Department of Population and Public Health Sciences

On the Forefront of Population
and Public Health

Since its founding in 1977, the Keck School of Medicine’s Department of Population and Public Health Sciences has consistently ranked among the top 10 Schools of Public Health in terms of competitively-awarded funding from the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Further, our programs prepare students for impactful careers in population and public health sciences, and employers tell us that the real-world, practical skills our graduates possess make them some of the most prepared job candidates they encounter.

Department Chair

A Message from
Howard Hu, MD, MPH, ScD

Through discovery, training and action we are solving public health and health equity challenges, from local to global, for today and tomorrow.

Join a new generation of trailblazers

Learn real-world skills and make connections needed to stand out and improve population and public health. The Department offers undergraduate, master’s, doctoral and post-doctoral education and training programs that nurture students to become innovators and leaders – in their communities and around the world.

Explore our education programs

6

Divisions

#2

Funding from the National Institutes of Health

12

Degree Programs

125+ Faculty

Our faculty work across a broad research portfolio while fostering partnerships across the University, local and global organizations, and communities for a truly transdisciplinary and collaborative approach. They pursue evidence-based solutions that utilize ‘big data’ and state-of-the-art analysis methods to identify risk factors and policy approaches to improve human health.

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Join our Faculty

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Research Across Disciplines

Home to highly active centers and institutes and a wide variety of research studies, work in the department serves to advocate for and inform community and organizational action. In addition to significant work in USC’s surrounding communities in Los Angeles and the United States, the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences conducts research and provides educational opportunities in more than a dozen countries.

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Preventive Pros: the Podcast

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Focus on Health Equity

Health as a rights and equity issue

Our experts know a one-size-fits-all approach to health simply does not work. Whether via policy, access to care, community programs or other resources, healthy populations can only truly be achieved when all people are provided equitable opportunity for health.

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Continuous Improvement and Growth

Local to global health challenges

Highly active, the Department is recognized as one of the top research units of its kind in the country. The Department of Population and Public Health Sciences is poised to meet new challenges by growing its faculty, research and education programs in the name of health for all.

Reflection and Belonging

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The Department is committed to creating and sustaining a diverse, inclusive environment for our students, faculty, staff and other community members. Through tangible efforts and creating space for input across the Department, we aim to continually improve as we prioritize a culture of reflection, empowerment and belonging.