Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) Program

Department of Public Health Education (PHED)

Christine A. Moranetz, PhD, FAWHP
Department Chair
DrPH Program Director
UNT Health Science Center
School of Public Health
Education and Administration Building 747
817-735-5074
christine.moranetz@unthsc.edu

The Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree in Public Health Practice is an indication of distinguished scholarly accomplishment in the professional field. The goal of the DrPH program is to provide advanced training in public health leadership for individuals who will serve in a variety of roles within government, private and not-for-profit organizations.

The DrPH curriculum will serve to integrate the five core areas of public health, emphasizing work experience relevant to this advanced degree and addressing learning methods in the context of public health practice. To develop leadership skills, students will interact and collaborate with senior public health practitioners through a variety of courses and the Doctor of Public Health residency. Program content and learning experiences will address the public health competencies identified by the Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH). Course requirements for the DrPH program are available on the School of Public Health website at www.hsc.unt.edu.

The School of Public Health is a member of SOPHAS (Schools of Public Health Application Service). Applicants may apply online at www.sophas.org. The School of Public Health admits DrPH students during the fall semester only. The admissions application deadline to SOPHAS is January 15th.  Applicants to the DrPH program will fall under one of the following admissions categories:

1.  Full Admission: Accepted without reservation to the DrPH program.

2.  Denied: Not admitted to the program because application was not competitive.

3.  Non-review: Not reviewed due to an incomplete application file.

DrPH Admission Requirements

• Hold an MPH or related master's degree(s) (or terminal clinical/doctoral degree) from a recognized institution,
• Submit an application to the School of Public Health via SOPHAS (Schools of Public Health Application Service) at www.sophas.org,
• Submit complete, official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended,
• Submit official scores from one of the following graduate admissions examinations: Graduate Record Examination (GRE), Graduate Management Aptitude Test (GMAT), Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT), Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) or Pharmacy School Admissions Test (PCAT). The examination requirement is waived for applicants possessing a professional doctoral degree with a license to practice in the United States,
• Three (3) letters of recommendation from professionals who are familiar with the applicant's academic and/or professional work,
• Current resume or curriculum vita,
• Statement of Purpose (1-2 pages) addressing the applicant's career goals and how the DrPH will assist career aspirations,
• Applicants with foreign transcripts must also include an official WES or ECE transcript evaluation report listing course-by-course U.S. grade point equivalencies,
• International applicants must demonstrate satisfactory proficiency in oral and written English before being granted admission. Minimum TOEFL exam requirements: written = 550; computer-based = 213; internet-based = 79. The TOEFL is waived if the applicant has earned a high school diploma or a bachelor or master degree from an accredited institution within the United States or Canada,
• A minimum graduate GPA of 3.2. Although a minimum GPA has been established, admission to the program is highly competitive,
• A minimum of three years of significant public health or other appropriate work experience is strongly recommended,
• Prior to final decision for admission, selected applicants will be expected to participate in either an on-campus interview or a technology-assisted interview. Interviews on campus or by telephone at the student's request are always welcome.

Once an offer of admission has been extended to a student, official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended must be re-submitted directly to the SPH Office of Student and Academic Services, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76107-2699.

Once an offer of admission has been extended to an international applicant, the Health Science Center will not issue immigration papers for student visas until the following documents have been received and approved by the Health Science Center:

• Proof of financial resources
• Official transcripts from each college or university attended should be re-submitted both in English and the student's native language

Financial Assistance

To be eligible for scholarships and assistantships offered by the School of Public Health, applicants must complete the admissions application by January 15, 2012. For more information, please contact the Office of Student and Academic Services at 817-735-2401.

Admissions Decisions and Deferments for DrPH Students

Applicants will be furnished written notification regarding their admission status by the SPH Office of Student and Academic Services. Statements by other Health Science Center personnel concerning the applicant's admissibility are not valid until confirmed in writing by the Office of Student and Academic Services.

