PhD Public Health Eligibility, Distance Learning, Colleges, Admission, Entrance Exams, Syllabus, Jobs, Salary 2023

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Arunima Sethi

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A PhD in Public Health is a 3-Year Doctorate program. The Course is considered a top degree in every domain. This course is available in both the regular and distance learning mode. 

This degree will train self-determining researchers, teachers and leaders to deliver them with strong academic background through coursework and depicts them up to date experimental approaches through research work, build up analytical skills from side to side writing a thesis, and build up leadership skills through role modeling in a helpful environment. 

Check Top PhD Public Health Colleges in India here. 

PhD in public health Program provides training and experiences that prop up interdisciplinary learning, encourage critical and theory-based problem-solving skills to address public health harms, and foster the growth of public health professional values and ethics.

To be eligible to apply to this course, students must hold a Master’s degree in relevant discipline from a recognized university. 

Admission to this program will be done based on the candidate's performance in the entrance exam which is followed by a personal interview round conducted by the college or university.

The average annual fees for PhD in Public Health course in Indian colleges usually ranges between INR 15,000 and INR 1,50,000. The average salary offered to a degree holder in PhD Public Health is around INR 3,00,000 to INR 10,00,000, but this can be higher on the basis of experience and other factors.After completing the PhD Public Health program, students have many job opportunities in India as well as abroad. Students will be able to find work as a Research Public Health Analyst, Public Health Economist, Public Health Planning, and Education Officer, Public Health Research Epidemiologist etc. in the areas like Research Public Health Analyst, Public Health Economist, Public Health, Planning, and Education Officer, Public Health Research Epidemiologist and many more. 

If students wish to do further research, they can become independent researchers and publish their research papers. They can also earn a DSc (Doctor of Science) degree in the related domain in future.

PhD Public Health Course Highlights

Highlights for PhD Public Health program are provided in the table given below:

Degree PhD in Public Health
Full-Form Doctorate in Philosophy in Public Health
Duration 3 - 5 years
Examination Type Semester
Eligibility Criteria Postgraduate in the relevant discipline with at least 55% marks from a UGC recognized Indian or foreign university
Admission Process Entrance Exam followed by personal interview and group discussion
Average Annual Fees  INR 15,000 to 1,50,000
Average Annual Salary INR 3,00,000 to 10,00,000
Job Roles Public Health Program Evaluator, Epidemiologist, Vaccine Researcher, Behavioral Scientist, Policy Developer, Public Health Veterinarian, Tropical Disease Specialist and Professor etc. 

PhD Public Health: What is it about?

Information and details about the PhD Health course are as follows.

What is Phd Public Health?
  • PhD in Public Health has been planned to furnish qualified candidates with the mandatory skills needed to operate in the field of Public Health and Management of Various institutions and associated enterprises along with government bodies.
  • The course syllabus covers the concepts, medicinal requirements, fundamentals associated with the field, Health, etc. 
  • This degree will train self-determining researchers, teachers and leaders to deliver them with strong academic background through coursework and depicts them up to date experimental approaches through research work, build up analytical skills from side to side writing a thesis, and build up leadership skills through role modeling in a helpful environment. 
  • PhD in public health Program provides training and experiences that prop up interdisciplinary learning, encourage critical and theory-based problem-solving skills to address public health harms, and foster the growth of public health professional values and ethics. 
  • The main aim of this course is to make candidates aware and attain proficient knowledge available on the subject and publish their theses and earn accordingly. 

Why study PhD Public Health?

The goal to attain a PhD Public Health degree will depend on each individual’s aspirations and goals. Some of the benefits of doing this course has been mentioned below:

  • A PhD in Public Health program is advantageous for candidates who want to achieve leadership roles in the field of Public Health, particularly strategy analysis collaborated with the government. 
  • During a degree in Public Health, candidates are allowed to work in various practicalities as a Physician, Dietician, Social Work, Public Health Analyst etc.
  • PhD in Public Health program facilitates the integration of practical fieldwork along with the academic subject. This enhances the sanitation principles of the communities in the nation and enables the populace to lead an improved way of life.
  • On completion of this course, students get lucrative salary packages ranging between INR 3,00,000 and 10,00,000. 

PhD Public Health Admission Process

Admission Process

  • Most of the colleges and universities conduct entrance exams for admission to PhD Public Health courses. 
  • After clearing the entrance exam, candidate’s research topic, proposal, methodology etc. are checked and an interview is conducted. 

Entrance Based Admission

Most of the colleges and universities offer admission to PhD Public Health on the basis of entrance exams like DUET, IPU CET, BHU RAT etc.

