Those admitted to the PhD program will receive a full-funding package while pursuing their degree. The package includes tuition coverage and a stipend. Please visit the Graduate School's PhD Financial Support page for more information.
The PhD program curriculum is available here. Please note that the PhD program course descriptions are pending university approval and are subject to change.
With rare exceptions, all DPHS PhD students are admitted with a service requirement as Research Assistants. This means that PhD students are required to provide 19.9 hours per week of work in exchange for their stipend, typically in the form of research in connection with their faculty adviser's research portfolio. All PhD programs in Duke Graduate School are 12-month programs, which means that fulfillment of this service requirement is a year-long requirement. PhD students may not exceed the 19.9 hour per week work limit at any point in the year, regardless of whether or not classes are in session.
We recommend that students visit this site to determine their loan forgiveness eligibility. A variety of factors are considered when determining eligibility, such as marital status, tax witholdings, as well as institutional support, and the university’s status as a non-profit.
The School of Medicine and the Department of Population Health Sciences hold as a central tenet that diversity and inclusion are key drivers of institutional excellence and amplify our capacity for innovation and solving complex problems. The department takes seriously its responsibility to recruit and retain students that exemplify a diversity of backgrounds, life experiences, and perspectives. We strongly encourage applications from traditionally underrepresented minorities, those from disadvantaged backgrounds, and those with disabilities. Duke offers the following resources in that regard:
We ask that you to hold off on reaching out to prospective mentors before your acceptance into the program. While the online degree application requires you to identify potential mentors from our department, after your acceptance into the doctoral program, you'll have ample opportunity to connect with these faculty members.
Some guidance on how to think about identifying future mentors:
- Consider about your research interests:
- What excites you in your research field?
- What is a productive area that fits your values and your career plans?
- Who is engaged in research that is complementary to your interests?