YOU ARE BOUVÉ
The PhD Program in Population Health at Northeastern University integrates interdisciplinary education and experiential learning opportunities to train students to become public health researchers and leaders who understand the complex factors that affect the health and well-being of populations. The program has:
Our program trains students to become public health leaders through simultaneous examination of multiple determinations of health, including social, environmental, nutritional, and behavioral risk factors.
Our students investigate the underlying causes of adverse health, including disease, disparities, and disability, through training in core population health disciplines:
This training is done together with individual-specific and specialized training in topics related to student research.
Our students are mentored by Northeastern’s distinguished faculty, who individually and together conduct innovative, solution-focused research in critical population health topics.
Working professionals can complete a Population Health PhD through Northeastern’s Industry PhD Pathway.
This pathway lets students conduct dissertation research at their employer site while maintaining full-time employment, with mentorship from both a Northeastern faculty advisor and a designated advisor from your organization. Your organization must enter into a partnership agreement with Northeastern and pay an administrative fee.
Built for Working Professionals: Flexible scheduling designed to fit your career. Most students complete their PhD in 3–5 years, with evening options that respect your schedule.
Career Growth Without Pause: Earn the credentials and research depth to move into leadership roles.
No Cost to You: Tuition and fees are covered by an annual administrative fee, fully funded by your employer through a formal partnership.
Academic Rigor & Real-World Relevance: Conduct meaningful research that benefits both your career and your organization.
Dual Mentorship: Benefit from guidance by both Northeastern faculty and industry advisor at your employer, ensuring your research is academically rigorous and professionally relevant.
Biostatisticians and epidemiologists ready to transition from data analysis to research leadership roles.
Research professionals in academia or industry seeking to become PIs or scientific leads.
Mid-career professionals balancing work with the desire for a terminal research degree.
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy in Population Health (PhD)
Study Format:
– Full-time
– On-ground (Boston campus) only
– PhD Option for full-time professionals
Entry Term: Fall
Application deadline: Dec 6
Prerequisites: None
Most applicants have a master’s degree
Applications accepted:
Domestic and international
Grad assistantships available:
Full-time students only
GRE: Optional
STEM Designated PhD:
Allows for a 24-month STEM OPT extension for F-1 students
Please Note: PhD students in the Bouvé College of Health Sciences may not request enrollment deferrals. If you are admitted for a given term but wish to be considered for a future term instead, you must re-apply to the program to be considered for admission and funding.
Population Health doctoral students conduct research that addresses key determinants of health including:
All Population Health PhD candidates must earn at least 33 credits by completing core research courses, selecting a concentration, and taking additional electives and directed study courses, as needed and in consultation with their faculty advisors. They must complete a dissertation in order to earn their degree.
Industry PhD Students complete the same core coursework and dissertation requirements as traditional Population Health PhD students. However, their research is conducted in collaboration with their employer, allowing projects to address real-world organizational or community health challenges.
A full list of program outcomes for the PhD in Population Health is available on the department page.
Curriculum subject to change.
For most up-to-date information please refer to the university’s academic catalog.
The Population Health PhD program accepts applications for fall entry through December 6. While there are no prerequisites for this PhD, most of our applicants already have a Master’s degree.
All application materials should be submitted only through the SOPHAS portal; there is no separate university submission portal.
We encourage applicants interested in rigorous public health research training to apply. Evidence of quantitative research skills through degree transcript or work experience is essential. Submission of GRE test scores is optional. Applicants may be invited to participate in an interview with the admissions committee and/or potential faculty mentors before an admission decision is made.
Completed SOPHAS application
Official transcripts
Mailing Address:
SOPHAS Transcript Processing Center
P.O. Box 9111
Watertown, MA 02471
Electronic transcripts: See SOPHAS Instructions
Resumé
Personal Statement
Your personal statement should identify specific research interests, explain how your background shapes your research interests and career goals in population health, why you want to pursue your PhD at Northeastern, and how your experience aligns with the work of current faculty members.
You may contact faculty whose work matches your goals to discuss mutual fit.
Official test scores
Submission of GRE test scores is optional.
TOEFL or IELTS scores are required from international applicants who possess degrees from institutions outside the United States. Use code #5688. The PhD Program requires a minimum score of 100 on the TOEFL and a minimum test score of 7.5 on the IELTS (official test scores from similar English-language tests may not be substituted).
