Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)

Program Overview

The Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree is a professional doctoral degree for early to mid-career public health professionals with an MPH or health-related master's degree. It is well-suited to professionals seeking leadership roles in domestic or international public health agencies and organizations. Graduates are able to: (1) synthesize and translate knowledge to practice, (2) communicate with and convene diverse partners to effect change across a range of public health settings, and (3) advance programs, policies, and services through evidence-based public health practice. Alumni hold mid to senior-level positions in a variety of settings, including government agencies, non-profit organizations, academia, and healthcare.

To be eligible for admission, applicants to the DrPH program must submit all standard School application materials and meet the following requirements: (1) hold an MPH or a related master’s degree in public health; and (2) have at least three years of relevant, full-time professional public health experience. Students apply to and matriculate into a concentration, which offers specialized training in a specific area of public health. 

The DrPH program is built around a set of required courses that offer the opportunity to achieve foundational competencies in health policy, public health practice, professional skills (i.e., leadership, strategic planning, communication), data analysis, education, and workforce development. Students develop specialized expertise through the completion of coursework for their chosen concentration or track. In addition to coursework, the program requires applied practice experience (i.e., practicum) and a dissertation. 

The DrPH program is a flexible, part-time program with courses offered during regular terms and weeklong intensives. The program can be completed fully online. Students typically complete the DrPH in about 5 years; the program can be completed in as few as 4 years, with a maximum of 7 years for part-time students.

Concentrations (Tracks)

• Customized Program of Study 
• Environmental Health (Environmental Health; Health Security)
• Global Health: Policy & Evaluation
• Health Equity and Social Justice
• Health Policy and Management (Healthcare Management & Leadership; Public Health Informatics; Health Policy; Quality & Patient Safety)
• Implementation Science
• Indigenous Health
• Women's and Reproductive Health

Program Requirements

The program includes core requirements, foundational coursework, concentration coursework, an applied practice experience (practicum), a comprehensive written examination, and a dissertation. Students will be required to successfully complete a minimum of 64 term credits, including 57 didactic credits and 7 credits from dissertation development and research. Dissertation work includes preliminary and final oral examinations, a public seminar, and an integrative learning experience. Of the 57 didactic credits, 30 are earned through foundational courses and 27 are earned through concentration courses. Each concentration has required and elective courses. After completing required courses, students must complete elective courses to meet the minimum requirement for concentration credits. 

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Prerequisite Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Epidemiology
PH.340.721	Epidemiologic Inference in Public Health I	5
Biostatistics (Select one pathway)
Statistical Reasoning Pathway - These two courses must be completed in sequence.
PH.140.611	Statistical Reasoning in Public Health I	3
PH.140.612	Statistical Reasoning in Public Health II	3
Statistical Methods Pathway
PH.140.621	Statistical Methods in Public Health I	4

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Foundational Course Requirements

Foundational course requirements are designed to ensure students achieve DrPH Foundational Competencies established by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). 

Students earn 30 credits through foundational course requirements: 

1. 1 credit from DrPH Seminars,
2. 12 credits from problem-solving courses,
3. 11 credits from professional skills courses
4. At least 6 credits from data analysis courses

1. DrPH Seminars

During their first year, students are required to complete DrPH First-Year Seminar modules in Terms 1–4, which provide foundational training in research (e.g., literature review) and an overview of DrPH program requirements. In their second or third year, students must complete a two-term DrPH Proposal Planning Seminar sequence, which provides guidance in developing research proposals. These seminar requirements cannot be waived.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
PH.550.620 & PH.550.621	DrPH Proposal Planning Seminar I and DrPH Proposal Planning Seminar II (1 credit of Proposal Planning Seminar required, earning .5 credits per term)	1
Total Credits		1

2. Problem-Solving Seminars

Problem-solving seminars provide students with the opportunity to develop foundational competencies while engaging with today’s most pressing public health challenges. Students select one seminar each term (1–4) during their first year, with a distinct set of options offered each term. At least one of the four seminars must fulfill the Environment, Ecosystems, and Globalization (EEG) requirement. These requirements cannot be waived or substituted. 

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Problem-Solving 1 Selective (Choose one)
PH.180.641	Climate Change and Public Health Problem Solving Seminar: Global Challenges and Solutions for Mitigation, Adaptation, and Sustainability 1	3
PH.224.630	Food Systems for Health Problem Solving Seminar: Lessons from American Indian Communities	3
PH.410.621	The Opioid Crisis: Problem Solving Seminar	3
Problem-Solving 2 Selective (Choose one)
PH.221.690	Strengthening Primary Health Care Across the World: Problem Solving Seminar	3
PH.380.633	Promoting Equity for Adolescents and Emerging Adults: Problem-Solving Seminar	3
PH.410.628	Drug Control Policy: A Problem-Solving Seminar 1	3
PH.410.640	Global Tobacco Control: A Problem-Solving Seminar	3
Problem-Solving 3 Selective (Choose one)
PH.221.630	Tackling the Intersectoral Challenge of Antimicrobial Resistance: Problem Solving Seminar 1	3
PH.330.607	Prevention of Mental Disorders: Public Health Interventions	3
PH.330.675	Suicide Prevention: Problem Solving Seminar	3
PH.380.777	Global Population Change and Local Public Health Needs: Problem Solving Seminar	3
Problem-Solving 4 Selective (Choose one)
PH.223.630	The Practice of Public Health Through Vaccine Case Studies: Problem Solving Seminar	3
PH.301.650	Crafting Effective Solutions to Gun Violence: Problem Solving Seminar	3
PH.340.610	The One Health Approach to Epidemiology and Global Public Health: Problem Solving Seminar 1	3
PH.410.629	Health of Children and Adolescents in US Immigrant Families: Problem-solving Seminar 1	3
Total Credits		45

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Fulfills EEG requirement

3. Professional Skills Courses

Professional skills courses cover communication, leadership, teaching and learning, and strategic planning. Students may request to substitute specific course requirements based on prior coursework or professional experience; any substituted course must be replaced with a higher-level course in the same area. All students must complete 11 credits of professional skills coursework.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Communications Selective (Choose one)
PH.260.715	Unleash Your Writing Superpower: Crafting Clear, Concise and Persuasive Prose	3
or PH.300.650	Crisis and Response in Public Health Policy and Practice
or PH.308.604	Effective Writing for Public Health Change
or PH.308.701	Media Interviews and Applied Public Health Communications
or PH.410.651	Health Literacy: Challenges and Strategies for Effective Communication
or PH.410.700	Methods for Conducting Social Media Analysis of Public Health Content
Leadership Selective (Choose one)
PH.221.607	Towards Gender Transformative Leadership in Global Health: Essential Skills	3
or PH.221.636	High Performing Organizations in Lmic Settings
or PH.312.700	Leading Organizations
or PH.380.700	Managing Projects and People in Public Health
Teaching & Learning
PH.300.750	Teaching, Learning and Leading – in the Classroom, in the Workplace and in the Community	3
Strategic Planning
PH.312.720	Designing a Strategic Plan	2
Total Credits		11

4. Data Analysis Series

Students may elect to complete their data analysis requirement through a series of courses in either (a) qualitative methods, (b) quantitative methods, or (c) mixed methods.

All students must complete a minimum of 6 credits in data analysis. Students who complete a sequence totaling more than 6 credits may be able to apply the additional credits toward their concentration elective requirements.