The step-by-step procedure for entrance-based admission is as follows: 

  • Step1: Students have to register on the official website. 
  • Step2: Fill the application form with correct details.
  • Step3: After examination, a cutoff list will be released on the website. Seats will then be allotted to candidates based on their scores in the entrance exam. 
  • Step4: Some colleges also conduct personal interviews and group discussion for admission to this course. 
  • Step5: On meeting all the eligibility criteria, a student will then be offered admission to the course.  

What is the PhD Public Health Eligibility Criteria?

A student must have to be eligible to pursue a certain course. The eligibility criteria for the PhD Public Health course are the following:-

  • The student must complete a Master’s degree or M.Phil degree in relevant discipline from a recognized university.
  • He/she should get a minimum of 55% of the aggregate of marks from any recognized university.
  • Must clear cut-off marks in the entrance examination are the prime requirement for getting admission in this course
  • The students also have to do well in the Personal Interview round.

Which is the popular PhD in Public Health Entrance Exams?

There are a few universities and colleges in India which have an entrance exam for admission for this course. The detailed information about various entrance examinations is given below:

Entrance Exam Exam Dates
IIT JAM Check Here
VITMEE Check Here
UGC NET To be Announced

How to Prepare for a PhD Public Health Entrance Exams?

A candidate needs to have good skills and knowledge sets to qualify the entrance examination for PhD in Public Health. A few tips to help you develop for excellent performance in the exam are given below:

  • Learning about the syllabus for the entrance exam: The very first step is to download a copy of the syllabus from the respective college/ entrance exam website available. It is great to have a to the point facts of the syllabus that can help one to know the depth of the subject which is included in the course.
  • Reading and revising previous topics: Do read and make sure to revise topics that can be extremely essential for the point of the examination as it can help to have a perfect usage of the time and score good marks. Revising old books or topics also helps to gain conceptual learning that makes it a lot easier for the candidate at the exam time.
  • The Golden rule of “Practice makes perfect”: A Candidate should practice and revise all the concepts before the exam as many times possible so that the last moment stress can be buried away.

How to get admission to a good PhD Public Health college?

There are a number of colleges that offer a PhD program in Public Health. To get admission to a top college or university, one will have to be on the lookout for notifications released by such colleges. One can search for notifications by visiting the college websites from time to time. Following are some of the measures that can be undertaken to get admission to a top college for undertaking this PhD course.

  • Students will have to prepare exceptionally well for the entrance tests. Only when you qualify the entrance exams with a very good score are their chances for you to get admission. In most cases, the entrance test has a 70% weightage in selection.
  • For getting a good score in the entrance tests, the candidates will have to be thorough with their subjects and need to prepare well for the test. 
  • The candidates need to do well in the interview part too. Before appearing for the interview, one should brush up some of the important topics related to their field of study. Questions could also be asked about the candidate’s research proposal. So one should prepare about the research proposal too. It helps, if one gets to attend mock interviews, so as to get familiarized with the interview process.
  • Past academic achievements and a good academic record goes a long way in getting selected. So make a list of all such achievements and produce them in front of the panel as and when asked to do so.

Which are the top PhD Public Health Colleges?

The table given below shows the best PhD Public Health colleges and universities that offer the course in a full-time mode.

NIRF Ranking Name of the College/ University Admission Process Average Annual Fees  Average Annual Salary
14 MAHE, Manipal Entrance-Based INR 59,000 INR 6,78,000
15 University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad Entrance-Based INR 11,210 INR 5,44,000
37 Jamia Hamdard University, New Delhi Entrance-Based INR 1,52,000 INR 8,55,000
44 KIIT, Bhubaneswar  Entrance-Based INR 2,25,000 INR 7,55,000
57 TISS, Mumbai Entrance-Based INR 60,200 INR 8,00,000
58 SRM IST, Kanchipuram Entrance-Based INR 16,000 INR 4,00,000
63 Amity University, Noida Entrance-Based INR 1,00,000 INR 6,00,000
101 KLE University, Belgaum Entrance-Based INR 78,000 INR 3,25,000
101 CUK, Kasaragod Entrance-Based INR 34,660 INR 2,85,000
Average Annual Salary

Source: College Websites

PhD Public Health College Comparison

The tabulation below depicts the comparison made among the three top PhD Public Health colleges in India.

