PhD at Bagchi School of Public Health

Yes, candidates can also register for a part-time doctoral programme.

The tuition fee for part-time doctoral students of Epidemiology is INR 24,000 per semester.

However, the course requirements will remain the same as for full-time students. There is no provision for online classes for doctoral candidates. They must complete the course credits by attending the classes in person.

As soon as the student joins the programme, the Programme Chair will appoint a faculty mentor in consultation with the School Dean, considering the student's interests. The mentor will help the candidate select courses for study, suggest additional course requirements to broaden the area of research, and provide guidance in preparing for the comprehensive examination. In the AMSOM, the Area Coordinator in which the student is enrolled will be the mentor.

After clearing the comprehensive exam, the student will select a dissertation advisor and two to three members of the dissertation advisory committee (DAC) based on mutual discussion with the faculty. The dissertation supervisor will chair the DAC.

University Fellowship/Assistantships are usually awarded to students for a maximum of four years, subject to satisfactory academic performance. The student must maintain a minimum CGPA of 3.0 at the end of two consecutive semesters to continue the fellowship/assistantship each year.

Ahmedabad University awards full tuition fee waivers and financial support to full-time doctoral students. The financial support could be a University Fellowship, University Assistantship, or fellowship from sponsored projects. Presently, the University Assistantship is INR 40,000 plus a tuition fee waiver, and the University Fellowship is INR 50,000 plus a tuition fee waiver.

Generally, completing the programme requirements and getting a degree takes 4-5 years. The student will have up to 10 years (including any academic leave) from joining to complete all academic requirements related to the doctoral programme.

The test duration is 90 minutes and will consist of two components that are independently evaluated:

Quantitative and Analytical Aptitude
This section will consist of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) along with a few short or problem-solving questions. It is designed to assess your quantitative and analytical aptitude rather than subject-specific knowledge. Students are expected to have a basic understanding of arithmetic, algebra, probability, statistics, and introductory epidemiological concepts. The test will evaluate students’ ability to perform simple mathematical calculations, apply basic statistical concepts, interpret and understand formulae, and demonstrate logical reasoning and analytical ability.

Questions may include descriptive, scenario-based problems requiring interpretation of data presented in tables, graphs, and charts, and solving problems using simple arithmetic and hand calculations based on fundamental mathematical principles. If any question requires complex formulae beyond basic arithmetic and statistics, the necessary formulae will be provided. The difficulty level of questions will range from easy to challenging. Since candidates may come from diverse academic backgrounds, the primary aim is to assess aptitude, numerical reasoning, and problem-solving skills rather than prior specialised knowledge. For preparation, candidates may refer to the quantitative reasoning and numerical ability sections of standard competitive examinations.

Critical Writing and Analytical Response
This section will require you to answer two long-answer, comprehension-based questions designed to assess your writing skills, analytical thinking, and ability to engage with broad public health themes. The questions will be based on general topics of common knowledge, particularly related to contemporary public health issues or individual health and lifestyle. You are not required to undertake any specific preparation or prior reading for this component. The purpose of this section is to evaluate your clarity of expression, coherence of arguments, critical thinking, and overall writing ability rather than your recall of specialised health information.

Both components of the test and the information in the application will be considered in the decision of whether you are shortlisted for the interview, and the final decision related to your admission will be made by a committee and will factor all the components including the interview.

Yes, hostel facilities are available for Ahmedabad University students. For more information, please visit the webpage.

• Fill out the application form here
• Attach the required documents
• Confirm your application details
• Pay INR 500/- as application fee via Debit card/ Credit card/ Net Banking

The Bagchi School of Public Health is involved in several impactful research areas. In addition, collaborations are being fostered with other reputed institutions nationally and globally. PhD candidates will have the chance to work with some existing datasets (both public access and others), engage with other students for group projects, collaborate with faculty from other institutions for practicum projects, and engage external scientists on theses committees. The PhD theses could be built on existing data sets or could involve designing and conducting a research study from scratch. It could also be something in between, such as being an integral part of new research initiatives or expanding an existing study with additional data collection efforts. Regardless, the programme faculty will mentor the students to work on a theses that makes a meaningful scientific contribution and could have a potential impact on lifestyle changes, clinical practice and/or policy. 

We will first establish eligibility from academic qualifications. Applicants not meeting the eligibility criteria and/or completing their application will be summarily rejected. Eligible candidates will be evaluated by the admissions committee and shortlisted based on academic record, work experience, reference letters, and statement of purpose and research. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to complete tests and preliminary interviews to evaluate if there is a good match and if they have the potential to succeed. Candidates considered suitable will be invited for the last in-person interview before the final selection. 

Epidemiology and statistics go hand in hand. There is a growing need for well-trained epidemiologists, especially those with strong quantitative skills. Our PhD in epidemiology will give you expertise in a critical domain and enable you to integrate statistics and domain knowledge from conception to design, analyses, and interpretation of research studies. Epidemiologists can access complex datasets from hospitals, public health agencies, and research institutions to analyse real-world health patterns and gain insights into risk, preventive factors, and biological pathways using simple, advanced analytical methods. Studying epidemiology could also enable you to model the spread of infectious diseases. Epidemiology is a human-centered field that allows you to understand and impact people's and communities' habits, risk/preventive factors, and health concerns. There is also scope to develop innovative study designs, analytical techniques, and models. Importantly, combined expertise in statistics and epidemiology will enable you to impact human and planetary health positively.

A PhD in Epidemiology will provide advanced research skills, enabling you to proficiently design and conduct epidemiological and multidisciplinary research to address important health concerns. The programme will help you build a strong research foundation and conduct rigorous and impactful epidemiological investigations. You will learn to design and conduct etiological research, which will allow you to assess risk/preventive factors for major diseases, crucial for developing targeted interventions and informing public health policies to reduce the disease burden in populations. Pursuing a PhD in epidemiology enhances your research capabilities, particularly in quantitative and applied epidemiology and public health research, which is not fully covered during MD studies. You will learn to conceive, design, conduct, and manage independent and multidisciplinary collaborative research projects, and you will gain skills to develop competitive proposals for external funding opportunities and lead teams of researchers. The programme will help you bridge the gap between public health and clinical and community medicine and equip you to tackle complex public health issues on a larger scale.

There need to be more PhD programmes that are structured, focused, and rigorous essential to create well-trained experts who can lead impactful research, educational, and translational initiatives. Public health is a complex and broad field. Hence, doctoral education must cover advanced, in-depth knowledge of core specialty areas rather than a broad overview. Epidemiology is a key specialty of public health and an area with increasing needs and demands. Our programme will provide structured and rigorous training that will provide depth in understanding concepts and methods, and sufficient breadth to foster multidisciplinary collaborations. At Ahmedabad University, you will also get a unique opportunity to interact and collaborate with students and experts from diverse backgrounds, enhancing your ability to create interdisciplinary solutions to complex, multifaceted challenges.