harvard health policy phd students

• PhD in Health Policy

In This Section

• PhD in Public Policy
• PhD in Political Economy & Government
• PhD in Social Policy
• Job Market Candidates

The PhD in Health Policy is a highly interdisciplinary program that will develop the specialized skills you need for a research and teaching career in health policy.

The program is collaborative at its core, with its curriculum drawing from six Harvard schools:

• Harvard Business School
• Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
• Harvard Kennedy School
• Harvard Law School
• Harvard Medical School
• Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

With more than 100 Harvard faculty members from these schools integrated in the program, you have access to the insights of leading experts across the full academic and professional spectrum.

Balance broad and specialized knowledge.

As a PhD in Health Policy student, you take courses throughout Harvard’s specialized schools. This allows you to become familiar with the conceptual frameworks, vernacular and perspectives of researchers from other disciplines.

At the same time, developing specialized skills in a discipline is a hallmark of the program, which is why you specialize in one of five concentrations:

• Decision Sciences
• Methods for Policy Research
• Political Analysis

The PhD in Health Policy degree is awarded by the  Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Harvard Griffin GSAS). Our graduates leave the program well equipped to make an impact in academia, government agencies, research institutes, think tanks, foundations, and multinational corporations. 

• Health Policy
• Introduction

Harvard Griffin GSAS strives to provide students with timely, accurate, and clear information. If you need help understanding a specific policy, please contact the office that administers that policy.

• Application for Degree
• Credit for Completed Graduate Work
• Ad Hoc Degree Programs
• Dissertations
• English Language Proficiency
• African and African American Studies
• American Studies
• Anthropology
• Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning
• Biology, Molecular and Cellular
• Biology, Organismic and Evolutionary
• Biological Sciences in Public Health
• Biostatistics
• Business Administration
• Business Economics
• Byzantine Studies
• Celtic Languages and Literatures
• Chemical Biology
• Chemical Physics
• Chemistry and Chemical Biology
• Comparative Literature
• Division of Medical Sciences
• Earth and Planetary Sciences
• East Asian Languages and Civilizations
• Engineering and Applied Sciences
• Film and Visual Studies
• Germanic Languages and Literatures
• History of Art and Architecture
• History of Science
• Human Evolutionary Biology
• Inner Asian and Altaic Studies
• Linguistics
• Mathematics
• Middle Eastern Studies
• Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations
• Organizational Behavior
• Political Economy and Government
• Population Health Sciences
• Public Policy
• Quantum Science and Engineering
• Religion, The Study of
• Romance Languages and Literatures
• Slavic Languages and Literatures
• Social Policy
• South Asian Studies
• Systems, Synthetic, and Quantitative Biology
• Secondary Fields
• Year of Graduate Study (G-Year)
• Master's Degrees
• Grade and Examination Requirements
• Conduct and Safety
• Financial Aid
• Non-Resident Students
• Registration

Questions about these requirements? See the contact info at the bottom of the page. 

The PhD in health policy, awarded by the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, is administered by the Committee on Higher Degrees in Health Policy, representing six Harvard University faculties: Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard Medical School, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard Business School, and Harvard Law School.

The PhD program has the following requirements:

• two years (generally) of coursework, including a yearlong core course
• concentration in one academic discipline (decision sciences, economics, management, methods for policy research, or political analysis) and specialization at the dissertation stage in one policy area (global health, health care services, mental health, or public health)
• three one-term courses, chosen from three concentrations outside a student’s field of concentration. The statistics requirement (noted below) may be used to satisfy one of the three requirements, except for students concentrating in methods for policy research.
• two one-term courses in statistics
• a weekly research seminar starting in the third year
• written general and concentration examinations following the two years of coursework; the general examination contains an oral component
• a dissertation prospectus and oral examination
• a dissertation based on original research and a dissertation defense.

Note: If a grade of B- or better is not obtained in a course offering a letter-grade option, the student will not receive program credit for that course.

Concentrations

PhD students in health policy choose a concentration and meet specific curriculum requirements in one of five disciplines:

Decision Sciences 

(Professor Jane Kim, chair).

Decision sciences are the collection of quantitative techniques that are used for decision-making at the individual and collective level. They include decision analysis, risk analysis, cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis, decision modeling, and behavioral decision theory, as well as parts of operations research, microeconomics, statistical inference, management control, cognitive and social psychology, and computer science. The concentration in decision sciences prepares students for research careers that involve the application of these methods to health problems. Examples of research topics in health decision sciences include cost-effectiveness analysis of medical technologies and pharmaceuticals; optimal screening policies for cancer and other chronic diseases; measurement and evaluation of health outcomes, including quality of life; policy simulation modeling of diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, cancer, and asthma; and optimal resource allocation for biomedical research.

(Professors Timothy Layton and Mark Shepard, co-chairs)

The concentration in economics focuses on the economic behavior of individuals; providers; insurers; and international, federal, state, and local governments and actors as their actions affect health and medical care. In addition to examining the literature on health economics, the training emphasizes microeconomic theory, econometrics, and interactions with other disciplines including clinical medicine.

Methods for Policy Research 

(Professors Mary Beth Landrum and J. Michael McWilliams, co-chairs).

