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

Academic Requirements

• 48 units of graduate-level courses, including required DrPH program courses and electives
• Public health leadership practicum
• Comprehensive examination
• Dissertation proposal approval
• Written public health practice dissertation project
• Oral presentation of public health practice dissertation project

DrPH Program Requirements

In the DrPH program, students gain interdisciplinary, advanced skills in public health leadership and address key professional competencies through coursework, practical experiences, and dissertation activities. The DrPH curriculum emphasizes both professional and academic skills for advanced public health practice, including 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 may be required to complete prerequisite coursework in biostatistics and epidemiology. All DrPH students must complete the core courses listed below. 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 may 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 Guidelines for the complete list of preapproved courses.) Students may petition to take a course that is not on the elective list by communicating with the DrPH Program director.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Students are expected to make satisfactory academic progress each semester. The Program Director, the BUSPH Registrar, and the BUSPH Associate Dean of Education will work with students who experience academic difficulty. For more information, see the DrPH Program Guidelines.

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