The University of California, Irvine has announced the launch of a new Ph.D. program in health, society and behavior at the Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health, with its first cohort to begin in fall 2026.
The program aims to train students to analyze and address social, political and structural forces that influence population health outcomes. Students will take advanced courses, conduct community-engaged research, and complete independent dissertation projects focused on developing evidence-based solutions for advancing health equity among vulnerable and underserved groups.
“This program is designed for students who want to do more than study health inequities – they want to solve them,” said Dylan Roby, chair and professor of health, society and behavior at Wen Public Health. “Our graduates will leave UC Irvine equipped to design and evaluate interventions, shape policy and drive systemic change in public health.”
The curriculum emphasizes critical analysis of health disparities as well as training in qualitative and quantitative research methods. Students will work closely with faculty mentors while pursuing dissertation research aimed at improving health equity. The competencies developed include evaluating evidence, analyzing determinants of health, conducting original research, and engaging communities to create solutions.
Graduates are expected to be prepared for careers across academia, government agencies, nonprofit organizations and the private sector. The degree results from curriculum development by the Department of Health, Society, and Behavior within Wen Public Health.
Students admitted into the program will benefit from a cohort model, individualized faculty mentorship based on their interests, access to new facilities in UC Irvine’s health sciences core area as well as full funding packages that may include teaching or research assistantships along with fellowships or summer support. Subsidized on-campus housing is guaranteed for up to five years for Ph.D. students and their families.
Applications open October 1 for admission in fall 2026; the deadline is December 1, 2025. Applicants must hold at least a master’s degree in a relevant discipline; advanced degrees such as M.P.H., M.S., or M.P.P. are preferred.
More information about the program can be found at https://publichealth.uci.edu/degrees-programs/doctoral-programs/phd-in-health-society-behavior/.
UC Irvine was established in 1965 and is part of the Association of American Universities. It is ranked among the top ten public universities nationally according to U.S. News & World Report rankings (https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/university-of-california-irvine-1314). The university has produced several Nobel laureates since its founding (https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/lists/all-nobel-laureates-in-physiology-or-medicine/), offers over 200 degree programs (https://uci.edu/academics/degrees.php), enrolls more than 36,000 students (https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/infocenter/fall-enrollment-glance), serves as Orange County’s second-largest employer (https://careercenter.sites.uci.edu/employer-faq/) with an annual economic impact exceeding $7 billion locally (https://news.uci.edu/2019/07/01/economic-impact-report-highlights-ucis-contribution-to-orange-county-and-beyond/) and $8 billion statewide (https://news.ucop.edu/2021/06/02/new-report-shows-ucs-economic-impact-tops-82-billion-annually-statewide/).
For further details about UC Irvine visit www.uci.edu.
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