Graduate Admissions Webinars
Connect with our Public Health faculty and learn about graduate study opportunities during a 1-hour webinar and Q&A. This will provide an opportunity for potential applicants to learn more about the campus, the department and the Ph.D. program. You will have an opportunity to ask questions of faculty member and a representative from the Graduate Division. The meetings will be held on the Zoom platform, and we will contact you with sign on information shortly before the event.
10/26 at 12 p.m.: https://applygrad.ucmerced.edu/register/?id=b0b7114a-1e30-4030-b739-0557ae6e1f83
11/5 at 4 p.m.: https://applygrad.ucmerced.edu/register/?id=ebe91edc-71a2-44ae-8e9b-d62a1eb3d8cb
About the Ph.D. Program
Public Health graduate training is designed to promote and protect health in the San Joaquin Valley and the world through research and action, including preparing the next generation of public health professionals and leaders. Public Health at UC Merced is a vibrant and collegial intellectual community, marked by outstanding scholarship and participation in interdisciplinary communities of inquiry.
UC Merced and the Public Health Ph.D. program are committed to the success and support of our graduate students. All admitted doctoral students receive generous funding packages, and with the lowest cost of living across the UC system, funding stretches further at UC Merced — allowing our students to focus on research and a timely completion of degree.
Interested in applying? For more information, visit Application and Admission.
A Message from the Graduate Chair
Our graduate program is designed to prepare the next generation of public health professionals for leadership in health-promoting research and action. Our faculty and PhD students collaborate to pursue novel research questions, apply interdisciplinary mixed-methods approaches, and engage with stakeholder communities, creating new knowledge that addresses today’s most pressing public health problems.
The doctoral program is full-time, on-site, and is designed to train students for research careers in both higher education and public and private agencies outside of academia. We are committed to the success and support of all our graduate students.
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All admitted doctoral students receive generous funding packages, and with the lowest cost of living across the UC system, funding stretches further at UC Merced — allowing our students to focus on their research and timely completion of degree.
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Check out our resources for prospective students, digital program brochure, current students, and faculty research areas. You can also request more information about our graduate program or email me with questions.
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Great news – we no longer require the GRE!
We welcome your interest in our program and encourage you to reach out as you explore your options for graduate education in public health.
Maria-Elena De Trinidad Young, Ph.D., MPH
Assistant Professor and Graduate Chair in Public Health
mariaelena@ucmerced.edu
Updated September 2026
