In the PhD in Public Health program, you’ll balance the theoretical with the practical in a host of advanced coursework under the guidance of esteemed faculty from NYU’s global network. The composition of your classes will depend on which one of four doctoral concentrations you choose: Epidemiology, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Public Health Policy and Management, or Biostatistics.
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Degree Requirements
Pre-requisite Courses
Program Sequence
Concentration Overview and Courses
Degree Requirements
All doctoral students take the following courses:
For students who matriculated in Fall 2020 and after, the total doctoral degree requirements are 72 credits. This includes the addition of 33 doctoral research credits that will be required for all doctoral students effective Fall 2020.
GPH-GU 2930 Epidemiological Methods and Design (3)
GPH-GU 3020 Evidence-Based Public Health & Systematic Review Best Practices (0)*
GPH-GU 2450 Intermediate Epidemiology (3)**
GPH-GU 3050 Methods in Community Health Research (3)
GPH-GU 3000 Perspectives in Public Health: Doctoral Seminar Part 1 (1.5)***
GPH-GU 3010 Perspectives in Public Health: Doctoral Seminar Part 2 (1.5)***
GPH-GU 3353 Regression I: Linear Regression and Modeling (3)**
GPH-GU 3354 Regression II: Categorical Data Analysis (3)
GPH-GU 3165 Research Ethics (3)
GPH-GU 3960 Theories in Public Health, Practice, Policy & Research (3)
GPH-GU 5175 Readings in the History & Philosophy of Public Health I (0)
GPH-GU 5180 Readings in the History & Philosophy of Public Health II (0)
GPH-GU 5185 Readings in the History & Philosophy of Public Health III (0)
GPH-GU 3015 Doctoral Research (33 credits total)****
GPH-GU 3200 Dissertation Proposal Seminar (3)
Concentration courses (15 credits total)
* students who entered prior to Fall 2019 took GPH-GU 5171 instead
** required only for students who have not taken an equivalent intermediate level course in epidemiology and have obtained permission to waive this course.
*** formerly called Doctoral Colloquium
**** these credits are required only for students who matriculated in Fall 2020 or later.
Prequisite Courses
These courses are only required for students who enter the program without an MPH. For questions related to this, please consult with the Director of Doctoral Studies.
GPH-GU 2106 Epidemiology (3)
GPH-GU 2995 Biostatistics for Public Health (3)
GPH-GU 2110 Health Care Policy (1.5)
GPH-GU 2112 Public Health Management & Leadership (1.5)
GPH-GU 2140 Global Issues in Social & Behavioral Health (3)
GPH-GU 2153 Global Environmental Health (3)
GPH-GU 2190 Essentials of Public Health Biology (3)
Program Sequence
Note: GPH-GU 3015 Doctoral Research is applicable only to students who matriculated in Fall 2020 or later
Year 1:
Fall semester (9 credits)
GPH-GU 3960 Theories in Public Health Practice, Policy, and Research (3)
GPH-GU 3165 Research Ethics (3)
GPH-GU 3000 Perspectives in Public Health: Doctoral Seminar I (1.5)
GPH-GU 3020 Evidence-Based Public Health & Systematic Review Best Practices (0)
GPH-GU 5175 Readings in the History & Philosophy of Public Health I (0)
GPH-GU 3015 Doctoral Research (1.5)
Spring semester (10.5 credits)
GPH-GU 3353 Regression I: Linear Regression and Modeling (3)*
GPH-GU 3010 Perspectives in Public Health: Doctoral Seminar II (1.5)
GPH-GU 3050 Methods in Community Health Research (3)
GPH-GU 2450 Intermediate Epidemiology (3)*
Concentration course (3)**
GPH-GU 5180 Readings in the History & Philosophy of Public Health II (0)
GPH-GU 5185 Readings in the History & Philosophy of Public Health III (0)
GPH-GU 3015 Doctoral Research (1.5)
Year 2:
Fall semester (13.5 credits)
GPH-GU 3354 Regression II: Categorical Data Analysis (3)
GPH-GU 2930 Epidemiological Design and Methods (3)
Concentration course (3)**
Concentration course (3)**
GPH-GU 3015 Doctoral Research (1.5)
Spring semester (10.5 credits)
GPH-GU 3200 Dissertation Proposal Seminar (3)
Concentration course (3)**
Concentration course (3)**
GPH-GU 3015 Doctoral Research (1.5)
Year 3:
Fall semester (6 credits)
GPH-GU 3015 Doctoral Research (6 credits)
Spring semester (6 credits)
GPH-GU 3015 Doctoral Research (6 credits)
Year 4:
Fall semester (6 credits)
GPH-GU 3015 Doctoral Research (6 credits)
Spring semester (6 credits)
GPH-GU 3015 Doctoral Research (6 credits)
Year 5:
Fall semester (1.5-3 credits)
GPH-GU 3015 Doctoral Research (1.5-3 credits)
Spring semester
Remaining credits
* required only for students who have not taken an equivalent intermediate level course in epidemiology and have obtained permission to waive this course.