There are two course sequences available for quantitative methods and two for qualitative methods. Students who choose the mixed methods option must complete one qualitative methods sequence, one quantitative methods sequence, and one course in mixed methods. Students who wish to substitute a specific course must select a comparable course at a higher level to meet the requirement.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
a) Quantitative Methods Series (Select one sequence)
Statistical Reasoning sequence 2
PH.140.613 & PH.140.614 & PH.140.620	Data Analysis Workshop I and Data Analysis Workshop II and Advanced Data Analysis Workshop
Statistical Methods Sequence 3
PH.140.622 & PH.140.623	Statistical Methods in Public Health II and Statistical Methods in Public Health III
b) Qualitative Methods Series (Select one sequence)
Qualitative Methods in Global Health Sequence
PH.224.690 & PH.224.691	Qualitative Research Theory and Methods and Qualitative Data Analysis
Introduction to Qualitative Methods Sequence
PH.410.618 & PH.410.671 & PH.410.673	Using Software in Qualitative Research and Analysis and Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods and Introduction to Qualitative Data Analysis for Public Health
c) Mixed Methods Series (Includes coursework in each method)
Coursework in Quantitative Methods (Select one sequence)
Statistical Reasoning Sequence 2
PH.140.613 & PH.140.614	Data Analysis Workshop I and Data Analysis Workshop II (2 course sequence)
Statistical Methods sequence 3
PH.140.622	Statistical Methods in Public Health II (One course)
Coursework in Qualitative Methods (Select one sequence)
Qualitative Methods in Global Health sequence
PH.224.690 & PH.224.691	Qualitative Research Theory and Methods and Qualitative Data Analysis
Introduction to Qualitative Methods sequence
PH.410.618 & PH.410.671 & PH.410.673	Using Software in Qualitative Research and Analysis and Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods and Introduction to Qualitative Data Analysis for Public Health
Coursework in Mixed Methods
PH.330.621	Mixed Methods for Research in Public Health
or PH.410.700	Methods for Conducting Social Media Analysis of Public Health Content

²

Students must successfully complete or pass waiver exams for Statistical Reasoning in Public Health I (140.611) and Statistical Reasoning in Public Health II (140.612) prior to beginning this course sequence.

³

Students must successfully complete or pass waiver exam for Statistical Methods in Public Health I (140.621) prior to beginning this course sequence.

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Concentration/Track-Specific Course Requirements

Customized Program of Study 

The Customized Program of Study (Custom) allows students the flexibility to tailor the DrPH program to their academic and professional goals. Students may choose to specialize either in a cross-cutting topical area (e.g., child health and welfare, substance use), in a public health field (e.g., mental health, surveillance, nutrition), or in another applied area not reflected in the other concentrations/tracks. This track is well-suited to those seeking leadership positions in agencies and organizations concerned with planning and implementing projects designed to meet a wide variety of public health needs. Students are required to complete: (1) the required courses listed below, (2) courses identified as meeting their individualized competencies, and (3) additional elective courses in their area of study. 

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses
PH.221.654	Systems Thinking in Public Health: Applications of Key Methods and Approaches	3
PH.410.620	Program Planning for Health Behavior Change	3
PH.410.885	DrPH Custom Track Seminar (1 credit of Concentration Seminar required, earning .25 credits per term)	.25
Evaluation Selective (Choose One)
PH.221.645	Large-scale Effectiveness Evaluations of Health Programs	4
or PH.380.611	Fundamentals of Program Evaluation

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Environmental Health Concentration

The goal of the Environmental Health concentration is to train professionals to provide leadership and management in a wide variety of environmental health issues. Graduates should be able to analyze and assess complex environmental risks, emergencies, and problems; and should also be able to offer guidance for the reduction of these risks and the resolution of environmental problems. They will also work toward becoming practitioners who can comprehend and integrate the many dimensions of environmental health sciences, define the disci­plines that can best be applied to a problem, make sound and critical judgments, and interpret their recommendations clearly in the decision-making processes of policy formulation in industry, government, or academia. 

A. Environmental Health Track

The Environmental Health track emphasizes the skills necessary to: (1) assess needs for occupational and environmental health services at regional, national, and international levels, and (2) develop and monitor policy and regulatory frameworks. 

B. Health Security Track

The Health Security track prepares students to prevent, detect, and respond to health security threats and public health emergencies, such as COVID-19, Zika, and Ebola. 

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses
PH.180.603	Research Methods in Health Security	3
PH.180.616	DrPH Concentration Seminar in Environmental Health (1 credit of Concentration Seminar required, earning .25 credits per term)	.25
PH.180.623	Infectious Disease Threats to Global Health Security	3
PH.180.624	Biotechnology and Health Security	3
PH.180.634	Public Health Emergencies: Risk Communication and Decision Science	3
PH.185.600	One Health Tools to Promote and Evaluate Healthy and Sustainable Communities	3
Electives
Select from the following courses to reach the 27-credit minimum
PH.180.603	Research Methods in Health Security	3
PH.180.627	Lessons Learned in 1918 Pandemic Flu	1
PH.180.629	Infectious Disease and Fragile Settings	2
PH.180.644	Food System Resilience	2
PH.180.665	Planetary Health Law: Global Health Security and a Changing Environment	4
PH.180.670	Introduction to Public Health Emergency Preparedness	3
PH.185.601	One Health Seminar	1
PH.185.803	Health Security Journal Club	1
PH.188.688	Global Sustainability & Health Seminar	1
PH.221.613	Introduction to Humanitarian Emergencies	3
PH.221.615	Health Emergencies in Large Populations (H.E.L.P.)	5
PH.221.623	Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Humanitarian Emergencies	2
PH.221.639	Health Care in Humanitarian Emergencies	3
PH.221.712	Leadership & Management in Humanitarian Health	2
PH.223.684	Vector-Borne Diseases in the Tropics	4
PH.260.606	Major Global Infectious Diseases: Prospects for Control	2
PH.260.656	Malariology	4
PH.300.650	Crisis and Response in Public Health Policy and Practice	3
PH.300.712	Formulating Policy: Strategies and Systems of Policymaking in the 21st Century	3
PH.301.692	The Role of Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Improving Global Public Health	3
PH.317.600	Introduction to the Risk Sciences and Public Policy	4
PH.317.605	Methods in Quantitative Risk Assessment	4
PH.317.610	Risk Policy, Management and Communication	3
PH.317.615	Topics in Risk Assessment	2
PH.340.621	Using Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Improve Public Health	1
PH.340.636	Epidemiology in Evidence-Based Policy	2
PH.340.646	Epidemiology and Public Health Impact of HIV and AIDS	4
PH.340.658	Critical Reading of Epidemiologic Literature	1
PH.340.666	Foundations of Social Epidemiology	3
PH.340.668	Topics in Infectious Disease Epidemiology	3
PH.340.727	Designing and Administering Health Surveys: A Practical, Skills-Based Approach	2
PH.340.770	Public Health Surveillance	3
PH.550.604	Qualitative Reasoning in Public Health	2
PH.552.622	Creating, Implementing and Monitoring Budgets for Projects and Programs	1

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Global Health: Policy & Evaluation Concentration

