Nov 21, 2024  
2018-2019 Graduate Catalog 
    
2018-2019 Graduate Catalog ARCHIVED CATALOG: CONTENT MAY NOT BE CURRENT. USE THE DROP DOWN ABOVE TO ACCESS THE CURRENT CATALOG.

Doctor of Philosophy - Interdisciplinary Health Sciences


Plan Description


This Ph.D. in IHS will provide students from different disciplines an opportunity to learn how to approach complex healthcare problems. Team science will direct this activity and will prepare students to create functioning teams to solve problems that interface with a number of different disciplines. Understanding team science concepts will better position graduates as valuable and productive research and academic collaborators who will be able to answer broader and more important translational research questions. This team science concept will form the core of the coursework in this program. These core interdisciplinary courses will be the foundation of the Ph.D.; however, students will be able to select a track or sub-plan (i.e., Nursing, Rehabilitation Sciences, Health Physics, Kinesiology) which will also have a set of discipline-specific core classes.  This will allow them to apply team science concepts while developing expertise in a specialized area of study.

View Subplan 1: Nursing Track Disclaimer

For more information about your program, including your graduate program handbook and learning outcomes, please visit the Degree Directory.

Admission Requirements


Application deadlines

Applications available on the UNLV Graduate College website.

Students will be admitted into the program by the program director of the sub-plan or sub-plan Ph.D. admissions committee to which they are applying. 

However, the minimum requirements of the Ph.D. in IHS are:

  1. An overall undergraduate/graduate GPA of 3.25 or higher
  2. Greater than the 50th average percentile on the quantitative, verbal, and analytic portions of the GRE (taken within the last 5 years)
  3. Three letters of recommendation
  4. Interview with two core faculty members
  5. A curriculum vitae
  6. A personal statement. 
  7. If the applicant is from a country where English is not an official language, then the applicant must demonstrate English proficiency by scoring 80 or higher on the Test of English as a Foreign Language, by scoring 7.0 or higher on the International English Language Testing System, by earning a score of greater than the 70th percentile on the GRE-verbal, or by earning a baccalaureate or higher at a regionally accredited institution in the U.S. or in a university where English is the language of instruction. 

See specific sub-plan requirements below:

Admissions Requirements - Nursing Track
Admissions Requirements - Rehabilitation Track
Admissions Requirements - Health Physics
Admissions Requirements - Kinesiology

All domestic and international applicants must review and follow the  Graduate College Admission and Registration Requirements.

Students are accepted into a degree program as described in the Graduate Catalog. The faculty and corresponding sub-disciplines and sub-plans within the described programs are subject to change at any time.

Admission Requirements - Nursing Track


This track is on hold and is no longer accepting applications.

Students applying for the Nursing track of the Doctor of Philosophy - Interdisciplinary Health Sciences must meet the following requirements:

  1. A  BSN or MSN from an accredited School of Nursing. Master’s degree in a health-related discipline and a BSN from an accredited institution would also meet this requirement.
  2. Applicants must have a current RN license in the U.S. or country of residence.

Admission Requirements - Rehabilitation Track


Students applying for the Rehabilitation track of the Doctor of Philosophy - Interdisciplinary Health Sciences must meet the following requirements:

  1. Have graduated from an accredited rehabilitation clinical sciences profession (e.g., physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, athletic training) at either the master’s or first-professional clinical doctoral level.  If the applicant has a professional Bachelor’s degree only, then 30 additional credits of degree-consistent, graduate-level coursework (determined by the sub-plan committee) will be required.

Admission Requirements - Health Physics Track


Students applying for the Health Physics track of the Doctor of Philosophy - Interdisciplinary Health Sciences must meet the following requirements:

  1. Graduated with a Master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in the field of health physics, physics, chemistry, engineering or other related field. Applicants with Bachelor degrees may be admitted to the program but are required to take an additional 30 credits of elective, degree-consistent, graduate level coursework (determined by the Health Physics Graduate Committee).

Admission Requirements - Kinesiology Track


Students applying for the Kinesiology track of the Doctor of Philosophy - Interdisciplinary Health Sciences must meet the following requirements:

  1. Graduated with a Master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in the field of kinesiology/exercise science, biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, psychology or other related field. 

