The Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree prepares public health practitioners to assume positions of leadership and influence in practice-based settings. In this professional doctoral degree program, students explore public health challenges from both a domestic and global standpoint and how evidence-based research can be applied to advance public health goals. Through their coursework, students examine topics such as ethics, budgeting, critical analysis, and supervision, with an overarching emphasis on enhancing practical skills. Students in this multidisciplinary program have the opportunity to collaborate on assignments with students from other Walden College of Health Sciences and Public Policy programs.
Learning Outcomes
As a graduate of this program, students will be prepared to:
- Critically evaluate the interdisciplinary role of stakeholders in the application and evaluation of population-based public health strategies.
- Evaluate approaches to inform and influence public health interventions and strategies.
- Apply research methods in the investigation of public health problems.
- Critically evaluate evidence-based research, theories, and models used in public health.
- Apply systems-thinking skills and strategies for the promotion of public health policy and advocacy.
- Apply evidence-based research and practices to promote positive social change.
- Examine the application of economic theories in relation to public health systems across diverse community settings.
- Apply community health assessment techniques to identify, prioritize, and formulate solutions to community public health problems.
- Apply ethical principles in public health practice.
Track 1 (For students who hold a Master of Public Health degree)
Minimum Degree Requirements
For students who hold a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree, Track 1 allows them to forgo foundational public health courses and complete the program in a shorter amount of time.
- Doctoral Writing Assessment
- Professional Development Plan and Program of Study
- Foundation course (5 credits)
- Core courses (55 credits)
- Research courses (5 credits)
- DrPH Applied Practice Experience (APE) (2credits) – (complete a minimum of 80 hours of applied practice work)
- Completion of Doctoral Capstone
- Capstone writing courses (continuous enrollment in 5 credits per term for a minimum of 3 terms until completion)
- Quarter Plans
- Two residencies
Curriculum
Foundation Courses (5 credits)
Core Courses (55 credits)
Research courses (5 credits)
Applied Practice Experience (2 credits)
Completion of the Doctoral Capstone
Course Sequence
Students undertake courses in the following sequence.
| Quarter | Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Quarter 1 |
PUBH 8007 - Public Health Essentials |
0 credits |
|
PUBH 8004 - Foundations of Doctoral Success in Public Health |
5 credits | |
| Complete Residency 1 after successful completion of PUBH 8004; required in order to advance into RSCH 8110 or PUBH 8048. | ||
| Quarter 2 |
PUBH 8051 - Advanced Issues in Global Public Health |
5 credits |
|
PUBH 8410 - Fundamentals of Leadership, System Evaluation, and Interventions in Public Health |
5 credits | |
|
PUBH 8510 - Doctoral Seminar I |
1 credits | |
| Quarter 3 |
RSCH 8110 - Research Theory, Design, and Methods |
5 credits |
|
PUBH 8512 - Doctoral Seminar II |
1 credits | |
|
PUBH 8040 - Advanced Public Health Policy and Advocacy |
5 credits | |
| Quarter 4 |
PUBH 8211 - Research Methods for Public Health |
5 credits |
|
PUBH 8044 - Advanced Program Evaluation |
5 credits | |
| Quarter 5 |
PUBH 8048 - Research Applications of Theories, Models, and Conceptual Frameworks in Public Health |
5 credits |
| Complete Residency 2 after successful completion of PUBH 8048 and prior to PUBH 9100 - Public Health Capstone. | ||
|
PUBH 8317 - Financing Public Health Systems |
5 credits | |
|
PUBH 8514 - Doctoral Seminar III |
1 credits | |
| Quarter 6 |
PUBH 8546 - Advanced Analysis of Community Health Data and Surveillance in Public Health |
5 credits |
|
PUBH 8132 - Communication and Social Marketing Strategies for Public Health Leaders |
5 credits | |
|
PUBH 8516 - Doctoral Seminar IV |
1 credits | |
| Quarter 7 |
PUBH 8248 - Advanced Research Methods in Public Health Practice |
5 credits |
|
PUBH 8990 - DrPH Applied Practice Experience |
2 credits | |
|
PUBH 8518 - Doctoral Seminar V |
1 credits | |
| Quarter 8+ |
PUBH 9100 - Public Health Capstone* |
Continuous enrollment in 5 credits per term for a minimum of 3 terms; taken continuously until completion |
* Students take this course for a minimum of three terms and are continuously enrolled until completion of their doctoral study with final chief academic officer (CAO) approval. In general, students are continuously registered in the doctoral study course until they complete their capstone project and it is approved. This usually takes longer than the minimum required terms in the doctoral study course shell.
To complete a doctoral study, students must obtain the academic approval of several independent evaluators including their committee, the University Research Reviewer, and the Institutional Review Board; pass the Form and Style Review; gain approval at the oral defense stage; and gain final approval by the chief academic officer. Students must also publish their doctoral study on ProQuest before their degree is conferred. Learn more about the doctoral study process in the Doctoral Study Guidebook.