** see below for concentration course requirements for specific concentrations; additional electives may be considered in consultation with the department chair and/or faculty mentor.
Concentration Overview
Students will engage in a course of study designed to deepen their understanding and application of advanced data analytic techniques and research methodology. Students are required to take the two of the following courses:
GPH-GU 3175 Design, Conduct, and analysis of Cohort Studies (3)
GPH-GU 3220 Experimental Study Designs in Epidemiology (3)
GPH-GU 3152 Advanced Agent-Based Modeling (3)
GPH-GU 3230 Topics in Advanced Modelings (3)
In addition, they will identify a specialization area (e.g. chronic disease epi, mental health epi, etc.) and take three courses in their specialization area.
Courses
Doctoral students in Public Health Policy and Management area of study complete five concentration courses (15 credits), usually during their second year in the PhD program:
GPH-GU 3185 Health Services and Policy Research (3)
PHD-GP 5902 Doctoral Research Methods (3) (Wagner)
MGMT-GB 3381 Advanced Research in Organizational Behavior (3) (Stern)
GPH-GU 3110 Advanced Public Health Policy and Management (3)
MGMT-GB 3387 Organization Theory (3) (Stern)
Courses
Doctoral students in the Biostatistics area of study will be required to complete the following three concentration courses:
GPH-GU 3235 Biostatistical Consulting (3 credits)
GPH-GU 3225 Statistical Inference (3 credits)
GPH-GU 2336 Critical Reading of the Biostatistical Literature (3 credits)
In addition, students must choose two of the following six courses:
GPH-GU 3368 Applied Survival Analysis (3 credits)
GPH-GU 3175 Design, Conduct, and Analysis of Cohort Studies (3 credits)
GPH-GU 3220 Experimental Study Designs in Epidemiology (3 credits)
GPH-GU 2338 Machine Learning in Public Health (3 credits)
GPH-GU 2480 Longitudinal Analysis of Public Health Data (3 credits)
GPH-GU 2387 Survey Design, Analysis, and Reporting (3 credits)
Students Who Enrolled Before Fall 2016
Doctoral students who matriculated prior to Fall 2016, should follow the degree requirements outlined below:
Concentration Overview
Students should identify a social science discipline that will serve as their sub-field. Possibilities include sociology, political science, anthropology, or psychology. Students take the following three advanced methods courses:
GPH-GU 3040 Intervention and Prevention Sciences (3)
GPH-GU 3210 Qualitative Analysis: Interviewing & Mixed Methods Approaches (3)
GPH-GU 3260 Complex Systems, Disasters, and the Social Ecology of Health (3)
In addition, they take two specialization courses by advisement.
Additional courses:
GPH-GU 2225 Psychometric Measurement & Analysis in Public Health Research and Practice (3)
GPH-GU 2480 Longitudinal Analysis of Public Health Data (3)
GPH-GU 2380 Survey Design, Analysis, and Reporting (3)
GPH-GU 3175 Design, Conduct, and Analysis of Cohort Studies (3)
ANTH-GA 2702 Acquisition of Cultural Practices (GSAS)
ANTH-GA 1010 Social Anthropology Theory and Practice (GSAS)
APSY-GE 2279 Risk and Resilience (Steinhardt)
APSY-GE 2105 Culture, Context and Psychology (Steinhardt)
SOC-GA 2111 Classical Sociological Theory (GSAS)
SOC-GA 3115 Advanced Seminar in Contemporary Social Theory (GSAS)
SOC-GA 2137 Social Stratification (GSAS)
POL-GA 1350 Core Seminar: The Domestic Politics of the United States (GSAS)
POL-GA 1751 Core Seminar: International Relations (GSAS)
POL-GA 1550 Comparative Politics of Developed Countries (GSAS)