Subplan Requirements 1: Nursing Track


Total Credits Required: 60

View Subplan Disclaimers.

Course Requirements


Degree Requirements 


  1. Students must complete 24 credits in the interdisciplinary health sciences core (12 of which are dissertation credits) and must complete 36 credits in the sub-plan core.  The minimum credit total in the program is 60 credits. 
  2. Students must complete the degree with a cumulative GPA >3.0 and graduation must occur within 6 years for students enrolling with master’s degrees and 8 years for students enrolling with bachelor’s degrees.  
  3. Grades below B (not B-) will not be acceptable. If the grade was received in a core class, then the student must retake the class.  If a core class was not satisfactorily passed on two attempts, the student will be dismissed from the program. If the grade was in an elective class, then the class can be retaken or replaced with another elective class.
  4. Students will complete a comprehensive examination which will consist of a literature review and interdisciplinary grant application, which will also be defended orally.  That is, this extramural grant proposal will have to have an interdisciplinary team science approach to answer a focused and important health science question.  If a student fails the comprehensive examination they will be able to retake it again after a minimum of three months.  If they fail a second time they will be separated from the program.
  5. Students will also be required to complete a prospectus prior to dissertation in a focused research area.  The dissertation committee will have an interdisciplinary element as two of the committee members will be from the chosen sub-plan but the other two committee members will be from outside the sub-plan discipline (one will be the Graduate College Representative).  Thus, the committee will have an interdisciplinary membership and will have a stronger voice for a team science approach.
  6. Students will complete at least one national/international presentation as a platform or a poster from research generated during their Ph.D. program.

Subplan Requirements 2: Rehabilitation Post-Bachelor’s Track


Total Credits Required: 90

Course Requirements


Interdisciplinary Health Seminar - Credits 3


Rehabilitation Sciences Core - Credits: 21


Rehabilitation Research Core - Credits 12


Elective Courses - Credits: 30


Complete 30 credits of advisor approved graduate-level courses.

Dissertation - Credits: 12


Degree Requirements


  1. Students must complete 24 credits in the interdisciplinary health sciences core (12 of which are dissertation credits) and must complete 36 credits in the sub-plan core.  The minimum credit total in the program is 60 credits. 
  2. Students must complete the degree with a cumulative GPA >3.0 and graduation must occur within 6 years for students enrolling with master’s degrees and 8 years for students enrolling with bachelor’s degrees.  
  3. Grades below B will not be acceptable. If a grade less than a B (B- not acceptable) was received in a core class, then the student must retake the class.  If a core class was not satisfactorily passed on two attempts, the student will be dismissed from the program. If the grade was in an elective class, then the class can be retaken or replaced with another elective class.
  4. Students will complete a comprehensive examination which will consist of a literature review and interdisciplinary grant application, which will also be defended orally. That is, this extramural grant proposal will have to have an interdisciplinary team science approach to answer a focused and important health science question.  If a student fails the comprehensive examination they will be able to retake it again after a minimum of three months.  If they fail a second time they will be separated from the program.
  5. Students will also be required to complete a prospectus prior to dissertation in a focused research area.  The dissertation committee will have an interdisciplinary element as two of the committee members will be from the chosen sub-plan but the other two committee members will be from outside the sub-plan discipline (one will be the Graduate College Representative).  Thus, the committee will have an interdisciplinary membership and will have a stronger voice for a team science approach.
  6. Students will complete at least one national/international presentation as a platform or a poster from research generated during their Ph.D. program.

