Program Overview

Doctor of Public Health

The Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) is an advanced professional practice degree designed to prepare current and future leaders to improve health, such as non-governmental agencies, research centers, institutions of higher education, health care, and professional associations, the public's health domestic or globally. The DrPH focuses on practical application of public health principles, influencing policy, and integrating research methods in community-based settings. Graduates are prepared for either domestic or international careers in public health agencies, or private sector settings that work toward improving public health.

Program Overview

The DrPH program is a post-masters (MPH) degree program with three specializations: Public Health Informatics, Global Health, and Health Policy and Management. The program is a 48-semester unit, two-calendar year full-time program. It consists of 25 units of core courses, 9 units of concentration courses in their specialty, 6 units of electives, and 8 units of pre-dissertation and dissertation research culminating project. Students are admitted after they have completed 18 units of Public Health Foundational courses leading to the MPH degree.

Core Courses

• HSC 700: Current Issues in Applied Epidemiology (3 units)
• HSC 703: Advanced Public Health Statistics (3 units)
• HSC 708: Ethics for Public Health Policy Leaders (3 units)
• HSC 724: Program Development to Implementation in Health Promotion (3 units)
• HSC 728: Advanced Environmental Health & Social Justice (3 units)
• HSC 770: Advanced Public Health Theoretical Concepts (3 units)
• HSC 775: DrPH Professional Development Seminar I (1 unit)
• HSC 785A: Doctoral Practicum (may be in concentration) (3 units)
• HSC 796: Public Health Research & Evaluation (3 units)

Electives

Take a minimum of 6 units of electives, 6 units of which must be at the 700 level. May be any of the following courses or a course offered in concentration (excluding HSC 785):

• HSC 705: Foundations in Public Health Leadership (3 units)
• HSC 780: Selected Topics in Advanced Public Health (2-3 units)
• HSC 795: Directed Individual Study (1-3 units)
• HSC 786: Doctoral Teaching Practicum (1-3 units)

Concentrations

Public Health Informatics and Technology (9 units)

Take the following 9 units of 700-level courses:

• HSC 790: Public Health Informatics Planning & Evaluation (3 units)
• NRSG 704/HSC 785B: Informatics in Healthcare/Doctoral Practicum in Public Health Informatics & Technology (3-6 units)

Global Health (9 units)

Take the following 9 units of 700-level courses:

• HSC 720: Social Determinants of Health (3 units)
• HSC 740: Strategic Planning & Resource Mobilization in Global Public Health (3 units)
• HSC 785C: Doctoral Practicum in Global Health (3-6 units)

Health Policy and Management (9 units)

Take the following 9 units of 700-level courses:

• NRSG 706: Healthcare Policy, Ethics, and Advocacy for Nurses (3 units)
• HSC 750: Health Policy Analysis Methods (3 units)
• HSC 785D: Doctoral Practicum in Health Policy and Management (3-6 units)

Qualifying Examination Paper for Advancement to Candidacy and Dissertation Research Module (minimum of 8 units)

• HSC 797: Doctoral Pre-Dissertation Study (1 unit)
• HSC 798 A-C: Doctoral Dissertation (7 units)

Program Details

• Total units required to complete the degree: 48 units
• Academic Plan Code: HSC_PH01PB
• CIP: 51.2201
• CSU Code: 12141
• Career: Doctoral
• College: College of Health and Human Services
• Department: Health Science
• Delivery: Hybrid
• Effective: Fall 2025