About
Our mission is to optimize the health and well-being of individuals, families, and populations across the life course through public health science, teaching, and practice locally, nationally, and globally. Learn about the Life Course Framework.
The Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health is grounded in a life course framework with domestic and international areas of interest including: adolescent health; child health; maternal, fetal and perinatal health; population and health; sexual and reproductive health; women's health. Skills emphasized in departmental training include: population sciences, behavioral science, program evaluation, evidence-based advocacy, and the translation of research for programs and policy.
Centers and Initiatives
PFRH is home to eight research centers and initiatives that provide unrivaled hands-on experience with industry leaders domestically and globally.
- Bill and Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health
- Center for Adolescent Health
- Center on the Early Origins of Disease
- Center of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health
- Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI)
- Early Childhood Services Research Program
- Hopkins Population Center
- Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC)
Degree Programs
Faculty
Summer Institute
Departmental Seminars
Departmental Seminars PFRH holds a noon seminar series every Wednesday during the 1st through 4th term. PFRH students are required to attend. The schedule of seminars will be sent in advance via email to all PFRH students and listed in the JHSPH Weekly Calendar. All graduating master's students are required to make a presentation of their thesis results in a formal academic setting, which may include the departmental noon seminar or a professional meeting. For upcoming seminars and recordings of past seminars, please visit our news and events page.
PFRH Teaching Assistant Policy
The Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health supports full-time graduate students serving in the role of teaching assistants (TA). The department values the educational and learning experience that students gain through participating as a TA in addition to providing monetary compensation to them. The department classifies TA positions into 2 levels: 1.0 FTE TA and 0.5 FTE TA. The expectation for time commitment as well as monetary compensation differs for the two levels. Part-time students are not eligible for TA positions due to FLSA rules.
Information about current TA positions will be sent to students throughout the year. Typically, students should have already taken the course in order to be a TA. Students wishing to serve as a TA in a course should meet with the course instructor prior to agreeing to serve as a TA and discuss the nature of the course as well as the faculty member’s expectations. Both should discuss the responsibilities of the TA as well as the tasks the department deems beyond the scope of the TA to be sure there are no misunderstandings about roles. The expected number of hours/week as well as preparation needs should also be addressed. Once a student and faculty member have agreed, they both must sign the TA agreement form; students submit it to the department’s payroll office.
The number of hours that a TA actually works may vary substantially from course to course, but it is generally expected that a TA will begin to work approximately two weeks prior to the start of the course and continue to work at least 10 days beyond the last class session or until grades are submitted. 1.0 FTE TA is expected to attend each class session. 0.5 FTE TAs may or may not be required to attend class sessions.