Track 2 (For students who have a master’s degree in an academic discipline other than public health)
Minimum Degree Requirements
- Doctoral Writing Assessment
- Professional Development Plan and Program of Study
- Foundations course (5 credits)
- Core courses (76 credits)
- Research courses (5 credits)
- DrPH Applied Practice Experience (APE) (2credits) – (complete a minimum of 80 hours of applied practice work)
- Completion of Doctoral Capstone
- Capstone writing courses (5 credits per term for a minimum of 3 terms; taken continuously until completion)
- Two residencies
Curriculum
Foundation Course (5 credits)
Core Courses (76 credits)
Research courses (5 credits)
Applied Practice Experience (2 credits)
Completion of the Doctoral Capstone
Course Sequence
Students undertake courses in the following sequence.
| Quarter | Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Quarter 1 |
PUBH 8007 - Public Health Essentials |
0 credits |
|
PUBH 8004 - Foundations of Doctoral Success in Public Health |
5 credits | |
| Complete Residency 1 after successful completion of PUBH 8004; required in order to advance into RSCH 8110 or PUBH 8048. | ||
| Quarter 2 |
PUBH 8038 - Health Behavior Theory |
5 credits |
|
PUBH 8032 - SPSS Revealed |
1 credits | |
| Quarter 3 |
PUBH 8051 - Advanced Issues in Global Public Health |
5 credits |
|
PUBH 8033 - Interpretation and Application of Public Health Data |
5 credits | |
| Quarter 4 |
PUBH 8035 - Epidemiology: Decoding the Science of Public Health |
5 credits |
|
PUBH 8410 - Fundamentals of Leadership, System Evaluation, and Interventions in Public Health |
5 credits | |
| Quarter 5 |
PUBH 8034 - Environmental Health: Local to Global |
5 credits |
|
PUBH 8040 - Advanced Public Health Policy and Advocacy |
5 credits | |
|
PUBH 8510 - Doctoral Seminar I |
1 credits | |
| Quarter 6 |
RSCH 8110 - Research Theory, Design, and Methods |
5 credits |
|
PUBH 8512 - Doctoral Seminar II |
1 credits | |
|
PUBH 8317 - Financing Public Health Systems |
5 credits | |
| Quarter 7 |
PUBH 8211 - Research Methods for Public Health |
5 credits |
|
PUBH 8044 - Advanced Program Evaluation |
5 credits | |
| Quarter 8 |
PUBH 8048 - Research Applications of Theories, Models, and Conceptual Frameworks in Public Health |
5 credits |
| Complete Residency 2 after successful completion of PUBH 8048 and prior to PUBH 9100 - Public Health Capstone. | ||
|
PUBH 8514 - Doctoral Seminar III |
1 credits | |
| Quarter 9 |
PUBH 8546 - Advanced Analysis of Community Health Data and Surveillance in Public Health |
5 credits |
|
PUBH 8132 - Communication and Social Marketing Strategies for Public Health Leaders |
5 credits | |
|
PUBH 8516 - Doctoral Seminar IV |
1 credits | |
| Quarter 10 |
PUBH 8248 - Advanced Research Methods in Public Health Practice |
5 credits |
|
PUBH 8990 - DrPH Applied Practice Experience |
2 credits | |
|
PUBH 8518 - Doctoral Seminar V |
1 credits | |
| Quarter 11+ |
PUBH 9100 - Public Health Capstone* |
Continuous enrollment in 5 credits per term for a minimum of 3 terms; taken continuously until completion |
* Students take this course for a minimum of three terms and are continuously enrolled until completion of their doctoral study with final chief academic officer (CAO) approval. In general, students are continuously registered in the doctoral study course until they complete their capstone project and it is approved. This usually takes longer than the minimum required terms in the doctoral study course shell.
To complete a doctoral study, students must obtain the academic approval of several independent evaluators including their committee, the University Research Reviewer, and the Institutional Review Board; pass the Form and Style Review; gain approval at the oral defense stage; and gain final approval by the chief academic officer. Students must also publish their doctoral study on ProQuest before their degree is conferred. Learn more about the doctoral study process in the Doctoral Study Guidebook.
Note on Accreditation
The Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) Board of Councilors acted at its September 6, 2019, meeting to accredit the Master of Public Health (MPH) Program at Walden University for a five-year term, based on an application for accreditation submitted on February 3, 2018. On June 5, 2020, the CEPH Board of Councilors accredited the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) at Walden University, after reviewing an accreditation application submitted on April 21, 2020. CEPH is an independent agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to accredit schools of public health and programs of public health. CEPH accreditation provides assurance that the program has been evaluated and met accepted public health profession standards in practice, research, and service. For a copy of the final self-study document and/or final accreditation report, please contact the dean of the School of Health Sciences ([email protected]).
Note on Certification
The National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE) offers the Certified in Public Health (CPH) credential as a voluntary core credential for public health professionals. As the eligibility criteria may change periodically, students should visit https://www.nbphe.org/eligibility for more information about certification in public health. It is the individual’s responsibility to understand, evaluate, and comply with all requirements relating to national certification. Walden makes no representations or guarantees that completion of Walden coursework or programs will permit an individual to obtain national certification or practice as a public health professional in the state where they intend to practice.