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Doctoral Degrees

PhD, Behavioral and Community Health

The Behavioral and Community Health Doctoral (PhD) degree program trains health professionals to effectively navigate the intersections of research, practice, planning, administration and policy development in a society and world that is presented with enormous health challenges, from the obesity epidemic to mental health disorders to substance abuse. Graduates are highly competitive in the fast-growing marketplace of behavioral and community health.

PhD, Environmental Health Sciences

The Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health strives to advance knowledge about the effects of environmental factors on human health through innovative, multi-disciplinary research. Programs explore a broad range of environmental health problems and aim to discover solutions that will effectively improve public health outcomes for the citizens of our state, the nation, and the world. Students master an essential core of knowledge in environmental and/or occupational health, epidemiology and biostatistics. Through courses, field studies and laboratory rotations, students gain experience and tools needed to specialize in a key area of environmental health. All students are mentored closely by our faculty members and gain practical experience through research activities. 

PhD, Epidemiology

The Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics provides rigorous training in the fundamental sciences underlying public health practice. It offers a flexible and individualized learning environment to study the distribution and determinants of various diseases, injuries, and other health states in human populations, and the theory and biostatistical techniques for describing, analyzing, and interpreting health data. Our PhD program prepares students for a career in epidemiologic research in an academic, government, or private sector setting. Students will master essential core knowledge in the principles and methodology of epidemiological research and practice. Our program offers three areas of specialization: 1) Epidemiologic Methods, 2) Social Epidemiology, and 3) Environmental Epidemiology.

PhD, Family Science

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program in Family Science provides an interdisciplinary, research-oriented approach to the discovery and application of knowledge about families. This exciting program examines both internal family processes and the dynamic interaction of families with the biological, psychological, social, political, and economic aspects of their environment. Graduates are prepared for a number of careers in the public, non-profit, and private sectors, including university teaching, research, family policy analysis, and administrative positions in human service programs. 

PhD, Health Services Research

The Department of Health Policy and Management provides rigorous training in health services research and prepares students for public and private sector careers in research, program implementation, and organizational leadership. Students pursue interests in health care access, health care quality, and health care costs, health equity, and public policy. Training in theory and methods occurs through coursework and applied research conducted independently and in collaboration with faculty mentors.

PhD, Kinesiology

The Doctoral (PhD) degree program in Kinesiology prepares the next generation of researchers, scholars, teachers, and professional leaders in the interdisciplinary field of Kinesiology. Kinesiologists focus on health and wellness with movement at the core, so their skills are in demand. Students can focus their course of study in one of several areas, including cognitive-motor neuroscience, exercise physiology, physical cultural studies and the K-12 physical education master's certificate (MCERT).

PhD, Mathematical Statistics with a Concentration in Biostatistics and Bioinformatics

Biostatistics and bioinformatics are important research fields in statistics with immensely broad applications in public health, medical and biological research. Bioinformatics is the science of developing and employing computational tools and techniques to analyze complex biological data, such as genome sequences, and has significant overlap with biostatistics. Students in our PhD program will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to take advantage of the increasing research opportunities in this rapidly developing field.

PhD, Maternal and Child Health

The Maternal and Child Health (MCH) PhD program provides training relevant to health problems and services for women, infants, children, and adolescents. Students are trained in research, policy, and practice to improve the health, safety, and well-being of these groups, with a particular emphasis on low income and ethnic minority populations. The program is unique in its focus on the whole family system and family health policy.