Training in the MPR concentration will position students to conduct rigorous policy-relevant research. The concentration includes intensive methodological training that draws from several quantitative fields including statistics, econometrics, and epidemiology, and also offers opportunities to learn qualitative methods. Students in the MPR concentration will also develop proficiency in experimental and quasi-experimental research designs. The MPR concentration does not require training in a specific discipline of social science, but students are allowed to use two of their distributional requirements to acquire some disciplinary training (e.g., in economics or sociology), and many students pursue additional coursework in a substantive area of interest or advanced levels of statistics. By virtue of this training, MPR students develop a multidisciplinary toolkit that borrows from the strengths of different quantitative sciences and supports novel applications to health-related questions. Graduates are able to communicate and collaborate effectively with statisticians, economists, epidemiologists, and clinician-investigators, as they lead their independent work.  The concentration’s broad methodological training flexibly supports scholarship on a wide range of topics, including common areas of interest in health services research related to health care access, quality, costs, and disparities, but also questions focused on clinical decision-making, behavior (e.g., of patients, physicians, or organizations), social determinants of health, and social programs with implications for health.

Management 

(Professors Amy Edmondson and Robert S. Huckman, co-chairs).

The management track prepares students to do research on the organizational, managerial, and strategic issues facing health care providers, payers, and other players in the health care market. Students in this track will learn how theories and concepts from fields such as technology and operations management, organizational behavior, organizational economics, and competitive strategy can be applied to—and further developed for understanding—health care organizations. Students in this track should have a strong interest in pursuing research on such issues as the design and improvement of health care delivery processes, approaches for improving health care quality and productivity, the development and adoption of new medical technologies, financial incentives in health care, the new role of patients as consumers in health care, the appropriate ownership and organizational structure of hospitals and other health care providers, and the management of professional health care staff. We expect students completing this track to find jobs in academic and research institutions that have an interest in the impact of management on health care. These institutions would include business schools, medical schools, schools of public health, and schools of public policy. 

Political Analysis

(Professor Benjamin Sommers, chair).

This concentration is intended for students who wish to do research on the relationship between politics and health policy. Students will study theories of political participation, legislative organization, interest group formation, and political communication. Applied topics of study include public opinion, political ideology, public health law, and the media; the interplay between executive, legislative, and judicial branches; and the role of federalism, including state and local government, in influencing health policy outcomes. The research methodologies utilized in this track include quantitative statistical methods appropriate for large-scale databases, survey methods, and qualitative or mixed methods. Graduates of this concentration typically pursue careers in teaching, conduct research on the politics of health care, and/or become involved with government, professional, and consumer groups on research projects related to the politics of public policy in the public health and health services fields. 

Language Requirements

There is no language requirement.

Policy on Incomplete Grades

No grade of Incomplete can be used to satisfy any departmental requirements.

Human Subjects

All PhD students in health policy must receive human subjects training during their first year in the program (before they embark on research during their first summer in the program)—in connection with the core course. This training must be updated as required by the University.

Once a student has accepted an offer of admission to the PhD program in health policy, they are assigned an advisor. After the first year, students have the option to select their own advisors. During the third year of the program, a student forms a dissertation committee, which replaces the student’s faculty advisor. (However, frequently, the student invites the second-year advisor to serve on the dissertation committee.) In addition to convening the dissertation committee for the dissertation proposal orals and final defense, a student is encouraged to meet together with their entire committee several other times during the process as well as individually with members of the committee on a regular basis. In the third year and above, all students are required to register for the research seminar and present once per academic year. Students are encouraged to invite their advisors to attend these presentations.

The program office requests an annual progress report that is shared with the advisor, the concentration chair, the program chair, and the director of graduate studies. The program office monitors Incompletes.

Thus, at all times when enrolled in the program, a student has one or more faculty advisors. Generally speaking, students in this program form strong bonds with their advisors.

Master of Arts (AM)

This program does not award an AM. However, it does award a terminal master’s degree in circumstances that warrant it, by vote of the Committee on Higher Degrees in Health Policy. If students leave the program or are withdrawn after passing the general and concentration examinations and completing all their course requirements with a grade of B- or better, they are eligible for a terminal master’s degree.

With the exception of the decision sciences and management tracks of the program, teaching is not a requirement of this program, but at least one Harvard teaching experience is strongly encouraged. In the decision sciences track, students are expected to have at least five Chan School credits (equivalent to one full term) of experience as teaching fellows in the core decision sciences courses. In the management track, students are required to complete a teaching engagement of one full academic term that includes at least 8 hours of front-of-class teaching experience and at least 16 hours of teaching preparation time.

General and Concentration Examinations

Generally, students take a full load of classes (four term-long courses, or the equivalent, per term) for each of their first two years in the program. At the end of the two years, general examinations are administered over the course of a week. The week starts with a one-hour in-class examination followed by a two-day take-home examination in which students must demonstrate that they have a master’s level understanding of the concentrations. It is followed the next week by an oral examination. This examination is the same for all students (i.e., is not concentration specific). Students are strongly encouraged to take the general examination at the end of their second year in the program or at the completion of their coursework. If students would like to take it at the end of their first year in the program, they must petition the program. Only students with prior relevant master’s degrees can petition. Once permission is granted, the student must declare by the end of first term that they will indeed take the generals at the end of their first year. If a student fails either part of the generals, the student is given one opportunity the following year to retake the part or parts not passed. Students also take an examination in their concentration, usually at the end of their second year in the program. Students should complete all concentration course requirements prior to taking a concentration examination. Any exceptions must be approved by the student’s concentration chair.

