Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) in Leadership, Management, and Policy

Academic Requirements

• Completion of a minimum of 48 units of graduate-level courses
• Completion of required core DrPH program courses
• Completion of approved research design and methods, management and finance, and policy electives
• Completion of public health leadership practicum
• Comprehensive examination
• Dissertation topic approval
• Dissertation proposal approval
• Oral defense of public health practice dissertation
• Completion of the degree in five years for full-time students and seven years for part-time students

DrPH Program Requirements

In keeping with its interdisciplinary approach to doctoral education, the DrPH Program offers students the opportunity to fulfill their program requirements through unique core courses and a variety of electives offered by all School of Public Health concentrations. The DrPH curriculum emphasizes a mixture of professional and academic skills that focus on leadership and management, advocacy and policy, ethics, finance, and research methods. Full-time students must complete the program within five years; part-time students must complete the program within seven years. Incoming students who do not hold a Master of Public Health are required to complete prerequisite coursework in biostatistics, environmental health, epidemiology, and health policy and management. All DrPH students must complete the following core courses. DrPH students must receive at least a B grade in each of these classes, as well as in all other required and elective coursework.

Foundations of Public Health

• SPH PH 700 Foundations of Public Health (0 units)

DrPH Program Core Courses

• SPH PH 842 Research Theory and Design (2 units)
• SPH PH 844 Introduction to Qualitative Analysis for Public Health (2 units)
• SPH PH 851 Needs Assessment (4 units)
• SPH PH 853 Strategic Planning and Communications (4 units)
• SPH PH 854 Program and Policy Evaluation (4 units)
• SPH PH 856 Law and Ethics for Public Health Leaders (2 units)
• SPH PH 857 Health Economics and Financial Management for Public Health (4 units)
• SPH PH 859 Cases in Public Health Management (2 units)
• SPH PH 867 Evidence-Based Policy and Budgeting (4 units)
• SPH PH 871 Communication Skills for Public Health Leaders (1 unit)
• SPH PH 872 Mentorship and Coaching in Public Health Leadership (1 unit)
• SPH PH 873 Data-Driven Decision-Making for Public Health Leaders (1 unit)
• SPH PH 874 Public Health Practice within Political Contexts (1 unit)
• SPH PH 986 DrPH Practicum (0 units)
• SPH PM 835 Lean Management (4 units)
• SPH PM 839 Implementation Science (4 units)

Additional Course Requirements

In addition to the core course requirements, students will complete 8 elective units. Students will be able to choose from a list of elective courses that have been approved by the DrPH Program in research design and methods, management or finance, and policy and advocacy. (Please see the DrPH Program Student Guidebook for the complete list of preapproved courses.) Students may petition to take a course that is not on the elective list by making a request to the DrPH Program director. Students should consult with their advisors to choose the courses that will be most applicable to their program.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

DrPH students’ progress will be assessed each term by the DrPH Committee, and students are expected to make satisfactory academic progress during each review period. The program director and advisors will work with students who are deemed to be in difficulty. For more information, see the DrPH Program Guide.

Students who have completed DrPH coursework must be registered for PH 990 Continuing Study (0 units) each fall and spring term until they graduate. PH 990 is ungraded. All DrPH students must adhere to the Graduation Calendar in preparing and submitting their dissertations.

All SPH students will need a laptop or tablet for classes, purchased according to the recommendations of the Medical Campus Information Technology professionals.