Doctor of Public Health (Dr.P.H.)
"I'm really happy about my decision to come to Berkeley. It's really been pretty
much everything I've expected in terms of being able to define my own program
and my own vision for the future. And that's really the key is to be able to have
that freedom to explore but within this guided program. It's really been
one of the best decisions I've made."
Overview
The Doctor of Public Health (Dr.P.H.) degree program is an interdisciplinary, school wide professional degree program which trains doctoral students to be research leaders, public health policymakers and public health practitioners. The Dr.P.H. degree is conferred in recognition of a candidate's command of a comprehensive body of knowledge in the field of public health and related disciplines, and of the candidate's proven ability to initiate, organize, and pursue the investigation of significant problems or interventions in public health.
The focus of this degree is the development of transdisciplinary knowledge about the determinants of health, and the scientific and professional leadership skills to translate this knowledge into effective health interventions.
Those who earn this degree are expected to occupy leadership positions that have major influence on public health research, policies, programs, systems, and institutions. Such leadership may be in diverse settings at the international, national, state, or local levels, and in the public, private and academic sectors.
Curriculum & Requirements
The Dr.P.H. program is a full-time campus based program of study designed to be completed in three or four years for those applicants with an M.P.H. from an CEPH accredited institution and at least two years of postgraduate professional public health leadership experience. Any students with deficiencies in coursework equivalent in content to the M.P.H. at UC Berkeley must take prerequisite courses during the first year of the program.
Students participate in an integrative doctoral training program that incorporates knowledge and skills from all divisions of the School of Public Health as well as the Schools of Education, Public Policy, Social Welfare, and the Haas School of Business. The required course work consists of 4 full-time semesters (48 units) and a minimum of 12 units of dissertation research credits. This course work encompasses a thorough grounding in leadership, research methods, and the application of these methods to the analysis of public health and policy issues. Due to the diverse experience each student brings to the program, it is expected that students will select courses and independent studies that advance their knowledge and ultimately their proficiency in all of the required core and breadth knowledge areas listed below.
Core
A minimum of one course is required in each of these areas:
- Management
- Research Design and Methods
- Public Health Ethics
- Leadership
Breadth
A minimum of one course is required in two of these areas:
- Health Politics and Policy Analysis
- Public Health Interventions
- Environmental Health Sciences
Each student is also required to complete a research and/or professional residency in a public health setting that will provide the opportunity to advance knowledge and skills, identify data for dissertation research, conduct analyses, and participate in decision making. Examples include: positions with local, state, or national legislatures, international agencies, city, county, and state departments of public health or health services, multi-hospital systems, and large health maintenance organizations.
Fall 2011 Admissions Statistics:
Admissions Ratio: 14/58 (24%)
Average GPA of admitted applicants: 3.32
Average GRE scores of admitted applicants:
Verbal: 590 (84%); Quantitative: 650 (59%)
What we look for in competitive applicants:
Applicants must hold an M.P.H. from an CEPH accredited school and have a minimum of two years of professional public health experience post-master's degree. Any students with deficiencies in coursework equivalent in content to the M.P.H. at UC Berkeley must take prerequisite courses during the first year of the program equivalent to the following:
- PH 200C1 - Health Policy and Management Breadth Course
- PH 200C2 - Environmental Health Sciences Breadth Course
- PH 200C3 - Health and Social Behavior Breadth Course
- PH 142: Introduction to Probability and Statistics in Biology and Public Health
- PH 250A: Epidemiologic Methods
Employment Opportunities:
UC Berkeley Dr.P.H. graduates are now employed in leading universities, policy research centers, and "think tanks" across the country and internationally.