Dissertation Prospectus and Orals

The purpose of the dissertation prospectus and its oral examination is to provide a formal occasion for the student to receive feedback on, and gain approval of, their dissertation topic(s). This should be done early enough to incorporate significant changes in direction based on faculty input, but it should reflect a fairly advanced stage of study design for at least part of the dissertation. Throughout this process, the student is expected to keep in close contact with their dissertation committee.

Generally, dissertations in the PhD in health policy program consist of three papers or three chapters within a monograph. Thus, the prospectus (also known as a proposal; the words are used interchangeably in what follows) should describe the research to be conducted in each paper (expectations are described in more detail below). Sometimes, however, a student may want to obtain results from two of the papers before finalizing the issue to be investigated in the third paper and describing the research that will occur in the third paper. In recognition of this possibility, the PhD in health policy program provides two options for the dissertation proposal and oral exam. One option is to propose all three papers and defend them at the same time; the other option is to propose two papers, defend them, and then within six months propose a third paper and defend it in a second oral examination. A student choosing the second option will receive a “conditional pass” until the proposal for the third paper has been successfully defended; the term “conditional” will not be interpreted as implying inadequacy in any way.

Within one year of passing the qualifying examination, a student is expected to have formed a dissertation committee. Further, each student is strongly encouraged to submit a written proposal for at least two of the dissertation papers (or monograph chapters) and pass an oral examination on their dissertation proposal before September of their fourth year. The PhD program expects that any student choosing to defend a proposal for only two papers initially will successfully defend a proposal for the third paper or chapter no later than the beginning of the spring term of their fourth year.

All students must successfully defend their dissertation proposals by the end of the fourth year in the program to maintain satisfactory progress. Also, if a student does not pass the dissertation proposal orals by the end of the third year, they must meet with the proposed committee by June 30 of that year to discuss the student’s progress to date. The committee will then be asked to sign a form indicating that the student is making satisfactory progress toward completing the dissertation proposal. If a student has not set a date for the dissertation proposal orals by January of their fourth year, the program must notify the student and the chair of the student’s dissertation committee. There is no limit to the number of times a student may repeat a dissertation proposal oral examination, but, ordinarily, failure to obtain acceptance of a dissertation proposal by the end of the fourth year would be considered evidence of unsatisfactory progress.

To monitor and spur progress on the dissertation, a weekly research seminar is required of all students, beginning in the third year. At the seminar, the students present their dissertation work at all stages, starting with the proposal stage.

Students are strongly discouraged from leaving the Boston area before they have passed their dissertation proposal oral defense. Those contemplating leaving must discuss it with the executive committee. In addition, the program encourages students to remain in residence throughout the dissertation stage. A student living outside the Boston area must, like all students in the PhD program, meet with their dissertation committee at least twice each academic year (preferably one meeting per term).

Expectations for a Dissertation Prospectus

• The student should identify three parts for the dissertation. Normally, these will be three papers or three chapters within a monograph. In assessing each of the three parts, the committee should judge that each, if successfully carried out, will lead to a publishable paper.
• The target length of a dissertation prospectus for all three papers combined should be between 25 and 35 pages. This expected length is meant simply as a guide; some topics will deserve more detailed or longer descriptions. As a rule, however, students should consider the prospectus a  proposal —a compendium of completed papers is not acceptable. The point of the prospectus is to provide a well-documented and detailed proposal of research to be conducted for each of the dissertation papers (or monograph).
• Research Questions.  What are the research questions that the student is answering? The student will usually need a few paragraphs of introductory material to set up their questions.
• Background and Significance.  Why are answers to these questions important? What policy might depend upon the answers? What is the context for the issues?
• Literature Review and Preliminary Findings.  At a minimum, this section should review the main literature in the area(s) in which the student is working and summarize its findings (or at least those of relevance to what they are doing). In particular, the literature review should note how and why prior research in the topic area does not answer the questions the student wishes to address. Perhaps the data used by earlier researchers were not satisfactory or detailed enough; perhaps the theoretical model or framework underlying earlier work missed a key point; or perhaps statistical estimation methods have advanced since earlier research was conducted and now it is possible to answer a question that has motivated research on the topic for some time. The literature review should be perceived as part of “setting up the problem” that the paper is intended to address. Since literature reviews can often exceed five pages, students should feel free to provide the extended literature review as an appendix. Also, if more than one of the proposed dissertation papers focuses on different aspects of the same underlying literature, an appendix with a review of the relevant literature for both (or all three) papers is recommended. The review for any one paper in the prospectus should be kept to a few pages.
• Methods and Research Design.  Most of what the student writes should be in this section. This is the section where the student indicates how the proposed paper can successfully overcome or address whatever problems have been identified as causing earlier research to have provided insufficient models or evidence on the issue. The student should be addressing the following types of questions in this section: What theory or conceptual framework is the student using or proposing to develop? What data will the student analyze? What do they propose to estimate? (It often helps to write down the equation the student wishes to estimate.) How will the student estimate what they are proposing? Which statistical, econometric, or modeling methods does the student plan to use? Will the data have enough power to enable the student to be reasonably confident about the answer to the questions they are trying to answer? What are the remaining key uncertainties and what does the student see as the main obstacles to carrying out the research? Students should show preliminary results of estimating models or the start on a theoretical model in this section. Especially when using new data or a new estimation technique, it is incumbent on the student to show that they are likely to be able to successfully complete the research for the proposed paper. If the student has not yet obtained the data, the student should at least establish that the proposed study is feasible (i.e., there is adequate power; important constructs are included in data; etc.).
• In the case of the first paper, a draft manuscript, possibly of a preliminary or partially completed version, is often attached as an appendix. The student should give evidence that they have gotten their “hands dirty” and is immersed in the conduct of this study.
• The suggested page length for the dissertation prospectus—25 to 35 pages total if all three papers are being proposed—could be divided as follows. The descriptions for two papers should be particularly well developed; each should be described in 10 to 12 or more pages. (Frequently, two papers are variations on an underlying topic or may take advantage of the same data set. In this case, the description of one paper could be 15 pages long and the second could be 10, with references to the description of the data in the first paper’s description.) The description of the third paper may be shorter because the student expects to more fully develop an idea as the results from the other two papers become available. Nonetheless, the description should be at least 5 pages and preferably closer to 10 pages in length. As noted above in “Dissertation Prospectus and Orals,” a student also can choose to defend the proposal for the third paper within six months of defending the first two papers. If a student chooses this second option, the proposal for the third paper should be described in some detail—at least 8 to 10 pages. It is acceptable to present alternative possibilities for the third paper if the student is concerned that one idea may not work (perhaps because data may not become available in time). These page lengths are merely a suggestion and should not be viewed as the “rule.”

