PhD Programme - Behavioural and Implementation Science Interventions (BISI)

PhD Programme

Centre Director's Message

Doctoral training built around the science of change

The questions that drive the behavioural and implementation sciences are among the most consequential in contemporary health research — how do we reliably translate what works in evidence into what actually happens in practice? How do systems, contexts, and human behaviour shape whether an intervention succeeds or fails? These are not questions that yield to a single study or a single method. They demand sustained, rigorous, independent inquiry.

The PhD Programme at BISI was designed for researchers who want to work at that frontier. You will pursue original doctoral research under the supervision of faculty at the forefront of the behavioural and implementation sciences in Asia, within a community that takes theory and methods seriously — and that cares equally about what the science is for. Our candidates come from clinical, public health, social science, and policy backgrounds. What they share is a commitment to producing research that is methodologically rigorous and grounded in real-world problems.

Alongside the research, this programme builds a broader scholarly identity. You will develop as a teacher and communicator, participate in BISI's active research ecosystem, and engage with a community of practice that spans academia, health systems, and policy. Our goal is not simply to produce a thesis, but to produce a researcher who is ready to lead.

I look forward to hearing about your research interests and welcoming you to this community.

Professor Nick Sevdalis

Centre Director
Centre for Behavioural & Implementation Science Interventions (BISI)

Programme Director’s Message

Choosing to pursue a PhD is a significant commitment. It is not only a period of intensive research, but also a time to develop your confidence, judgement, and identity as a scholar.

PhD candidates at BISI undertake research focused on the behavioural and implementation sciences within the NUS Medicine PhD Programme. Their projects address practical questions about how people behave, how healthcare systems function, and how evidence can be translated into better practice, policy, and outcomes.

Alongside your independent research, you will be part of an active and supportive research community. You will engage in coursework that strengthens your theoretical and methodological foundations, contribute to BISI's research activities, gain teaching experience, and develop the skills needed to communicate your work to both academic and applied audiences.
We welcome candidates from a range of clinical, public health, psychology, social science, policy, and related backgrounds. You do not need to arrive with every aspect of your project fully formed, but you should bring a strong interest in the behavioural and implementation sciences, a willingness to engage deeply with complex problems, and the motivation to grow as an independent researcher.

Our aim is to provide both the intellectual challenge and the support needed for you to do meaningful work and develop into a thoughtful, rigorous, and confident scholar.

I look forward to welcoming you to BISI and supporting you through your PhD journey.

Dr Jessica Ng
Programme Director, PhD Programme
Centre for Behavioural & Implementation Science Interventions (BISI)

About the Programme

The PhD is a research-intensive Doctor of Philosophy degree administered by the NUS Medicine Graduate Studies Office. There is no specialisation in the degree title. Candidates whose research is supervised by faculty affiliated with the Centre for Behavioural and Implementation Science Interventions (BISI) pursue thesis projects grounded in the behavioural and implementation sciences, with an emphasis on real-world application.

Candidates conduct original research culminating in a thesis and an oral defence. The core curriculum consists of independent research, coursework, and a PhD Qualifying Examination (PQE).

The PhD Built Around the Behavioural and Implementation Sciences

Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine offers several research PhD pathways. Candidates supervised by BISI faculty pursue doctoral work on how and why evidence-based practices are adopted, sustained, or scaled in health systems, grounded in the theoretical underpinnings of the behavioural and implementation sciences.

What This Programme Offers

A curated intellectual environment. Elective coursework is curated to directly support thesis development in the behavioural and implementation sciences. Candidates engage with shared theoretical frameworks, methods, and empirical questions — building a common intellectual language that accelerates research development and scholarly depth.

Teaching and pedagogical development. Candidates are encouraged to develop classroom confidence and to connect their teaching choices to principles from the behavioural and implementation sciences — building both research and academic career readiness.

Integration into an active research community. Candidates join BISI's ongoing research activities — journal clubs, research workgroups, and cross-project collaborations. This sustained engagement with live research is a deliberate part of doctoral formation.

Intakes
January & August
Candidature
Full-time & Part-time
Duration
4–5 years

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Programme Objectives

Build strong foundations in the theory, methods, and application of the behavioural and implementation sciences.
Develop the skills to translate evidence into practice across healthcare, policy, and community settings.
Strengthen research and academic identity through teaching and pedagogical development, building an education portfolio in the process.
Foster a robust scholarly identity through a cohesive and supportive doctoral experience that is multidisciplinary and well-integrated with Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and BISI.
Be prepared for diverse career pathways, including academia, policy, health systems, and applied research roles.

