Curriculum

Program of Study

DrPH students must meet Penn State doctoral degree requirements, including candidacy examination and English competencies. DrPH students must also meet the following additional DrPH-specific requirements:

• Advanced Field Experience: Advanced Field Experience bridges professional academic preparation and advanced public health practice. It will incorporate higher-level skills (policy development, epidemiologic analyses, etc.) compared with the MPH practicum experiences. Although not required, students will be encouraged to link their advanced field experiences to their integrative doctoral research project.

• Comprehensive Examination: Upon completing all core and track elective courses, DrPH students will take their comprehensive exam, which is overseen by faculty in the DrPH program.

• Integrative Doctoral Research: Students will complete two major components for their DrPH integrative experience: two publishable-quality manuscripts and a doctoral portfolio. Among other requirements, the doctoral portfolio will include a student’s CV and leadership philosophy.

In addition to these topics, each student in the DrPH program works with a DrPH faculty advisor to develop an individualized area of focus, in areas such as, but not limited to, the following:

• Advanced Leadership

• Aging Research

• Cancer Epidemiology, Prevention & Control

• Economics of Public Health Interventions

• Evidence-Based Public Health Interventions

• Global Health

• Public Health Policy & Law

• Public Health Preparedness & Emergency Response

• Regulatory Science

• Social Marketing and Behavior

• Women’s Health

DrPH students also complete work in the aforementioned track electives, with 9 credits required within a chosen track.