Quick facts
Program location: CU Anschutz
Credit hours: 73
Est. time to complete: 5-7 years
Transdisciplinary Education and Training in Climate Health
PhD in Climate & Human Health
In this program, you'll study how our changing climate and related stressors affect human health, focusing on those most at-risk vulnerable and marginalized groups. Learn how to build programs and policies that help communities build resilience. You'll get trained in specialized research methods, modeling and data science, research to action, community engagement, communication for impact, and implementation methods. You will be able to learn from leading researchers and the vast network of climate organizations here in Colorado. Our faculty study topics ranging from unexplained kidney disease among farmworkers in Guatemala to how droughts affect air and water quality here in Colorado. With a wide range of experts, you will find the right mentor for you and get the support to lead in the field of climate and health.
Quick facts, careers, and skills
When you complete this program, you’ll have the knowledge and skills you need to lead research projects and interventions that help address one of the most pressing challenges of our time—climate change and its impact on our health.
Sample careers
Sustainability
Research
Academic
Government
Non-Profit
Corporate
& more
Skills you'll gain
Research methods
Modeling and data science
Research to action
Communications
Project management
Community and business partnerships
& more
Curriculum
In this program, you’ll take courses in biostatistics, research, leadership, as well as climate and health sciences. You'll also complete a dissertation based on work conducted under the supervision of one of our esteemed researchers.
Total credits: 73
Competencies
| Identifier | Competencies | Course Where Competency is Addressed/Assessed |
| PHD-CLHH 1 | Form a hypothesis and synthesize testable aims to evaluate a climate and human health-related question. | EPID 7912 |
| PHD-CLHH 2 | Design risk management, preparedness, or communication approaches to prevent and/or reduce the climate-related health effects in occupational or community populations. | EHOH 7401 |
| PHD-CLHH 3 | Demonstrate knowledge in equity, populations at elevated risk of climate-related health effects, or environmental and climate justice issues in communities or workforces. | EHOH 6635 |
| PHD-CLHH 4 | Synthesize transdisciplinary scientific literature related to climate and human health in communities or workforces. | EHOH 6635 |
| PHD-CLHH 5 | Demonstrate ability to describe sources of bias in data collection and how they can impact validity or strategies in study design or statistical analysis to minimize bias. | EHOH 6617 |
| PHD-CLHH 6 | Interpret qualitative or quantitative findings to identify interventions or mitigation strategies to prevent or reduce climate-related health effects. | EHOH 7632 |
| PHD-CLHH 7 | Demonstrate skills to identify or critically evaluate data sources appropriate for answering applied research and program evaluation questions in climate, environmental or occupational health. | EHOH 7632 |
| PHD-CLHH 8 | Develop grant proposals to conduct research to test well-conceived hypotheses and/or evaluation studies to assess impact. | EPID 7912 |
| PHD-CLHH 9 | Demonstrate a high level of applications of ethical principles involved in leading research. | EPID 7605 |
| PHD-CLHH 10 | Demonstrate excellent written and oral communication skills to translate the results of research findings to the public or other professionals. | EHOH 7405 |