Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health Sciences

The focus of the PhD in Public Health Sciences is to train researchers and professionals with skills essential to address contemporary public health problems at the individual, community and population levels.
Drawing on the social-ecological framework, public health is an interdisciplinary field encompassing public health practice in the community, scientific research utilizing theoretical perspectives from disciplines such as anthropology, economics, geography, gerontology, medicine, nursing, psychology, and sociology, and 5 core areas of endeavor: environmental and occupational health, biostatistics, epidemiology, social and behavioral health factors, and health policy and administration.
Additionally, students train to be well-rounded public health professionals: partnering with community agencies and stakeholders, learning how to disseminate research to diverse audiences, publishing in peer-reviewed formats, teaching in an academic environment, and conducting themselves with high ethical standards in all venues. Graduates are prepared to work in academia, conduct large-scale public health research projects, or work in government or health-related venues. The UNC Charlotte Public Health Sciences PhD Program strives to uphold the Department of Public Health Science's vision of Healthy communities partnered with responsive population health systems by preparing public health professionals to realize our mission of Advancing health equity and well-being in an urbanizing world. The Public Health Sciences PhD program values collaboration, community engagement, diversity, innovation, professionalism, health equity, and social justice.

The minimum admission requirements for the program are as follows:
Master's degree in public health or a related field with a minimum GPA of 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) in all graduate work
Competitive GRE scores taken within the past 5 years
TOEFL if the previous degree was from a country where English is not the official language, with a minimum score of 83 (Internet-based test), 220 (computer-based test), or 557 (paper-based test)
Statement of Purpose in which the applicant discusses the following in one or two single-space pages:
Their professional, academic, and community experiences
The area of research they wish to potentially pursue as a student in the program, the name of at least one member of the Ph.D. in Public Health Sciences program faculty or affiliate faculty who shares this research interest, and a brief statement regarding how their proposed research area aligns with the research of the identified faculty member(s)
Their specific interest in UNC Charlotte's program
Their career and personal goals, including how the program aligns with their career plans
How they plan to actively participate in UNC Charlotte's mission to advance health equity and well-being in an urbanizing world
Three letters of recommendation, including at least two letters from former professors familiar with the applicant's graduate work
Have completed a CEPH (Council on Education for Public Health) accredited Master's degree in public health. Students who have not completed a Master's degree in public health may be required to take additional courses as determined by the Ph.D. Review Committee upon review of current CEPH requirements. Such courses will be specified at the time of admission into the program (see below for Prerequisite Coursework).