Program Overview

Introduction to the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) Program

The Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) program is designed to provide advanced education and training in public health. The program focuses on developing leaders who can apply theoretical and analytical skills to address complex public health issues.

Pre-requisites

Students admitted with a graduate degree other than an MPH must complete some or all of the six public health prerequisite courses over the summer prior to starting the required DrPH coursework. The pre-requisite courses are:

• GPH-GU 2106 Epidemiology (3)
• GPH-GU 2110 Health Care Policy (2)
• GPH-GU 2112 Public Health Management & Leadership (2)
• GPH-GU 2140 Global Issues in Social & Behavioral Health (3)
• GPH-GU 2153 Global Environmental Health (3)
• GPH-GU 2995 Biostatistics for Public Health (3)

Degree Requirements

The DrPH program requires 30 credits of core coursework and 12 credits of electives. The core courses include:

• GPH-GU 1230 Advanced Introduction to Public Health Ethics (3)
• GPH-GU 5320 Data Utilization in Public Health Practice (3)
• GPH-GU 3215 DrPH Dissertation Preparation (1)
• GPH-GU 3030 DrPH Public Health Leadership Seminar I (1.5)
• GPH-GU 3035 DrPH Public Health Leadership Seminar II (1.5)
• GPH-GU 3045 DrPH Public Health Leadership Seminar III (3)
• GPH-GU 3185 Health Services & Policy Research (3) or GPH-GU 3110 Advanced Public Health Policy & Management (3)
• GPH-GU 3031 Introduction to Global Health (2)
• GPH-GU 3234 Designing Innovative Behavioral Interventions for Public Health Impact (3)
• GPH-GU 3050 Methods in Community Health Research (3)
• GPH-GU 3347 Tackling Global Health Disparities through Implementation Science (3) or GPH-GU 2135 Dissemination & Implementation Science in Healthcare & Public Health (3)
• GPH-GU 3240 Organizational Theory and Behavior in Health Care (3)
• GPH-GU 5170 Introduction to Public Health (0) (required only for students who did not enter the program with a CEPH-accredited MPH)

Electives

Students may choose from a list of preapproved electives. For other electives, students should consult with their faculty mentor.

Additional Requirements

• Instructional design workshops (online)
• Instructional design project
• CDC Crisis & Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) Training (online)
• 200 hours of an Applied Practice Experience, developed in consultation with the faculty mentor
• Qualifying examination
• Dissertation

Course Sequences

The DrPH program offers two course sequences: Full-time Sequence A, Full-time Sequence B, Part-time Sequence A, and Part-time Sequence B. Each sequence has a specific course schedule and requirements.

Full-time: Sequence A

• Year 1:
  • Fall semester (9.5 credits): GPH-GU 3030, GPH-GU 3347, GPH-GU 5320, GPH-GU 3031
  • Spring semester (10.5 credits): GPH-GU 3035, GPH-GU 3110, GPH-GU 3050, Elective, GPH-GU 5170
  • Summer (6 credits): GPH-GU 1230, Elective
• Year 2:
  • Fall semester (9 credits): GPH-GU 3234, GPH-GU 3240, Elective
  • Spring semester (7 credits): GPH-GU 3215, GPH-GU 3045, Elective
  • Summer (0 credits): Advanced Applied Practice Experience planning and approval
• Year 3:
  • Fall semester (0 credits): MAINT-GU 4747, Complete qualifying exam, Dissertation proposal preparation, Dissertation research
  • Spring semester (0 credits): MAINT-GU 4747, Dissertation defense

Full-time: Sequence B

• Year 1:
  • Fall semester (9.5 credits): GPH-GU 3030, GPH-GU 3185, GPH-GU 5320, GPH-GU 3031
  • Spring semester (10.5 credits): GPH-GU 3035, GPH-GU 2135, GPH-GU 3050, Elective, GPH-GU 5170
  • Summer (6 credits): GPH-GU 1230, Elective
• Year 2:
  • Fall semester (9 credits): GPH-GU 3234, GPH-GU 3240, Elective
  • Spring semester (7 credits): GPH-GU 3215, GPH-GU 3045, Elective
  • Summer (0 credits): Advanced Applied Practice Experience planning and approval
• Year 3:
  • Fall semester (0 credits): MAINT-GU 4747, Complete qualifying exam, Dissertation proposal preparation, Dissertation research
  • Spring semester (0 credits): MAINT-GU 4747, Dissertation defense

Part-time: Sequence B

• Year 1:
  • Fall semester (7.5 credits): GPH-GU 3030, GPH-GU 5320, GPH-GU 3185
  • Spring semester (4.5 credits): GPH-GU 3035, GPH-GU 2135, GPH-GU 5170
  • Summer (6 credits): GPH-GU 1230, Elective
• Year 2:
  • Fall semester (5 credits): GPH-GU 3240, GPH-GU 3031
  • Spring semester (6 credits): GPH-GU 3050, Elective
• Year 3:
  • Fall semester (6 credits): GPH-GU 3234, Elective
  • Spring semester (6 credits): GPH-GU 3045, Elective
• Year 4:
  • Fall semester (0 credits): MAINT-GU 4747, Advanced Applied Practice Experience planning and approval
  • Spring semester (1 credit): GPH-GU 3215, Complete qualifying exam
  • Summer (0 credits): Dissertation proposal preparation
• Year 5:
  • Fall semester (0 credits): MAINT-GU 4747, Dissertation proposal defense
  • Spring semester (0 credits): MAINT-GU 4747, Dissertation research continued
• Year 6:
  • Fall semester (0 credits): MAINT-GU 4747, Dissertation research continued
  • Spring semester (0 credits): MAINT-GU 4747, Dissertation defense

Part-time: Sequence A

• Year 1:
  • Fall semester (7.5 credits): GPH-GU 3030, GPH-GU 5320, GPH-GU 3347
  • Spring semester (4.5 credits): GPH-GU 3035, GPH-GU 3110, GPH-GU 5170
  • Summer (6 credits): GPH-GU 1230, Elective
• Year 2:
  • Fall semester (5 credits): GPH-GU 3240, GPH-GU 3031
  • Spring semester (6 credits): GPH-GU 3050, Elective
• Year 3:
  • Fall semester (6 credits): GPH-GU 3234, Elective
  • Spring semester (6 credits): GPH-GU 3045, Elective
• Year 4:
  • Fall semester (0 credits): MAINT-GU 4747, Advanced Applied Practice Experience planning and approval
  • Spring semester (1 credit): GPH-GU 3215, Complete qualifying exam
  • Summer (0 credits): Dissertation proposal preparation
• Year 5:
  • Fall semester (0 credits): MAINT-GU 4747, Dissertation proposal defense
  • Spring semester (0 credits): MAINT-GU 4747, Dissertation research continued
• Year 6:
  • Fall semester (0 credits): MAINT-GU 4747, Dissertation research continued
  • Spring semester (0 credits): MAINT-GU 4747, Dissertation defense