Parameters MAHE, Manipal University of Hyderabad Jamia Hamdard University, New Delhi
Overview MAHE offers a large number of UG, PG and Research courses like BTech, MCA, MD, B Arch, and many more in the fields such as medical, architecture, dentistry, engineering, hospitality, management, etc.  The University of Hyderabad provides postgraduate and doctorate level courses across different streams of engineering, management, science and technology etc. Admissions to these courses are based on written tests and entrance exams. The Jamia Hamdard University is deemed to be University which is recommended by the University Grants Commission (UGC). This deemed university offers a large number of programs at the UG, PG and Research level 
Location Manipal Hyderabad New Delhi
NIRF Ranking 14 15 37
Eligibility Criteria Master’s degree in relevant discipline from a recognized university.  Master’s degree in relevant discipline from a recognized university.  Master’s degree in relevant discipline from a recognized university. 
Admission Process Entrance-Based Entrance-Based Entrance-Based
Average Fees INR 59,000 INR 11,210 INR 1,52,000
Average Salary INR 6,78,000 INR 5,44,000 INR 8,55,000
Top Job Positions Research Public Health Analyst, Public Health Economist, Public Health Planning, and Education Officer, Public Health Research Epidemiologist etc. Research Public Health Analyst, Public Health Economist, Public Health Planning, and Education Officer, Public Health Research Epidemiologist etc. Research Public Health Analyst, Public Health Economist, Public Health Planning, and Education Officer, Public Health Research Epidemiologist etc.

Comparision of Average Annual Fees and Salary

Source: College Websites

PhD Public Health Distance Learning

Sometimes, because of various reasons, one cannot pursue the desired course through regular learning mode, in such cases distance learning mode comes to their rescue. Students can pursue a PhD Public Health course through distance mode. Before taking admission, Students must check for the validity of the course and the college in distance or correspondence mode.

  • In order to be eligible for this course through correspondence mode students need to hold a Master’s in relevant discipline from a recognized university. 
  • The minimum duration required to complete this course from distance mode is 3 year and the maximum duration of the same is 5 years.
  • Admission to PhD Public Health course through correspondence mode is merit-based.
  • The average fee for the course ranges from INR 40,000 to INR 3,00,000 annually.

What is the Syllabus of PhD Public Health?

Although the PhD in Public Health program syllabus varies from college to college, it mostly consists of some common foundation courses that students can select based on their interests.

The semester-wise syllabus of PhD Public Health course is provided in the table given below: 

Semester I Semester II
Fundamentals of Public Health Basics of Epidemiology
Human environmental science & Public Health Chemistry The Demography & people Sciences
Medical & Health data Project plan & supervisory
Study Methods in Public Health transmissible & contagious Diseases
Health Psychology, communiqué & Counseling Non-Contagious Diseases
Semester III Semester IV
The health of susceptible Populations Public Health nourishment
Environmental Health & Sustainable expansion Health Systems expansion & supervision
Occupational, industrialized and municipal Health International Health program
Health strategy, plan & finances Research Project based on the course
Internship -

PhD Public Health vs PhD Health Science

PhD Public Health and PhD Health Science are two different doctoral level courses in the field of Health Sciences which are offered by a large number of institutes across India. 

Check the table below for more comparative details:

Parameters PhD Public Health PhD Health Science
Qualification PhD in Public Health PhD Health Science
Duration 3 – 5 years 3 – 5 years
Eligibility Postgraduate with at least 55% marks in the relevant stream Master’s degree in relevant discipline from a recognized university. 
Course Overview Major prospects of the course involve analyzing the health of the population and the various threats associated with human life. This course helps to study major disciplines like Life Sciences, Clinical Engineering, Medical Science and Physiological Sciences. 
Admission Process Entrance exam followed by personal interview and some instances a group discussion as well. Entrance exam followed by personal interview
Average Annual Fee INR 15,000 – 1,50,000 INR 10,000 - 2,00,000
Average Annual Salary INR 3,00,000 - 10,00,000 INR 2,00,000 - 10,00,000
Top Job Profiles Research Public Health Analyst, Public Health Economist, Public Health Planning, and Education Officer, Public Health Research Epidemiologist etc. Health Educators, Health Inspectors, Pharmacist, Physiotherapist, Nurse, Physician Assistant etc. 

Average Annual Fees
Average Annual Salary

Source: College Websites

What are Job Prospects and Career Options after PhD Public Health?

  • On completion of a PhD Public Health course, students can opt to work in both the public and private sector. 
  • A large number of firms hire PhD Public Health degree holders. Some of the prominent ones include International Public Health Organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations, Hospitals etc. 

