StudyQA — PhD: Health Services Management

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Description

This professional doctorate aims to prepare health service professionals, senior managers, researchers and policy analysts, with a strong managerial and academic background, for advanced leadership in their professional practice.

Career Opportunities
Researcher in health services area.

Supervision
1 The degree of Doctor of Health Services Management is a supervised degree and the supervisor shall have a general advisory role during the course work and professional development portion of the degree, and the candidate's research and preparation of the thesis must be carried out under the supervision of the member or members of the University staff appointed by the committee on the recommendation of the relevant head of school. At least one supervisor shall have a proven and current record of research and experience in the supervision of postgraduate research candidates. Where more than one supervisor is appointed one shall be nominated as the principal supervisor who shall be responsible for coordinating the supervision in accordance with such procedures and guidelines as the committee shall determine from time to time.
2. The committee, on the recommendation of the relevant head of school, may appoint an additional supervisor or supervisors; such a supervisor may be an emeritus professor, an honorary fellow or an associate of the University.
3. The committee, on the recommendation of the relevant head of school, may replace a supervisor at any time.
4. The supervisor is in large measure responsible for ensuring that the high standard of the degree is maintained. The supervisor shall carry out the responsibilities in accordance with the following rules:

(a) the supervisor, in consultation with the relevant head of school, shall ensure that the research topic chosen by the candidate is at an appropriate academic level and is likely, if successfully completed, to be worthy of publication;
(b) the supervisor shall advise the candidate on the quality of drafts of the thesis, but the thesis finally presented shall be substantially the independent work of the candidate;
(c) the supervisor shall receive from the candidate progress reports required in terms of Rule 6.1. and shall forward these to the committee with his or her assessment, in a form prescribed by the committee, of the candidate's progress;
(d) if the supervisor is at any time firmly of the opinion that the candidate is not making satisfactory progress the supervisor shall recommend to the committee that the candidate be invited to show cause why the candidature should not be terminated.

Period of Candidature
1. Except as provided in Rules 4.4. and 8.6., the minimum period of candidature shall be three years for a full-time candidate and four years for a part-time candidate.
2. Except as provided in Rule 4.6., the maximum period of candidature shall be four years for a full-time candidate and six years for a part-time candidate.
3. Where the committee permits a candidate to transfer from full-time to part-time status, or vice versa, the minimum and maximum periods of candidature shall be adjusted pro rata.
4. In special cases, the committee may approve variation of the minimum period of candidature.
5. The committee, on the advice of the supervisor, may grant suspension of the candidature where the candidate can demonstrate compelling circumstances which prevent the candidate from pursuing work toward the award. The committee shall not grant suspension of candidature for a period or periods totalling more than two years.
6. The committee, on the advice of the supervisor, may grant extension of candidature where the candidate can demonstrate compelling circumstances which have impeded their completion of the award within the period of candidature specified in Rule 4.2. The committee shall not grant extension of candidature for a period or periods totalling more than one year.

Conditions of Candidature
1. The committee may accept a candidate on a probationary basis under conditions specified by the committee for a period not exceeding 12 months. Upon completion of the probationary period, the committee shall review the candidate's work and shall:

(a) confirm the candidature; or (b) extend the period of probation for a further period of up to six months; or(c) terminate the candidature.

2. (a) The committee, on the recommendation of the relevant head of school, may permit a candidate to pursue the course away from the University, provided the candidate completes the residential requirements described below. A candidate shall:

(i) attend the University for such periods as the committee shall prescribe and, in any case, for periods totalling at least 54 days over the period of candidature, and this period shall include attendance at the University for any course work undertaken; and
(ii) in each year of enrolment in the thesis, the candidate shall be in attendance at the University or in face-to-face consultation elsewhere with a supervisor internal to the University for not less than 10 days.

(b) In exceptional circumstances the attendance requirements noted in Rule 5.2.(a) may be varied by the committee on the recommendation of the relevant head of school and the supervisor.
3. In addition to any course work units prescribed in Rule 10. a candidate may be required by the supervisor to attend lectures and seminars, to present seminars and to perform practical work.
4. No candidate may enrol in, or remain enrolled in, any other course or unit either at the University or at any other institution without the consent of the supervisor and the approval of the committee.
5. A candidate shall give at least three months' notice to the supervisor and the committee of the anticipated date 6. Initially, a candidate shall enrol as a student of the University by a date to be specified by the committee and, thereafter in each calendar year, by a date to be specified by the committee.

Requirements

In broad terms, applicants seeking candidature would meet the following requirements: Hold a Masters degree in Health Services Management or relevant area, or an appropriate Honours degree; and have at least seven years professional experience in health services management or equivalent activity; and have demonstrated the ability to conduct independent research.