Subplan Requirements 3: Rehabilitation Post-Master’s Track


Total Credits Required: 60

Course Requirements


Interdisciplinary Health Seminar - Credits: 3


Rehabilitation Sciences Core - Credits: 21


Rehabilitation Research Core - Credits: 12


Dissertation - Credits: 12


Degree Requirements


  1. Students must complete 24 credits in the interdisciplinary health sciences core (12 of which are dissertation credits) and must complete 36 credits in the sub-plan core.  The minimum credit total in the program is 60 credits. 
  2. Students must complete the degree with a cumulative GPA >3.0 and graduation must occur within 6 years for students enrolling with master’s degrees and 8 years for students enrolling with bachelor’s degrees.  
  3. Grades below B will not be acceptable.  If a grade less than a B (B- not acceptable) was received in a core class, then the student must retake the class.  If a core class was not satisfactorily passed on two attempts, the student will be dismissed from the program. If the grade was in an elective class, then the class can be retaken or replaced with another elective class.
  4. Students will complete a comprehensive examination which will consist of a literature review and interdisciplinary grant application, which will also be defended orally. That is, this extramural grant proposal will have to have an interdisciplinary team science approach to answer a focused and important health science question.  If a student fails the comprehensive examination they will be able to retake it again after a minimum of three months.  If they fail a second time they will be separated from the program.
  5. Students will also be required to complete a prospectus prior to dissertation in a focused research area.  The dissertation committee will have an interdisciplinary element as two of the committee members will be from the chosen sub-plan but the other two committee members will be from outside the sub-plan discipline (one will be the Graduate College Representative).  Thus, the committee will have an interdisciplinary membership and will have a stronger voice for a team science approach.
  6. Students will complete at least one national/international presentation as a platform or a poster from research generated during their Ph.D. program

Subplan Requirements 4: Biomechanics Track


Total Credits Required: 60

Course Requirements


Degree Requirements


  1. Students must complete 24 credits in the interdisciplinary health sciences core (12 of which are dissertation credits) and must complete 36 credits in the sub-plan core.  The minimum credit total in the program is 60 credits. 
  2. Students must complete the degree with a cumulative GPA >3.0 and graduation must occur within 6 years for students enrolling with master’s degrees and 8 years for students enrolling with bachelor’s degrees.  
  3. Grades below B will not be acceptable.  If a grade less than a B (B- not acceptable) was received in a core class, then the student must retake the class.  If a core class was not satisfactorily passed on two attempts, the student will be dismissed from the program. If the grade was in an elective class, then the class can be retaken or replaced with another elective class.
  4. Students will complete a comprehensive examination which will consist of a literature review and interdisciplinary grant application, which will also be defended orally. That is, this extramural grant proposal will have to have an interdisciplinary team science approach to answer a focused and important health science question.  If a student fails the comprehensive examination they will be able to retake it again after a minimum of three months.  If they fail a second time they will be separated from the program.
  5. Students will also be required to complete a prospectus prior to dissertation in a focused research area.  The dissertation committee will have an interdisciplinary element as two of the committee members will be from the chosen sub-plan but the other two committee members will be from outside the sub-plan discipline (one will be the Graduate College Representative).  Thus, the committee will have an interdisciplinary membership and will have a stronger voice for a team science approach.
  6. Students will complete at least one national/international presentation as a platform or a poster from research generated during their Ph.D. program

Subplan Requirements 5: Exercise Physiology and Nutrition Sciences Track


Total Credits Required: 60

Course Requirements


Degree Requirements


  1. Students must complete 24 credits in the interdisciplinary health sciences core (12 of which are dissertation credits) and must complete 36 credits in the sub-plan core.  The minimum credit total in the program is 60 credits. 
  2. Students must complete the degree with a cumulative GPA >3.0 and graduation must occur within 6 years for students enrolling with master’s degrees and 8 years for students enrolling with bachelor’s degrees.  
  3. Grades below B will not be acceptable. If a grade less than a B (B- not acceptable) was received in a core class, then the student must retake the class.  If a core class was not satisfactorily passed on two attempts, the student will be dismissed from the program. If the grade was in an elective class, then the class can be retaken or replaced with another elective class.
  4. Students will complete a comprehensive examination which will consist of a literature review and interdisciplinary grant application, which will also be defended orally. That is, this extramural grant proposal will have to have an interdisciplinary team science approach to answer a focused and important health science question.  If a student fails the comprehensive examination they will be able to retake it again after a minimum of three months.  If they fail a second time they will be separated from the program.
  5. Students will also be required to complete a prospectus prior to dissertation in a focused research area.  The dissertation committee will have an interdisciplinary element as two of the committee members will be from the chosen sub-plan but the other two committee members will be from outside the sub-plan discipline (one will be the Graduate College Representative).  Thus, the committee will have an interdisciplinary membership and will have a stronger voice for a team science approach.
  6. Students will complete at least one national/international presentation as a platform or a poster from research generated during their Ph.D. program

