The Family Science Ph.D. program requires 53 graduate credit hours including 32 core credits (theory, issues, research methodology, statistics), 6 elective credits, 3 research internship credits, and 12 dissertation credits. Students may only gain admission to the Ph.D. program in family science after successful completion of a master’s degree in Family Science or a related discipline.
Occasionally, students with only a B.S. who desire an M.S. in Couple and Family Therapy and a Ph.D. in Family Science will be jointly admitted to both programs. Students who wish to be considered for this joint degree must apply to each program, and indicate this intention on the applications. Students who are accepted for this program must complete the M.S. in Couple and Family Therapy before beginning coursework for the Ph.D.
Students admitted full-time to the Ph.D. program complete this program within four years. Ph.D. students must also pass a qualifying examination and complete a dissertation and oral defense.
- FMSC 810 Theory in Family Systems and Family Health (3)
- FMSC 760 Legal Issues and Families (3)
- FMSC 606 Ethnic Families and Health Disparities (3) or
- FMSC 745 Gender and Ethnicity in Family Therapy and Service Delivery (3)
- FMSC 660 Program Planning and Evaluation in Family Science (3)
- FMSC 750 Family and Health Policy (3)
- FMSC 780 Qualitative Methods in Family and Health Research (3)
- SPHL 602 Foundations of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (4)
- EPIB 651 Applied Regression Analsyis(3)
- FMSC 850 Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology (3)
- FMSC 689 Research Internship (3)
- 2 Elective Courses (6)
- FMSC 899 Doctoral Dissertation Research (12)
Graduate Forms
There are a variety of forms you may need to access during your graduate career here in the Department of Family Science. You can access those forms here.
Honor Pledge
The University has a nationally recognized Honor Code, administered by the Student Honor Council which should be handwritten and signed on the front cover of all your papers, projects, or other academic assignments.