Doctorate in Public Health Sciences | Department of Public Health Sciences

The Ph.D. in Public Health Sciences provides rigorous training in public health research, advanced methods, and interdisciplinary approaches to population health. Through coursework, research, and dissertation training, graduates of the Ph.D. program will be able to:

Understand and address complex public health challenges affecting diverse populations, including communities in California and the Central Valley.
Apply epidemiologic and statistical methods to identify patterns of disease, determinants of health, and opportunities for prevention and intervention.
Select and apply appropriate research methods from epidemiologic, quantitative, qualitative, social, environmental, and other relevant scientific approaches.
Design rigorous public health research, interventions, and policies that consider multiple determinants of health across individual, community, systems, and population levels.
Critically evaluate and synthesize scientific evidence within their area of research.
Develop advanced methodological expertise appropriate to their research questions and area of concentration.
Effectively communicate public health research to scientific, community, public, and policy audiences.

Program Overview

The Ph.D. in Public Health Sciences at UC Davis prepares students to become independent public health researchers and leaders equipped to address complex population health challenges. Through rigorous methodological training, interdisciplinary research, and close faculty mentorship, students develop the skills to generate and translate evidence that can improve health and advance health equity.

The program draws on the strengths of the Department of Public Health Sciences and the broader UC Davis research community, including strong connections with UC Davis Health, public health agencies, and community partners. Students have opportunities to engage with public health challenges affecting California’s diverse populations, including communities throughout the Central Valley, while developing research skills applicable to populations and settings nationally and globally.

The Ph.D. curriculum is designed around two complementary goals:

Develop advanced public health research expertise. Students receive a strong foundation in epidemiology, biostatistics, research design, and public health science, followed by advanced methodological training tailored to their research interests. Students build additional depth through coursework in areas such as causal inference, data science, geospatial methods, qualitative methods, and implementation science.
Support individualized, interdisciplinary research training. Students work with faculty mentors to develop an individualized program of study and build expertise in an area of concentration. Areas of concentration include Environmental Health Sciences, Health Informatics, Health Policy, Global Health, Health Communication, Violence and Injury, and Cancer Prevention and Control.

The 56-unit Ph.D. curriculum combines foundational public health coursework, advanced statistical and methodological training, specialized electives, seminars, research, and dissertation work. Elective research and translational experiences provide additional opportunities for students to apply methodological skills and engage with research beyond their primary area of study.

Throughout the program, students receive faculty mentorship and opportunities to develop skills in research communication, teaching, and professional leadership, preparing graduates for careers in academia, government, health systems, research organizations, and other settings where rigorous public health research can inform policy and practice.

Our Unique Strengths

Location: A significant advantage for a PhD in Public Health Sciences at UC Davis is the campus’s close proximity to the California Department of Public Health and other health-related government agencies in Sacramento. Opportunities for training in several state agencies are critical to meeting the doctoral program’s mission of preparing individuals to serve as practitioners, researchers, and teachers in local, state, national and international settings. Some of the leadership in these agencies are formally affiliated with UC Davis as Volunteer Clinical Faculty. Some examples of current active Volunteer Clinical Faculty include the Medical Director for Medi-Cal; Chief of the Reproductive and Cancer Hazard Assessment Branch, Cal EPA; Medical Consultant for CalPERS; Director of the California Cancer Registry; and, Chief of the Refugee Health Program, California Department of Public Health.
Access to Interdisciplinary Research: UC Davis is the only campus in the University of California system to house professional schools in Medicine, Nursing, Veterinary Medicine, Education, Law, and Management, as well as the established and highly regarded Colleges of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, and Letters and Science. The campus hosts interdisciplinary research centers which provide unparalleled opportunities for collaborative work with a primary focus on multidisciplinary population health and preventive research. These research centers include: Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, UC Davis Environmental Health Sciences Center, UC Davis World Food Center, Center for Healthcare Policy and Research, and UC Center Sacramento.