Subplan Requirements 6: Motor Learning/Control Track


Total Credits Required: 60

Course Requirements


Degree Requirements


  1. Students must complete 24 credits in the interdisciplinary health sciences core (12 of which are dissertation credits) and must complete 36 credits in the sub-plan core.  The minimum credit total in the program is 60 credits. 
  2. Students must complete the degree with a cumulative GPA >3.0 and graduation must occur within 6 years for students enrolling with master’s degrees and 8 years for students enrolling with bachelor’s degrees.  
  3. Grades below B will not be acceptable. If a grade less than a B (B- not acceptable) was received in a core class, then the student must retake the class.  If a core class was not satisfactorily passed on two attempts, the student will be dismissed from the program. If the grade was in an elective class, then the class can be retaken or replaced with another elective class.
  4. Students will complete a comprehensive examination which will consist of a literature review and interdisciplinary grant application, which will also be defended orally. That is, this extramural grant proposal will have to have an interdisciplinary team science approach to answer a focused and important health science question.  If a student fails the comprehensive examination they will be able to retake it again after a minimum of three months.  If they fail a second time they will be separated from the program.
  5. Students will also be required to complete a prospectus prior to dissertation in a focused research area.  The dissertation committee will have an interdisciplinary element as two of the committee members will be from the chosen sub-plan but the other two committee members will be from outside the sub-plan discipline (one will be the Graduate College Representative).  Thus, the committee will have an interdisciplinary membership and will have a stronger voice for a team science approach.
  6. Students will complete at least one national/international presentation as a platform or a poster from research generated during their Ph.D. program.

Subplan Requirements 7: Health Physics Post-Bachelor’s Track


Total Credits Required: 90

Course Requirements


Degree Requirements


  1. Students must complete 24 credits in the interdisciplinary health sciences core (12 of which are dissertation credits) and must complete 36 credits in the sub-plan core.  The minimum credit total in the program is 60 credits. 
  2. Students must complete the degree with a cumulative GPA >3.0 and graduation must occur within 6 years for students enrolling with master’s degrees and 8 years for students enrolling with bachelor’s degrees.  
  3. Grades below B will not be acceptable. If a grade less than a B (B- not acceptable) was received in a core class, then the student must retake the class.  If a core class was not satisfactorily passed on two attempts, the student will be dismissed from the program. If the grade was in an elective class, then the class can be retaken or replaced with another elective class.
  4. Students will complete a comprehensive examination which will consist of a literature review and interdisciplinary grant application, which will also be defended orally. That is, this extramural grant proposal will have to have an interdisciplinary team science approach to answer a focused and important health science question.  If a student fails the comprehensive examination they will be able to retake it again after a minimum of three months.  If they fail a second time they will be separated from the program.
  5. Students will also be required to complete a prospectus prior to dissertation in a focused research area.  The dissertation committee will have an interdisciplinary element as two of the committee members will be from the chosen sub-plan but the other two committee members will be from outside the sub-plan discipline (one will be the Graduate College Representative).  Thus, the committee will have an interdisciplinary membership and will have a stronger voice for a team science approach.
  6. Students will complete at least one national/international presentation as a platform or a poster from research generated during their Ph.D. program.

