Overview
The Doctor of Public Health in Public Health Leadership provides extensive training in the public health sciences, public health practice, and leadership skills necessary to respond to the rapidly shifting, sometimes unanticipated challenges of the public health and health care systems. The focus of the Dr.PH program is in developing public health leaders who can integrate public health science into public health practice, apply models and theories in public health to chronic and emerging issues in practice, and demonstrate leadership in working with public health teams.
Admission Requirements
Candidates must have completed at least one graduate-level course in each of the following five (5) areas: (a) Biostatistics, (b) Epidemiology, (c) Health Behavior/Health Education, (d) Health Management/Policy, and (e) Environmental and Occupational Health. These courses must have been completed with a grade of “B” or better. In addition, applicants must have completed the COPH course Introduction to Public Health unless they have been awarded an MPH degree from a CEPH accredited institution.
If these courses were not from a Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) accredited institution, the candidate must submit syllabi to the Dr.PH Faculty Leadership Committee for determination of pre-requisite fulfillment.
Applicants who have completed only four (4) of these courses but whose applications show exceptional potential for success in the program may be admitted conditionally to the Dr.PH program; however, they will be required to complete the remaining course (as presented in the COPH core course requirements for the MPH degree) with a grade of “B” or better before progressing to the Public Health Science and Practice Core of the Dr.PH program. Please note that candidates who have completed three (3) or fewer of the above-listed courses will not be considered for admission to the Dr.PH program.
Curriculum
The Dr.PH degree program is designed to address the considerable need for the development of the public health leadership infrastructure in Arkansas. The curriculum for the Dr.PH includes coursework in public health sciences and public health practice as well as in leadership skill development. The Dr.PH program requires a minimum of sixty-one (61) semester credit hours and is offered on a part-time or full-time basis.
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Doctor of Public Health in Public Health Leadership Competencies
From initial enrollment and throughout the degree program, each student will work with the selected faculty advisor(s) and/or Dr.PH Program Director(s). The function of the selected faculty advisor(s) and/or Dr.PH Program Director(s) is to assist the student in selecting a course of study that will best serve her/his professional and academic goals, and to provide other needed professional and career-related advice.
The capstone sequence consists of 3 inter-related courses: the Doctoral Practicum, Doctoral Dissertation Seminar, and Doctoral Dissertation Project. The Doctoral Dissertation Project should grow out of the coursework that precedes it, including the Doctoral Dissertation Seminar early in their course of study (typically the second summer after enrollment for a part-time student and the first summer for a full-time student).
*The minimum number of credit hours for a capstone project is set at 6. Historically, however, the capstone project has required 9 or more credit hours because of the scope of the project and the length of time required to complete the project. Completing a project within the minimum required hours is possible, but will require careful planning in collaboration with the academic advisor, the Dissertation Committee Chair, and the Capstone Committee and diligent execution on the part of the student.
As the Dr.PH program continues to develop, courses and course descriptions are subject to change. Students are encouraged to contact the Dr.PH Program Director(s) and/or selected faculty advisor(s) for updated information regarding current course offerings beyond those listed below.
Dr.PH Public Health Leadership Recommended Schedule
For More Information
Office of Student and Alumni Affairs
UAMS College of Public Health
4301 West Markham Slot #820
Little Rock, AR 72205
Phone: (501) 526-6647