If you’ve already earned an MPH or related degree and are interested in research, teaching, or consulting in the field of public health, a Doctorate in Public Health (DrPH) may be a good investment. According to the Association of Schools of Public Health, the demand for public health workers, advisers, teachers, and consultants is at an all time high, and the need for public health leaders with doctoral-level degrees is great.
The DrPH is an advanced professional degree centered around the practice of public health. Designed for students with a master of public health (MPH) degree, or its equivalent, the DrPH degree is for individuals pursuing leadership roles as public health professionals. The DrPH degree provides comprehensive leadership training in all areas of public health, exposing students to the latest in research, practice, and theory.
As with the best online MPH programs, earning a DrPH online can reduce the time and expense required for a traditional campus-based Ph.D. program. Currently, there are only a few online DrPH programs, and most require a once a year on campus residency for 2 to 4 days. Five of the best online DrPH programs are profiled below, based on academic reputation, cost, and overall value.
Featured MPH Programs
#1. Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University is a private research university founded in 1876 in Baltimore, Maryland by Johns Hopkins. Johns Hopkins is a world-renowned institution boasting more than 260 degree programs in humanities, arts and music, social and natural sciences, engineering, international studies, business, education, and the health professions. In 2015, Johns Hopkins was ranked #1 in Best Graduate Public Health Programs and #7 in Best Health Care Management Programs by U.S. News & World Report.
Online DrPH Program Details
The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health began offering the online DrPH program in June 2017. The DrPH program at Johns Hopkins is practice-oriented and designed to prepare individuals for leadership positions. DrPH program core and concentration courses can be completed entirely online, and are supplemented by required in-person course work in summer and winter institutes. Summer institutes require one week in residence in Baltimore in June. Winter institutes will run for five days in January and will be similar in format to the Summer Institutes. The DrPH degree confers with a minimum of 64-semester credits.
Accreditation Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)
Cost: $1,091 per semester credit
Residency Requirement
Students are required to attend Summer and Winter Institutes in Baltimore one week each June, and five days in January.
#2 University of South Florida
Founded in 1956, the University of South Florida is a public institution with a total undergraduate enrollment of 31,111. The University of South Florida (USF) is a research institution based in Tampa with regional campuses in Sarasota and St. Petersburg. U.S. News and World Report ranked the University of South Florida #159 for “National Universities” in the 2017 Best Colleges.
Online DrPH Program Details
The University of South Florida’s College of Public Health offers the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) – Advanced Practice Leadership in Public Health degree that emphasizes advanced public health education and training with a focus on evidence-informed public health practice. The DrPH prepares students for leadership roles in practice-based settings such as community organizations, health departments, and non-profit organizations. The DrPH degree is completed through online classes and three on-campus DrPH Institutes. The current Institutes offered are in Fall (Institute 1), and Summer (Institutes 2 and 3) and consist of 4 days on-campus over a long weekend. Students who live near the USF campus can take courses on-campus as well as online. The DrPH degree confers with a minimum of 43-semester credits.
Accreditation
The University of South Florida is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of College and Schools (SACS). The College of Public Health degree programs are accredited by the Council on Education in Public Health (CEPH).
Cost: $877.17 per semester credit -Tampa, out-of-state
Residency Requirement
Students are required to attend three, four-day on-campus DrPH Institutes at one of the USF campuses in Florida.
#3 University of Illinois – Chicago
Founded in 1965, the University of Illinois at Chicago is a public institution located in Chicago. U.S. News and World Report ranked the University of Illinois at Chicago #152 for “National Universities” in the 2017 Best Colleges. Founded in 1970 the UIC School of Public Health was an expansion of the University of Illinois Medical Center and was later consolidated into the University of Illinois at Chicago. The School of Public Health is now one of the 15 colleges of UIC and ranked seventeenth in public health programs by U.S. News and World Report.
Online DrPH Program Details
The University of Illinois at Chicago’s School of Public Health offers a Doctor of Public Health designed for public health professionals who want to expand their knowledge and practice of public health. The majority of UIC’s DrPH students complete the program in four to six years on a part-time basis. The program courses are delivered using synchronous internet technology to create a virtual classroom experience. The virtual classes are scheduled for the day and early evening participation. The DrPH curriculum can be completed with a minimum of 64 semester credit hours. Individuals already holding a Masters of Public Health, or related degree may be granted up to 32 semester hours of credit toward the DrPH. Also, students are required to attend on-campus annual Summer Institutes.
Accreditation
The University of Illinois at Chicago is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Cost: $830 per semester credit hour
Residency Requirement
Students are required to attend annual, three-day on-campus DrPH Summer Institutes in August through their third year.
#4. Loma Linda University
Loma Linda University (LLU) was founded by the Adventist Church in 1905 in Loma Linda, California. LLU offers over fifty-five degree programs, many of them online. The university’s student body is comprised of national and international learners from more than eighty countries.
Online DrPH Program Details
LLU’s School of Public Health offers a Doctor of Public Health online degree program with specializations in Nutrition, Epidemiology, Health Education, Health Policy and Leadership, and Preventative Care. The Nutrition specialization program provides education in anatomy and physiology, behavioral science, advanced biochemistry, and quantitative proficiency. The Epidemiology programs focuses on increasing knowledge about various diseases. In the Health Education program, students can prepare for leadership roles in higher education, program planning, and research. The Health Policy and Leadership program is based on leadership development, and the Preventative Care program aims at helping students prepare for career roles that assist others in maintaining their health. Students should expect to complete the Doctor of Public Health online degree program in three to five years with the completion of 89-95 quarter credits. The curriculum consists of online courses, synchronous learning, blended courses, and a visit to the campus for defense of a dissertation.
Accreditation
Loma Linda University is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. The School of Public Health is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).
Cost: $950 per quarter credit
Residency Requirement
Students are required to visit the campus one time during the research process for defense of proposals, dissertations, and for graduation.
#5. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
A highly ranked, major research university, located in one of the most picturesque and lively college towns in the nation, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill presents students a challenging, yet pleasurable academic environment. The Gillings School of Global Public Health has an outstanding faculty and student body reflected in its consistent ranking by U.S. News and Report as the top public university in the field of public health.
Online DrPH Program Details
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health offers a DrPH in Health Leadership to train professionals in public health for executive leadership positions.This three-year, cohort-based program begins with two years of courses in the leadership concentration. Then, students spend their third year in the program taking a comprehensive examination, choosing a dissertation topic and completing the dissertation. All classes are taught via Internet video one evening a week. Students are also required to visit the campus in August, January, and May for 3-4 days per visit.
Accreditation
The School of Public Health is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) and the university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Cost: $1,545.00 per semester credit, out-of-state
Residency Requirement
Students are required to make six, on-site visits over the first two years of the program. One overseas trip or a trip to a site outside North Carolina may replace one of the six required on-campus visits.
all images sourced from institution’s website