Department of Population and Public Health Sciences

Igniting Discovery in Population and Public Health

Since its founding in 1977, the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences at Keck School of Medicine of USC has consistently ranked among the top Schools of Public Health in terms of competitively awarded funding from the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

Our faculty, staff and students do incredible research, and are leaders throughout the University. We’re part of making USC – and our communities – a better place.

Ricky Bluthenthal, PhD
Department Chair
Distinguished Professor of Population and Public Health Sciences

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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. Employers tell us that the practical skills our graduates possess make them some of the most prepared job candidates they encounter.

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6

Divisions

#2

Funding from the National Institutes of Health

12

Degree Programs

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Precision Public Health

Meeting needs specifically

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 having their specific needs met.

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Continuous Improvement and Growth

Rising to 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

Inclusive excellence

The Department is committed to fostering a welcoming and supportive work and learning environment. We actively recruit and retain students, faculty and staff from all backgrounds, ensuring a team that brings varied perspectives and experiences to our field.

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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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.

The department is ranked #1 nationally in NIH funding in its field according to the 2025 Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research rankings, and is part of the Keck School of Medicine of USC, which ranks #1 in NIH funding per investigator.

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