Doctor of Public Health

Program Director: E. Migliaccio, J. Skillicorn

The doctor of public health program prepares thought leaders and practitioners to shape public health policy and practice discourse and lead organizational and societal change in the United States and around the world. An interdisciplinary, practice-based curriculum and applied research to equip public health leaders with skills for the development, implementation, and evaluation of efficient public health programs and policies and resolve complex systematic problems. The DrPH program training utilizes health policy and global health opportunities exclusive to Washington, D.C. to prepare our students for senior-level public health leadership roles in the U.S. and globally.

Visit the program websites for additional information about the residential DrPH program and the online DrPH program. 

Visit the Milken Institute School of Public Health website for additional information about academic programs and information about GWSPH. Graduate admissions information, including application requirements and deadlines, can be found on the GWSPH Graduate Admissions website.

All students must hold a master’s or professional degree to be admitted to the doctor of public health program.

The following requirements must be fulfilled: 48 credits, including 35 credits in required courses and 13 credits in dissertation proposal preparation and dissertation portfolio project courses. Successful completion of a comprehensive examination also is required.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required core courses
PUBH 8730	Doctor of Public Health Immersion *
PUBH 8706	Leadership Principles and Practice I
PUBH 8710	Public Health Project Management and Social Entrepreneurship
PUBH 8714	Leadership Principles and Practice II
PUBH 8716	Education and Workforce Development Approaches for Public Health Leaders
PUBH 8718	Public Health Communications and Marketing
PUBH 8720	Health Equity and Public Health Leadership
PUBH 8722	Public Health Policy Analysis
PUBH 8724	Organizational Leadership and Change Management
PUBH 8731	Applied Public Health Methods I: Program Planning, Implementation and Evaluation
PUBH 8732	Applied Public Health Methods II: Mixed Methods
PUBH 8733	Applied Public Health Methods III: Evidence for Decision Making
PUBH 6080	Pathways to Public Health **
Dissertation portfolio courses
PUBH 8700	DrPH Seminar and Introduction to DrPH Applied Practice Experience (DAPEx)
PUBH 8703	Dissertation Portfolio Independent Study I for DAPEx and Dissertation Proposal Development (taken for 0 to 2 credits)
PUBH 8705	Dissertation Portfolio: Independent Study II for DAPEx and Dissertation Proposal Development
PUBH 8707	Dissertation Portfolio: Dissertation Proposal Development
PUBH 8709	Dissertation Portfolio: Dissertation Proposal Defense
PUBH 8711	Dissertation Portfolio: DAPEx and Dissertation Implementation
PUBH 8713	Dissertation Portfolio: Dissertation Development
PUBH 8715	Dissertation Portfolio: Dissertation Defense
Comprehensive examination
Students become eligible to sit for the comprehensive examination after all required coursework has been completed. The comprehensive examination is generally administered once per year; specific dates are announced annually. The comprehensive examination may be retaken one time.

 *Taken by all DrPH students prior to the start of first fall semester.

**Required only for students who do not have a degree from a CEPH-accredited school or program.