The DrPH in Health Promotion/Health Education is a minimum of 54 semester credit hours. It is designed to train students for leadership roles as public health professionals in governmental and non-governmental agencies, health departments, or for work in the research or academic setting, and emphasizes working alongside communities in the development, implementation and evaluation of theory-based public health interventions in public settings. An important component of this degree program is the ability to communicate findings to the public and policymakers, and students are expected to contribute to and apply scientific discoveries in public health settings through research.
Special Entrance Requirements
Applicants to the DrPH program should hold an earned master’s degree or equivalent in public health with a substantial behavioral sciences component. Preferred applicants are those who have leadership experience through paid employment or volunteer work. In exceptional cases, applicants without the required academic background in public health may be accepted on the condition of additional coursework in public health. Applicants are asked to submit a writing sample that demonstrates competence in written communication for academic work. Theses, publications, or other academic work are preferred. Applicant should be the sole or first author on the submitted work. For more information, see the Admissions section.
Course of Study
The following courses are required for a DrPH in Health Promotion & Health Education:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required for all School of Public Health Students | ||
PH 101 | Foundations of Public Health 1 | |
| Leveling and Other Required Courses 2 | 0 | |
| Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences in Public Health | ||
| Introduction to Biostatistics in Public Health | ||
| Epidemiology I | ||
| Before Preliminary Exam | ||
| PHD 1113L | Advanced Methods for Planning and Implementing Health Promotion Programs (Intervention Mapping) | 3 |
| PHD 1120L | Program Evaluation | 3 |
| PHD 1122L | Health Promotion Theories for Individuals and Groups: Part I | 3 |
| PHD 1123L | Community Health Promotion Theory and Practice | 3 |
| PHD 1420L | Quantitative Research Design for Behavioral Sciences | 3 |
| PHD 1421L | Quantitative Analysis for Behavioral Sciences | 3 |
| PH 1433 | Research Seminar in Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences | 1 |
| After Preliminary Exam | ||
| PHD 1118L | Qualitative Methods | 3 |
| PHD 1121L | Advanced Quantitative Analysis for Behavioral Sciences | 3 |
| PHD 1450 | Dissemination & Implementation Research and Practice | 1 |
| PHD 5500 | Principles of Adult and Community Education for Public Health | 2 |
| PHD 3950 | Applied Leadership Studies in Public Health | 3 |
| PHD 3801L | Community Grant Writing | 1 |
| PHD 3631L | Community Engagement/ Community-Based Participatory Research | 3 |
| PH 3835 | Public Health Advocacy | 1 |
| Epidemiology Course Requirement 3 | 3 | |
| Minor 4 | 9 | |
| Applied Practice Experience | ||
| PH 9997 | Practicum | 3 |
| Integrative Learning Experience | ||
| PHD 9999 | Dissertation Research | 3 |
| Total Hours | 54 | |
- 1
Online, not-for-credit course
- 2
Academic credits from leveling courses do not count toward the total required number of credits for the degree program.
- 3
All students are required to complete an Epidemiology course during their course of study. Please read carefully the following scenarios:
- If a student took PHM 2612L Epidemiology I at the UTHealth School of Public Health as a master’s (MPH or MS) student, the required epidemiology course is not Needed, and the student may apply these credits towards electives or dissertation hours. Note that only six (6) credit hours of dissertation research can be counted toward the total required credits of the degree program.
- If a student has taken Epidemiology I, but it was taken at another institution, the student must take another epidemiology course at UTHealth School of Public Health to meet the School’s epidemiology requirement. The student may elect to complete the epidemiology requirement as part of an epidemiology minor.
- If a student has not taken Epidemiology I at a prior institution, the student must take PHM 2612L Epidemiology I as a leveling course. The required epidemiology course requirement will then be 39 waived, and the student may apply these credits towards electives or dissertation hours. Note that only six (6) dissertation hours can be counted toward the degree planner.
- 4
Students are required to complete a minor outside of their department. A minor in Epidemiology is strongly encouraged.
For a sample course of study, see the DrPH in Health Promotion/Health Education degree planner.