Applicants who are admitted to a degree program and plan to enroll are required to submit an Admissions Decision Form along with a non-refundable $200 assurance fee that will be used toward tuition upon their arrival. Applicants admitted to a degree program that do not intend to enroll in the semester for which they applied must contact the Office of Student and Academic Services to request a deferment. Deferments must be made in writing and cannot exceed one year from the original acceptance date. There is a non-refundable deferment fee of $300; the deferment fee is due at the time the request is made.

Information submitted in the application materials must be complete and correct. Prospective and current students must notify the proper institution officials regarding any changes in the information provided on their application. Falsification or omission of any information on the application documents will void a student's admission, cancel their enrollment, and/or result in appropriate disciplinary action.

All materials submitted during the application process become the property of the Health Science Center and cannot be returned.

DrPH Competencies and Learning Objectives

Upon completion of the DrPH program, the graduate will be able to demonstrate the ability to:

1. Use scientific knowledge and ethical considerations to create and sustain active support for a cause or position with the intent of influencing decision-making regarding policies, practices and beliefs that advance public health at local, tribal, state, national, and international levels. (Advocacy)
2. Study and use communication strategies to inform and influence individual and community decisions that enhance health. (Communication)
3. Interact effectively with people of different cultures. This includes having:
   1. An awareness of one's own cultural worldview,
   2. Mature attitudes towards cultural differences,
   3. Knowledge of different cultural practices and worldviews, and
   4. Possession of cross-cultural skills. (Community/Cultural Orientation)
4. Develop, synthesize, interpret, and apply evidence-based research and theory from a broad range of disciplines and health-related data sources to facilitate studies, interventions and policies for promoting population health. (Critical Analysis)
5. Inspire trust and motivate individuals and teams to use evidence based strategies to envision and communicate a positive future that enhances essential public health services for all populations. (Leadership)
6. Provide fiscally responsible strategic and operational guidance for a variety of health-related organizations, both public and private, for the purpose of achieving individual and community health and wellness. (Management)
7. Identify ethical issues, balance the claims of personal liberty against concerns about population health, consider the full spectrum of the determinants of health, identify the range of options for interventions, demonstrate the values and professional practices which form the basis of public health practice; understand and act upon the ethical concepts of social justice, virtue, and human rights; model accountability; and formulate and commit to personal and institutional development plans. (Professionalism & Ethics)

DrPH Curriculum

Prerequisites		15
BIOS 5300	Biostatistics for Public Health	3
EOHS 5300	Environmental Health	3
EPID 5300	Principles of Epidemiology	3
HMAP 5300	Introduction to Health Management and Policy	3
BACH 5300	Theoretical Foundations of Individual & Community	3
Core Courses		36
EPID 6300	Intermediate Epidemiology for Public Health Practice OR	3
EPID 6391	Applied Epidemiology for Public Health Practice	3
HMAP 5328	Human Resources Management	3
HMAP 5330	Health Finance	3
HMAP 5340	Public Health Law	3
HMAP 6320	Leadership for Public Health	3
HMAP 6360	Ethical Issues in Public Health	3
HMAP 6310	Advanced Health Policy	3
HMAP 6322	Organizational Management	3
PHED 6122	Professional Development in Public Health Practice 1	1
PHED 6124	Professional Development in Public Health Practice 2	1
PHED 6314	Methods for Public Health Studies	3
PHED 6316	Advanced Program Design & Evaluation for Public Health Practice	3
SABS 6300	Social and Behavioral Theories and Health Applications	3
PHED 61xx	Seminar in Public Health Practice	1
PHED 6000	Integrated Competency Evaluation (ICE)	0
Elective Courses (Only 6 SCH at 5000 level)		15
Culminating Experience		9
PHED 6397	Doctor in Public Health Residency	9
	Total SCH	60
	(Excludes Prerequisites)

This page last modified January 16, 2012

Catalog Contents