PhD in Community Health Sciences

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Community Health Sciences aims to educate candidates to become independent, innovative, and productive research scientists who apply social and behavioral science theories and methodologies to enhance the health and well-being of communities and promote health equity. Graduates of this program are prepared to assume prominent positions in research, teaching, and health administration and are trained to use social justice–focused, community-engaged approaches to address some of the most urgent public health issues facing us today.

Students in the Community Health Sciences PhD will pursue a program of study through required courses that provide breadth in key theoretical frameworks and methodologies and elective courses that provide specialized skills. The program uniquely integrates advanced methodological training with a social justice perspective and a focus on collaborations with community members and organizations to ensure that research is rigorous, impactful, equitable, and grounded in real-world contexts. Further, recognition of relevant historical, policy, political, social, and cultural contexts is interwoven.

Students complete 44 units. A minimum grade of B is required in all PhD coursework. Students will additionally participate in departmental seminars and training in the ethical conduct of research. Students must complete a two-step qualifying process to advance to candidacy for the doctoral degree. To receive the PhD, students must complete and orally defend a doctoral dissertation that advances health equity.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the PhD in Community Health Sciences, students will be able to:

• Analyze the social and behavioral determinants of health and health equity across individual, interpersonal, community, and societal levels.
• Develop theoretically informed public health research questions rooted in a social justice perspective.
• Apply a range of social and behavioral science approaches, including quantitative, qualitative, community-engaged, and implementation science methods to design and conduct original research seeking to advance health equity.
• Demonstrate the professional skills essential to becoming a leader in using social and behavioral science approaches to advancing health equity.
• Communicate research findings effectively to diverse audiences.

Course Requirements

• SPH BS 730 Introduction to Statistical Applications in R (4 units)
• SPH BS 845 Data Science and Statistical Modeling in R (4 units)
• SPH EP 775 Social Epidemiology (4 units)
• SPH PH 700 Foundations of Public Health (0 units)
• SPH PH 803 Community-Based Participatory Research: Theory and Methods (2 units)
• SPH PH 885 Grant Writing for Doctoral Students 1 (2 units)
• SPH PH 886 Grant Writing for Doctoral Students 2 (2 units)
• SPH PH 895 Public Health Pedagogy and Curriculum Development (2 units)
• SPH PH 896 Mentored Teaching Practicum for Doctoral Students (2 units)
• SPH PM 839 Implementation Science: Linking Research to Practice (4 units)
• SPH SB 818 Qualitative Research Methods (4 units)
• SPH SB 855 Social Justice in Action: Theories and Methods for Community Health Sciences (4 units)
• SPH SB 865 Advanced Seminar in Community-Engaged Research for Social Justice (2 units)

Students complete their remaining units from the following elective courses:

• SPH BS 751 Essentials of Quantitative Data Management (4 units)
• SPH BS 805 Intermediate Programming in SAS for Applied Linear Models (4 units)
• SPH BS 821 Categorical Data Analysis (4 units)
• SPH BS 849 Bayesian Modeling for Biomedical Research & Public Health (2 units)
• SPH BS 852 Biostatistical Methods for Observational Studies (4 units)
• SPH BS 853 Generalized Linear Models with Applications (4 units)
• SPH BS 857 Analysis of Correlated Data (4 units)
• SPH EH 811 Intro GIS for Public Health (4 units)
• SPH EP 722 Data Collection Methods for Epidemiologic Research (2 units)
• SPH EP 790 Mental Health Epidemiology (2 units)
• SPH EP 860 Novel Analytical Methods for Epidemiology (4 units)
• SPH GH 806 Using Mobile Technologies to Improve Health Outcomes (4 units)
• SPH MC 759 Perinatal and Child Health Epidemiology (4 units)
• SPH PH 843 Quantitative Methods for Health and Social Policy Research (2 units)
• SPH PM 822 Advanced Quantitative Methods for Health and Social Policy Research (4 units)
• SPH PM 828 Advanced Qualitative Methods (4 units)
• SPH PM 842 Health Economics for Health and Social Policy Research (4 units)

In addition, doctoral students take part in a monthly doctoral seminar and a monthly proseminar. They will be required to complete a two-step qualifying process to advance to become candidates for the doctoral degree.

After completing coursework and passing qualifying process, students work on their dissertation full time; these students register every fall, spring, and summer term for continuing study. Students must adhere to dissertation submission deadlines and requirements. All graduation requirements need to be completed within seven years.

All PhD students must adhere to the Doctoral Graduation Calendar in preparing and submitting their dissertation.