Community Health Ph.D.
The Community Health Ph.D. prepares students for academic and research careers that will enable them to find solutions to the health-related problems facing our society today and into the future.
The Community Health Ph.D. at Illinois offers students the opportunity to focus their studies in six major areas of concentration, allowing them to do work that is important to them. This program trains future community health researchers and practitioners as they address some of our greatest challenges.
Areas of Research
| Areas of Research | Examples of study topics |
|---|---|
| Health Promotion and Behavioral Intervention | Health behavior, physical activity, nutrition, physical and mental health, perinatal woman health, healthy aging |
| Health Disparity | Global health, immigrant health, minority health, rural communities |
| Health Technology from Design to Implementation | Human factors, technology use in diverse populations and in the context of daily life, implications of technology use for health across the life span |
| Rehabilitation, Disability and Chronic Illness | Wellness, quality of life, psychosocial adjustment, transition, and social participation |
| Applied Health Data Analytics | Analysis of electronic health records (EHR), operational data, spatially and temporally organized data, dyadic data, etc. |
Admissions Requirements
- The minimum of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution of higher education
- 3.50 GPA
- Although the GRE scores are not required, the scores may provide helpful supporting information in some cases. Applicants who have taken the GRE and feel their scores would benefit their application are encouraged to submit the scores. If you would like to submit scores, we recommend you scan your official score report as a PDF file and attach it to your application. You do not need to submit official scores through ETS, but if you decide to, please use our University code of 1836. Your application must demonstrate sufficient academic/quantitative preparedness to be considered for admission to the program. Your prior coursework, volunteer and/or work experiences, and recommendations are just a few of the items that will be reviewed to gauge your preparedness for graduate studies.
- 3 Letters of recommendation
- Personal Statement
- Resume
- Official Transcripts
- International students must also submit Test of English as a Foreign Language scores, with a minimum for full status admission: 103 (TOEFL - IBT) or 7.5 (IELTS). Scores cannot be more than 2 years old. Please see more information about the DUPLINGO test here.
- Students for whom English is not their native language and who wish to be considered for a teaching assistantship must achieve a score on the speaking sub-section of 24 (TOEFL - IBT) or 8 (IELTS). See this page for more details.
Admission Deadlines
Students may apply to either the M.S. or the Ph.D. program. Applications for Fall admission are due on January 15. Applications for Spring semester are due on October 1.
Curriculum
Curriculum
For more information about degree requirements talk to your advisor or review the academic catalog.
| Code | Course |
|---|---|
|
Advanced Research Methods/Statistics
Hours: 4 |
|
| HK 562 |
HK 562 Teaching in the Professorate
Hours: 4 |
| HK 591 |
HK 591 Seminar
Hours: 8 |
|
Specialization Courses
Hours: 8 |
|
|
Additional Research Methods/Statistics
Hours: 8 |
|
| HK 599 |
HK 599 Thesis Research
Hours: 32 |
Total Hours: 64
Other Requirements (may overlap)
- Final exam/dissertation defense
- Dissertation deposit
- Minimum 3.0 GPA
English Proficiency Test: TOEFL
| English Proficiency Test | Minimum for Limited Status Admission with English as a Second Language Placement Test Required* | Minimum for Full Status Admission** |
|---|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT | 79-102 | greater than 102 |
| TOEFL CBT | 213-253 | greater than 253 |
| TOEFL PBT | 550-610 | greater than 610 |
| IELTS (academic exam) | 6.5-7.0 | greater than 7.0 |
If students want to be considered for a teaching assistantship, they must have at least 24 on the speaking part of the TOEFL.
If you are an international student, information about a VISA can be found here.
Apply Now
Follow the link below to follow begin your application.