Requests to be waived from the TOEFL requirement are determined on a case by case basis by the Program Director. Email Dr. Beth Molnar at [email protected] with your request and relevant materials (eg, CV/resume, transcripts).
3 letters of recommendation
Only academic and professional letters of recommendation will be accepted.
SOPHAS application fees and fee waivers:
Only SOPHAS collects an application fee, not the university, so we are unable to provide fee waivers. To request a SOPHAS waiver, please apply directly through their website:
We welcome your questions about our program. Please send general program inquiries and admissions-related questions to:
Dr. Beth Molnar
Program Director
Tali Schiller, MPH
Program Manager
Completing your public health training at Northeastern University gives you the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with faculty conducting rigorous research in public health as well as public health professionals working to improve the health of individuals, families, and communities around the world. Below are our faculty’s primary areas of expertise. The field of public health is broad, highly interdisciplinary, and constantly evolving. We both welcome and lead that change to prepare students for current and future public health careers in research and practice.
Cutting edge data collection and analysis methods, including application to large, real world datasets.
Enhancing the health of groups, including those living outside of metropolitan areas.
Relationships between people and their physical contexts: the impact of people’s behaviors on those contexts and the impact of these contexts on health (e.g., pollution).
Distribution and determinants of health-related issues within populations and applying lessons learned to ameliorating these issues.
Determinants of and ways to improve health in a worldwide context with a goal of achieving equity.
Exploring the best practices and methods for explaining and disseminating information to promote better health.
Enhancing efficiency, effectiveness and value in health and influencing rules and regulations accordingly to achieve health-related goals.
Applying organized knowledge and skills using devices, medications, vaccines, procedures and systems to address health-related issues and improve quality of life.
Individual psychological states and how they influence people’s actions, along with ways to enhance these for the betterment of health.
No, our program does not have specific requirements with regard to classes applicants must take or have taken prior to applying. However, the majority of the students in the program enter with a previous master’s degree.
Submission of GRE test scores is optional.
TOEFL or IELTS scores are required from all international applicants who have not earned an undergraduate or graduate degree in the United States or in a country where English is the primary language. Fluency in English is integral to success of graduate students in our program. Guidelines for submitting a request to waiver the TOEFL/IELTS requirement are outlined in the Admissions section above.
Certain required classes (for example, introductory classes in Biostatistics and Epidemiology) can be waived if you have taken equivalent classes in previous graduate programs. Course waivers will be determined on a case-by-case basis once a student is accepted and officially matriculates into the PhD program. Please note: course waivers do not substitute for the credit requirements. Students can enroll in elective courses to meet the requirement.
Please go to the PhD Network’s Funding FAQ page for all questions about funding.
A few required courses have online course equivalents that doctoral students may choose to take. However, we do not offer the program as an online program, and these online class offerings are very limited.
A strong match between a prospective student’s research interests and a faculty member is essential for admission. Your first step is to review faculty profiles, contact faculty whose work aligns with your interests to assess mutual fit, and describe potential matches in your personal statement. The faculty admissions committee will then evaluate fit during the review process. You do not need a faculty commitment before applying, and any faculty member listed on our website may accept students depending on fit and funding.
All materials should be submitted only through the SOPHAS portal; there is no separate university submission portal.
We welcome any questions you might have about our program.
ScD
Program Director, PhD Program in Population Health; Professor Public Health and Health Sciences
MPH
Program Manager, PhD Program in Population Health; Part-time Lecturer Public Health and Health Sciences
Students are trained to conduct highly rigorous research examining the social and environmental determinants of health through the use of quantitative and qualitative research methods. This is a cohesive, transdisciplinary program that integrates topics that include the five pillars of public health, including epidemiology, biostatistics, health program evaluation, environmental health, and social determinants of health.
Social Epidemiology
Advanced Methods in Biostatistics
Dissertation preparation classes
Directed Study (can be repeated as needed)
Sample Electives
Various electives (exact number of courses determined in conjunction with faculty advisor)
Environmental Health
Principles and History of Urban Health
Society, Behavior, and Health
Causal Inference 1 & 2
Generalized Linear Models
Foundations of Community Health Assessment
Qualitative Research Design
Geographic Information Systems for Urban and Regional Policy
Sociology of Health and Illness
Environment, Health, and Society
Social Movements in Health