ENPH Program Description and Coursework

General Program Information

Once admitted to the program, the following will serve as guidelines for the period of study, departmental supervision, committee composition, the preliminary examination, admission to candidacy, time limitations, dissertation supervision, the dissertation, and final examination.

Period of Study

The equivalent of three academic years of full-time study beyond the master's degree and the completion of 12-18 semester hours of research and dissertation constitute the minimum requirements for degree completion. The doctorate is not based on a number of courses or time units, but rather on the demonstrated ability to be a contributing scholar. Consequently an individual may spend more than the minimum time earning the degree.

Departmental Supervision

The Graduate Program Director in the Department of HHPR will serve as the initial supervisor for the student. Students will then be assigned a doctoral program faculty member that will serve as a mentor and advisor throughout the program. This mentor will typically be a graduate faculty member who is conducting research in the area of specialization of interest to the student.

Committee Composition

A doctoral program planning committee will be formed for each student in the doctoral program. The committee will be comprised of the students of the following:

The students advisor or dissertation research supervisor

Two faculty members of the students' emphasis area in either exercise nutrition, exercise rehabilitation, or preventive health.

One faculty member from each of the non-emphasis areas (total of 2 members)

At least one member of committee from a department outside of HHPR in which the student has taken elective courses.

Preliminary Examination

Students will take a four-day written preliminary examination at the end of completing the second year of coursework in the program. Two topic areas will be tested each day in two separate four hour exams. The student will be given questions from professors who taught the three core research methods courses as well as from five courses taught in the student's emphasis area. Students will be expected to appropriately address any topic or topics covered in these courses as well as address related research design and/or statistical questions. Each examination area will be graded by the professor who provided the questions for that area and graded as pass, pass with stipulation, or failure. If the student fails any part of the examination they will fail the exam. If the student passes more than one question with stipulation, they fail the exam. If the student does not pass the preliminary examination, a second examination may be given no sooner than four months after the first examination. After two failures, the student will not be able to continue in the program.

Oral Portion of Preliminary Examination

The oral examination will be conducted within 1 – 4 weeks after passing the written preliminary comprehensive examination. The examination committee will be comprised of all professors who participated in evaluating the student during the preliminary written examination. The student's academic advisor will chair the examining body and ensure that the examination is fairly conducted and open to the faculty. The examination will include a 2 hour defense with the preliminary examination committee. Candidates who fail this examination may take a second preliminary examination no sooner than four months after the first oral examination. After two failures, the student will not be able to continue in the program.

Admission to Candidacy

Students are recognized as candidates for a doctoral degree only after they have passed the preliminary examination, completed all departmental requirements (except the dissertation), and received approval by the Graduate School of their formal application for admission to candidacy. An application for admission to candidacy must be filed with the Office of the Graduate School upon successful completion of the above requirements, but should be filed no later than five months prior to the date on which the degree is to be conferred. Students must be registered for at least one semester hour of graduate credit during the semester of intended graduation.

Time LimitationThe maximum time limit for the doctoral degree is eight years from the point of admission. After this time, the appropriate required coursework may be revalidated or not according to the policy of the individual degree program in consultation with the Graduate School. Candidates are not allowed to continue in the doctoral program after ten years has elapsed from the semester of admission.

Dissertation Supervision

The dissertation committee is designated by the director of graduate studies with the approval of the Graduate School. The committee will be composed of the following:

The students advisor or dissertation research supervisor

Two faculty members of the students' emphasis area in either exercise nutrition, exercise rehabilitation, or preventive health.

One faculty member from each of the non-emphasis areas (total of 2 members)

At least one member of committee from a department outside of HHPR in which the student has taken elective courses.

The student's research mentor is the chairperson of the committee and must be a member of the Graduate Faculty. One of the members of the committee must be a full Graduate Faculty member who is not affiliated with the program in which the student is studying.

Dissertation

Candidates for the Doctor of Philosophy degree must present an acceptable dissertation on a problem in the field of their major subject. The dissertation must give evidence that the candidate has pursued a program of research, the results of which reveal scholarly competence and a significant contribution to knowledge. Candidates should acquire the Guidelines for Preparing the Dissertation and Thesis and other necessary materials at the beginning of the semester in which graduation is expected. The most recent edition of Guidelines is available on the Baylor homepage http://www.baylor.edu/Graduate_School. If the student is unable to download Guidelines, a copy can be obtained from the Graduate School. Additional degree completion materials not available on the homepage are provided to students when they file for graduation. The Guidelines contain the directions for the procedure to complete the dissertation, an explanation of forms necessary, the semester calendar, and an explanation of fees associated with the process.

