Applied Health Sciences
Program Director: Dr. Sandra Webber
Campus Address/General Office: 202 Active Living Centre
Telephone: 204-474-7806
Email Address: ahs_phd@umanitoba.ca
Website: umanitoba.ca/explore/programs-of-study/applied-health-sciences-phd
Academic Staff: Please refer to the FKRM and Rehabilitation Sciences websites. 

Applied Health Sciences Program Information

This program is a multi-unit, research-based Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Health Sciences, coordinated by Kinesiology and Recreation Management, and Rehabilitation Sciences.

Admission Information

Admission to the Faculty of Graduate Studies

Application and Admission Procedures are found in the Academic Guide.

Admission requirements for doctoral students are found in the Doctor of Philosophy General Regulations section of the Guide.

Applied Health Sciences Admission Requirements

Applicants would normally possess a research-based Master’s degree in a discipline or profession consistent with Applied Health Sciences. Applicants who do not possess a research-based Master’s degree, but who have some research experience will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, as will those with professional Master’s degrees.

Prior to admission to the Ph.D. program, the applicant will be required to specify their area of research interest, and to have corresponded with an eligible Ph.D. advisor(s) (member of the Faculty of Graduate Studies), who is (are) a faculty member (primary appointment) in one of the two participating units, and who is (are) willing to accept them into the program.

Elements taken into consideration in determining the acceptance of the applicant into the program: grade-point average in Master’s courses, previous courses taken, specific research interest of the applicant, student’s rationale for choosing to apply to this program as opposed to a uni-discipline degree, current profile of students in the program, research funding and facilities availability through the proposed advisor(s) for the proposed research, and financial support for the applicant.

No admission tests are required for this program.

Application Information

Students should complete and submit their online application with supporting documentation by the date indicated on the Applied Health Sciences Ph.D. program of study page.

Degree Requirements

The coursework requirement will consist of a minimum of twelve credit hours of 7000-level coursework (18 credit hours of coursework for students entering program without a research-based Master’s Degree).

Students will be required to take AHS 7000, a lecture/seminar course in which faculty members from the participating academic units take part (3 credits). This course is designed to promote in students advanced knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to evaluate and conduct multidisciplinary, applied health research.

Nine credit hours may be chosen from a combination of graduate courses from the participating units or from other faculties outside the participating units that offer graduate courses related to applied health sciences (3 credits).

Students who entered the program without a research-based Master's degree are required to take AHS 7010 in the first year of their program.

Courses must be selected by the student in consultation with the advisor. All courses must be recorded on the “AHS Internal Program Approval Form”, and submitted to the AHS Program Assistant for approval by the AHS Program Director.

Students in the program will also be required to take part in a monthly seminar in Applied Health Sciences with mandatory attendance for two years (Year 1: AHS 7002; Year 2: AHS 7004), a requirement for graduation. The monthly seminars will consist of an admixture of presenters from the University of Manitoba and from outside, with the focus on applied health science issues.

An Advisory Committee will be established for each student within twelve months of registration into the Ph.D. program.  Advisory committees are selected by the advisor/co-advisor in consultation with the student and should consist of individuals whose expertise is consistent with that necessary to provide additional advice and guidance to the student during their program.

Students will be expected to complete a candidacy exam, consisting of an oral and written component, normally before the end of the second year of their program. The student must pass the written and oral phases of the exam to be considered a candidate for the Ph.D. degree. Students must have completed all coursework prior to taking the candidacy exam.

The student’s thesis research proposal must be approved by the Advisory Committee normally before the end of the second year after admission to the program. The research proposal, in the form of a document outlining the rationale and background for the study, specific objectives, and methods and procedures will be presented by the candidate in an oral format. Following the oral presentation, the candidate will defend their proposal.

The research program, culminating in the preparation and defense of a doctoral thesis, will be conducted according to the regulations of the Faculty of Graduate Studies of the University of Manitoba.

Expected time to graduation: 4 years

Progression Chart

Plan of Study Grid

Year 1		Hours
GRAD 7300	Research Integrity Tutorial	0
GRAD 7500	Academic Integrity Tutorial	0
AHS 7000	Research and Practice in Applied Health Sciences	3
Select 9 credit hours from a combination of graduate courses 1		9
AHS 7002	Seminar I Applied Health Sciences	0
AHS 7010	Introductory Research Project in Applied Health Sciences 2	0-6
	Hours	12-18
Year 2
AHS 7004	Seminar II Applied Health Sciences	0
GRAD 8010	Doctoral Candidacy Examination 3	0
Thesis Proposal 4
	Hours	0
Years 3-4
GRAD 8000	Doctoral Thesis 5	0
	Hours	0
	Total Hours	12-18

¹

Nine credit hours may be chosen from a combination of graduate courses from the participating units or from other faculties outside the participating units that offer graduate courses related to applied health sciences (3 credits).  Courses must be selected by the student in consultation with the advisor. All courses must be recorded on the “AHS Internal Program Approval Form”, and for approval by the AHS Program Director.

²

This course is only for students who were accepted into the program without a research-based Master’s degree.

³

Candidacy Exam:

• normally before the end of the 2nd year after admission
• no later than one year prior to expected graduation date
• course work must be completed

⁴

Thesis Proposal:

• normally before the end of the 2nd year after admission
• no later than one year prior to expected graduation date
• independent from candidacy exam
• before research begins

⁵

The candidate will be recommended for the Ph.D. degree upon receipt by the Faculty of Graduate Studies of favourable reports by the thesis examining committee, a corrected copy of the electronic version of the thesis submitted to MSpace, final approval and release forms, and providing all other degree requirements have been satisfied.  

Registration Information

Students should familiarize themselves with the Faculty of Graduate Studies ‘GRAD’ courses applicable to their program. If you have questions about which GRAD course(s) to register in, please consult your home department/unit.

Regulations

Students must meet the requirements as outlined in both Supplementary Regulation and BFAR documents as approved by Senate.

Supplementary Regulations

Individual units may require specific requirements above and beyond those of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, and students should consult unit supplementary regulations for these specific regulations. 

Bona Fide Academic Requirements (BFAR)

Bona Fide Academic Requirements (BFAR) represent the core academic requirements a graduate student must acquire in order to gain, and demonstrate acquisition of, essential knowledge and skills.

All students must successfully complete:

• GRAD 7300 prior to applying to any ethics boards which are appropriate to the student’s research or within the student’s first year, whichever comes first; and
• GRAD 7500 within the first term of registration;

unless these courses have been completed previously, as per Mandatory Academic Integrity Course and Mandatory Research Integrity Online Course.

Students must also meet additional BFAR requirements that may be specified for their program.

General Regulations

All students must:

• maintain a minimum degree grade point average of 3.0 with no grade below C+,
• meet the minimum and not exceed the maximum course requirements, and
• meet the minimum and not exceed the maximum time requirements (in terms of time in program and lapse or expiration of credit of courses).

Courses