Ph.D. in Indigenous Health

Admission Requirements

  1. Completion of the UND School of Graduate Studies online application and payment of application fee.
  2. A bachelor's and master’s degree or equivalent from an accredited college or university (for U.S. degrees, accreditation by one of the six regional accrediting associations: MSA, NASC, NCA, NEASC-CIHE, SACS-CC or WACS-Sr.).
  3. A graduate cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.00.
  4. Completion of at least one 3-credit, Master’s level course in biostatistics and one 3-credit, Master's level course in epidemiology within the past 5 years with a grade of "B" or better. If coursework was completed more than 5 years ago, applicants are encouraged to describe current work experience in biostatistics and/or epidemiology within their personal statement. If applicants are currently enrolled in biostatistics and/or epidemiology, they should state this clearly in their personal statement.
  5. Satisfy the School of Graduate Studies’ English Language Proficiency requirements as published in the graduate catalog.

Applicants are required to submit the following supporting documentation in the School of Graduate Studies application:

  1. Three letters of recommendation from individuals who the applicant feels are most qualified to evaluate their academic potential and leadership potential in Indigenous health. Close family and friends are not eligible to provide recommendations.
  2. Curriculum vitae
  3. A written personal statement that describes the applicant’s professional goals and motivation for seeking a degree in Indigenous health. In addition, applicants should comment on any personal qualities, characteristics, and abilities they believe will enable them to be successful in achieving their career goals. See below for detailed requirements.
  4. A written research statement that demonstrates the applicant’s strong interest in a specific Indigenous health area and indicates interest in particular Indigenous and/or Western ways of knowing and study designs. See below for detailed requirements.
  5. Writing sample
    • An individually authored or first author sample of the applicant's writing that the Admissions Committee can use to evaluate ability as a writer and potential success in the doctoral program.
    • The minimum length of the sample is five pages and should not exceed 30 pages. Examples of possible writing samples include, but are not limited to, journal articles, paper from a course, or some written work product such as a manual or technical report.
  6. Official post-secondary academic transcripts from all institutions attended. Transcripts must be sent directly from the institutions to the UND School of Graduate Studies.

The Admissions Committee may request an in-person or Zoom interview with an applicant to assist in the decision process. A background check will be completed on each student before admission is final.

Personal Statement (limit to two pages)

Describe your experience and background from both a professional and cultural perspective. Also, discuss why you are interested in the Indigenous Health PhD program and your long-term career goals. Applicants are encouraged to comment on any personal qualities, characteristics, and abilities they believe will enable them to be successful in achieving their career goals. The personal statement is required to assess your writing ability and to determine if the program suits your needs.

Research Statement (limit to two pages)

The research statement is intended for the applicant to: demonstrate a strong interest in a specific Indigenous health area; indicate interest in particular Indigenous and/or Western ways of knowing; and describe considerations for appropriate study designs and methodology. Also describe proposed methodologies (Indigenous, quantitative, qualitative or mixed) related to this content area.

In this statement, please describe the specific content area in which you propose to focus your doctoral work, and why this area is of interest to you. It is not intended to be as specific as a dissertation statement and will not preclude your exploring other areas during your doctoral work. 

The Admissions Committee expects that you have a specific content area in mind within your desired field of study, and within that content area, have some specific issues in which you are interested. Familiarity with the field is essential for successful application to the program.

Degree Requirements

Students seeking the Doctor of Philosophy degree at the University of North Dakota must satisfy all general requirements set forth by the School of Graduate Studies as well as particular requirements set forth by the Indigenous Health degree program.

  1. Completion of 90 semester credit hours beyond the baccalaureate degree. Thirty credit hours from a Master’s degree in public health or related discipline may be applied toward the 90 credit hours.
  2. Curriculum, listed below
  3. Comprehensive Examination
  4. Dissertation (12 credits): Students will complete a dissertation in one of the following two formats:
  • “Applied Track” Students will produce a dissertation that includes three products with prior approval of faculty advisor and Indigenous Health PhD degree program (e.g., published manuscript, tribal program evaluation, tribal health strategic plan, grant application, policy brief, etc.). 
  • “Academic Track” - Students will produce a dissertation in the more traditional format of the scholarly monograph.
IH 731Applied Biostatistics3
IH 745Indigenous Leadership Ethics3
IH 751Applied Epidemiology3
IH 760Public Health Program Evaluation3
IH 761Indigenous Evaluation Frameworks3
IH 762Quantitative Methods3
IH 763Qualitative Methods3
IH 764Mixed Methods Research3
IH 765Indigenous Research Methods3
IH 766CBPR Tribally-Driven Research Frameworks3
IH 781Principles of Indigenous Health 13
IH 782Principles of Indigenous Health 23
IH 783American Indian Health Policy3
IH 784Indigenous Health Policy3
IH 790Indigenous Health Seminar1
IH 999Dissertation3