Coursework

A minimum of seventy two (72) hours is required for the Ph.D. No less than twenty-seven (27) hours will come from the research and statistics core. Students will then select one of three research tracks in exercise nutrition, exercise rehabilitation, or preventive health and take a minimum of eighteen (18) hours. Students will also take a minimum of fifteen (15) guided elective hours upon approval of their Advisory/Dissertation Committee. Students may take courses outlined in other emphasis tracks within the Exercise, Nutrition & Preventive Health doctoral program or from the list of approved interdisciplinary electives below. The remaining twelve (12) hours will be dedicated for the dissertation and its associated research.

Statistics and Research Core (33 Hours)

ENPH Statistics Core

REL 4395 - Bioethics or New SOE course on Christianity in Research (3)

STA 5300 – Statistical Methods (3)

STA 5301 – Introduction to Experimental Design (3) or EDP 6360 - Experimental Design I (3)

STA 5384 – Multivariate Statistical Methods (3) or EDP 6361 - Experimental Design II (3)

Statistics Restrictive Electives (Select one with advisors approval)

EDP 6360 - Experimental Design I (3)

EDP 6361 - Experimental Design II (3)

STA 5301 – Introduction to Experimental Design (3)

STA 5351 – Theory of Statistics I (3)

STA 5365 – Bio Statistics I (3)

STA 5384 – Multivariate Statistical Methods (3)

MTH 5380 – Statistical Methods for Research (3)

ENPH Research Design/Methods Core

ENH 6300 - Research Methods: Nutrition & Weight Management (3)

ENH 6100 - Lab Rotation: Nutrition/Weight Management (1)

ENH 6302 - Research Methods: Exercise & Rehabilitation (3)

ENH 6102 - Lab Rotation: Exercise & Rehabilitation (1)

ENH 6304 - Research Methods: Preventive Health Intervention (3)

ENH 6104 - Lab Rotation: Preventive Health (1)

ENPH Research Seminar / Clinical Rotations

ENH 6106 - Research Seminar (1-3) or

ENH 6V30 - Clinical Research Rotation (1-3)

Research Emphasis (Select One Emphasis Area - 18-21 Hours)

Exercise Nutrition

ENH 6320 - Nutritional Biochemistry (3)

ENH 6322 - Exercise, Nutrition, and Endocrinology (3)

ENH 6324 - Muscle Physiology & Metabolism (3)

ENH 6326 - Advanced Nutrition I: Macronutrients, Exercise, & Health (3)

ENH 6328 - Advanced Nutrition II: Micronutrients, Exercise, & Health (3)

ENH 6330 - Obesity & Weight Management (3) or

FCS 5351 – Nutrition and Aging (3)

Exercise Rehabilitation

HP 5333 - Exercise Testing and Prescription (3)

BIO 5322 - Physiology of Aging (3)

ENH 6340 - Health Aspects of Strength & Conditioning (3)

ENH 6342 - Health Aspects of Cardiopulmonary Conditioning (3)

ENH 6344 - Therapeutic Exercise Programming for Special Populations (3)

ENH 6346 - Orthopedic Rehabilitation (3)

ENH 6348 - Exercise Adherence/Motivation (3)

Preventive Health

HED 5337 - Health Concepts in Epidemiology (3)

NUR 5350 - Advanced Human Pathophysiology (3)

ENH 6360 - Theories and Strategies for Health Behavior Change (3)

ENH 6362 - Design of Outcome-Based Health Interventions (3)

ENH 6364 - Analysis of Health Promotion Interventions (3)

ENH 6366 - Preventive Health in Medically Underserved Populations (3)

ENH 6368 - Preventive Health in Aging Populations (3)

Guided Electives (15-18 hours selected from other emphasis areas or interdisciplinary electives)

BIO 5322 - Physiology of Aging (3)

BMS 5240 - Research Methods in Biochemistry (3)

BMS 5302 - Current Concepts in Immunology (3)

BMS 5304 - Biochemical and Molecular Genetics (3)

BMS 5310 - Molecular Biology of the Cell (3)

BMS 5343 - Studies in Intermediary Metabolism (3)

BMS 5344 - Clinical Chemistry (3)

BMS 5401 - Special Techniques in Immunology (3)

EDP 5346 - Advanced Analysis of Behavior (3)

EDP 6336 - Qualitative Research and Data Analysis (3)

EDP 6337 - Psychometric Theory and Test Construction (3)

EDP 6338 - Grant Writing (Cross-listed as EDC 6338) (3)

FCS 5350 – Childhood and Adolescent Nutrition (3)

