Health Management & Policy 
Ph.D. Admissions
General Information
We will only be able to review completed applications. You must also be sure to indicate your intended cognate you are applying for on your application. As transcripts and test scores may take several weeks to arrive, it is highly recommended that you apply early. Admitted applicants will be invited to come to the University in March for the Ph.D. Visit Day, where they will have an opportunity to meet with faculty and students.
Deadlines & Timelines
The application deadline is January 15. All supplemental materials MUST also be received by January 15 to be considered for Fall admission. The committee reserves the right not to review late or incomplete applications. If you feel that a supporting document may not arrive on time, you should contact the HMP student services representative and notify them of the late arrival. It is the responsibility of the applicant to follow up on the progress of the application using the Admissions website. New students are admitted for the Fall term only. Applications are
accepted
beginning in October of the year preceding intended enrollment.
Competitive Admission
Admission to the HSOP program is extremely competitive. We respect and admire the dedication and passion shown by applicants to our program toward this field of study, but space in our program is limited. Please be advised of the following:
- We receive 50-60 applications each year from very qualified and talented people. Each entering class averages 4-6 U.S. citizens/permanent residents and 1-2 international students.
- Fit with departmental research and academic background for the proposed cognate are carefully considered, as are the letters of recommendation.
- Competitive GRE scores are desirable - Our typical admitted student scores are above the 70th percentile in the verbal and quantitative areas but there are few cases of admission below the 70th percentile. Many factors beyond the GRE are considered in the admissions process, and many students are not admitted despite scores above the 80th percentile.
- Many of our applicants have a masters degree or M.D. degree with strong grades, and most have relevant research experience. However, we do not require any degree beyond a bachelors to be considered for admission.
Application Information
The Department will begin accepting applications for Fall 2010 beginning in October 2009. Remember that applications and all supporting
documents are due no later than January 15, 2010.
The Application and Supplemental Documents
Applicants to the Ph.D. program should apply online through the Rackham Graduate School website. The website allows for recommenders to submit their letters online, as well as for the uploading of additional documents. Besides the application, applicants are required to submit:
- Three letters of recommendation (preferably including letters from faculty with whom you have worked). These letters can be submitted online and are part of the application.
- Official transcripts from previous educational institutions. An official copy must be sent to the Rackham Graduate School (more information regarding Rackham transcript policy).
Applicants do not need to send official copies to the department but please upload all unofficial copies of your transcripts with the Rackham online application.
- GRE aptitude test scores not more than 5 years old. The institutional code for Rackham applicants is 1839. For more information on graduate testing, visit the GRE website.
- Statement of Purpose AND Personal Statement - applicants must submit both. The Statement of Purpose covers your research goals and interests, faculty you wish to work with, projects you are interested in, etc. The Personal Statement includes information on why you are interested in the program, factors in your life that led you here, aspirations, challenges, and anything you believe is pertinant to our understanding of your goal.
- A CV or resume should be submitted with the online application.
Applicants
who are not U.S. citizens must submit
the same credentials as U.S. citizens. Additionally, for non-U.S. citizen
applicants whose native language is not English, the scores of the TOEFL must
be submitted as well as documentation of the applicant's ability
to finance his or her educational and living expenses while in the
United
States. A TOEFL is not needed if the applicant has graduated (or is about to graduate) from a U.S. institution.
Although personal interviews are not required, applicants are also encouraged to visit the Program.
The preference for receiving supplemental materials such as transcripts, CV's, and writing samples is through the online application system. They may also be sent directly to the Department at this address:
Health Management and Policy
Student Services
109 S. Observatory
Room M3023 SPH II
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029
Cognates
Please note
that your primary cognate interest (economics, finance,
sociology/organizational
theory,
political science, or interdisciplinary studies) must be indicated on the “Subplan” line
of the first page of your application and in your personal statement. Utilize the free form text space to write in your cognate or the drop down menu on the application. Below is a brief description of each cognate, please choose the cognate that most closely fits your primary research interest. Please review the Ph.D. Curriculum guide for complete details on each cognate.
- Economics: The Economics Cognate is designed for students interested in becoming health services researchers specializing in health economics research. Such research includes the economics of the health care financing and delivery system as well as the economic evaluation of health care services and behaviors.
- Finance: The Finance Cognate is designed for students specializing in Health Care Finance Research. The objectives are to provide the student with doctoral level training in Finance Theory and its application to Health Services Research.
- Political Science: Political Science coursework in American Politics, Statistics, and Political Science Methodology will equip students with the tools necessary to undertake health services research using a political science perspective.
