About

The DrPH is the terminal professional degree for individuals who intend to pursue careers in public health, evidence-based leadership and/or practice-based research. The goal of the DrPH program at ECU is to expand capacity for the advancement of public health leadership with a focus on rural, underserved and multi-cultural communities. It aims to train graduates to be transformative future leaders, teachers, innovators and researchers in public health with the ability to create and implement evidence-based public health programs.

ECU Advantage

The DrPH program at ECU consists of two concentrations: Environmental and Occupational Health (EOH), and Health Policy, Administration and Leadership.

Environmental and Occupational Health Sample Courses:

• Environmental & Occupational Exposure Assessment
• Issues and Case Studies in Occupational Medicine
• Pests and Vector borne Diseases

Health Policy, Administration and Leadership Sample Courses

• Quality Improvement and Cost Effectiveness
• Strategic Planning Theory and Practice
• Human Resources, Management & Leadership
• Health Information Systems

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What You Will Study

Program Directors by Concentration Area:

The goal of the Public Health, DrPH program is to educate leaders who can transform the health system into one that provides high quality care; reduces per capita costs of health care; improves population health; and addresses health needs of the rural, poor, underserved multicultural populations to reduce health disparities. The DrPH is a terminal degree for individuals who intend to pursue leadership careers in applied, practice-based, public health research and leadership.

The DrPH program offers two concentrations: (1) environmental and occupational health, and, (2) health policy, administration, and leadership. Both concentrations have specific course content that embeds rural health throughout the plan of study. Graduates of this program will be prepared for leadership positions in government (local, state, or federal public health institutions), non-profit institutions (health advocacy or community service), or for-profit institutions (health care organizations, health research organizations, health insurance, pharmaceutical industry and health-related industries) with preparation for research and teaching in higher education.

The DrPH is a 50 s.h. to 74 s.h. program. The minimum degree requirement depends on the student's academic background. Students with an MPH from an accredited program will have taken the 24 hours of foundational courses and will have met that requirement. Those without an MPH degree or equivalent will be required to take the foundational courses before taking the doctoral level courses. Experience in health practice is highly desired.

Consistent with a practice-focused degree and with public health discipline expectations, the degree will require both a practicum/field placement and a dissertation. Special consideration may be provided at the discretion of the program directors to those with exceptional backgrounds or uniques skill sets. The program offers flexibility for today's working professional seeking an advanced degree while at the same time, ensuring that graduates of the program demonstrate the skills needed to be transformational leaders in public health.

The basic curriculum plans for each level of experience and each concentration are as follows:

Doctor of Public Health - Environmental and Occupational Health Concentration

(50 s.h. - 74 s.h.)

    1. Applicant with a master of public health - 50 s.h.
      a. Interdisciplinary core - 9 s.h.
      • HUMS 7004 - Ethics and Research
      • PUBH 8020 - Organizational Theory and Leadership
      • PUBH 8025 - Quantitative Research Methods
      b. Concentration core - 15 s.h.
      • PHAR 7680 - Toxicology
      • PUBH 7930 - Environmental and Occupational Exposure Assessment
      • PUBH 8110 - Emerging Issues in Environmental and Occupational Health
      • PUBH 8125 - Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology
      • PUBH 8245 - Health Policy Analysis
      c. Specialty areas - 9 s.h.

      (Choose a specialty area.)

        Environmental:
        • PUBH 8002 - Public Health Microbiology, Water and Food Safety
        • PUBH 8004 - Public Health Pests and Vector-Borne Diseases
        • PUBH 8006 - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
        Occupational:
        • PUBH 8003 - Issues and Case Studies in Occupational Medicine
        • PUBH 8005 - Advanced Control of Occupational Hazards
        • PUBH 8007 - Advanced Industrial Hygiene Applications
      d. Elective - 3 s.h.

      (Choose from below courses.)

      • GEOG 6340 - GIS for Public Health Research
      • HUMS 7201 - Independent Study
      • PUBH 8100 - Applied Environmental and Industrial Hygiene
      • PUBH 8120 - Introduction to Environmental and Occupational Health Law
      • PUBH 8150 - Environmental Risk Communication
      • Approved electives from other departments
      • Approved elective from another department
      e. Dissertation - 9 s.h.
      • PUBH 9000 - Dissertation Research
      f. Field experience - 5 s.h.
      • PUBH 8684 - Field Practicum
    2. Applicant without a master of public health – 74 s.h.
      a. Foundation courses - 24 s.h.
      • BIOS 7021 - Biostatistics for Health Professionals I
      • MPH 6000 - Public Health Practice
      • MPH 6002 - Ethics and Law in Public Health
      • MPH 6010 - Fundamentals of Environmental Health
      • MPH 6011 - Introduction to Epidemiology
      • MPH 6013 - Principles of Health Behavior
      • MPH 6020 - Research Methods
      • MPH 6035 - Interdisciplinary Rural Health
      b. Interdisciplinary core - 9 s.h.
      • HUMS 7004 - Ethics and Research
      • PUBH 8020 - Organizational Theory and Leadership
      • PUBH 8025 - Quantitative Research Methods
      c. Concentration core - 15 s.h.
      • PHAR 7680 - Toxicology
      • PUBH 7930 - Environmental and Occupational Exposure Assessment
      • PUBH 8110 - Emerging Issues in Environmental and Occupational Health
      • PUBH 8125 - Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology
      • PUBH 8245 - Health Policy Analysis
      d. Specialty areas - 9 s.h.

