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PhD in Public Health

 

About the PhD 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 PhD 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 group of public health researchers holding signs   A person in a graduation gown holding flowers  

 

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.

  • 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.

We welcome your interest in our program and encourage you to reach out as you explore your options for graduate education in public health.

Public Health Professor Sidra Goldman-Mellor

Sidra Goldman-Mellor, PhD, MPH
Associate Professor and Graduate Chair in Public Health
sgoldman-mellor@ucmerced.edu

Updated February 2025