The concentration focuses on evidence-based interventions in public health to improve population health and health access globally. Students will learn methodologies related to policy and evaluation in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) through the application of interdisciplinary tools and approaches to study processes in complex global health systems. Some of the many global challenges students will address include sustainable development, environmental degradation and climate change, globalization, migration, displaced persons, diseases prevalent in LMICs, epidemics, vaccine access, injuries, emerging and reemerging diseases, and risk factors such as obesity and smoking. This concentration is well-suited to those seeking leadership positions in domestic and international agencies concerned with planning and implementing projects designed to meet global public health needs, particularly in LMICs.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses
PH.220.861	DrPH Concentration Seminar in Global Health: Policy and Evaluation (1 credit of Concentration Seminar required, earning .25 credits per term)	.25
PH.221.645	Large-scale Effectiveness Evaluations of Health Programs	4
PH.221.646	Health Systems in Low and Middle income Countries	3
PH.221.650	Health Policy Analysis in Low and Middle income Countries	3
PH.221.663	Globalization and Health: Framework for Analysis	3
Burden of Disease Selective (Select one)
PH.180.623	Infectious Disease Threats to Global Health Security	3
or PH.221.620	Applying Summary Measures of Population Health to Improve Health Systems
Health Equity Selective (Select one)
PH.340.667	Health Equity Research Methods to Address Social Determinants of Health	4
or PH.410.605	Fundamental Tools for Promoting Health Equity
Evaluation Selective (Select one)
PH.221.705	Monitoring and Evaluation of Health Systems Strengthening in Low and Middle income Countries	3
PH.223.632	Methods for Planning and Implementing Evaluations of Large-Scale Health Programs in Low and Middle income Countries	4
PH.313.601	Economic Evaluation I	3
PH.313.602	Economic Evaluation II (Prerequisite: 313.601)	3
PH.313.603	Economic Evaluation III (Prerequisite 313.602)	3
PH.313.790	Introduction to Economic Evaluation	3
Electives
Choose from among the following courses to reach the 27-credit minimum
PH.220.624	Monitoring and Evaluation in Global Health for the Real World: Addressing Gender Inequity for Change that Counts	3
PH.221.600	Gender-transformative Digital Health: An Intersectional Approach to Bridging Multiple Divides for Greater Health Equity and Impact	2
PH.221.609	Introduction to Financing in Global Health	2
PH.221.612	Confronting the Burden of Injuries: A Global Perspective	3
PH.221.617	Behavioral Economics in Health Decisions	2
PH.221.619	Introduction to Global Health Economics	3
PH.221.623	Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Humanitarian Emergencies	2
PH.221.624	Urban Health in Developing Countries	3
PH.221.629	Prospective policy analysis for health policy and systems research: methods and applications	2
PH.221.639	Health Care in Humanitarian Emergencies	3
PH.221.640	Design and Implementation of Incident Management Systems in Low- and Middle-income Countries	2
PH.221.652	Financing Health Systems for Universal Health Coverage	3
PH.221.654	Systems Thinking in Public Health: Applications of Key Methods and Approaches	3
PH.221.657	Disease and Program Costing in Global Health Programs	3
PH.221.676	Migrant Health Policy in LMICs	2
PH.221.725	Commercial Determinants of Health	3
PH.221.674	Donor Transition and Sustainability: Implications for the Future of International Health	2
PH.221.675	Medical Product Regulatory Systems Strengthening and Challenges in Low and Middle Income Countries	2
PH.221.682	The Role of the Private Sector for Sustainable Development in Global Health	3
PH.221.689	Communicating Research in Global Health: From Evidence to Practice	2
PH.221.692	Reforms in Primary Health Care Across Low-and Middle-Income Countries	2
PH.221.693	Leadership for Impact in Global Health: Change Management in Low- and Middle- Income Settings	3
PH.221.694	Applied Implementation Science for Health Systems Research	3
PH.221.710	Designing Innovation and Access for Technologies in Global Health	3
PH.223.626	Special Topics in Global Digital Health	1
PH.223.680	Global Disease Control Programs and Policies	4
PH.308.721	Catalyzing Change Part 1: Practical Approaches to Health Policy	3
PH.330.650	Methods in Implementation Science	3
PH.340.770	Public Health Surveillance	3
PH.380.603	Demographic Methods for Public Health	4
PH.380.750	Migration and Health: Concepts, Rates, and Relationships	3
PH.410.635	Applications of Innovative Methods in Local and Global Health Equity Research	4
PH.410.686	Advanced Quantitative Methods in The Social and Behavioral Sciences: A Practical Introduction	4
PH.550.601	Implementation Research and Practice	3

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Health Equity & Social Justice Concentration

This concentration is focused on understanding and addressing the multiple determinants of health, particularly among disadvantaged and marginalized groups. Students learn about innovative epidemiological, social, and behavioral tools to assess population health and influences upon it. Required and elective courses offer the opportunity to learn about the conceptual and philosophical bases of health equity and social justice and also to acquire skills relevant to the design, implementation, and evaluation of health programs designed to benefit poor and marginalized groups. This concentra­tion is well-suited to those seeking leadership positions in agencies concerned with planning and implementing projects designed to meet public health needs. 