Subplan Requirements 8: Health Physics Post-Master’s Track


Total Credits Required: 60

Course Requirements


Degree Requirements


  1. Students must complete 24 credits in the interdisciplinary health sciences core (12 of which are dissertation credits) and must complete 36 credits in the sub-plan core.  The minimum credit total in the program is 60 credits. 
  2. Students must complete the degree with a cumulative GPA >3.0 and graduation must occur within 6 years for students enrolling with master’s degrees and 8 years for students enrolling with bachelor’s degrees.  
  3. Grades below B will not be acceptable. If a grade less than a B (B- not acceptable) was received in a core class, then the student must retake the class.  If a core class was not satisfactorily passed on two attempts, the student will be dismissed from the program. If the grade was in an elective class, then the class can be retaken or replaced with another elective class.
  4. Students will complete a comprehensive examination which will consist of a literature review and interdisciplinary grant application, which will also be defended orally. That is, this extramural grant proposal will have to have an interdisciplinary team science approach to answer a focused and important health science question.  If a student fails the comprehensive examination they will be able to retake it again after a minimum of three months.  If they fail a second time they will be separated from the program.
  5. Students will also be required to complete a prospectus prior to dissertation in a focused research area.  The dissertation committee will have an interdisciplinary element as two of the committee members will be from the chosen sub-plan but the other two committee members will be from outside the sub-plan discipline (one will be the Graduate College Representative).  Thus, the committee will have an interdisciplinary membership and will have a stronger voice for a team science approach.
  6. Students will complete at least one national/international presentation as a platform or a poster from research generated during their Ph.D. program.

Plan Graduation Requirements


1. The student must submit all required forms to the Graduate College and then apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing his/her degree requirements for both the Master’s and Doctoral portions of the program.

2. The student must adhere to the following dissertation requirements:

Dissertation Format

In consultation with their advisor, the student has two options for the structure and associated content of the dissertation. These will be termed “traditional” and “multiple-projects”. All dissertations will include a title page, acknowledgements, table of contents, references, and appendices as appropriate. Minimum content and suggested structure for the specific categories of dissertations are outlined below.

Traditional Dissertation

This form of the dissertation is organized around one particular experiment. Specifically this should be an in-depth examination of a specific question/topic involving a single, comprehensive experiment. The structure of this document will consist of a minimum of an abstract, bibliography and five chapters to include:

  1. Introduction (background, statement of the problem(s), purpose of the study, hypotheses, limitations, delimitations)
  2. Review of the Literature
  3. Methods
  4. Results
  5. Discussion/Conclusion/Recommendations

Optional appendices, figures and tables are also to be included.
The oral defense will be that of this single research experiment.

Multiple-Projects Dissertation

The form of the dissertation may be either 1) a linear progression of at least three topically developing research deliverables, or 2) a series of a minimum of three experiments designed around a theme or topical area of inquiry. The exact structure of the document may vary based upon choice of linear or circular design. It is imperative that each experiment is of adequate scientific merit to stand on its own as an independent publication.

Packaging of the multiple-projects dissertation should include:

  1. Introduction (background, statement of the problem(s), hypotheses, limitations, delimitations)
  2. Experiment 1: Written in the format required by the target journal, which is typically Introduction, Methods, Results and Discussion/Summary/Conclusions.
  3. Experiment 2: Written in the format required by the target journal which is typically Introduction, Methods, Results and Discussion/Summary/Conclusions
  4. Experiment 3: Written in the format required by the target journal which is typically Introduction, Methods, Results and Discussion/Summary/Conclusions
  5. Each “Experimental Section” should be preceded with an introduction to the project and/or bridge section that leads from one experiment to the next.
  6. Summary / Future Directions

This example suggests three experiments; however additional experiments may be proposed and completed. The number of projects to be completed will be proposed by the student with final approval given from the doctoral advisor and dissertation committee. Optional appendices, figures and tables are also to be included.

The oral defense will include the entire document, inclusive of all experiments conducted.

  1. Outcomes include: 
    1. Pass: student is recommended to the Graduate College for granting of the Ph.D. degree
    2. Fail: student advised of status and that the oral defense will be repeated to provide an opportunity to correct errors, clarify nebulous areas and/or expand on superficial presentation of information or data.

At least four weeks (but no more than 8 weeks) must pass before scheduling a re-take of the oral defense.

If a student fails the oral defense a second time, they will be separated from the program.

3. The student must submit and successfully defend his/her dissertation by the posted deadline. The defense must be advertised and is open to the public.

4. The student must submit his/her approved, properly formatted dissertation to the Graduate College, and submit the approved electronic version to ProQuest by the posted deadline.

Plan Disclaimers


Subplan 1: Nursing Track: This program does not result in licensure and certification.