campus : Durham

New England Regional : No

Accelerated Masters Eligible : No

New Hampshire Residents

Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence Form . This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission or you will not be able to register for classes.

Transcripts

If you attended UNH or Granite State College (GSC) after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester, UNH Non-Degree work and GSC. 

If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must upload a copy (PDF) of your transcript in the application form. International transcripts must be translated into English.

If admitted , you must then request an official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:

• Electronic Transcripts : Please have your institution send the transcript directly to [email protected] . Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
• Paper Transcripts : Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.

Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.

Letters of recommendation: 3 required

Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.

Personal Statement/Essay Questions

Prepare a brief but careful statement regarding:

• Reasons you wish to do graduate work in this field, including your immediate and long-range objectives.
• Your specific research or professional interest and experiences in this field.

Important Notes

All applicants are encouraged to contact programs directly to discuss program-specific application questions.

International Applicants

Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our Test Scores webpage for more information.

Explore Program Details

Faculty directory.

Benjamin Chandran

Gregory Chini

Kai Germaschewski

John Gibson

Marko Knezevic

Anne Lightbody

John McHugh

Marek Petrik

Joachim Raeder

Wheeler Ruml

Kevin Short

Marianna Shubov

IAM Graduate Student Handbook

IAM Advising Form

The IAM Advising Form can be used as a guide to track courses as students progress in the Program. 

Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Training

All IAM PhD graduate students are required to undergo the UNH Responsible Conduct of Research and Scholarly Activity (RCR).  The RCR Committee offers training in the ethical and responsible conduct of research three times a year: February, May and October.

This training opportunity involves two components:

• Completion of UNH’s web-based program of RCR instruction
• Participation in a three-hour seminar. .  

Please go to the  RCR  website for more information and the training dates.

UNH Health Insurance

All full-time degree students are required to have health insurance as a condition of enrollment.  These fees are covered for students on full-time graduate assistantship appointments or full-time fellowship appointments.  Please see go to the  Health and Wellness website  for more information about the health plan and enrollment details and deadlines. 

Graduate School Thrive Guide

The Graduate School Thrive Guide is a great resource for all Durham graduate students and post-docs. Learn about all the graduate student organizations and events and workshops, career support, professional development and more.

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Integrated Masters Degree: MS and PhD Combined

Higher education is to the US as Bieber is to Beliebers. In other words, each has a lot to give to the other (Read Why International Students are good to the US economy ).

Maybe that is the reason that USA still attracts a large population of international students to pursue the heavy weight degrees of PhD or Masters/MS. Nearly 65% of the million plus international students flock their respective US embassies for admissions to graduate school, the rest getting into various undergraduate programs.

In spite of what may only be described as the twilight years of immigration policies, indicating a possible slow down of international student admissions (Read Is enrollment slowing down? ), the number of GRE test bravers was still in the neighborhood of a million, in 2015-16. And most of these applicants are clearly in team MS.

If a student is unable to or unconvinced about continuing with his PhD, he can, in principle, get an early release with an MS degree, if the credit requirements are fulfilled.

So, if you were a first time applicant and undecided on whether your future holds a research career, with a PhD, or employment right after an MS, you may need some help in finding out which path would be right for you – a straight up MS degree program OR an MS-PhD program with the option of bidding ciao when the going gets tough! In this article we will lay down the pros and cons of each class of the two MS degrees – MS vs MS en route to a PhD.  

MS vs Combined MS + PhD program

Which one to apply for an ms degree, ms en route to phd, the ms-phd way.

The popularity of the MS-PhD degree is evident from its increasing statistics, from the 1950s to the current decade. STEM field PhD graduates have gone up from 9,000 to about 55,000 ( NSF.gov ). But this just tells us a part of the story. A large percentage of enrolled PhD graduate students quit during the course of the program.

You see, the structure of a PhD degree is designed to transform a student from the well rehearsed course work, and exam, curriculum to a more adult form of education whereby the onus of finding research worthy problems falls on the students themselves.

The interactions with faculty, in any doctoral program, is of the nature of working with academic colleagues who may or may not have the solutions to many of those problems. And sometimes students may find it hard to deal with the stress of research, lack of solutions and clarity about the course of their graduation (Read PhD Stress and Disillusionment Management ).

In fact, the PhD Completion Project , studying the attrition and completion rates, for the period 1992-93 to 2003-04, compiled by the Council of Graduate Schools shows the following broad field based finito rates.  

  Many drop out early with an MS degree under their belt. And sometimes for the better, depending on the field and specialization they belong to (Read Is your Phd worth it? ).  

Integrated masters program (MS + PhD) vs Regular MS: Pros and cons

Well, as mentioned before, a PhD student can qualify to receive an MS degree upon completion of a requisite number of credits. The actual requirements may differ between schools though.

Let us list out the pros first.

• Getting into an MS-PhD program gives you the opportunity of pursuing two degrees at the same time. So if you are undecided about your affinity towards research, this is a perfect means to find out how much, if any.
• If you are indeed into research, an MS-PhD gives you the immense advantage of a head-start in your research experience. And in the PhD world, it is the difference between graduating in 5 years vs anytime between now till retirement!
• You get paid a monthly stipend on account of an almost assured teaching assistantship. Even your tuition expenses are covered by the graduate school. In regular MS, you will have to pay for your own tuition and find some on-campus job to sustain your living expenses.
• It saves you the expense, and time, in reapplying for a PhD program, if you ever wanted to continue studying. In a regular MS, you’d have go through application procedure to get admitted officially.

  And now for the cons.  