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses
PH.220.864	DrPH Concentration Seminar in Health Equity and Social Justice (1 credit of Concentration Seminar required, earning .25 credits per term)	.25
PH.410.630	Implementation and Sustainability of Community-Based Health Programs	3
Promotion of Health Equity Selective (Choose 1)
PH.410.605	Fundamental Tools for Promoting Health Equity	3
or PH.410.679	Decoloniality and Global Health Communication
Health Equity Methods for Measurement Selective (Choose 1)
PH.308.620	Graduate Seminar in Racism and Measurement in Public Policy & Analysis	3
PH.340.667	Health Equity Research Methods to Address Social Determinants of Health	4
PH.410.635	Applications of Innovative Methods in Local and Global Health Equity Research	4
Social Justice Selective (Choose 1)
PH.318.623	Social Policy for Marginalized and Disenfranchised Populations in the U.S.	3
PH.410.619	Social Justice: Policy, Practice, and Research	3
Design and Implementation Selective (Take at least 3 credits)
PH.221.625	Evaluation of District-Level Primary Health Care Implementation in Low-and Middle-income Settings	3
PH.221.688	Social and Behavioral Foundations of Primary Health Care	4
PH.224.692	Methods in Formative Research and Human Centered Design for Intervention Development	4
PH.330.610	Knowledge for Managing County and Local Mental Health, Substance Use, and Developmental Disability Authorities	1
PH.330.680	Promoting Mental Health and Preventing Mental Disorders in Low- and Middle-income Countries	3
PH.330.681	Mental Health and Psychosocial Needs of Refugees After Resettlement in High income Countries	1
PH.410.620	Program Planning for Health Behavior Change	3
Research and Evaluation Selective (Take at least 3 credits)
PH.140.664	Causal Inference in Medicine and Public Health I	4
PH.221.645	Large-scale Effectiveness Evaluations of Health Programs	4
PH.223.632	Methods for Planning and Implementing Evaluations of Large-Scale Health Programs in Low and Middle income Countries	4
PH.224.640	Indigenous Evaluation Frameworks	2
PH.309.616 & PH.309.617	Introduction to Methods for Health Services Research and Evaluation I and Introduction to Methods for Health Services Research and Evaluation II	4
PH.313.790	Introduction to Economic Evaluation	3
PH.380.611	Fundamentals of Program Evaluation	4
PH.410.615	Research Design in the Social and Behavioral Sciences	3
Electives
Choose from among the following courses to reach the 27-credit minimum
PH.180.600	Public Health Implications of Health as a Human Right	2
PH.180.625	Community-Driven Epidemiology and Environmental Justice	3
PH.188.694	Health of Vulnerable Worker Populations	3
PH.220.625	Conducting Gender Situational Analyses for Health Programs	2
PH.220.626	Communicating Gender-Responsive Science	3
PH.221.620	Applying Summary Measures of Population Health to Improve Health Systems	3
PH.221.624	Urban Health in Developing Countries	3
PH.221.635	Global Case Studies in Primary Health Care	3
PH.221.654	Systems Thinking in Public Health: Applications of Key Methods and Approaches	3
PH.221.666	Introduction to American Indian Health Research Ethics	2
PH.221.667	An Interdisciplinary Approach to Understanding the Health of Native Americans	3
PH.221.670	Collecting, Analyzing and Using Public Health Data in Native American Communities	3
PH.221.671	Introduction to Quantitative and Qualitative Research for American Indian Health	2
PH.221.672	Introduction to Data Management Using American Indian Health Data	2
PH.221.701	Applications to Gender Analysis Within Health Research and Interventions	3
PH.221.712	Leadership & Management in Humanitarian Health	2
PH.221.722	Quality Assurance Management Methods for Developing Countries	4
PH.222.665	Designing Health Equity: The Intersection of Food Systems, Urban Planning, and Policy	3
PH.224.605	Indigenous Health	2
PH.224.631	Indigenous Harm Reduction	2
PH.224.706	Indigenous Health Program Design	2
PH.224.707	Tribally Driven Research Frameworks (Tribally Driven Research Frameworks)	2
PH.224.708	Indigenous Research Methods (Indigenous Research Methods)	2
PH.300.712	Formulating Policy: Strategies and Systems of Policymaking in the 21st Century	3
PH.301.635	Policing and Public Health	3
PH.305.684	Health Impact Assessment	3
PH.305.861	Graduate Seminar in Injury Research and Policy	1
PH.308.610	The Political Economy of Social inequalities and Its Consequences for Health and Quality of Life	3
PH.308.610	The Political Economy of Social inequalities and Its Consequences for Health and Quality of Life	3
PH.308.665	Regulatory Landscape of Food Safety: History, Science and Law	2
PH.309.631	Population Health Informatics	3
PH.309.712	Assessing Health Status and Patient Outcomes	3
PH.330.608	School-Based Preventive Interventions and Research	1
PH.330.635	Structural Racism, Trauma, and Mental Health: Critical Frameworks for Public Health Practice	2
PH.330.643	The Science of Narrative: Intersectionality of Storytelling and Public Health	2
PH.330.647	Childhood Victimization: An Overview of Public Health Efforts	1
PH.330.657	Statistics for Psychosocial Research: Measurement	4
PH.340.613	Design and Conduct of Clinical Trials	2
PH.340.666	Foundations of Social Epidemiology	3
PH.340.706	Methods and Applications of Cohort Studies	2
PH.340.770	Public Health Surveillance	3
PH.380.603	Demographic Methods for Public Health	4
PH.380.604	Life Course Perspectives on Health	4
PH.380.620	A Coalition-based SMART Approach to Public Health Advocacy	3
PH.380.623	Adolescent Health and Development	3
PH.380.663	Gender-Based Violence Research, Practice and Policy: Issues and Current Controversies	3
PH.380.711	Issues in Survey Research Design	3
PH.380.725	The Social Context of Adolescent Health and Development	3
PH.380.744	Nutrition and Growth in Maternal and Child Health	3
PH.380.750	Migration and Health: Concepts, Rates, and Relationships	3
PH.380.761	Sexually Transmitted Infections in Public Health Practice	4
PH.380.765	Preventing Infant Mortality and Promoting the Health of Women, Infants and Children	3
PH.380.768	Selected Topics in Women's Health and Women's Health Policy	4
PH.410.611	Under Pressure: Health, Wealth & Poverty	3
PH.410.622	Strategic Leadership Principles and Tools for Health System Transformation in Developing Countries	4
PH.410.650	Introduction to Persuasive Communications: Theories and Practice	4
PH.410.660	Latino Health: Measures and Predictors	3
PH.410.668	Policy Interventions for Health Behavior Change	4
PH.410.672	Organizing for Public Health with the Evidence Based Effective Advocacy: Turning Public Will into Public Policy	3
PH.410.683	Global Perspectives on the Health of Sexual and Gender Minorities	3
PH.410.721	Translating Research into Public Health Programs and Policy	3
PH.410.864	Critical Issues in Health Disparities	1
PH.550.605	History of Public Health	3
PH.552.610	The Social Determinants of Health	0.5

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Health Policy & Management Concentration

This concentration trains students to: (1) analyze policies that impact population health, (2) evaluate health services, healthcare delivery, and information systems, and (3) identify strategies for enhancing the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of systems of care. Training addresses today’s most pressing health, medical, and mental and behavioral health problems.

A. Healthcare Management & Leadership Track

This track is focused on measuring, monitoring, and improving the clinical and financial performance of health services organizations, as well as training leaders for organizational change.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses
PH.311.861	DrPH Concentration Seminar in Health Policy and Management (1 credits of Concentration Seminar required, earning .25 credits per term)	0.25
PH.312.603	Fundamentals of Budgeting and Financial Management	3
PH.312.620	Performance Measurement in Health Care	2
PH.312.701	Strategic Leadership and Decision Making	3
PH.313.641	Introduction to Health Economics	3
PH.313.790	Introduction to Economic Evaluation	3
Health Informatics Selective (Take 1)
PH.309.631	Population Health Informatics	3
or PH.312.633	Health Management Information Systems
Quality and Patient Safety Selective (Take 1)
PH.309.712	Assessing Health Status and Patient Outcomes	3
or PH.309.730	Patient Safety and Medical Errors
or PH.311.615	Quality of Medical Care
Electives
Choose from among the following courses to reach the 27-credit minimum
PH.140.607	Multilevel Models	2
PH.140.608	Analysis of Longitudinal Data	2
PH.140.690	Artificial Intelligence for Improved Patient Outcomes	1
PH.224.641	Legal and Historical Basis for American Indian Healthcare and Policy	2
PH.300.844	SS/R: Public Health Policy in the Misinformation Age	2
PH.308.630	U.S. Pharmaceutical Policy	3
PH.309.600	Evaluating Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Programs	3
PH.309.616 & PH.309.617	Introduction to Methods for Health Services Research and Evaluation I and Introduction to Methods for Health Services Research and Evaluation II	4
PH.309.620	Managed Care and Health insurance	3
PH.309.637	Public Health Informatics Research Methods	3
PH.312.604	Quantitative Tools for Managers	3
PH.312.617	Fundamentals of Financial Accounting	3
PH.312.693	Introduction to Comparative Effectiveness and Outcomes Research	3
PH.312.702	Leading Change: Building and Empowering Teams	3
PH.312.703	Learning Organizations & Knowledge Management	3
PH.330.650	Methods in Implementation Science	3
PH.340.621	Using Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Improve Public Health	1
PH.340.667	Health Equity Research Methods to Address Social Determinants of Health	4
PH.340.716	Implementation Science Concepts, Methods & Study Designs	2
PH.340.717	Health Survey Research Methods	4
PH.340.727	Designing and Administering Health Surveys: A Practical, Skills-Based Approach	2
PH.380.611	Fundamentals of Program Evaluation	4
PH.410.635	Applications of Innovative Methods in Local and Global Health Equity Research	4
PH.410.721	Translating Research into Public Health Programs and Policy	3
PH.550.601	Implementation Research and Practice	3
PH.602.651	Principles and Applications of Advanced Payment Models in Population Health Management	3
PH.603.751	Infection Prevention in Healthcare Settings	2

