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

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 68 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 18 hours of foundational courses and 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.  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. - 68 s.h.)

    1. Applicant with a master of public health - 50 s.h.
      a. Interdisciplinary required core courses - 14 s.h.
      • HUMS 7004 - Ethics and Research
      • PUBH 8020 - Organizational Theory and Leadership
      • PUBH 8025 - Quantitative Research Methods
      • PUBH 8245 - Health Policy Analysis
      • PUBH 8350 - Qualitative Research Methods
      b. Concentration required core courses - 18 s.h.
      • PHAR 7680 - Toxicology
      • PUBH 7930 - Environmental and Occupational Exposure Assessment
      • PUBH 8003 - Issues and Case Studies in Occupational Medicine
      • PUBH 8005 - Advanced Control of Occupational Hazards
      • PUBH 8110 - Emerging Issues in Environmental and Occupational Health
      • PUBH 8125 - Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology
      c. Required courses - 4 s.h.
      • MPH 6046 - Environmental Public Health Principles
      • PUBH 8685 - Advanced Technical Writing in Public Health
      d. Dissertation - 9 s.h.
      • PUBH 9000 - Dissertation Research (9 s.h. required)
      e. Field experience - 5 s.h.
      • PUBH 8684 - Field Practicum
    2. Applicant without a master of public health - 68 s.h.
      a. Foundation courses - 18 s.h.
      • BIOS 7021 - Biostatistics for Health Professionals I
      • MPH 6034 - Foundations of Rural Health
      • MPH 6041 - Principles of Epidemiology
      • MPH 6042 - Public Health Organization and Administration
      • MPH 6043 - Public Health Planning and Evaluation
      • MPH 6044 - Principles of Health Policy
      • MPH 6045 - Strategies for Public Health Communication
      • MPH 6046 - Environmental Public Health Principles
      b. Interdisciplinary required core courses - 14 s.h.
      • HUMS 7004 - Ethics and Research
      • PUBH 8020 - Organizational Theory and Leadership
      • PUBH 8025 - Quantitative Research Methods
      • PUBH 8245 - Health Policy Analysis
      • PUBH 8350 - Qualitative Research Methods
      c. Concentration required courses - 18 s.h.
      • PHAR 7680 - Toxicology
      • PUBH 7930 - Environmental and Occupational Exposure Assessment
      • PUBH 8003 - Issues and Case Studies in Occupational Medicine
      • PUBH 8005 - Advanced Control of Occupational Hazards
      • PUBH 8110 - Emerging Issues in Environmental and Occupational Health
      • PUBH 8125 - Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology
      d. Required courses - 4 s.h.
      • MPH 6046 - Environmental Public Health Principles
      • PUBH 8685 - Advanced Technical Writing in Public Health
      e. Dissertation - 9 s.h.
      • PUBH 9000 - Dissertation Research (9 s.h. are required)
      f. Field experience - 5 s.h.
      • PUBH 8684 - Field Practicum
Doctor of Public Health - Health Policy, Administration, and Leadership Concentration

(50 s.h. - 68 s.h.)

    1. Applicant with a master of public health - 50 s.h.
      a. Interdisciplinary required core courses - 14 s.h.
      • HUMS 7004 - Ethics and Research
      • PUBH 8020 - Organizational Theory and Leadership
      • PUBH 8025 - Quantitative Research Methods
      • PUBH 8245 - Health Policy Analysis
      • PUBH 8350 - Qualitative Research Methods
      b. Concentration required courses - 22 s.h.
      • PUBH 8130 - Strategic Planning, Theory and Practice
      • PUBH 8134 - Financial Planning and Management
      • PUBH 8240 - Human Resources Management
      • PUBH 8352 - Quality Improvement and Cost Effectiveness Analysis
      • PUBH 8460 - Economic Analysis in Health Systems
      • PUBH 8463 - Health Information Systems
      • PUBH 8571 - Public Health and Aging
      c. Dissertation - 9 s.h.
      • PUBH 9000 - Dissertation Research (9 s.h. required)
      d. Field experience - 5 s.h.
      • PUBH 8684 - Field Practicum
    2. Applicant without a master of public health - 68 s.h.
      a. Foundation courses - 18 s.h.
      • BIOS 7021 - Biostatistics for Health Professionals I
      • MPH 6034 - Foundations of Rural Health
      • MPH 6041 - Principles of Epidemiology
      • MPH 6042 - Public Health Organization and Administration
      • MPH 6043 - Public Health Planning and Evaluation
      • MPH 6044 - Principles of Health Policy
      • MPH 6045 - Strategies for Public Health Communication
      • MPH 6046 - Environmental Public Health Principles
      b. Interdisciplinary required core courses - 14 s.h.
      • HUMS 7004 - Ethics and Research
      • PUBH 8020 - Organizational Theory and Leadership
      • PUBH 8025 - Quantitative Research Methods
      • PUBH 8245 - Health Policy Analysis
      • PUBH 8350 - Qualitative Research Methods
      c. Concentration required courses - 22 s.h.
      • PUBH 8130 - Strategic Planning, Theory and Practice
      • PUBH 8134 - Financial Planning and Management
      • PUBH 8240 - Human Resources Management
      • PUBH 8352 - Quality Improvement and Cost Effectiveness Analysis
      • PUBH 8460 - Economic Analysis in Health Systems
      • PUBH 8463 - Health Information Systems
      • PUBH 8571 - Public Health and Aging
      d. Dissertation - 9 s.h.
      • PUBH 9000 - Dissertation Research (9 s.h. required)
      e. 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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