Research Component and Academic Supervision

Candidates conduct independent research under a faculty member who is in BISI or is a BISI Affiliate. The faculty member will be the candidate's primary supervisor.

Prospective candidates are strongly recommended to reach out to the faculty member to discuss research interests and obtain supervision approval before applying. It is strongly recommended for the research topic to fall within the chosen faculty member's area(s) of research.

BISI Faculty & Research Areas: https://medicine.nus.edu.sg/bisi/people/

Coursework Requirements

Candidates must complete a total of 24 Units: two core courses, one compulsory course, and elective courses.

Core Courses (8 Units)

MDG5108 Biostatistics for Basic Research (4 Units)
NG5001 Academic Communication for Graduate Researchers (4 Units)

Compulsory Course (2 Units)

NG5002 Research Ethics for Graduate Researchers (2 Units)

Elective Courses (14 Units)

Beyond these School of Medicine requirements, candidates select elective courses. The following list has been curated for PhD candidates undertaking behavioural and implementation sciences research:

Course Code	Course Title
MDG5231	Topics in Biomedial and Behavioural Research Ethics
MDG5244	Behavioural & Cognitive Neuroscience
MDG5248	Ethics of Health Data and Artificial Intelligence
MDG5251	The Nuts and Bolts of Teaching in Higher Education
MDG5256	Machine Learning in Medicine
BIH5004	Behavioural Decision Sciences
BIH5105	Advanced Applications of Behavioural and Implementation Sciences
BIH5106	Advanced Research Methods for Behavioural and Implementation Sciences - Complex Intervention Design
BIH5107	Psychological Mechanisms in Behaviour Change Interventions

This list has been curated to align with the majority of candidates' research trajectory with BISI, ensuring that coursework directly supports thesis development and scholarly identity.

Course Exemption

Candidates may be eligible for course exemption on elective courses, particularly if they have previously completed relevant coursework (for example, under the MSc in Behavioural and Implementation Sciences in Health). Course exemption is not available for core or compulsory courses.

If you would like to discuss your eligibility, please contact the Division of Graduate Studies at dgrs@nus.edu.sg.

Integration with BISI Research Ecosystem and Wider Community

Candidates are recommended to participate in ongoing activities (whether routine or ad hoc) relevant to the BISI research ecosystem and wider community. This reinforces integration into the scholarly community and shared standards.

Some of these activities include, but are not limited to, journal clubs, research workgroups, and cross-project collaborations.

Other Requirements

Estimated Milestones and Phases

Phase	Timeframe	Key Focus
Onboarding	Semester 1	Coursework planning, scoping of research, BISI/School of Medicine community integration
Foundation	Year 1–2	Proposal development, grounding of research methods, PQE completion
Research	Year 2–3	Data collection, analysis, publication
Consolidation	Year 3–4	Teaching practicum, dissemination
Completion	Year 4–5	Thesis submission and oral defence

Entry Requirements

Entry requirements for the PhD Programme are set by the NUS Medicine Division of Graduate Studies. Please refer to the official admission requirements page for the most current information:

Admission Requirements: https://medicine.nus.edu.sg/graduatestudies/prospective-students/graduate-admission/admission-requirements/

Application Procedures: https://medicine.nus.edu.sg/graduatestudies/application-procedures/

Intakes and Candidature

There are typically two application intakes each year: January and August, on a rolling basis. Exact deadlines are published annually by the NUS Medicine Graduate Studies Office.

The programme welcomes both full-time and part-time candidates. Part-time study is common for working healthcare professionals, with workload and timelines planned alongside the supervisor. Note that conditional offers are issued only for part-time PhD candidature.

Tuition Fees

Application Steps

Identify a supervisor — Browse BISI faculty and their research areas; contact a faculty member to discuss your research interests and obtain supervision approval.
Prepare your documents — Research proposal / statement of purpose, CV, referee reports, English proficiency test scores (if applicable), and any other required materials.
Submit via the NUS GDA3 system — Online applications are submitted through the NUS Graduate Admission System: https://gradapp.nus.edu.sg/portal/app_manage
Await notification — Exact deadlines and outcome notification periods are published annually by the NUS Medicine Graduate Studies Office; see the Application Procedures page for current dates.

Enquiries

Please contact bisiphd@nus.edu.sg.