B. Public Health Informatics Track

This track offers training in methods and concepts of informatics for application to public health and population health management. It is designed for public health professionals or population health managers who wish to develop an area of expertise or specialization in the emerging field of public health informatics.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses
PH.309.631	Population Health Informatics	3
PH.309.635	Population Health: Analytic Methods and Visualization Techniques	3
PH.309.637	Public Health Informatics Research Methods	3
PH.311.861	DrPH Concentration Seminar in Health Policy and Management (1 credit of Concentration Seminar required, earning .25 credits per term)	0.25
ME.250.750	Design Discovery for Healthcare	3
ME.250.901	HSI: Knowledge Engineering and Decision Support	3
ME.250.957	Database Querying in Health	3
Electives
Choose from among the following courses to reach the 27-credit minimum
PH.140.632	Introduction to the SAS Statistical Package	3
PH.180.634	Public Health Emergencies: Risk Communication and Decision Science	3
PH.312.633	Health Management Information Systems	3
PH.340.616	Epidemiology of Aging	3
PH.340.696	Spatial Analysis I: ArcGIS	4
PH.340.697	Spatial Analysis II: Spatial Data Technologies	3
PH.380.603	Demographic Methods for Public Health	4
ME.250.755	Natural Language Processing in the Health Sciences	3
ME.250.770	Clinical Data Analysis with Python	3
ME.250.771	Introduction to Precision Medicine Data Analysis	3
ME.250.777	Clinical Decision Analysis	3
ME.250.778	Implementing Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources	3
ME.250.782	Observational Health Research Methods on Medical Records	3
ME.250.784	Clinical Decision Support (CDS) Application Interoperability	3
ME.250.785	Emerging Clinical Applications with Large Lanquage Models	3
ME.250.788	Observational Research Methods in R	3
ME.250.790	Machine Learning with Python for Biomedical Informatics	3
ME.250.952	Leading Change Through Health IT	3
ME.250.953	Introduction to Biomedical Informatics	3
ME.250.955	Applied Clinical Informatics	3
ME.250.959	Digital Health Laws and Regulations	3
ME.250.960	The Role of Digital Health and the Health Care Delivery System	3
ME.250.961	Large Scale Observational Research Preparation	3
ME.250.962	Prototyping for Healthcare Design	3

C. Health Policy Track

This track provides training to develop, identify, and translate the best available evidence to inform critical public health policy challenges at the local, national, and global levels. The curriculum incorporates systems-thinking and rigorous scientific methods from multiple disciplines to be responsive to the needs of public health practitioners and policymakers. Through coursework, students develop skills needed to understand and evaluate complex problems and to propose and critically assess solutions to those problems. The track is relevant to those currently working in public health policy and practice settings at the intersection of evidence, decision-making, and implementation.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses
PH.300.650	Crisis and Response in Public Health Policy and Practice	3
PH.300.712	Formulating Policy: Strategies and Systems of Policymaking in the 21st Century	3
PH.301.645	Health Advocacy	3
PH.305.684	Health Impact Assessment	3
PH.308.721 & PH.308.722	Catalyzing Change Part 1: Practical Approaches to Health Policy and Catalyzing Change Part 2: Health Policy Leadership	3,3
PH.311.861	DrPH Concentration Seminar in Health Policy and Management (1 credit of Concentration Seminar required, earning .25 credits per term)	.25
Electives
Choose from among the following courses to reach the 27-credit minimum
PH.140.607	Multilevel Models	2
PH.140.608	Analysis of Longitudinal Data	2
PH.180.606	Food, Farming, and Protein Futures	3
PH.180.619	Drinking Water and Water Policy: Avoiding Another Flint	1
PH.180.620	Introduction to Food Systems and Public Health	4
PH.180.623	Infectious Disease Threats to Global Health Security	3
PH.180.628	Introduction To Environmental and Occupational Health Law	4
PH.180.634	Public Health Emergencies: Risk Communication and Decision Science	3
PH.220.621	Public Health Advocacy and Gender: Towards a Gender Transformative Approach	2
PH.221.654	Systems Thinking in Public Health: Applications of Key Methods and Approaches	3
PH.221.669	American Indian Health Policy	2
PH.223.680	Global Disease Control Programs and Policies	4
PH.224.641	Legal and Historical Basis for American Indian Healthcare and Policy	2
PH.300.615	The Tools of Public Health Practice	1
PH.300.651	Introduction to the U.S. Healthcare System	4
PH.301.640	Bloomberg American Health Initiative Public Health Advocacy Seminar	1
PH.301.644	Public Health Advocacy: Grassroots Organizing for Policy Change	3
PH.301.646	Legal Advocacy for Public Health Practice and Policy (Legal Advocacy for Public Health Practice and Policy)	1
PH.305.630	Transportation Policy and Health	2
PH.306.650	Public Health and the Law	3
PH.308.620	Graduate Seminar in Racism and Measurement in Public Policy & Analysis	3
PH.308.630	U.S. Pharmaceutical Policy	3
PH.308.660	Food Industry, Politics and Public Health	3
PH.308.680	Health Care and Congress: Perspective From K Street	2
PH.308.681	Health Policy Legislation: A Closer Look at the 2025 Virginia Legislative Sessions	2
PH.309.632	Informatics Across the Healthcare Spectrum	2
PH.308.710	Combating Misinformation: Tools and Tactics for Public Health Response	3
PH.309.637	Public Health Informatics Research Methods	3
PH.312.603	Fundamentals of Budgeting and Financial Management	3
PH.312.620	Performance Measurement in Health Care	2
PH.313.601	Economic Evaluation I	3
PH.313.602	Economic Evaluation II (Prerequisite 313.601)	3
PH.313.643	Health Economics	3
PH.313.790	Introduction to Economic Evaluation	3
PH.317.600	Introduction to the Risk Sciences and Public Policy	4
PH.317.605	Methods in Quantitative Risk Assessment	4
PH.317.610	Risk Policy, Management and Communication	3
PH.317.615	Topics in Risk Assessment	2
PH.318.603	Applied Microeconomics for Policymaking	3
PH.318.623	Social Policy for Marginalized and Disenfranchised Populations in the U.S.	3
PH.330.638	The Science of Narrative: Why Storytelling Is Important to Research	1
PH.340.616	Epidemiology of Aging	3
PH.340.621	Using Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Improve Public Health	1
PH.340.636	Epidemiology in Evidence-Based Policy	2
PH.340.663	Epidemiology Workshop: Interpreting and Using Epidemiologic Evidence	2
PH.340.717	Health Survey Research Methods	4
PH.380.609	Women's Health: Disparities and Equity Implications	2
PH.380.611	Fundamentals of Program Evaluation	4
PH.380.663	Gender-Based Violence Research, Practice and Policy: Issues and Current Controversies	3
PH.380.740	Nutrition Programs, Policy and Politics in the United States: the Impact on Maternal, Child and Family Health	3
PH.380.768	Selected Topics in Women's Health and Women's Health Policy	4
PH.410.604	Harm Reduction: A Framework for Evidence-Based Policy and Practice	3
PH.410.620	Program Planning for Health Behavior Change	3
PH.410.635	Applications of Innovative Methods in Local and Global Health Equity Research	4
AS.360.783	Engaging in Educational Scholarship/ Engaging in Educational Scholarship (Approved as 2 BSPH credits))	2

