A list of admission FAQs are below. If your question is not answered, feel free to contact us. Prospective students should also review the following resources:
Our Population Health Sciences program focuses on the biostatistical and research methods needed to improve health and the interaction between the patient and the health system; there are many complementary themes and collaborations with programs that cross public health, epidemiology, and population health sciences, math, economics, public policy.
No, the Department of Population Health does not require the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) for PhD admission applications.
No, the Population Health Sciences PhD program is a full-time in-person program. We do not offer online, remote or periodic attendance. Students are expected to take a minimum of 9 credit hours a semester.
Funding opportunities are available on an individual basis. Funding is through the University of Utah’s Graduate School’s Tuition Benefit Program (TBP). The TBP offers eligible students a full tuition waiver, subsidized health insurance, and a yearly stipend based on employment as a Graduate Research Assistant (RA) or Graduate Fellows (GF). The department does not offer Teaching Assistant positions. Students in the PHS program are paid through positions in research groups.
Please note, that due to TBP restrictions, applicants who already hold a PhD or clinical doctorate such as PharmD, DPT, DNP, DDS, or MD are ineligible to participate in the TBP. These applicants will not be considered for financial support.
No, you do not need to have a master’s degree; however, this is a quantitatively rigorous program and a relevant master's degree is preferred. You may need to take prerequisites prior to beginning the PhD curriculum. Research experience is desirable.
At minimum you must have a bachelor’s degree. We recommend you have a foundation in statistics and epidemiology. Research experience is desirable.
Master’s degree programs that include graduate level courses in statistical inference, commonly used approaches to analysis of population health data (e.g. regression, survival analysis) basic skills in statistics analysis programming, and epidemiology are ideal. A master’s degree in statistics, public health, epidemiology, or clinical sciences, economics, public policy, health policy, sociology, and math may be appropriate. Individual assessments of coursework that satisfy prerequisites will occur during the admissions process.
No. Your research dissertation topic can be developed with your faculty mentor during the first two years of the program and your with your supervisory committee once you have formed one.
No. You will be assigned a faculty mentor during the admission process. You may change your faculty mentor with permission from the faculty involved and the program administration.
The majority of graduates are expected to accept positions in academics, government, health systems, policy institutes, think tanks, insurance companies, or independent research labs.
Priority is given to applicants with strong academic track record and research experience.
Students who hold a relevant master’s degree take a minimum of 62 credits (including 14 hours of dissertation credit) to earn a PhD in Population Health Sciences. Students who do not have a previous master’s degree take a minimum of 80 credits (including 14 hours of dissertation credit) to earn a PhD in Population Health Sciences.
The curriculum is designed to be interdisciplinary including core courses completed by all students, regardless of their chosen emphasis.
No, currently there is no master’s degree offered in PHS.
Graduate credit may be transferred from other institutions according to Graduate School policy. Credits transferred from another institution may be used for only one degree. Up to six semester hours of transfer credit may be applied toward fulfillment of graduate degree requirements if they are of high letter grade (B or higher; ‘credit only’ grades are unacceptable), are recommended by the student’s supervisory committee, and were taken within four years of semester of admission to the University of Utah for master’s students and within seven years of semester of admission to the University of Utah for doctoral students.
Yes, you may switch your emphasis once admitted to the program. Switching requires approval from the Director of Graduate Studies, your faculty mentor, and the Graduate School.
Education Team
Contact Us
Phone: 801-587-1606
Email: phsphd@hsc.utah.edu
Williams Building, Room 1N490
295 Chipeta Way
Salt Lake City, UT 84108