ABOUT THE PROGRAM

The PhD program in Public Health is an interdisciplinary research degree intended to prepare graduates for practice-based research. Upon completion of the degree, students will be able to:

● Explain key concepts across the spectrum of public health disciplines, including epidemiology, biostatistics, health systems, social/behavioral sciences and environmental health.
● Formulate public health research questions that are informed by theory, literature review, data, and community needs.
● Select appropriate study designs to address specific public health research questions.
● Collect, analyze and interpret data (obtained either prospectively or retrospectively) to address public health research questions.
● Communicate findings and implications of public health research through multiple modalities to diverse audiences.

The minimum residency requirement for the PhD program is three years of full-time study. Students must earn a grade of “B” or better in every required course. Students are expected to complete at least 36 semester credit hours from formal graded courses. 108 semester credit hours are required in total, to include pass/fail courses and dissertation work.

Practical public health experience is a strength of the USUHS PhD in Public Health program.  USUHS students have unique opportunities to work with a variety of public health agencies due to its centralized location near Washington DC. Students receive broad exposure to the major public health issues confronting the U.S., as well as more global issues, and they learn to systematically and critically evaluate the scientific literature, identifying the inherent strengths and weaknesses of various sources of data. 

CURRICULUM

PhD in Public Health Curriculum 

ADMISSION

Admission to this program will be preferentially offered to active duty military officers with a background in a health-related field. Other applicants will be considered for admission with preference given to health professionals sponsored by other U.S. government agencies. Applicants are expected to have at least a Master’s degree in a related field with an outstanding academic record (undergraduate and graduate transcripts and GRE scores), some public health experience, and demonstrated interest in pursuing a career in public health. Civilian PhD students may be eligible for USUHS graduate student stipends if they meet the University eligibility criteria. Active-duty Uniformed Services personnel must obtain the sponsorship of their parent organization and should indicate the status of obtaining this sponsorship in the application.

All applicants must have earned baccalaureate and Master’s degrees and must complete the USU graduate programs application, including all supporting materials.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

• A complete employment history
• A personal statement describing how the applicant became interested in public health and how they envision incorporating the training they would receive in their future careers
• Three letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with the applicant’s academic, professional, and/or military service background.
• Active-duty Uniformed Services personnel must obtain the sponsorship of their parent organization and should mention in their packet of where they stand in the process of obtaining sponsorship

APPLICATION DEADLINES

Deadline for full consideration of applications is December 1st for matriculation the following August.

If active duty service members require a letter of competitiveness or early consideration for admission before that date, they should notify the University’s Graduate Education office. Late applications are considered on a case-by-case basis, especially as they concern the needs of the Uniformed Services.

FINANCIALS

TUITION AND FEES

Tuition: $0

Fees: $0

Equipment: $0

Tuition and fees are waived for all students.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

A limited number of pre-doctoral teaching/research assistantship salaries are available for civilian graduate students in PhD programs through the Graduate Education Office.

DOCTORAL STUDENT RESEARCH FUNDS

USU maintains a special fund to finance doctoral student research. This resource is designed to provide funds to graduate students in addition to those provided by their major advisor. Funds are available to graduate students who have completed two years of graduate study at USU or who have been advanced to candidacy and are devoting a majority of their time to their dissertation research. Graduate research funds are currently available for two academic years. Funding beyond two years is evaluated on a case by case basis and must be approved by the Graduate Education Committee. In recent years, the maximum amount of funds available each year to eligible graduate students has varied between $1,500 and $2,500.

SERVICE OBLIGATION

Civilian students do not incur service obligation to the United States government after the completion of their graduate studies. Active-duty Uniformed Services personnel may incur an obligation for additional service in accordance with the applicable regulations governing sponsored graduate education.

DEPARTMENTS

Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics