Overview – Master of Science (MS) Program
The MS program is offered to students as a foundation for continuing toward the PhD program and is designed to be completed in two years. The MS/PhD program is designed to be completed in 4-5 years. Students have the option to conclude their graduate study after completing the MS. The MS degree constitutes recognition of substantial achievement. Completing the MS degree provides the student with the basic understanding of conducting research in the Health Services Research field.
The MS degree requires a minimum of 32 credits, with at least 9 credits in core courses, 9 credits in methods of research and analysis, and 11 credits in specialty/advanced courses are required. These course and credit requirements are detailed in the handbook’s Curriculum Summaries Section.
The amount, level, and content of the student’s courses will be tailored to the needs and background of the individual student. As in all fields of graduate study, the pace and pattern of work and the student-faculty relationship are more individualized than in undergraduate study. Students not familiar with health care systems and pharmacy practice may be encouraged to take courses that provide a background in these areas.
Additional MS Policies
- Minimum Graduate Residence Credit Requirement. At least 16 graduate level credits (courses numbered 300 or above) of the 32 credits required by the SAS MS degree must be taken as a graduate student at UW–Madison.
- Minimum Graduate Course Work Requirement. At least half of degree course work (at least 17 credits out of 32 total credits) must be completed in courses numbered 700 or higher.
- UW–Madison Undergraduate/Professional. With program approval, students can count no more than 7 credits of UW–Madison courses numbered 700 or above (earned as a UW undergraduate or professional student) towards the MS degree. Such courses should be presented to SAS faculty prior to the student’s first graduate semester and require the review/approval of at least two SAS faculty members.
- UW–Madison University Special Student. With program approval and payment of the difference in tuition (between special and graduate tuition), students can count no more than 7 credits of course work numbered 700 or above taken as a UW–Madison special student toward the HSRP MS degree. Such courses should be presented to SAS faculty prior to one’s first graduate semester and require the review/approval of at least two SAS faculty members. Course work earned five or more years prior to admission to a master’s degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements.
- Maximum Credits per Term. Master’s students can enroll in a maximum of 15 credits per fall and spring term; a maximum of 12 credits is allowed in the summer semester.
Master’s Committee Requirements
Students must complete a master’s thesis based upon original research conducted in the HSRP program at UW-Madison. The thesis should follow the form of a research article, including an introduction, literature review, methods, results, discussion, and references. The research must be suitable for publication in a scientific journal. All students must pass an oral examination based primarily upon the student’s research project, as detailed in the thesis.
The student is responsible, in consultation with his/her advisor, to form a committee. The following conditions must be met:
- Only a graduate faculty from the Social & Administrative Sciences (SAS) in Pharmacy Division may serve as the Master’s thesis committee chair.
- Each Master’s thesis committee must have at least three members (committee chair + 2).
- At least two committee members must be graduate faculty from SAS.
- optional additional members may be selected on an as-needed basis to support the student’s research. These additional members may be tenure or tenured-track UW-Madison faculty from a department without a graduate program; UW-Madison academic staff (or UW-Madison emeritus faculty); faculty from other institutions; other individuals deemed qualified.2
_____________
2 The suitability of additional committee members will be reviewed and approved by the student’s academic advisor in accordance with Graduate School guidelines.
MS Thesis Oral Defense
There is no written examination for the MS degree. The candidate will be asked to present the thesis in an open public presentation, followed by a closed oral examination. A warrant must be requested from the Graduate Program Manager (GPM), at least a month before the date of the scheduled presentation. After the oral examination and approval by the thesis committee, as a final step to completing your degree, a copy of your thesis is required to be deposited into the UW-Madison Memorial Library. Copies of the final, approved thesis are provided to the members of the thesis examining committee, either as electronic or paper versions. A traditional courtesy is to provide a bound copy of the thesis to the Ebling Library for archiving.