Gain critical skills in core research methods, and enjoy the flexibility to choose your own electives, all in a top-ranked school of social policy and health policy.
Choose a concentration that aligns with your long-term interests and select courses that will give you a multifaceted perspective on today's—and tomorrow's—most critical social policy issues. In addition to two years of coursework, PhD students participate in a doctoral seminar, complete a comprehensive exam and successfully defend a dissertation within four to six years. Every full-time student receives tuition and stipend support.
Doctoral students learn from Heller faculty and researchers in the classroom, through their concentration and in their dissertation committee. Heller PhD students learn to design and conduct policy research in a program with a 100% employment rate at a top-ranked graduate school of social policy, home to 9 renowned research centers and institutes that cover social policy areas ranging from disability policy to economic and racial equity. Discover how to generate knowledge that can improve people’s lives and effect structural change.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Heller
The Heller School seeks to ensure a safe and inclusive environment in which community members respect and value others. In the pursuit of the Heller motto, “Knowledge Advancing Social Justice,” we are committed to equity, inclusion and diversity in our research institutes, academic programs, policies and community relationships.
Student Research Stories
Alexandra Kritikos, PhD’21, Health and Behavioral Health Concentration
Giselle Routhier, PhD'21, Economic and Racial Equity Concentration
Diana Serrano, PhD'19, Children, Youth and Families Concentration
Evaluating Waltham’s Two-Way Immersion School
The Heller Social Policy Impact Report showcases a selection of high-impact research, publications, grants, awards, and public engagement from the faculty, researchers, and students of the Heller School from the past year.
Alumni Outcomes
Linda Mills, PhD'94
President, New York University (NYU)
"The Heller School sits high amongst my fondest memories of transformative education. Intellectually challenging, politically engaged, my experience at Brandeis was crucial in my career as a scholar and academic administrator."
Sasha Albert, PhD’20
Senior Researcher, Massachusetts Health Policy Commission
“I feel especially grateful to have had the opportunity to work as a graduate research assistant for Heller’s Lurie institute for Disability Policy…I learned so much about the research process and got really great hands-on experience.”
Rajan Sonik, PhD'17
Director of Research, Institute for Health Equity, AltaMed Health Services
“Having the ability to run a regression or pick which econometric model you're going to use is critical, but it's not enough. Social issues are complex and messy and require creative thinking—Heller prepared me for that.”
