Harvard SPH doctoral degrees admitted students: SD to be changed to PhD???

[landowww]

Hi,

 

First, congratulations to all those who's received an offer of admission for SD in Epidemiology (or other) in Harvard!

 

However, I'm very surprised to learn that they are reforming the doctoral program next year (fall 2016) - transforming the current SD programs into one single Population Health Sciences PhD. If you haven't seen it already, please read:

 

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/admitted-students/sd-admits/

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/new-ph-d-program-in-population-health-sciences-announced/

 

I'm unsure what it means to be the last cohort of SD if we decided to enroll... In addition, it seems the new PhD will be administrated by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences - it's very likely that the new program will be fully funded from the beginning like all other Harvard GSAS PhD programs... Furthermore, our cohort (fall 2015) will have no option to defer/transfer..

 

Thoughts?

 

Best of luck everyone on funding decisions and other applications!

 

landowww

Edited February 23, 2015 by landowww

[cathylong]

Hi I have the same issues with this. I was accepted by the ScD in social and behavioral health sciences and received the same note about the 2016 fall PhD program. Will they keep the ScD program? Btw, I am also waiting for the funding package.

[LH27]

I saw this notice as well.  I don't think it's a big deal?  Seems like there won't be a difference in the degrees - all that's changing is the name.  But if anyone thinks differently I'd love to hear why!

[landowww]

Hi I have the same issues with this. I was accepted by the ScD in social and behavioral health sciences and received the same note about the 2016 fall PhD program. Will they keep the ScD program? Btw, I am also waiting for the funding package.

 

From their note I think they are not keeping the ScD. PhD will be replacing all the ScDs from fall 2016.. Good luck on funding! I haven't heard anything yet... 

 

 

I saw this notice as well.  I don't think it's a big deal?  Seems like there won't be a difference in the degrees - all that's changing is the name.  But if anyone thinks differently I'd love to hear why!

 

Thanks for your input LH! I was worried mainly because of choices of classes available in the second year as there won't be another SD class following our cohort... But you are right, they will probably repackage their existing classes to fit the flow of the new PhD degree, which won't affect us much.. 

My other concern is the funding... fingers crossed, let's hope they will channel some of the donation money to us this year! (I think I'm just stressed by the long wait for funding lol...)

[cathylong]

Not sure if they will still have dedicated faculties for the last ScD cohort....I called the financial office yesterday,and they told me that they will send out the financial aid information this week! It takes longer this year...,Fingers crossed!

[LH27]

So is anyone definitely enrolling in Harvard's SD program in Epidemiology?  I'm still deciding, but I saw very few prospective epi doctoral students at their admitted students day last Friday...