Program Overview

Public Health, Ph.D.

The Ph.D. in Public Health is designed to train graduate students to conduct original research on the determinants of health status of populations and the translation of such knowledge to improve health and prevent disease and disability. Graduates of the Ph.D. program will be prepared for independent and collaborative research careers and to teach at advanced levels of instruction.

Overview

Students enroll in the Ph.D. in Public Health in the fall quarter of each year. Applicants are encouraged to start the application process early by consulting with faculty members whose research activities align with the applicants interests and academic background. Applicants must choose one of the three available concentrations at the time of application: Global Health, Disease Prevention, or Biobehavioral Mechanisms of Health.

Admission Requirements

• Masters level degrees in health-related disciplines are the preferred preparation for admission to the Ph.D. in Public Health.
• Students who entered the program without a master's-level degree from a Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)-accredited program must complete PUBHLTH 200 as part of their preparatory module.
• Applicants to the Ph.D. in Public Health who come with undergraduate degrees from other related majors might be required to take supplementary courses in addition to the preparatory module of the Ph.D. program.
• All applicants must have an overall grade point average of B (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) or better and take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test.
• Applicants must meet the general admission requirements of the UCI Graduate Division and submit both the Application for Graduate Admission and the School of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS) application to be considered for admission.

Concentrations

The Ph.D. in Public Health offers three concentrations:

1. Global Health: The focus of the Ph.D. research concentration in Global Health is to train excellence in research through engagement in hypothesis-driven projects to investigate the global context of disease burden and the improvement of population health status.
2. Disease Prevention: The focus of the Ph.D. concentration in Disease Prevention is to train excellence in research to discover insights into how human behavior, social constraints, and other contextual factors influence strategies to prevent disease in populations that are vulnerable to risk factors.
3. Biobehavioral Mechanisms of Health: The focus of the Ph.D. concentration in Biobehavioral Mechanisms of Health is to train excellence in research to discover the pathways and mechanisms linking social and psychological factors with biological processes and physical health.

Program Requirements

• All Ph.D. students are required to complete a minimum of 72 quarter-units according to the following modules:
  • Preparatory Module
  • Methods Module
  • Concentration Module
  • Research Module
• The qualifying examination consists of two parts: submission of a written research proposal and a public presentation and oral defense of the student's dissertation research proposal.
• Advancement to doctoral candidacy is contingent on passing both parts of the qualifying examination.
• Ph.D. completion requires submission of an acceptable dissertation and oral defense.

Teaching Requirement

Students enrolled in the Ph.D. in Public Health are required to serve as Teaching Assistants in public health courses for two quarters during their graduate study. Teaching is an important component of graduate training, as it helps graduate students learn how to communicate effectively about their field of knowledge.

Career Opportunities

The Ph.D. in Public Health prepares graduates to initiate independent and collaborative research careers in academic institutions, to teach at advanced levels of instruction, and to lead research efforts at agencies dedicated to public health at all levels of organization. Graduates of the Ph.D. in Public Health will gain employment at research universities, government agencies, or private sector organizations including research institutes, hospitals, and public health foundations.