Admissions
We are excited that you are pursuing a PhD degree in Public Health from the UC Irvine Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health and look forward to receiving your application. We encourage you to begin the application process early to ensure that your file is complete by the deadline.
Applicants are encouraged to start the application process early by consulting with faculty members whose research activities align with the applicant’s interests and academic background. Applications are reviewed after the posted application deadline. Applicants are admitted for the Fall quarter only and must choose one of the three available concentrations at the time of application.
The deadline for receipt of all application materials for the PhD in Public Health program is December 1, 2025 for a Fall 2026 start.
Admission Requirements
To be eligible to apply to the PhD, an applicant must meet the minimum academic requirements: General requirements for admission to graduate study are that the applicant hold the degree of Bachelor of Arts, Letters, Philosophy, or Science (or an acceptable equivalent) from an accredited academic institution with degree standards equivalent to those of the University of California. A minimum undergraduate grade point average of at least B (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) is required.
There are no specific course prerequisites needed to enroll. Applicants who have not previously completed a Master’s in Public Health degree from a recognized academic institution will be required to take supplementary courses in addition to the preparatory module of the PhD program.
Application Instructions
Applicants must submit both the UCI Application for Graduate Admission and the School of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS) application in order to be considered for admission. Evaluations of applicant files for admission to the Ph.D. program will consist of an assessment of transcripts of previous academic work, statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, and other relevant qualifications. Applicants must choose one of the three concentrations at the time of application.
Students applying to Public Health, PhD program, must choose a mentor from the core faculty from the Department of Population Health and Disease Prevention
Please note: Students enrolled in the PhD in Public Health are required to serve as Teaching Assistants in public health courses for two quarters during their graduate study. Teaching is an important component of graduate training, as it helps graduate students learn how to communicate effectively about their field of knowledge. In addition, teaching experience is valuable to those planning for a career in academia. Graduate students with comparable prior teaching experience (e.g., through postgraduate degrees earned at UC Irvine or other comparable institution) may request a waiver of the teaching requirement.