• Though no school would ever say it out loud, but they do frown upon students who join the MS-PhD program with the intention of walking out with an MS degree. In fact it is an ethically grey area to take a free ride through the course work without even an honest attempt at continuing with the PhD program. Admission committees may not even want applicants who are convinced that they don’t want to continue on their PhD track and yet enroll in the MS-PhD program for the above advantages. However, they are aware of the attrition rates and as long as there is an honest attempt, they will be largely fine with it.
• Recommendations may become an issue if your adviser takes an offense to your early departure, in the middle of the research.
• Work demand may be a bit too much if you have to complete the course work, in a set amount of time, while managing teaching and research on the same clock. Regular MS students are usually spared the added research work and have a more regimented schedule, making it easier to prioritize tasks.
• Internships may be hard to come by, within the first two years, as compared to a regular MS student.
• Employers may look unfavorably at candidates who essentially quit from their PhD programs, with an MS. You will have to be prepared to explain your circumstances.

Overall, it is essentially your judgement call as to what would suit your needs. A regular MS is clearly the right answer if you are absolutely sure of having nothing to do with research. An MS-PhD is definitely the right answer if you are absolutely sure of wanting to do research.

As for all the in-betweeners, find out where your scale tips and decide your best course of action. An MS-PhD will give you the taste of research to convince you either ways while a regular MS will give you the option of planning your next move once you graduate.

The world is your oyster, which you with your application will open… paraphrasing the Bard   Here are some useful links.

• How to choose the right MS specialization
• How to get into PhD in the top universities abroad
• Fully funded PhD, with stipend in Europe

  Author bio: Rakhi Acharyya is a Physics PhD from Michigan State University, an ex-teacher and a former employee of Corporate America.

Sources: 1 , 2 , 3 , 4

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12 thoughts on “Integrated Masters Degree: MS and PhD Combined”

I have done Btech in IT and going to complete MBA from JMI University Delhi, Would i be able to apply for PHD in management. One more concern is- I am doing Executive MBA which is for working professional who have more than 3 year industry program, So it would be consider for PHD.

In principle, yes you can. The motivation should be clear though. Unless you are looking at a future in teaching, research, consulting or some high ranking position in top businesses, you will need to reconsider why you want to get into a management PhD. Whether it is executive or full time MBA is irrelevant. PhDs, by definition, are quite rigorous and demand time and excessive amount of effort. So talk to individuals who have a PhD in Management and get to know what you might be expecting in terms of career options.

I have done my graduation in biotechnology with 8.1 CGPA , post graduation in biotechnology with 6.7 CGPA from Amity university .Im preparing for CSIR/ICMR net. I have got a reply mail of phd application from Finland university of Oulu. My goal/ target is always pharma industry R&D jobs. So after get a phd degree from foreign university will it be fruitful to me to get a bright career in pharma industry in India??

For pharmaceutical research jobs, read the following article to get a better insight on options in India http://www.careerizma.com/blog/pharmacy-careers-jobs/ For other pharma related job career guidance, read this. http://www.careerizma.com/blog/career-guidance-pharma-jobs-india-abroad/

As a general observation though, foreign degrees are largely subjective to many employers in India. So if you are a graduate from a well known university, your chances of being hired may be higher than someone who has a degree from a lesser known, nonetheless decent, foreign university. So the exposure of the employer comes into consideration. Other than that, if you believe that the Finnish university has a good academic standing, you can consider it.

I am a masters student in Neuroscience. I want to do PhD. From 2 years I am trying to get one in abroad. Help me finding and give me suggestions.

Unfortunately, it is hard to provide a response without knowing the details. As for the general requirements for a PhD, abroad like in the USA, you need a decent GRE score, TOEFL (or equivalent English proficiency), SoP, letters of recommendations, and a good selection of universities spanning the range of ranking for the field. The best way to go about the research is to either select a few schools and go through the academic research in the individual schools to best suit you OR choose your desired field of research, within Neuroscience, and then select the schools based on the latest research and the institution affiliation of the researchers. In any of the above, you need to maintain a good academic record to be considered into any program. You can even try to check out the online rankings but be informed that most of the university rankings don’t consider graduate research in their determination. You can also try and connect with the faculties to find out more about their research and your interest in working in the field. Some maybe just nice enough to respond and if they find you suitable, they may even help in your admission.

Hi, my GRE score is 317 (Q-160) and my undergrad CGPA is 8.45. I am from a mechanical background. So, can I expect an MS+Phd (integrated) admit from a good school? Thank you

Hi i am UG student of Ravenshaw University , Odisha . I have completed my undergraduate in ENGLISH . I have also scored 280 out of 340 in GRE exam. I want to have integrated P.HD in ENGLISH. So what should i do now to get admissions to any University in USA.

RESPECTED SIR, I am in a great confusion of selecting my course fr higher studies. I am a second year graduate doing b.tech biotechnology with a cgpa of 9.16.please guide me .

I have completed my Bachelor of Dental Surgery degree from JMI Univesirt, New Delhi. I wish to pursue my masters from USA. What all integrated course options do I have and what all exams will I need to undertake?

I am an automotive engineer with a B.Tech degree. And I am having a total 8 years of job experience. I want to pursue Combine M.S+Phd. In my stream. Can you recommend college to me where I can pursue.

Myself Rahul Raju Soundalgekar from India and I am currently in my second year of B.Pharm. As i wanted to pursue my (M.Pharm + Ph.D) or (MS+Ph.D) integrated Program in United States Of America(USA),I wanted to know the details of it.The Admission Process for it ,the documents required, entrance exams required for the top universities, the bank statement,fees structures,etc.Looking forward for your kind response.

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