The PhD concentration in Community Health Sciences provides students with an understanding of a substantive area of public health knowledge, and advanced research and analytical skills within a public and community health context. Graduates are equipped with the conceptual, theoretical, and analytic tools to conduct cutting-edge research and translate knowledge into information and practice to improve health at the community level.  Utilizing both quantitative and qualitative methods, students explore a wide variety of public health issues across diverse populations and communities, with a focus on addressing healthcare disparities and the impact of these disparities on health status throughout the life course.

The division of Community Health Sciences offers its doctoral students the opportunity to engage with experts in their area of interest within the School of Public Health, the broader UI Health and UIC communities, Chicago, and abroad.  Our PhD program graduates play leading roles in research conducted through myriad organizations such as the Chicago Center for Youth Violence Prevention, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, UIC Cancer Center, and the Institute for Health Research and Policy; and serve as faculty at a variety of institutions including the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Wayne State University College of Education, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, DePaul University, and Rush University.