      (Choose a specialty area.)

        Environmental:
        • PUBH 8002 - Public Health Microbiology, Water and Food Safety
        • PUBH 8004 - Public Health Pests and Vector-Borne Diseases
        • PUBH 8006 - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
        Occupational:
        • PUBH 8003 - Issues and Case Studies in Occupational Medicine
        • PUBH 8005 - Advanced Control of Occupational Hazards
        • PUBH 8007 - Advanced Industrial Hygiene Applications
      e. Elective - 3 s.h.

      (Choose from below courses.)

      • GEOG 6340 - GIS for Public Health Research
      • HUMS 7201 - Independent Study
      • PUBH 8120 - Introduction to Environmental and Occupational Health Law
      • PUBH 8150 - Environmental Risk Communication
      • Approved electives from other departments
      • Approved elective from another department
      f. Dissertation - 9 s.h.
      • PUBH 9000 - Dissertation Research
      g. Field experience - 5 s.h.
      • PUBH 8684 - Field Practicum
Doctor of Public Health - Health Policy, Administration, and Leadership Concentration

(50 s.h. - 74 s.h.)

    1. Applicant with a master of public health - 50 s.h.
      a. Interdisciplinary core - 9 s.h.
      • HUMS 7004 - Ethics and Research
      • PUBH 8020 - Organizational Theory and Leadership
      • PUBH 8025 - Quantitative Research Methods
      b. Concentration core - 18 s.h.
      • PUBH 8130 - Strategic Planning, Theory and Practice
      • PUBH 8134 - Financial Planning and Management
      • PUBH 8240 - Human Resources Management
      • PUBH 8245 - Health Policy Analysis
      • PUBH 8350 - Qualitative Research Methods
      • PUBH 8352 - Quality Improvement and Cost Effectiveness Analysis
      c. Elective - 9 s.h.

      (Choose from below courses.)

      • HUMS 7201 - Independent Study
      • PUBH 8460 - Economic Analysis in Health Systems
      • PUBH 8463 - Health Information Systems
      • PUBH 8571 - Public Health and Aging
      • PUBH 8680 - Public Health Disaster Preparedness and Response
      • Approved electives from other departments
      • Approved elective from another department
      d. Dissertation - 9 s.h.
      • PUBH 9000 - Dissertation Research
      e. Field experience - 5 s.h.
      • PUBH 8684 - Field Practicum
    2. Applicant without a master of public health – 74 s.h.
      a. Foundation courses - 24 s.h.
      • BIOS 7021 - Biostatistics for Health Professionals I
      • MPH 6000 - Public Health Practice
      • MPH 6002 - Ethics and Law in Public Health
      • MPH 6010 - Fundamentals of Environmental Health
      • MPH 6011 - Introduction to Epidemiology
      • MPH 6013 - Principles of Health Behavior
      • MPH 6020 - Research Methods
      • MPH 6035 - Interdisciplinary Rural Health
      b. Interdisciplinary core - 9 s.h.
      • HUMS 7004 - Ethics and Research
      • PUBH 8020 - Organizational Theory and Leadership
      • PUBH 8025 - Quantitative Research Methods
      c. Concentration core - 18 s.h.
      • PUBH 8130 - Strategic Planning, Theory and Practice
      • PUBH 8134 - Financial Planning and Management
      • PUBH 8240 - Human Resources Management
      • PUBH 8245 - Health Policy Analysis
      • PUBH 8350 - Qualitative Research Methods
      • PUBH 8352 - Quality Improvement and Cost Effectiveness Analysis
      d. Elective - 9 s.h.

      (Choose from the below courses.)

      • HUMS 7201 - Independent Study
      • PUBH 8460 - Economic Analysis in Health Systems
      • PUBH 8463 - Health Information Systems
      • PUBH 8571 - Public Health and Aging
      • PUBH 8680 - Public Health Disaster Preparedness and Response
      • Approved electives from other departments
      • Approved electives from other departments
      e. Dissertation - 9 s.h.
      • PUBH 9000 - Dissertation Research
      f. Field experience - 5 s.h.
      • PUBH 8684 - Field Practicum
Academic Requirements

In order to remain in good academic standing, students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all coursework once they have earned a total of 9 semester hours attempted. Students who fail to meet this criteria may be placed on probation or dismissed from the program.

Students must satisfactorily pass comprehensive exams before being eligible to move to the dissertations.

    Admission

    Candidates selected for admission to the doctor of public health program should have previous experience in public health practice and have successfully completed an MPH degree or graduate degree in a closely related field from an accredited program.  All applicants must complete an online application to the Graduate School and comply with ECU graduate admission requirements.

      For more information about this degree visit the university's academic catalogs.
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