Overall, the point of the prospectus is to provide the faculty on the dissertation committee with sufficient detail of the proposed papers (or monograph) for them to protect the student from embarking on a research project that will not lead to a finished, publishable paper. Thus, the suggested page length and the sections to be included in the description for each paper are meant as a guide. Students also should be mindful that completed papers for the prospectus stage are strongly discouraged. Providing evidence that data or statistical methods will enable the successful completion of a paper is not to be interpreted as a suggestion that the paper should be all but finished before the prospectus is defended. The prospectus is also intended as an expression of agreement between the committee and the student that if the student carries out the work as specified, the committee is likely to find the dissertation acceptable. It is, however, not a binding contract since research is unpredictable and problems may surface that prevent its successful completion as initially envisioned.

The Following Steps Must Occur Prior to the Dissertation Proposal Orals:

• The student must appoint a dissertation committee, as described under the section on “Dissertation Committee” that follows.
• The student must ascertain from the members of the dissertation committee that they are prepared to schedule the dissertation proposal oral examination.
•  The student must arrange with the dissertation committee a mutually agreeable date, time, and location for the dissertation proposal orals and make this information known to the program director at least two weeks prior to the scheduled dissertation proposal orals. Two hours should be allowed, including time for discussion, evaluation by the dissertation committee, and feedback to the student after the faculty evaluation.
• The student must submit to the dissertation committee, at least two weeks prior to the scheduled dissertation proposal orals, a written dissertation proposal as described above. The written proposal submitted two to three weeks in advance of the dissertation orals should not be the first time the dissertation committee has seen these ideas presented by the student. The entire dissertation committee should be consulted in advance to ensure approval in principle of the topic(s) and to ensure the suitability of the members of the dissertation committee.

The Dissertation Proposal Oral Examination

The program office will maintain copies of proposals, and these may be borrowed by students planning their proposal orals. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain a dissertation proposal form from the program office and to bring it to the chair of the dissertation committee. The student will be responsible for getting the signed form and a copy of the dissertation proposal to the program office after the proposal orals, for inclusion in the student’s folder.

At the dissertation proposal orals, the student will present the proposal in a 20–30 minute oral presentation, leaving most of the time for discussion. Persons invited to the dissertation proposal orals are: (1) the dissertation committee; (2) other faculty members from Harvard and elsewhere invited by the student to provide additional expertise in evaluating the research proposal; (3) members of the Committee on Higher Degrees in Health Policy; (4) the PhD program director; and (5) other students invited by the presenting student, possibly including one who has agreed to take notes. Discussion will be limited, however, to the presenting student, the dissertation committee, and invited faculty in categories 2 and 3 above.

At the conclusion, the dissertation committee meets in closed session to discuss the disposition of the proposal. No grade or ordinal evaluation is given. In evaluating the student’s performance at the orals, the dissertation committee will take into account the quality of the student’s oral presentation, the quality of the student’s responses to questions from the dissertation committee, and the written material prepared prior to the oral date. Possible results are pass or conditional pass (when two papers are successfully defended), which will be changed to a pass when the third paper is successfully defended within an additional six months. Note that a conditional pass also may be the result if the committee feels that a three-paper prospectus has one paper that is not sufficiently well developed; again, the conditional pass will be changed to a pass when the third paper is successfully defended within an additional six months. On the rare occasion when the dissertation committee feels that the prospectus is not ready for a defense, the committee will adjourn the oral examination and simply convene a meeting with the student.

Dissertation

Content of the dissertation.

Dissertations may be applications of analytical tools to health policy issues or they may be primarily theoretical. The dissertation should be written in a scholarly style, including thorough literature reviews, and it must include detailed descriptions of methods, data, and analyses.

The dissertation can take either of two formats: a three-paper format or a monograph format.

The first format consists of three publishable papers relating to health policy. The papers are typically related, either by their substantive content or by methodology, but this is not a requirement. It is recommended that at least two of the three papers be related, either by content or methodology, but this is left to the discretion of the student’s dissertation committee.

While being publishable is a necessary condition for the acceptability of the dissertation, the fact that a paper has been published in a peer-reviewed publication does not necessarily make it acceptable for the dissertation. Material such as literature reviews, or detailed description of analytic methods and data, which may be excluded from published versions due to page constraints, must be included in the dissertation, possibly as appendices or as separate background papers.