Tabulation below shows some of the most common PhD Public Health job profiles and career prospects after completing the course are as follows: 

Job Profile Job Description Average Annual Salary
Public Health Planning and Education Officer Public Health Planning and Education Officers are Responsible for the psychoanalysis and understanding of statistics for preparation and front actions and agenda initiative. INR 3,00,000
Public Health Consultant A Public Health Consultant works along with business firms, government agencies, communities and health care amenities to help develop the taken as the whole wellbeing of residents. INR 5,45,000
Public Health Policy Advisor Public Health Advisor is an individual who offers help and counsel about a matter that engages humanizing community health actions. Public Health Advisors can help a wide range of amenities and organizations, including public, non-profit, and private groups. INR 6,25,000
Public Health Research Epidemiologist Public Health Research Epidemiologists are required to take the accountability of information management and perform literature searches to maintain, and present study data. INR 7,44,000
Public Health Economist A Public Health Economist is responsible for recognizing, investigating, understanding, and producing improvement. They are also liable for professional management in the segment of Public Health preservation. INR 4,00,000
Average Annual Salary vs Jobs

Source: College Websites

What are the Future Scopes of PhD Public Health?

PhD degree is a doctorate level degree and is the highest educational degree one can earn in the country. Generally one does not pursue further studies post completion of the PhD Public Health degree.

Employability is high and graduates are hired quickly upon completion of their degree in high pay job profiles. With this course, there is no limit to learning and knowledge.

  • They have teaching jobs in colleges/universities after this course and then clearing the UGC-NET exam required for becoming a permanent lecturer.
  • They have many jobs in Hospitals, Colleges/ Universities, Healthcare Organizations etc. 
  • Students can also opt for a DSc (Doctor of Science) degree in any related field. 
  • After gaining adequate experience in the related field, PhD Public Health degree holders can work in research laboratories.  
  • Once you finish your PhD you can also be qualified for a lecturer post in Public Health and also to teach in colleges and universities with UGC scales.

PhD Public Health FAQs

Some of the most frequently asked questions pertaining to the PhD Public Health program are as follows: 

Ques. What is the eligibility criteria for the admission for a PhD in Public Health?

Ans. Candidate’s must have completed their master's degree with an aggregate of at least 45% marks from a recognized university. The eligibility percentage varies as per different universities and colleges. Therefore, candidates are highly advised to visit the respective college website for further details. Only candidates who apply for entrances like NET or national level entrances and qualify them are eligible to take admissions.

Ques. What documents are required for a PhD in Public Health course?

Ans. Documents required for the admission to this course are Post-graduation degree, Transfer certificate, Migration Certificate, Aadhar Card, Anti- Ragging undertaking (as per institution requirements) etc.

Ques. What is the minimum and maximum salary that a PhD in Public Health degree holder gets?

Ans. The average annual salary that a student gets after completing a PhD Public Health program usually ranges between INR 3,00,000 and 10,00,000. 

Ques. What is a PhD in Public Health? 

Ans. The PhD Public Health course focuses on both the practical field work and the theoretical work in order to enhance the hygiene standards of the communities and enable people to live a healthy lifestyle. 

Ques. What Job Opportunities are available after the successful completion of this course?

Ans. A large number of jobs are available to students on completion of a PhD Public Health course such as Public Health Program Evaluator, Epidemiologist, Vaccine Researcher, Behavioral Scientist, Policy Developer, Public Health Veterinarian, Tropical Disease Specialist etc. 

Ques. Am I eligible for a government job after doing a PhD in Public Health from distance learning?

Ans. Yes, you are eligible to apply to a govt. job. job after successful completion from registered universities that offer distance learning education.

Ques. What is the benefit of choosing a PhD in a Public Health course?

Ans. PhD in public health prepares candidates to scrupulously explore the program. The degree will train self-determining researchers, teachers, and leaders to deliver them with strong academic background through coursework, depict them to up to date experimental approaches through research work, build up analytical skills from side to side writing a thesis, and build up leadership skills through role modeling in a helpful environment. PhD in public health Program provides training and experiences that prop up interdisciplinary learning, encourage critical and theory-based problem-solving skills to address public health harms, and foster the growth of public health professional values and ethics.

Ques. Which entrance exams are required for a PhD in Public Health?

Ans. As per the different universities, their respective entrance examinations are held, for example, BHU-CET, AMU-CET, etc. The Main is the NET examination.

Ques. Can I pursue a PhD Public Health program in Distance learning mode? 

Ans: Yes, distance learning is available in open universities like SRM, SYMBIOSIS etc.

Ques. What percentage is required in a Master's degree in order to be eligible for the PhD in Public Health?

Ans. At least 45-50% in masters and entrance examinations which are accepted on a national level like NET are required.

Ques. Is there any scholarship available for a PhD Public Health course in Indian Colleges/ Universities?

Ans. Yes, there are scholarships available for meritorious candidates. To avail and get more information, it is highly advised to visit the campus office. The staff usually tells about the eligibility criteria and documents requirements regarding the scholarships. 

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