D. Quality and Patient Safety Track

This track addresses issues related to quality of healthcare, patient safety, patient-centered outcomes, and performance measurement and improvement. The curriculum is designed for public health, clinical, and management professionals—especially those who wish to develop the expertise to implement evidence-based interventions and improve care delivery.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses
PH.309.712	Assessing Health Status and Patient Outcomes	3
PH.309.730	Patient Safety and Medical Errors	3
PH.311.615	Quality of Medical Care	3
PH.311.861	DrPH Concentration Seminar in Health Policy and Management (1 credit of Concentration Seminar required, earning .25 credits per term)	.25
PH.312.620	Performance Measurement in Health Care	2
PH.312.693	Introduction to Comparative Effectiveness and Outcomes Research	3
Evaluation and Research Methods Selective (Take One Sequence)
PH.309.600	Evaluating Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Programs	3
OR
PH.309.616 & PH.309.617	Introduction to Methods for Health Services Research and Evaluation I and Introduction to Methods for Health Services Research and Evaluation II (Multi-Term Course)	4
Electives
Choose from among the following courses to reach the 27-credit minimum
PH.140.607	Multilevel Models	2
PH.140.608	Analysis of Longitudinal Data	2
PH.221.607	Towards Gender Transformative Leadership in Global Health: Essential Skills	3
PH.221.722	Quality Assurance Management Methods for Developing Countries	4
PH.260.606	Major Global Infectious Diseases: Prospects for Control	2
PH.300.600	Introduction to Health Policy	4
PH.301.635	Policing and Public Health	3
PH.309.620	Managed Care and Health insurance	3
PH.309.631	Population Health Informatics	3
PH.309.637	Public Health Informatics Research Methods	3
PH.309.731	Patient Safety in Developing Countries	2
PH.312.603	Fundamentals of Budgeting and Financial Management	3
PH.312.604	Quantitative Tools for Managers	3
PH.312.633	Health Management Information Systems	3
PH.312.701	Strategic Leadership and Decision Making	3
PH.330.650	Methods in Implementation Science	3
PH.340.716	Implementation Science Concepts, Methods & Study Designs	2
PH.340.717	Health Survey Research Methods	4
PH.340.727	Designing and Administering Health Surveys: A Practical, Skills-Based Approach	2
PH.380.611	Fundamentals of Program Evaluation	4
PH.410.635	Applications of Innovative Methods in Local and Global Health Equity Research	4
PH.410.721	Translating Research into Public Health Programs and Policy	3
PH.550.601	Implementation Research and Practice	3

---

Implementation Science Concentration

This concentration is focused on developing and sharing evidence to support the formulation, implementation, and scale-up of new health policies and programs through the application of interdisciplinary tools and approaches to study processes in complex health systems. The curriculum provides students with the skills to work collaboratively and integrate diverse perspectives into cogent intervention designs and implementation strategies. Students learn how to support iterative cycles of implementation and adaptation of public health programs based on evaluation and learning and how to synthesize and present complex information to policymakers and practitioners. This concentration is relevant to those working domestically and internationally and is well-suited to people seeking to develop careers as program managers, physician managers, and those working in the knowledge translation field or in policy advisory positions. 

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses
PH.330.650	Methods in Implementation Science	3
PH.340.726	Implementation Research Methods to Address Real World Epidemiological Questions	3
PH.410.630	Implementation and Sustainability of Community-Based Health Programs	3
PH.410.880	DrPH Concentration Seminar in Implementation Science (1 credit of Concentration Seminar required, earning .25 credits per term)	.25
PH.550.601	Implementation Research and Practice	3
Methodology and Analysis Selectives
Take a minimum of 7 credits
PH.220.623	Applying a Gender Lens to Advance Implementation Research	2
PH.221.654	Systems Thinking in Public Health: Applications of Key Methods and Approaches	3
PH.221.694	Applied Implementation Science for Health Systems Research	3
PH.221.722	Quality Assurance Management Methods for Developing Countries	4
PH.224.692	Methods in Formative Research and Human Centered Design for Intervention Development	4
PH.309.616 & PH.309.617	Introduction to Methods for Health Services Research and Evaluation I and Introduction to Methods for Health Services Research and Evaluation II (Multi-Term Course)	2, 2
PH.330.608	School-Based Preventive Interventions and Research	1
PH.410.664	Knowledge Management for Effective Global Health Programs	3
Electives
Choose from among the following courses to reach the 27-credit minimum
PH.221.625	Evaluation of District-Level Primary Health Care Implementation in Low-and Middle-income Settings	3
PH.221.645	Large-scale Effectiveness Evaluations of Health Programs	4
PH.221.646	Health Systems in Low and Middle income Countries	3
PH.221.711	Managing District Health Systems in Low and Middle Income Countries	3
PH.301.692	The Role of Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Improving Global Public Health	3
PH.309.600	Evaluating Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Programs	3
PH.330.643	The Science of Narrative: Intersectionality of Storytelling and Public Health	2
PH.340.636	Epidemiology in Evidence-Based Policy	2
PH.340.663	Epidemiology Workshop: Interpreting and Using Epidemiologic Evidence	2
PH.340.861	Clinical Trials: Procedures, Design, and Interpretation of Results	3
PH.390.678	Introduction to Quality Improvement & Knowledge Translation Research	3
PH.410.620	Program Planning for Health Behavior Change	3
PH.410.755	Designing Health Communication Programs for Social and Behavior Change	4
PH.552.603	The Role of Qualitative Methods and Science in Describing and Assessing a Population's Health	0.5

---

Indigenous Health Concentration

This concentration is focused on preparing public health leaders to support and advance the health of Indigenous peoples. The curriculum provides students with the knowledge and skills to apply ethical principles, conceptual frameworks, and multidisciplinary perspectives to address Indigenous health challenges. Students examine the intergenerational impact of colonization, explore policy and programmatic strategies to promote Indigenous health, learn to integrate Indigenous values and knowledges in health promotion, and develop approaches to generate and translate knowledge to strengthen Indigenous health programs and policies. Students have opportunities to work closely with faculty and practitioners with expertise in Indigenous Health, including those affiliated with the Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health, one of the largest Indigenous health research and training centers in the world. This concentration is well-suited for those seeking leadership positions in government, nonprofit, academic, and healthcare settings that serve Indigenous communities in the U.S. and globally. 