On occasion, one or more of the papers may have been published prior to submission of the dissertation. However, none of the papers may have been published prior to the student’s matriculation into the program, and the majority of the work on the dissertation must be completed after matriculation.

The dissertation must include an overview summarizing the papers. It must also contain material that describes, in non-technical terms, the implications of the papers’ findings for the real world, as well as directions for future research that are suggested by the papers’ findings and/or limitations. This material may be incorporated into the individual papers (e.g., in discussion sections), or in a separate concluding section of the dissertation.

The second format option is a traditional monograph-style dissertation. Such a dissertation must either (a) contain at least three independently publishable units (which may be chapters) or (b) be suitable for subsequent publication in book form. The rules and recommendations described above for the three-paper format regarding prior publication, dissertation summary, and concluding sections apply to a traditional monograph-style dissertation as well.

The dissertation must be innovative, in the sense that an existing method is being applied in a new way or to a new problem area, or in the sense that a methodology is extended or modified in a significant way. Primarily, theoretical dissertations must still include a substantial demonstration of their applicability to a real-world contemporary health policy issue, and this application should be the major focus of one or more papers or chapters.

Coauthorship

Coauthored dissertation papers or chapters are permitted. Order of authorship should follow the conventions of the field to which the paper is being submitted. The student should be first author for journals where first authorship indicates primary responsibility for the paper. Faculty members and students are cautioned that a faculty advisor should be a coauthor only if they contribute substantially to the development of the database or analytical methodology for the paper or chapter.

If, however, the faculty member is primarily responsible for both the data and method, then the paper probably does not qualify as independent work by the student. If the faculty member has developed the methodology in a previous research study, then it is expected that the student will apply the methodology independently to the problem under investigation.

Dissertation Committee

The student is responsible for selecting a dissertation committee consisting of a dissertation advisor and at least two additional faculty members. The dissertation committee must include at least two full-time faculty members at Harvard University and at least one member of the Committee on Higher Degrees (CHD) in Health Policy. The dissertation advisor chairs the dissertation committee and must be a full-time faculty member at Harvard University and, preferably, will be a member of the CHD in Health Policy. At least two of the three dissertation committee members must be members of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and/or members of the CHD in Health Policy. If only one of the three members has an FAS or CHD in Health Policy appointment, then the chair of the CHD in Health Policy must also approve and sign the dissertation. The dissertation committee may include a faculty member from another university, an emeritus professor, or an adjunct professor at Harvard or elsewhere. (A member not on university faculties may be included only as a fourth member with the approval of the CHD in Health Policy.) The membership of the dissertation committee must be approved by the executive committee of the CHD in Health Policy before the dissertation proposal oral examination is scheduled.

After passing the proposal oral examination, students are expected to meet with their dissertation committee at least twice each academic year (preferably one meeting per term). This is the case whether or not a student is in residence. One of the meetings must be with all the members of their dissertation committee physically present. The other meeting may be by teleconference if necessary. For documentation of these meetings, the program office will provide forms, which students will be expected to return to the program office.

Dissertation Defense

It is advisable to arrange a tentative date for the defense well in advance to resolve possible scheduling conflicts between dissertation advisors. However, a dissertation defense may not be scheduled until at least drafts of all three papers have been submitted to all members of a student’s dissertation committee. All defenses will have a public presentation component. It is the option of the dissertation committee to have the entire defense public or to close the examination part, followed by a public presentation open to faculty, students, and other interested parties—all of whom may ask questions. In both cases, a student must allow for time after the defense to work on revisions required by the committee. A draft copy of the dissertation must be submitted to each member of the dissertation committee at least two weeks prior to the defense, and the program office must be notified of the time for the defense at least two weeks prior as well. At this point, anyone on the Committee on Higher Degrees in Health Policy has the right to ask for a draft copy of the dissertation. The program office will provide the Harvard Griffin GSAS Dissertation Acceptance Certificate for the dissertation committee members to sign at the defense.

The rules of the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences regarding the format in which the dissertation will be submitted will apply. The PhD program in health policy requires submission of one bound copy of each dissertation to the program office. In addition, the student will need to submit an electronic copy of the dissertation abstract to the program office for inclusion on the program’s website.

Most students complete the entire PhD in approximately five years. All work for the PhD, including the dissertation, should be completed within eight years. Students whose work is not completed within this period will generally be asked to withdraw from the program, but will thereafter be allowed to apply for readmission so as to re-register for the purpose of receiving the degree once the completed dissertation has been judged satisfactory by the dissertation committee. Exceptions to this rule will be granted only under extraordinary circumstances.

Contact Info

Health Policy Website

Colleen Yout  Assistant Director  617-495-1357   Send Email

Explore Events

Health Policy

The Harvard Ph.D. Program in Health Policy trains students for research and teaching careers in health policy. The interdisciplinary and interfaculty nature of the program results from the philosophy that most graduates will carry out much of their research as part of multidisciplinary research teams rather than as isolated scholars. Students specialize in one of five concentrations: decision sciences; economics; management; methods for policy research; or political analysis.

• Utility Menu

Harvard Ph.D. Program in Health Policy

The Harvard PhD in Health Policy, awarded by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, is a collaborative program among six Harvard University faculties: Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Harvard Business School, Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard Law School, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.   While the program is interdisciplinary in nature, students specialize in one of five concentrations: decision sciences, economics, management, methods for policy research, or political analysis.   Approximately 110 faculty members from schools within the University are involved with the program, and students are free to take classes throughout the University. A hallmark of the program is the accessibility of faculty members to students and the commitment of faculty to students enrolled in the program.   The program started in 1992, and there are over 250 graduates and 65 students currently enrolled.

