Public Health, DrPH

DrPH program is an advanced professional practice degree designed to prepare current and future leaders to improve health locally and globally. The DrPH program is a 48 -semester unit 2-year full time or 3-year part time, post Masters Public Health (MPH) or its equivalent degree program with the above mentioned three concentration areas. It consists of 25 units of core courses, 9 units of concentration courses in their specialty, 6 units of electives and 8 units of predissertation and dissertation research culminating project.

The Public Health Informatics and Technology concentration prepares students to be leaders in designing, evaluating and managing public health informatics systems in a way that ensure that the diverse needs of the community are met to reduce health disparities, and to address public health challenges on a national or international scale.

The Global Health concentration prepares students to work in global health programs including entry level jobs abroad or with domestic agencies that conduct public health programs with other countries.

The Health Policy concentration prepares students to be leaders in advocating for changes to health policy at a local, national and global levels as well as mange efforts to improve effectiveness of public health, health care, and health policy to reduce health disparities.

Accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (Council on Education for Public Health, 1010 Wayne Avenue, Suite 220, Silver Springs, MD 20910-5600, phone: (202) 789-1050).

In order to be admitted to the doctoral program for study toward the DrPH degree, a prospective candidate must apply both to this department and the University. Contact the Director of the DrPH Program for current requirements. The graduate of the Doctoral Degree Program will be prepared for advanced leadership positions to improve health in such organizations as non-governmental agencies, research centers, institutions of higher education, health care and professional associations, and global organizations.

Admission Requirements for the DrPH Program

Applicants must apply both to the Department and the University. Applications are available online.

Each applicant must submit the following documents to the university’s Office of Enrollment Services.

A copy of official transcript(s) from all institutions attended

Letter of intent to enroll in the DrPH program with specification of the concentration selected.

Statement of purpose and personal history statement

CV/Resume

Three letters of recommendation from professors and/or supervisors/employers who have observed your work

TOEFL (score of 90) or ITLES (score 6.5) for international students. (If you have graduated or attended an institution of higher learning for at least one year, you do not need to take these tests).

Each applicant must also meet the following admission requirements:

Have a graduate degree in public health from an accredited institution or equivalent. If you do not have an MPH or an equivalent degree, a conditional acceptance may be given, pending successful completion of the following six MPH foundational courses during your first year: Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Research Methods, Environmental Health, Introduction to Public Health, Seminar in Community Analysis and Program Planning.

Have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0

A minimum of one year of experience in Public Health

Advancement to Candidacy

Students must satisfy the general university requirements for advancement to candidacy:

Maintain at least a 3.0 average for all course work attempted as a graduate student;

Complete the following: HSC 700, 708, 724, 728, 770, 775, 785, 796, 6 units of electives, enrollment in some of the concentration courses, HSC 797, completion of 3 units of 798 and passing the qualifying Examination.

Approval by the Director of Graduate Studies and Associate Dean for Academic

DrPH Program of Study Requirements

Prerequisites:

H SC 500 - Elements of Epidemiological Research (3 units)
H SC 503 - Principles of Public Health Statistics (3 units)
H SC 528 - Principles of Environmental Health (3 units)
H SC 570 - Theoretical Concepts and Issues in Health Science (3 units)
H SC 624 - Seminar in Community Analysis and Program Planning (3 units)
H SC 696 - Research Methods (3 units)

Take 25 units of DrPH Core courses:

H SC 700 - Current Issues in Applied Epidemiology (3 units)
H SC 703 - Advanced Public Health Statistics (3 units)
H SC 708 - Ethics for Public Health Leaders (3 units)
H SC 724 - Program Development to Implementation in Health Promotion (3 units)
H SC 728 - Advanced Environmental Health & Social Justice (3 units)
H SC 770 - Advanced Public Health Theoretical Concepts (3 units)
H SC 775 - Professional Development (1 unit)
H SC 785A - Doctoral Practicum (3 units)
H SC 796 - Public Health Research & Evaluation (3 units)

Elective Courses:

Take 6 units for any of the following courses:

H SC 705 - Foundations in Public Health Leadership (3 units)
H SC 780 - Selected Topics in Advanced Public Health (3 units)
H SC 786 - Teaching Practicum (1-3 units)
H SC 795 - Directed Individual Study (1-3 units)

Concentration Courses:

Select your area of concentration and take 9 units.

Take 8 units of Dissertation Research as your Culminating Project:

H SC 797 - Doctoral Pre-Dissertation Study (1 unit)
HSC 798: Doctoral Dissertation (7 units) - This is a series of three courses H SC 798A , H SC 798B , and H SC 798C .
As part of the HSC 798A course, students will defend their doctoral research proposal, and that will be considered as students Qualifying Examination. Students will then Advance to Candidacy and continue taking the other research. Towards the end of the H SC 798C course, students will defend the final research proposal. Upon successful completion of the research courses, students will graduate, provided that studetns have completed all the other doctoral level courses.