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses *
PH.224.605	Indigenous Health	2
PH.220.862	DrPH Concentration Seminar in Indigenous Health (1 credit of Concentration Seminar required, earning .25 credits per term)	0.25
PH.224.642	Indigenous Health Leadership & Ethics	2
PH.224.705	Indigenous Health II	3
Health Policy Selective (Take 1) *
PH.221.669	American Indian Health Policy	2
or PH.224.641	Legal and Historical Basis for American Indian Healthcare and Policy
Health Promotion Selective (Take 1) *
PH.221.664	Prevention of Unintentional Injuries in American Indian Communities	2
PH.221.665	Early Childhood Intervention in Tribal Communities	2
PH.224.643	Case Studies in Indigenous Health	2
Research and Evaluation Methods Selective (Take 2) *
PH.221.666	Introduction to American Indian Health Research Ethics	2
PH.221.670	Collecting, Analyzing and Using Public Health Data in Native American Communities	3
PH.221.671	Introduction to Quantitative and Qualitative Research for American Indian Health	2
PH.221.672	Introduction to Data Management Using American Indian Health Data	2
PH.221.674	Donor Transition and Sustainability: Implications for the Future of International Health	2
PH.224.640	Indigenous Evaluation Frameworks	2
PH.224.707	Tribally Driven Research Frameworks (Tribally Driven Research Frameworks)	2
PH.224.708	Indigenous Research Methods (Indigenous Research Methods)	2
Electives
Choose from among the following courses to reach the 27-credit minimum
PH.180.600	Public Health Implications of Health as a Human Right	2
PH.180.625	Community-Driven Epidemiology and Environmental Justice	3
PH.180.626	Environmental Justice and Public Health Practice	3
PH.185.600	One Health Tools to Promote and Evaluate Healthy and Sustainable Communities	3
PH.221.617	Behavioral Economics in Health Decisions	2
PH.221.654	Systems Thinking in Public Health: Applications of Key Methods and Approaches	3
PH.221.663	Globalization and Health: Framework for Analysis	3
PH.221.667	An Interdisciplinary Approach to Understanding the Health of Native Americans	3
PH.221.XXX	(COVID-19 & Infectious Disease Outbreaks in Native American Communities)	2
PH.221.673	Mental Health in American Indian Communities	2
PH.223.680	Global Disease Control Programs and Policies	4
PH.224.612	Indigenous Perspectives on Environmental Health	2
PH.308.610	The Political Economy of Social inequalities and Its Consequences for Health and Quality of Life	3
PH.312.603	Fundamentals of Budgeting and Financial Management	3
PH.318.623	Social Policy for Marginalized and Disenfranchised Populations in the U.S.	3
PH.330.650	Methods in Implementation Science	3
PH.340.667	Health Equity Research Methods to Address Social Determinants of Health	4
PH.380.604	Life Course Perspectives on Health	4
PH.380.611	Fundamentals of Program Evaluation	4
PH.380.663	Gender-Based Violence Research, Practice and Policy: Issues and Current Controversies	3
PH.410.605	Fundamental Tools for Promoting Health Equity	3
PH.410.635	Applications of Innovative Methods in Local and Global Health Equity Research	4
PH.410.679	Decoloniality and Global Health Communication	3
PH.410.683	Global Perspectives on the Health of Sexual and Gender Minorities	3
PH.410.864	Critical Issues in Health Disparities	1
PH.550.844	Current Issues in Public Health: COVID-19 Pandemic Response	2
PH.700.622	Bioethics, Human Rights, and Global Health	3

*

Courses within the Indigenous Health concentration will begin in AY2027–28. Students entering the concentration in AY2026–27 should plan to focus primarily on completing their foundational DrPH coursework, with concentration-specific coursework beginning once those courses become available.

Please note that as the Indigenous Health Concentration is developing, additional courses will be added to the Selective Course Options. The DrPH Program will release the new course information as it is available.

Women’s and Reproductive Health Concentration

This concentration focuses on the general and reproductive health status of women, the determinants of their health status, the disparities therein, the application of relevant gender equity frameworks, and preventive strategies and programs to address women’s health and the health of their newborns and young children. There are many challenges to improving women’s and reproductive health, including the low status of women in many cultures and countries, political constraints to addressing reproductive health needs, limited access to reproductive health services, and insufficient evidence on the effectiveness of strategies to improve women’s health and reproductive health. This concentration is well-suited to those seeking leadership positions in domestic and international agencies concerned with addressing the complex and challenging problems in women’s and reproductive health. 

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses
PH.380.603	Demographic Methods for Public Health	4
PH.380.604	Life Course Perspectives on Health	4
PH.380.825	DrPH Concentration Seminar in Women’s and Reproductive Health (1 credit of Concentration Seminar required, earning .25 credits per term)	0.25
Evaluating Research Approaches to Understand Women's or Reproductive Health Selective (Choose 1)
PH.380.601	Critically Evaluating the Science for Policy and Practice 4	2
PH.380.611	Fundamentals of Program Evaluation	4
PH.380.662	Critiquing the Research Literature in Maternal, Child, and Reproductive Health 4	4
Health Concerns for Women, Mothers & Newborns Selective (Choose 2)
PH.380.609	Women's Health: Disparities and Equity Implications	2
PH.380.613	Gender-Based Violence Research, Practice and Policy 5	2
PH.380.663	Gender-Based Violence Research, Practice and Policy: Issues and Current Controversies 5	3
PH.380.761	Sexually Transmitted Infections in Public Health Practice	4
PH.380.762	HIV Infection in Women, Children, and Adolescents	4
PH.380.765	Preventing Infant Mortality and Promoting the Health of Women, Infants and Children	3
Promoting Population-Level Women's, Reproductive, Maternal & Child Health Selective (Choose 1)
PH.380.624	Maternal and Child Health Legislation and Programs	4
PH.380.706	Using Data to Inform Family Planning Policies	2
PH.380.768	Selected Topics in Women's Health and Women's Health Policy	4
Women's & Reproductive Health Frameworks Selective (Choose 1)
PH.380.669	International Perspectives on Women, Gender, and Health	2
PH.380.768	Selected Topics in Women's Health and Women's Health Policy	4
PH.380.744	Nutrition and Growth in Maternal and Child Health	3
Electives
Choose from among the following courses to reach the 27-credit minimum; Any selective course not used to fulfill a selective requirement may be counted as an elective.
PH.120.620	Fundamentals of Reproductive Biology	3
PH.220.622	How to Design Gender Transformative Programs	2
PH.220.624	Monitoring and Evaluation in Global Health for the Real World: Addressing Gender Inequity for Change that Counts	3
PH.220.629	Foundational Concepts in Gender and Health Data and Application	2
PH.220.633	Building Women's and Girls' Agency and Resilience Through Psycho-social Interventions	2
PH.221.607	Towards Gender Transformative Leadership in Global Health: Essential Skills	3
PH.221.701	Applications to Gender Analysis Within Health Research and Interventions	3
PH.330.661	Etiologic Frameworks for Public Mental Health	3
PH.340.727	Designing and Administering Health Surveys: A Practical, Skills-Based Approach	2
PH.380.600	Principles of Population Change	4
PH.380.607	Youth Voice in Public Health	1
PH.380.620	A Coalition-based SMART Approach to Public Health Advocacy	3
PH.380.623	Adolescent Health and Development	3
PH.380.628	Public Health Perspectives On Abortion	3
PH.380.642	Child Health and Development	3
PH.380.709	Introduction to Program Evaluation in PFRH	1
PH.380.711	Issues in Survey Research Design	3
PH.380.749	Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health	3
PH.552.622	Creating, Implementing and Monitoring Budgets for Projects and Programs	1

4, 5

Superscripted numbers indicate courses with overlapping content. For each identified pair, students may take one course or the other, but not both, as either a selective or an elective.

DrPH Program Policies

For a full list of program policies, current students can visit the DrPH Program page, where they can access their DrPH Student Handbook and milestone guidebooks.

