Version 1.1
Revised Winter 2019
The Doctor of Public Health in Public Health Leadership provides training in public health science (research), public health practice, and leadership skills necessary to respond to the challenges of public health and health care systems. The focus of the DrPH program is on developing public health leaders who can integrate public health science into public health practice, apply models and theories in public health to practice, and demonstrate leadership in working with public health teams. Reflecting the inherently interdisciplinary nature of public health practice, the DrPH is a college-wide, interdisciplinary degree program. The program is not affiliated with any single department within the College of Public Health (COPH); rather, the program is led by faculty representing at least three of the College’s five departments. Program co-directors oversee the program’s daily activities; faculty who teach and mentor students guide curriculum and program policies, make admissions decisions, and decide on student milestones (e.g., qualifying examinations, defense of dissertation proposals).
DrPH Leadership
The DrPH program is led by two co-directors and the Faculty Leadership Committee.
Faculty Leadership Committee: The Faculty Leadership Committee (FLC) comprises all faculty members who are involved in delivery of the DrPH curriculum and any faculty member who is assigned by the DrPH Program co-Directors as a student mentor for a currently enrolled DrPH student. Members of the FLC will represent at least three COPH departments, to ensure a multi-disciplinary focus for the program.
- Meetings: The FLC will regularly meet twice each year, once on the second Friday in March and again on the second Friday in September. Regular agenda items include student reviews and updates and curriculum matters. In addition, admissions decisions will be considered during the March meeting. To the extent possible, time-sensitive matters arising between scheduled meetings will be handled via email or conference calls. Additional, face-to-face meetings may be scheduled at the discretion of the Program co-Directors or at the request of FLC members should issues arise that require FLC decision-making.
- Responsibilities: The FLC will be responsible for making decisions regarding:
- admission of students to the program
- curriculum for the DrPH program (with final approval by the COPH Academic Standards Committee)
- successful student completion of Qualifying Examinations
- the success of each student’s dissertation proposal defense.
They will also provide evaluations of student performance in the program overall and the dissertation final defense. To complete these duties, members of the FLC will be invited, but not required, to: 1) review applications for admission to the program and provide an evaluation of applicants that can be used to determine which applicants should be interviewed; 2) participate in interviews of student applicants for admission; 3) attend and participate in semi-annual meetings; 4) attend student dissertation proposal defense presentations; and 5) attend student final dissertation defense presentations.
Program Co-Directors: Daily oversight for the DrPH program is provided by two co-directors. The co- directors will ideally represent two different departments within the COPH, ensuring a multidisciplinary perspective in the day-to-day management of the program. Directors are selected by the FLC from among members of the FLC. It is expected that program co-directors will have had, prior to becoming a co-director, substantial experience mentoring and advising students within the DrPH program.
Responsibilities: Co-directors are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the DrPH program, including:
- Working with the Office of Student Affairs to coordinate student recruitment activities, including developing and revising recruitment materials
- Consulting with potential students
- Working with the Office of Student Affairs to manage the SOPHAS application process and coordinate the annual review of applications, notification of admissions decisions, and activities related to matriculation of accepted students
- Providing administrative advising for all students in the DrPH program (i.e., advising regarding courses to take, releasing registration holds)
- Holding all-student meetings each semester, including the Doctoral Projects Information meetings, student self-assessment of leadership style and skills, and program updates
- Scheduling and leading semi-annual meetings of the Faculty Leadership Committee, for the primary purpose of curriculum and policy review and reviews of student performance
- Serving as ad hoc members of Practicum/Dissertation Planning Committees for all students
- Approving requests for leaves of absence, dissertation committee membership, curricular substitutions, and other waivers as may be requested by students, and assuring review by the Academic Standards Committee and/or the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs as needed
- Scheduling and overseeing annual written and oral Comprehensive Examinations, including conveying final decisions to students
- Coordinating the development of remediation plans for students who may not pass the Comprehensive Examination
- Monitoring of student progress through the program, including monitoring timelines
- Assuring completion of other tasks as needed to ensure the smooth operation of the program and the efficient progress of students through their educational program. 3