Curtin University

What you'll study

The PhD in Public Health is a research-focused doctoral programme centred on an original thesis under the supervision of Curtin academic staff. Candidates pursue an in-depth research question within the broad field of public health—examples include health systems research, epidemiology, health promotion, environmental health, global health, chronic disease prevention, Indigenous health, health policy and health services evaluation.

Study comprises:

• a sustained, evidence-based research project that culminates in a doctoral thesis and viva voce examination;
• research training and professional development modules covering research design, advanced quantitative and/or qualitative methods, biostatistics, epidemiology, research ethics and knowledge translation;
• regular progress milestones, supervisory meetings and participation in research seminars or journal clubs;
• opportunities to publish in peer-reviewed journals, present at conferences and engage in interdisciplinary collaborations with industry, government and community partners.

PhD candidates may also undertake elective coursework or short courses tailored to their project needs (for example, advanced epidemiology, spatial analysis, health economics or implementation science) and must obtain any required ethics approvals for studies involving human participants or sensitive data.

Entry requirements

Admission is by approval of the Curtin Higher Degree Research admissions process and requires a research proposal and the identification of suitable supervisors. Typical academic entry pathways include a recognised research master’s degree in a relevant discipline or a bachelor’s honours degree with a substantial research component (first class honours is generally expected for direct entry from honours).

Applicants with extensive professional experience in public health, relevant industry experience or a strong record of research outputs may be considered. All applicants must meet Curtin’s English language proficiency requirements where applicable and satisfy any university checks for suitability to undertake higher degree research.

Applicants are advised to contact the Curtin School of Population Health or potential supervisors to discuss project ideas and supervisory capacity before formal application. Successful applicants will be required to comply with Curtin’s research candidature requirements, including progress reporting and training obligations.

Career prospects

Graduates of the PhD (Public Health) typically pursue careers as:

• academic researchers and university lecturers;
• research scientists in government and independent research institutes;
• senior policy analysts and advisers in local, state and national health departments;
• program managers and evaluators for NGOs, international agencies and health services;
• specialist consultants in areas such as epidemiology, health promotion, implementation science and health systems strengthening.

The programme equips graduates with advanced research skills, critical appraisal ability and experience in translating evidence into policy and practice, which are valued across public and private sector organisations involved in population health.

Why study at Curtin University

Curtin offers a multidisciplinary environment for public health research through its School of Population Health and links with clinical, environmental and social science researchers. Candidates benefit from experienced supervisors with expertise across applied public health fields and access to Curtin’s research facilities, data resources and collaborative industry and government partnerships.

Higher degree by research candidates at Curtin receive structured research training, candidate support services and opportunities to engage in collaborative projects, placements and community-engaged research. The School’s focus on translational research supports doctoral projects that aim to influence policy and practice locally, nationally and internationally.