Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior
The Ph.D. in Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, housed in the Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, is designed for students who want to become researchers, scholars, faculty members and leaders who study health behavior and develop strategies to improve public health.
This doctoral program is a strong fit for students who are interested in how people, communities, systems and environments shape health. Students learn to design and conduct rigorous social and behavioral sciences research, develop and evaluate health promotion interventions, and prepare to teach the next generation of public health professionals.
Students work in a supportive, mentor-based academic community with faculty whose research addresses health behavior change, social determinants of health, health communication, community health, technology-supported interventions, policy and environmental approaches, and health equity.
Curriculum
The Ph.D. degree requires 48 hours of post-master’s coursework or 60 hours of post-baccalaureate coursework, including 12 hours of dissertation preparation.
Students complete core coursework in Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, including social determinants of health, social and physical environment interventions, advanced evaluation of health promotion programs, and health education research seminar. Students also complete research methods coursework, electives, teaching preparation and dissertation research.
View the Academic Bulletin for the full curriculum for the Ph.D. program.
Admissions Requirements
Applicants must apply through the Schools of Public Health Application Service, SOPHAS.
Applicants should contact faculty members in their area of interest before applying. Doctoral applicants should be supported by at least two HPEB faculty members willing to serve as mentors in order to be admitted into the program.
Applications are accepted for fall admission. The fall application deadline is December 1.
View the HPEB application requirements, Graduate School application requirements and Academic Bulletin for full details.
Where Our Grads Work
Graduates of the Ph.D. in Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior are prepared for leadership, teaching and research careers in settings such as universities and colleges, academic research centers and institutes, health research organizations, public health and government agencies, community-based and nonprofit organizations and more. Our alumni go on to roles such as professors, researchers and scientists, educators, program evaluators, and others.
Some of our alumni are working at the University of South Carolina and the South Carolina Departments of Public Health and Environmental Services
Graduate Assistantships
A graduate assistantship is a part-time position that allows graduate students to work in a variety of roles while completing their degree.
Graduate assistants may support faculty research, assist with grant-funded projects, help with teaching, contribute to evaluation or intervention projects, or support departmental, administrative or program-related work.
Graduate assistants must be admitted to a degree program and enrolled as full-time students. At the Arnold School, graduate assistantships typically require 10 to 20 hours of work per week, depending on the position.
Graduate assistantships may provide a stipend and a special tuition rate. Assistantship funding can vary by position, faculty mentor, department and funding source.
Students interested in assistantships should contact the program to which they are applying and talk with potential faculty mentors about available research funding. Because the Ph.D. is mentor-based, applicants should discuss research alignment and possible funding with faculty before applying.
Learn more about graduate financial aid and assistantships.
Tuition
Tuition and fees are subject to change and vary based on enrollment status, residency and assistantship eligibility. Students are encouraged to explore financial aid options, scholarships, fellowships and assistantships to help support their education.
Learn more from the Arnold School’s financial aid information and USC’s Tuition and Fees resources.
Frequently Asked Questions
Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior applies the social and behavioral sciences to improve public health. The field examines how individual, organizational, community, social, cultural, policy and environmental factors shape health behavior and health outcomes.
Graduates are prepared for leadership roles that emphasize research, teaching and professional service. These roles are often located in academic, research, public health, government or health-focused organizational settings.
The majority of doctoral applicants have a master’s degree. In some cases, applicants with a four-year baccalaureate degree or equivalent and additional research experience may be considered for admission review.
Yes. Potential applicants are required to contact faculty members in their area of interest before applying. Doctoral applicants should be supported by at least two HPEB faculty members willing to serve as mentors in order to be admitted into the program.
No. GRE scores are optional.
Applications are accepted for fall admission. The fall application deadline is December 1. Applicants who wish to apply after the deadline should contact the HPEB graduate director for permission before applying.
Join the Next Ph.D. Program Cohort
Learn how to apply and submit your application to the Ph.D. in Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior.
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Contact Us
If you have questions about the Ph.D. in Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, please contact Christine Blake, Ph.D., RD., Graduate Director, at 803-777-1484 or ceblake@mailbox.sc.edu.