• Faculty Leadership
• Diversity, Inclusion, & Belonging

Testimonial - Colleen Barry

" The Health Policy program directors [of the NIMH training grant] are extremely dedicated to providing a high quality training experience and they are great role models as leaders in the field of mental health policy and economics.... Read more about Testimonial - Colleen Barry

• Harvard University
• Provost's Office
• Vice Provost for International Affairs
• One Harvard, One World
• Worldwide Week at Harvard
• Administrative Support
• The World at Harvard
• Harvard in the World
• Join Us at Harvard

Harvard Worldwide

Ph.d. program in health policy.

Within health policy, a student selects one of seven concentrations or disciplines in which to specialize. The concentrations are: decision sciences, economics, ethics, evaluative science and statistics, management, medical sociology, and political analysis. In addition, at the dissertation stage, a student chooses one of the following policy areas: environmental health, health care services, international health, mental health, or public health.

Office of the Vice Provost for International Affairs

Richard A. and Susan F. Smith Campus Center

1350 Massachusetts Avenue

Cambridge, Massachusetts 01238 USA

• Accessibility  

• Centers and Institutes
• School of Public Health
• Harvard University
• Beyond Harvard

Doctoral Program

The Harvard PhD Program in Health Policy , awarded by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, is an interdisciplinary collaborative program among six Harvard University faculties. CHDS is home to the decision sciences concentration of the program. Read about the program’s decision science alumni.

Meet our students, learn about their research, activities, and interests.

Download concentration guide and explore main decision science  courses .

Selected resources are curated and posted to support our students.

PhD Program Applicant Information

• Utility Menu

Harvard Ph.D. Program in Health Policy

• Diversity, Inclusion, & Belonging

The PhD Program in Health Policy is committed to fostering an inclusive, welcoming environment where students, faculty, and staff can collaboratively learn and work, regardless of race, religion, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, nationality, socio-economic status, or disabilities.  We value the academic, social, and broader benefits that emerge from a diverse program and commit to continually working towards an academic environment where all members of the Health Policy community feel supported and celebrated.  Below are resources for both prospective and current students at Harvard.

Harvard offers several academic preparation programs for minority students at different levels who are considering a doctoral program. Below you can find links and information on a few of these programs that are most related to the PhD Program in Health Policy.

Research Scholar Initiative  NIH funded post-baccalaureate program through GSAS. Each scholar works with a Harvard faculty member as a research assistant, participates in professional development seminars, and receives GRE preparation support.

FACETS  While in the program, students focus on building research experience, expanding their network of mentors by connecting with students and faculty, and participating in professional development activities.

Summer Research Opportunities at Harvard (SROH)  A program offered through GSAS and the Leadership Alliance that connects students with first-class researchers working in fields in the life and physical sciences, humanities, and social sciences.

Recruitment and outreach  for GSAS Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging Office – meet with various representatives from GSAS at events across the US.

Harvard University Office of Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging, GSAS  

Harvard International Office

Accessible Education Office

Office for Gender Equity

Student Affinity Groups at GSAS  These students groups support multiple identities and help students thrive academically and grow personally.

The Office for Diversity Inclusion and Community Programs, Harvard Medical School  The mission of the Office for Diversity Inclusion and Community Partnership (DICP) is to advance diversity inclusion in health, biomedical, behavioral, and STEM fields that builds individual and institutional capacity to achieve excellence, foster innovation, and ensure equity in health locally, nationally, and globally.

Office of Diversity and Inclusion  at the T.H. Chan School of Public Health. 

• Faculty Leadership

• Harvard Business School →
• Doctoral Programs →

PhD Programs

• Accounting & Management
• Business Economics
• Health Policy (Management)
• Organizational Behavior
• Technology & Operations Management

Students in our PhD programs are encouraged from day one to think of this experience as their first job in business academia—a training ground for a challenging and rewarding career generating rigorous, relevant research that influences practice.

Our doctoral students work with faculty and access resources throughout HBS and Harvard University. The PhD program curriculum requires coursework at HBS and other Harvard discipline departments, and with HBS and Harvard faculty on advisory committees. Faculty throughout Harvard guide the programs through their participation on advisory committees.

How do I know which program is right for me?

There are many paths, but we are one HBS. Our PhD students draw on diverse personal and professional backgrounds to pursue an ever-expanding range of research topics. Explore more here about each program’s requirements & curriculum, read student profiles for each discipline as well as student research , and placement information.

The PhD in Business Administration grounds students in the disciplinary theories and research methods that form the foundation of an academic career. Jointly administered by HBS and GSAS, the program has five areas of study: Accounting and Management , Management , Marketing , Strategy , and Technology and Operations Management . All areas of study involve roughly two years of coursework culminating in a field exam. The remaining years of the program are spent conducting independent research, working on co-authored publications, and writing the dissertation. Students join these programs from a wide range of backgrounds, from consulting to engineering. Many applicants possess liberal arts degrees, as there is not a requirement to possess a business degree before joining the program

The PhD in Business Economics provides students the opportunity to study in both Harvard’s world-class Economics Department and Harvard Business School. Throughout the program, coursework includes exploration of microeconomic theory, macroeconomic theory, probability and statistics, and econometrics. While some students join the Business Economics program directly from undergraduate or masters programs, others have worked in economic consulting firms or as research assistants at universities or intergovernmental organizations.