DrPH Program Objectives

1. Identify, synthesize, and apply evidence-based public health research and theory from a broad range of disciplines and health-related data sources for problem-solving and to advance programs, policies, and systems promoting population health. (Data analysis)
2. Identify and analyze ethical issues including balancing the claims of personal liberty with the responsibility to protect and improve the health of the population and act on the ethical concepts of social justice and human rights in public health research and practice. (Ethics)
3. Influence decision-making regarding policies and practices that advance public health using scientific knowledge, analysis, communication, and consensus building. (Policy)
4. Assess and use communication strategies across diverse audiences to inform and influence individual, organization, community, and policy actions to promote the health of the public. (Communication)
5. Enable organizations and communities to create, communicate and apply shared visions, missions and values; inspire trust and motivate others; build capacity; improve performance, and enhance the quality of the working environment; and use evidence-based strategies to enhance public health. (Leadership)
6. Provide fiscally responsible, strategic, and operational guidance within both public and private health organizations for achieving individual and community health and wellness. (Management)
7. Design and evaluate system-level and programmatic initiatives in multidisciplinary teams so as to promote public health outcomes and health equity (Program design and evaluation)
8. Assess adult learning needs and design and deliver training or educational experiences that respond to these needs using the best pedagogical practices available. (Education)

CEPH Learning Objectives & Foundational Competencies

According to the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) requirements, all BSPH degree students must be grounded in foundational public health knowledge. Please view the list of specific CEPH requirements by degree type.

Concentration & Track Competencies

Custom Track¹

1. Compare and contrast intrapersonal, interpersonal, community, and social behavior change theories and frameworks and assess their usefulness for designing public health interventions overall and in a chosen specialty area.

2. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of applying the systems approach to public health problems overall and in a chosen specialty area.

3. Design a comprehensive evaluation plan for a health program.

¹

All students in the Customized Program of Study are expected to achieve the three required competencies listed. In consultation with their advisors, students also identify at least two additional competencies tailored to their planned course of study.

Environmental Health Concentration

Environmental Health Track

1. Analyze and address the science and current issues related to environmental and occupational health.
2. Explain how environmental and occupational health sciences can be integrated to improve public health practice.
3. Evaluate environmental and occupational health risks by applying toxicology and risk analysis (i.e., risk assessment, risk communication, and risk management) to improve environmental and occupational health outcomes.
4. Design, advocate, and provide leadership for effective environmental and occupational health interventions using law, regulation, and policy at local, state, national, and international levels.
5. Assess environmental and occupational health-related illnesses and risks based on human physiology and human-environment interactions.

Health Security Track 

1. Apply risk assessment principles to program planning, implementation, and goals, particularly in the context of emergency response and health security problems.
2. Evaluate major health security threats, and characterize the human, social, economic, and political risks they pose to societies.
3. Analyze major US and international initiatives to prevent, detect, and respond to health security threats, and assess those areas of health security where preparedness is strongest and where additional progress is needed.
4. Evaluate the effectiveness of strategies to enhance health security and prevent or mitigate health security threats.
5. Synthesize and communicate important health security information in a way that increases the likelihood that political leaders and policymakers take appropriate action.

Global Health: Policy & Evaluation Concentration

1. Assess global public health burdens and threats and formulate strategies to solve complex health issues.
2. Examine health systems frameworks, strategies, actors, and tools to analyze and evaluate health systems performance and their reforms in global settings with a primary focus on LMICs².
3. Apply key policy frameworks and models in policy development and analyze the role and contribution of actors, context, and evidence in shaping effective policies and programs in LMICs.
4. Create effective and comprehensive evaluation plans for small and large programs in health with ethical and resource considerations, with a primary focus in LMICs.
5. Examine theories on globalization's impact on health and apply analytical tools to evaluate globalization's impact on health, with a primary focus on LMICs.

²

LMIC is an acronym for low- and middle-income countries. 

Health Equity & Social Justice Concentration

1. ​Critically evaluate issues relating to health equity and social justice in analysis of public health programs and policies.
2. Apply theoretical frameworks to identify social determinants of health that promote or compromise health equity and health disparities in disadvantaged groups.
3. Apply methods to measure social determinants of health and their relation to health outcomes for vulnerable and marginalized populations.
4. Apply social justice principles to inform strategies and policies to promote health equity in communities.
5. Evaluate the implementation and sustainability of health programs at the interpersonal, intrapersonal, organizational, social/environmental, and political levels.

Health Policy & Management Concentration

HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP TRACK

HEALTH POLICY TRACK

1. Critically assess policy interventions to address complex public health problems.
2. Apply data to inform decision-making for policy formulation and weigh scientific, political, ethical, and social public health concerns.
3. Formulate and execute advocacy strategies that are responsive to public health policy goals.
4. Communicate the role of public health within the larger health and social policy system, with a focus on response to managing health crises.
5. Apply state-of-the-science, leadership, and communication strategies to effectively disseminate scientific evidence to policymakers.

PUBLIC HEALTH INFORMATICS TRACK

1. Assess the state of the science and current research and policy issues related to the foundation of population health informatics.
2. Identify the most effective visualization techniques that can be used to convey impactful results to different end users (e.g., patients, clinicians, care managers/coordinators, health system admins, and policymakers).
3. Propose a high-level design for a decision support intervention and implementation.
4. Evaluate various informatics solutions for public or population health management interventions based on different criteria such as user-centered software design and system architecture, design thinking and interoperability, standards, human factors, security, privacy, and ethical issues.
5. Analyze the proper management approaches for an organization to evaluate organizational readiness and implement solutions utilizing change management strategies.

Quality & Patient Safety Track

1. Apply quality improvement and evaluation frameworks to health services challenges.
2. Evaluate and manage measurement challenges.
3. Identify implementation barriers and leverage facilitators and evidence to enhance quality and patient safety in practice.
4. Assess utility of specific quality improvement and patient safety measurement interventions and methods.
5. Apply a framework for analyzing and improving the quality of medical care.

Implementation Science Concentration

1. Apply key implementation science constructs and theories to public health problems.
2. Distinguish implementation outcomes from efficacy, service, and client outcomes.
3. Recognize which stakeholders should be engaged in the process of developing, implementing, evaluating, and sustaining a community-based program.
4. Propose implementation of research study aims, methods, data sources, and study designs to address a public health question.
5. Critically evaluate the relevance of study designs used for efficacy, effectiveness, and implementation research.

Indigenous Health Concentration

1. Evaluate the intergenerational impact of colonization on the health of Indigenous people and communities
2. Design and evaluate programs and policies that promote the health of Indigenous people and populations.

3. Apply frameworks (e.g., Four Connections, Indigenous knowledges, Indigenous Health Models, Healing Frameworks) developed with and for Indigenous communities to promote the health and well-being of Indigenous people and communities.

4. Analyze the historical, social, political, legal and economic factors and values that influence the development and implementation of health policies relevant to Indigenous communities.

5. Evaluate strategies to strengthen the social and political infrastructure for addressing the health of Indigenous populations around the globe.

Women's & Reproductive Health Concentration

1. Assess the principal health concerns for women or mothers and newborns, the associated population-based risk factors, and the relative impact of each risk factor.
2. Apply a life course framework to understanding the determinants of a woman’s or reproductive health concern, implications for a woman’s health later in life, and the population strategies to address it.
3. Evaluate strategies to promote population-level women's or reproductive, maternal, and child health, including healthcare services and systems delivery strategies used to address health concerns in the population.
4. Evaluate research approaches to understand women’s or reproductive health concerns and the implications of the research.
5. Apply frameworks related to women’s and reproductive health for improving their health.
6. Identify and assess the causes and consequences of population change related to women’s and reproductive health using demographic methods.