University of Memphis

What you'll study

This doctoral programme combines advanced study in pedagogy for health professions, applied ethics, and humanities approaches to health and illness with rigorous research training. Core areas typically include:

• Research methods: advanced quantitative methods, qualitative inquiry, mixed methods, program evaluation and assessment strategies for educational research.
• Health professions pedagogy: curriculum design, instructional design and delivery, competency-based education, assessment and feedback, simulation and clinical teaching methods.
• Ethics and professional practice: clinical ethics, bioethics, professionalism, ethical decision-making frameworks and ethics consultation.
• Medical and health humanities: narrative medicine, history of medicine, literature and illness, cultural contexts of health and illness, and the role of the humanities in clinician formation.
• Leadership and policy: educational leadership, change management, accreditation, and policy issues affecting health professions education and practice.
• Applied practicum: supervised teaching or ethics consultation practicum in clinical or educational settings to develop applied skills and pedagogical scholarship.
• Dissertation: original, peer-quality research that makes a contribution to theory, practice or policy in health professions education, ethics, or humanities.

The programme typically combines coursework, comprehensive examinations or portfolio assessment, a practicum or teaching apprenticeship, and a research dissertation. Students work closely with an interdisciplinary supervisory committee and have opportunities to collaborate with clinicians, educators and scholars across campus and in the Memphis health community.

Entry requirements

Applicants are normally expected to hold a relevant master’s degree (for example in health professions education, bioethics, nursing, medicine, public health, education, or the humanities) or equivalent professional experience. Realistic expectations include:

• A completed master’s degree from an accredited institution or equivalent professional credentials and experience in a related field.
• A strong academic record; programmes typically seek applicants with demonstrated potential for doctoral-level research and scholarship.
• Supporting documents including academic transcripts, a curriculum vitae, a statement of purpose outlining research interests and career goals, and professional references or letters of recommendation.
• A writing sample and/or evidence of scholarly or pedagogical work are often requested; some applicants may be invited to interview with faculty.

Specific requirements and any standardised test expectations (for example whether GRE scores are required) should be confirmed with the graduate admissions office; equivalent professional experience and published or practicum work can be strong components of an application.

Career prospects

Graduates pursue careers across academia, clinical education, ethics and health services. Typical roles include:

• University faculty positions in health professions education, medical humanities or bioethics.
• Director or coordinator roles in curricula, simulation centres, interprofessional education, or continuing professional development.
• Clinical ethics consultants, ethics committee chairs or policy advisors on ethical issues in healthcare organisations.
• Researcher or evaluator in educational research, assessment, health services research, or humanities-informed health projects.
• Leadership positions in professional bodies, accreditation agencies, healthcare organisations or non-profit institutions focused on education and ethics.
• Independent consulting in curriculum design, faculty development, assessment strategy, or ethics programme development.

Alumni commonly balance roles in teaching, research and clinical or institutional leadership, using the interdisciplinary training to bridge scholarship and practice.

Why study at University of Memphis

The University of Memphis offers interdisciplinary strengths across colleges that support doctoral work at the intersection of education, ethics and the humanities. Students benefit from access to faculty with expertise in health professions education, bioethics and humanities scholarship, and from opportunities for applied collaboration within the city’s diverse healthcare community.

The campus environment supports cross-disciplinary mentorship and applied practicum placements, enabling students to develop both scholarly research and practical experience. The programme emphasises applied, publishable scholarship and prepares graduates to influence curriculum, policy and ethical practice in a range of health and educational settings.