- Organizational Studies/Behavior: Within the organizational sociology sub-cognate, students will study the structure, processes and performance of organizations in general and of organizations serving health needs in particular.
- Sociology: This cognate is designed to provide students with a foundation in the theories and methodology for analyzing health related phenomena from a sociological or organizational perspective.
- Interdisciplinary Studies: The interdisciplinary cognate is designed for students who wish to focus on an applied research issue or research methodology.
Testing Information
GRE and GMAT
The General Test of the Graduate Record Examination
(GRE) or the Graduate Management Aptitude Test (GMAT) is required of
all applicants. The GRE exam is preferred.
HSOP applicants generally far exceed the 50th percentile in each category. Accepted HSOP applicants generally score approximately in the 80% or higher. (approx. 740 quant/720 verbal - see Candidate Profile) Numerically, the minimum 50th percentile will translate in raw scores to approximately:
| |
Quantitative |
Verbal |
| GRE |
50% = 620 |
50% = 470 |
| GMAT |
50% = 37 |
50% = 25 |
Some
students find study manuals or courses to prepare for the test helpful.
It is not uncommon for an applicant to take the test more than once (you may however only take the exam once per month). Students must register with the Educational
Testing Service in Princeton, New Jersey.
The GRE offers computer-delivered versions of the test through the Computer-Based
Testing (CBT) program, making it available at over 250 sites all year
long. Because of the delays involved in processing applications
and scores for the manual GRE, the department urges students taking
this test to use CBT. Information about the test content, test dates, and locations may be obtained directly from:
TOEFL Test
Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency. Applicants are required to provide an official score report from either the Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB), the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or the International English Language Testing Systems (IELTS). Applicants who have earned or will earn a Bachelor or Master degree from an institution where the language of instruction is English, exclusively, are exempt from submitting an Official English Proficiency Score. The TOEFL exam results are only good for two years after the date of exam. Required scores are as follows:
- Computer-based TOEFL score must be 250 or above
- Internet-based TOEFL (iBT) score must be 100 or above
- Paper-based TOEFL score must be 600 or above
- MELAB score must be 80 or above
Candidate Profile and Selection Criteria
Candidate Profile
Although a Master's degree in health services or one of the discipline areas is not required to enter the Doctoral program in Health Services Organization & Policy, qualified applicants
usually have graduate preparation in the
discipline of choice, as well as sufficient statistical preparation to function at the doctoral level. Students lacking adequate preparation may be required to take additional coursework.
Averages Among Our Applicants
| GRE Score |
Quant - 740 / 78% |
Verbal - 720 / 98% |
| Undergrad GPA |
3.65 |
|
| Age of Applicant |
28 |
|
Selection Criteria
Admission to the program is highly competitive and difficult decisions often must be made. Our admission considerations are based on a number of factors, amassing in an overall assessment of the applicant's qualifications to undertake graduate study. Specifically we consider:
- Graduate and undergraduate transcripts - specific course work and grades in the courses, as well as GPA are considered
- Prior occupational experience
- Letters of recommendation
- Test scores
- Well written statement of purpose and personal statement
- Fit with departmental research and academic background for the proposed cognate are carefully considered
Funding and Financial Aid Information
Funding directly through the HSOP doctoral program is available and there are also many funding opportunities for Ph.D. students with the Rackham Graduate School and throughout the University. The majority of our Ph.D. students have one (or more) of these funding packages, and nearly all of our students have full funding throughout the course of their Ph.D. career.
- Fellowships: The Rackham Application bulletin contains information about fellowships available through the Graduate School, and the Graduate Fellowships Office has information on
many fellowships funded by external sources.
- Research Positions: Research assistantships on funded projects within HMP and affiliated projects are often available. A student typically seeks out such opportunities with faculty mentors, and can find assistantships working on projects related to their own research interests.
- Graduate Student Instructor (GSI): GSI positions (also known as TA or teaching assistantship positions) are typically available in a wide variety of departments with undergraduate programs.
- Traineeship and Assistantship programs: There are various
traineeship and assistantship programs available through both the department of
Health Management and Policy and University of
Michigan Rackham School of Graduate Studies.
Examples of such programs are:
Most of these funding opportunities cover full tuition and health insurance, and provide a stipend. The HSOP admissions committee attempts to arrange funding for as many incoming students as possible. Decisions are generally announced in late March.
For information on federal
financial aid student loan programs please contact The
University of Michigan Office of Financial Aid. Non-U.S. citizen
applicants are not eligible for most University-based awards such as the fellowships, and such
persons should seek support from their own governments and agencies. HSOP students both domestic and international are eligible for GSI and research positions, though these positions are usually attained after the first year of study. |
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