FCS 5361 - Advanced Nutrition Counseling (3)

HCA 5339 - Medical Informatics - Health Networks, Databases and Applications (3)

HCA 5301 - U. S. Health Care Systems (3)

HCA 5310 - Statistics for Health Care Administration (3)

HCA 5313 - Health Policy (3)

HCA 5317 - Health Management Information Systems (3)

HCA 5311 - Health Care Research Methods: Design and Analysis (3)

HCA 5320 - Advanced Statistical Applications in Health Care Delivery (3)

HED 5337 - Health Concepts in Epidemiology (3)

HP 5328 - Physiology of Exercise I - Neuromuscular Aspects (3)

HP 5330 - Physiology of Exercise II – Cardiopulmonary Aspects (3)

HP 5331 - Laboratory Skills in Exercise Physiology (3)

HP 5340 - Advanced Biochemistry in Exercise Science (3)

HP 5352 - Advanced Principles of Exercise and Sport Nutrition (3)

HP 5354 - Advanced Methods of Strength and Conditioning (3)

HP 5357 - Advanced Methods of Exercise Programming for Individuals with Chronic Diseases and Disabilities (3)

HP 5384 - Biomechanics of Human Movement (3)

HP 5358 – Environmental Physiology (3)

HP 6V30 – Clinical Research Rotations (1-6)

HP 6106 - Research Seminar (1)

NSC 5319 - Clinical Neuroscience - Advanced (Cross-listed as PSY 5319) (3)

NSC 5330 - Neuropharmacology (Cross-listed as PSY 5330) (3)

NSC 5360 - Neurophysiology (Cross-listed as PSY 5360) (3)

NSC 5430 - Neuroanatomy (Cross-listed as PSY 5430) (3)

NUR 5350 - Advanced Human Pathophysiology (3)

NUR 5351 - Advanced Pharmacology for Nurse Practitioners (3)

NUR 5352 - Advanced Health Assessment/Promotion/Disease Prevention (3)

PSY 5305 - Advanced Experimental Design (Cross-listed as STA 5305) (3)

PSY 5307 - Advanced Statistics II (Cross-listed as STA 5307) (3)

PSY 5334 - Health Psychology (3)

PSY 5384 - Multivariate Statistical Methods (Cross-listed as STA 5384) (3)

PSY 5386 - Exploratory Factor Analysis (Cross-listed as STA 5386) (3)

PT 5323 - Pathophysiology of Therapeutic Exercise (3)

PT 6310 - Soft Tissue and Bone Pathophysiology (3)

PT 6340 - Functional Anatomy and Biomechanics I (3)

PT 6341 - Functional Anatomy and Biomechanics II (3)

RLS 5392 - Leisure Well-Being in Later Life (Cross-listed as SOC 5392) (3)

RLS 5396 - Administrative Practices and Issues in Recreation Therapy (3)

SWO 5333 - Human Wellness and Health Care (3)

SWO 5397 - Methods in Aging Research (Cross-listed as GRT 5397 and SOC 5397) (3)

SOC 6307 - Statistical Methods for Survey Research (3)

SOC 6310 - Mail Surveys (3)

SOC 6325 - Needs Assessment (3)

SOC 6340 - Face to Face Surveys (3)

SOC 6360 - Demographic Modeling (3)

SOC 6391 - Grant Writing and Proposal Development (3)

STA 5300 - Statistical Methods (3)

STA 5362 - Time Series Analysis (3)

STA 5364 - Survival and Reliability Theory (3)

STA 5370 - Sampling Techniques (Cross-listed as SOC 6318) (3)

STA 5384 - Multivariate Statistical Methods (See PSY 5384) (3)

STA 5386 - Exploratory Factor Analysis (See PSY 5386) (3)

STA 5401 – Introduction to Experimental Design (See PSY 5401) (3)

STA 6351 - Advanced Statistical Inference I (3)

STA 6352 - Advanced Statistical Inference II (3)

STA 6353 - Nonparametric Statistical Inference (3)

STA 6383 - Advanced Multivariate Analysis (3)

STA 6384 - Discrete Multivariate Analysis (3)

Research/Dissertation (12 - 18 hours)

ENH 6V99 - Dissertation

Program Course Sequence

The program is designed to consist of two years (fall, spring, and summer sessions) of didactic course work and laboratory rotations and one year of dissertation research as detailed in the Program Course Sequence. During the first year, students will take a core of statistics and research methods courses designed to provide a strong multidisciplinary background in conducting exercise, nutrition, and preventive health research. During the second year, students will take emphasis area coursework and electives to provide research specialization. The third year is dedicated to dissertation research.