Doctor of Philosophy in Population Health Sciences - Epidemiology

You will be part of a program that is at the vanguard of integrating both the social and life sciences. You will be able to choose your path of interest from a program anchored in our cohort-driven model and built on the research and proven knowledge of our five fields of studyenvironmental health, epidemiology, global health and population, nutrition, and social and behavioral sciencesall viewed through the lens of statistics, health determinants, and social justice.

In this fully funded program, you will have access to the resources of 13 Harvard schools, including Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard Graduate School of Design, and Harvard Medical School, as well as have the opportunity for in-person coursework at MIT, Tufts, and Brown.

Examples of PHS doctoral dissertations explore critical areas such as air pollution, novel epidemiologic methods in HIV research, health system quality improvement interventions in Africa, obesity and food insecurity, eviction and children's health in the United States, and epidemic preparedness and response.

Graduates have gone on to fellow and postdoctoral positions at Harvard, Yale University, and University of California, San Francisco. Others have gone on to careers at the CDC, Pfizer, Takeda, Genentech, and various consultancies.

A distinguished undergraduate record, as well as excellent performance in any graduate work undertaken, is required for admission to this program. Although a previous graduate degree is not required, students in any of the fields of study should have successfully completed coursework in introductory statistics or quantitative methods. In general, applicants must demonstrate strong enthusiasm and ability for rigorous pursuit of scientific knowledge in public health. Preference will be given to applicants who have either some relevant work experience or graduate work in the chosen field of study after completion of a bachelor’s degree.

All applicants to the PhD Program in Population Health Sciences are required to select a field of study in their application and indicate an area of specialization. Secondary interest in an additional field of study may also be indicated in the application and statement of purpose.

English Language Scores: iBT TOEFL score of 100 or IELTS score of 7.5. Application Deadline: December 1.