PhD in Public Health Sciences with specialization in Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences

The PhD in Public Health Sciences, specialization in Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences program at the University of Louisville, School of Public Health and Information Sciences is designed to prepare students for careers in higher education, upper-level management positions in government and private nonprofit health agencies, and research positions with universities, government agencies and in the private sector. In addition to gaining a solid foundation in the theories and concepts of the discipline, students also achieve competency as independent researchers.

Students interested in health equity and social justice will benefit from the multidisciplinary background of our faculty. In our department, students are uniquely trained to approach complex social and public health issues using theories, methods, and strategies from across diverse disciplines. In addition, our faculty possess a breadth of expertise in various designs, methods, approaches, and subject matter areas to support students in their academic and professional pursuits. Located in the heart of a metropolitan area, our hands-on training strengthens the science and practice of public health, equipping our graduates to be leaders in a variety of settings.

Please refer to the Student Handbook for additional information.

Competencies

By the end of the program, the successful student will be able to:

• Demonstrate a social justice perspective in considering and being sensitive to issues that influence public health, health policy, and the delivery of health care;
• Appraise the role of structural, social, political, behavioral, and psychological determinants in producing and maintaining population health and health inequities;
• Apply and critically evaluate multi-level theoretical models of health and health behavior to understand and intervene in societal, structural, community, and organizational influences on public health issues;
• Demonstrate expertise in selecting and applying rigorous and ethical research methods to conduct research in the student’s cognate area;
• Implement pedagogical techniques, with a focus on critical pedagogy, in the process of teaching and learning;
• Communicate effectively and clearly both orally and in writing, and present public health issues and research findings in their area of expertise to a variety of audiences; and
• Translate evidence into actionable information to develop and advocate for equitable policies and practices.

It is expected that prior to graduation, students in the program have demonstrated these competencies by completing the curriculum, passing the qualifying exam, successfully defending the dissertation, and participating in collaborative research and service activities.