Visit the Milken Institute School of Public Health website for additional information about academic programs and information about GWSPH. Graduate admissions information, including application requirements and deadlines, can be found on the GWSPH Graduate Admissions website.
The following requirements must be fulfilled: 48 credits, including 5 credits in core foundational courses,19 credits in program-specific courses, at least 12 credits in elective courses, and at least 12 credits in dissertation research.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Admissions prerequisites | ||
| The courses listed below are the required minimum prerequisite courses for admission consideration. Applicants who have not already completed these courses or their equivalent from another institution will not be considered for admission. | ||
| BISC 1111 & BISC 1112 | Introductory Biology: Cells and Molecules and Introductory Biology: The Biology of Organisms | |
| MATH 1231 | Single-Variable Calculus I | |
| MATH 1232 | Single-Variable Calculus II | |
| PUBH 6003 | Principles and Practices of Epidemiology | |
| Additional course requirements for admissions consideration | ||
| The courses listed below are additional preparatory course requirements. Applicants who have not already completed these courses or their equivalents will be considered for conditional admission with the expectation that the courses will be completed within two semesters following matriculation in the program. Credit for these courses does not count toward the 48 credits required for the degree and grades earned are not reflected in the overall grade-point average. | ||
| MATH 2184 | Linear Algebra I | |
| PUBH 6853 | Use of SAS for Data Management and Analysis | |
| or STAT 2183 | Intermediate Statistics Lab/Packages | |
Required for the degree
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required | ||
| Foundational courses | ||
| PUBH 6080 | Pathways to Public Health 1 | |
| PUBH 6247 | Epidemiologic Methods I: Design of Health Studies 2, 3 | |
| PUBH 8001 | Doctor of Philosophy Seminar on Cross-Cutting Concepts in Public Health | |
| PUBH 8475 | Research Ethics and Integrity in Domestic and International Research | |
| Program-specific courses | ||
| PUBH 6252 | Epidemiologic Methods II: Advanced Epidemiologic Methods 4 | |
| PUBH 6865 | Applied Categorical Data Analysis for Public Health Research | |
| PUBH 6866 | Principles of Clinical Trials | |
| PUBH 6868 | Quantitative Methods | |
| PUBH 6869 | Principles of Biostatistical Consulting | |
| PUBH 8419 | Measurement in Public Health and Health Services 3 | |
| PUBH 8877 | Generalized Linear Models in Biostatistics 3 | |
| Electives | ||
| At least 12 credits in graduate-level Public Health (PUBH) and/or Statistics (STAT) courses selected in consultation with the program director. Elective courses in other departments can be approved by the program director. | ||
| Dissertation | ||
| PUBH 8210 | Professional Skills Enhancement for Doctoral Students in Epidemiology | |
| PUBH 8435 | PhD Dissertation Proposal Development 4 | |
| PUBH 8999 | Dissertation Research | |
1PUBH 6080 can be waived for students who matriculate with a prior degree from a Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)-accredited institution.
2PUBH 6247can be waived for students who matriculate with an MPH degree or equivalent coursework and replaced with elective credits.
3These courses serve as the basis for the PhD general comprehensive examination.
4PUBH 8435 can be waived and replaced with additional dissertation research credits at the discretion of the program director.
Comprehensive examination
After completion of the course requirements, students take a comprehensive examination based on core courses. Upon successful completion of the examination, students officially enter the doctoral candidacy phase of the program.
Dissertation
Doctoral candidates prepare a written dissertation research proposal with guidance from their dissertation advisor and committee. Each doctoral candidate gives an oral presentation and defense to the committee who determines the student's readiness to commence the dissertation.
Doctoral candidates are required to conduct original research on a contemporary problem or issue. The dissertation includes at least one written manuscript and an oral presentation and defense.
Additional requirements for degree completion:
- Collaborative IRB Training Initiative (CITI) training requirement: All students must complete training regarding human subject protection regulation and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). To fulfill this requirement, students must complete the CITI course in The Protection of Human Research Subjects.
- Integrity quiz and plagiarism requirement: Students must review the George Washington University Code of Academic Integrity, take the quiz within their first semester of study, and ensure documentation is submitted to the SPH Office of Student Records.
- Professional enhancement requirement: Students must attend/participate in eight hours of epidemiology conferences. To be cleared for graduation, students must submit required documentation of applicable professional enhancement activities to the SPH Office of Student Records.
- Completion of a graduate teaching assistantship program certificate. See the GTAP website for additional information.
- Grade-point average: A minimum program grade-point average of 3.0.
- Time limit: The degree must be completed within seven years of matriculation.
Additional information regarding School of Public Health doctoral programs is available on the SPH website.