The PhD program in Health Policy (Management) is rooted in data-driven research on the managerial, operational, and strategic issues facing a wide range of organizations. Coursework includes the study of microeconomic theory, management, research methods, and statistics. The backgrounds of students in this program are quite varied, with some coming from public health or the healthcare industry, while others arrive at the program with a background in disciplinary research

The PhD program in Organizational Behavior offers two tracks: either a micro or macro approach. In the micro track, students focus on the study of interpersonal relationships within organizations and the effects that groups have on individuals. Students in the macro track use sociological methods to examine organizations, groups, and markets as a whole, including topics such as the influence of individuals on organizational change, or the relationship between social missions and financial objectives. Jointly administered by HBS and GSAS, the program includes core disciplinary training in sociology or psychology, as well as additional coursework in organizational behavior.

Accounting & Management  

Business economics  , health policy (management)  , management  , marketing  , organizational behavior  , strategy  , technology & operations management  .

Faculty Director

Bizu Gelaye, PhD, MPH

O ther A ffiliations Associate Professor Department of Psychiatry Harvard Medical School and The Chester M. Pierce, MD Division of Global Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital

Teaching Faculty Center for Bioethics, Department of Global Health and Social Medicine Harvard Medical School

Research Interests Dr. Bizu Gelaye is an Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Psychiatry at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health,  Harvard Medical School, and The Chester M. Pierce, MD Division of Global Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital. He is an associate member of the Broad Institute’s Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research Program and Teaching Faculty at the Center for Bioethics in the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Gelaye’s research makes innovative use of population-based data and biomarkers to understand resilience and risk factors for neuropsychiatric disorders. His work, in collaboration with multidisciplinary researchers, focuses on how trauma affects health across the life course and intergenerationally. Dr. Gelaye’s research also includes a focus on the application of psychometric methods in cross-cultural settings. In addition to research, Dr. Gelaye is a highly regarded mentor preparing outstanding, diverse public health scientists and leaders. He served as program director of the Multidisciplinary International Research Training (MIRT) program for more than 10 years. Currently, he is the program director of the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health Mississippi Delta Partnership in Public Health Program  and the associate director of the  Global Initiative for Neuropsychiatric Genetics Education in Research (GINGER) Program .

For a complete list of publications, click  here .

Administrative Team      

Eric DiGiovanni, EdM Associate Director of Graduate Studies Office Location: Kresge 903 Phone: 617-432-1328 Email: [email protected]

Caroline Huntington, MEd Manager of Academic Affairs Office Location: Kresge 901 Phone: 617-432-5250 Email: [email protected]

Jeffrey Noyes, MEd Senior Academic Program Coordinator Office Location: Kresge 901 Phone: 617-432-7973 Email: [email protected]

News from the School

Bethany Kotlar, PhD '24, studies how children fare when they're born to incarcerated mothers

Soccer, truffles, and exclamation points: Dean Baccarelli shares his story

Health care transformation in Africa highlighted at conference

COVID, four years in

• Undergraduate Students
• Graduate Students
• Parents & Families
• Faculty & Staff
• First Generation
• International Students
• Military / Veterans
• Students With Disabilities
• Arts, Media & Communications
• Business, Finance, Consulting & Data
• Education, Government, Non-profit & Policy
• Energy, Environment & Sustainability
• Healthcare & Wellness
• Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security
• Science, Technology & Engineering
• Explore Your Interests
• Grow Your Career Network
• Navigate a Career Fair
• Prepare for an Interview
• Prepare for Graduate School
• Search for a Job, Internship or Co-op
• Understand & Negotiate a Job Offer
• Use Job Trend Data
• Write a Resume or Cover Letter
• Career Connected Experiences
• Career Readiness
• Immersive Scholars
• Professional Co-op Program
• Student Employment
• Internships
• River Hawk Experience Distinction (RHED)
• Full-time Job Postings
• Career Outcomes
• Mission & Approach
• Meet the Team
• Request a Presentation
• Access Handshake
• Meet With an Advisor

7 Ways to Prioritize Health and Wellness as a Graduate Student

• Share This: Share 7 Ways to Prioritize Health and Wellness as a Graduate Student on Facebook Share 7 Ways to Prioritize Health and Wellness as a Graduate Student on LinkedIn Share 7 Ways to Prioritize Health and Wellness as a Graduate Student on X

Graduate students are routinely juggling endless deadlines, classes, and research papers and unfortunately, due to all their obligations, this often leads to sacrificing their own well-being in the process. But, I encourage you to consider this: Should your health and wellness be put on the backburner for your academic pursuits?

In the Career & Co-op Center, we know having the skills to perform a role is just one aspect of career success. Having valuable strategies to help you manage your work-life balance is also crucial. Working on these seven steps below can help graduate students, like yourself, in a long-term and practical manner. By setting up these systems now while you are in school, especially at a start of a new semester, you will be setting yourself up in the future to manage your work obligations better while not sacrificing your physical and mental well-being.

Step 1: The Power of Planning

• Begin by creating a comprehensive schedule. This will possibly help you to keep up with your studies.
• Ask yourself: Are your study sessions well-structured, or do you tend to dive into chaos? Prioritize planning your tasks and allocate time for self-care.

Step 2: The Art of Boundaries

• Learn to set healthy boundaries. Do you leave time for yourself, or do you say “yes” to every academic and social request, leaving no time for yourself?  
• Are you afraid of missing out? Trust that taking breaks and saying “no” when needed is a smart move to protect your well-being.

Step 3: Diet and Hydration

• Do you find yourself reaching for unhealthy snacks when deadlines loom? Prioritize proper nutrition and hydration.
• Ask yourself: Am I fueling my brain and body with the nutrients they need for peak performance? This doesn’t mean you need to buy only organic, high-end materials, or completely remove your favorite treat from your life. Instead, focus on what you can add to your diet within your means to give your body fuel sources that support brain function and your overall health.

Step 4: Physical Activity Regimen

• Do you spend most of your day sitting at a desk or in a library? Incorporate regular physical activity into your routine.
• Tell yoursel f – I can boost my energy levels and productivity by fitting exercise into my busy schedule.

Step 5: Restorative Sleep Standards

• As students it’s typical to pull all-nighters so I can imagine how you may be sacrificing sleep to meet your academic goals. Prioritize quality sleep to increase your cognitive function and overall well-being.
• What small changes can you make to your bedtime routine to ensure a better night’s rest? Create a routine that will work with your schedule.  

Step 6: Stress Management

• Is stress overwhelming your graduate experience? Discover effective stress management techniques.
• Ask yourself : What are healthy ways I can cope with the pressures of my academics and maintain my mental health?

Step 7: Social Support and Self-Care

• Are you isolating yourself from friends and family while immersed in your studies? Embrace social support and self-care.
• Tell yourself : Using time to recharge and maintain connections with loved ones will support me as I pursue my academic dreams.

In the mist of graduate studies, it’s easy to forget that your well-being is the foundation for your success. The glowing question is: Are you ready to prioritize your health and wellness on your academic journey? By answering these questions and following these seven steps, you can begin to achieve the balance you need to thrive as a graduate student. So take the first step toward a healthier, more successful you -Your future self will thank you!

• Program Finder
• Admissions Services
• Course Directory
• Academic Calendar
• Hybrid Campus
• Lecture Series
• Convocation
• Strategy and Development
• Implementation and Impact
• Integrity and Oversight
• In the School
• In the Field
• In Baltimore
• Resources for Practitioners
• Articles & News Releases
• In The News
• Statements & Announcements
• At a Glance
• Student Life
• Strategic Priorities
• Inclusion, Diversity, Anti-Racism, and Equity (IDARE)
• What is Public Health?

Health Policy Analysis Webinar Series Brings Together Global Health Policy Scholars

When COVID-19 shut down much of society across the world in early March 2020, researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) sought a way to start a dialogue on global health policy research, an area of public health that was critically important as governments around the world were seeking answers on how to stop the pandemic’s spread and impact while addressing a growing economic crisis.

Thus, the Health Policy Analysis Webinar Series was launched in April 2020 with the aim of holding research and policy discussions around global health policy issues in a way that encourages dialogue on different issues, is open to researchers at all career stages, and can connect those from all over the world with an interest in health policy analysis. Originally only held virtually due to the pandemic, the series continues to be held solely online, which allows it to remain accessible to those who otherwise might not be able to attend in person, broadening the scope of discussions and allowing for a more diverse array of voices.

The series is the brainchild of Jeremy Shiffman, PhD, MA , Bloomberg Distinguished Professor in the Department of International Health at the Bloomberg School and at SAIS. “We wanted to provide opportunities for researchers, especially doctoral students and junior faculty, to share work that connects to global health policy and get feedback from others working in that space,” says Shiffman.  

Currently in its fourth year, the series has spanned a wide range of global health topics, including COVID-19 policy, violence against women and children, nutrition policy, child health, and global tobacco policy. Speakers have presented and sought feedback on issues pertaining to the quality of global health governance (such as the role of the European Union), decolonizing global health, and efforts to address specific diseases (such as tuberculosis, polio, and neglected tropical diseases).

Miranda Bain , a doctoral student at the Bloomberg School who provides organizational support to the series, has found the series particularly helpful for early-career researchers such as herself to get valuable feedback that can inform their work. “As a student at the Bloomberg School, having a space to discuss policy that has a huge impact and talk about big picture issues has been hugely helpful. I see a lot of students coming to the webinars and it has been a very rich experience and place to learn,” says Bain.

So far, the series has not only connected researchers within the Johns Hopkins community—such as SAIS and the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics —but has also provided a network for institutions from all over the world. The emphasis in each webinar is on discussion—in the hour-long sessions, speakers only have about 15 minutes to present, and the remainder of the time is focused on feedback and dialogue. Speakers are encouraged to share work that is in progress, where they can gain insight and make adjustments before their research is published.

The fields of global health policy and health policy analysis are emerging, unlike epidemiology or tuberculosis, which are already established fields of research. The health policy analysis webinar series serves as a platform to bring researchers together to talk about scholarship in progress. The series spans the spectrum in terms of stage of career: doctoral students, junior faculty, and senior scholars all present their work.

Upcoming sessions in the webinar series will feature sustainable donor transition and health systems strengthening in Uttar Pradesh. Interested participants can register for each session or reach out to Miranda Bain to join the Health Policy Analysis listserv and receive more information on the webinar series.

Related Content

The Omnipresence of PFAS—and What We Can Do About Them

Student Spotlight: Glendedora Dolce

Five Reasons Why the Global Health Community Should Help Save Forests

Study Estimates Nearly 70 Percent of Children Under Six in Chicago May Be Exposed to Lead-Contaminated Tap Water

HPM Faculty Member Jeromie Ballreich, PhD, MHS, testifies before House Ways and Means Committee