Community Health and Prevention PhD

Major: Community Health and Prevention 
Degree Awarded: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 90.0
Co-op Option: None
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 51.2212
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 25-1099

About the Program

The Doctor of Philosophy in Community Health and Prevention will prepare doctoral-level public health graduates who have a broad-based understanding of public health scholarship related to the social and behavioral determinants of health and illness, and the ability to conduct original research to advance this understanding to benefit the public’s health. The program emphasizes the application of interdisciplinary, theoretical, and applied research paradigms to the understanding and prevention of public health problems. Graduates will be prepared to contribute and lead as public health scientists, researchers, educators, and professionals in a broad range of academic, policy, and service settings both in the United States and globally.

The program consists of both required and elective coursework, building the student’s individual expertise from a wide range of scientific disciplines, methodologic frameworks, and public health challenges. The comprehensive exam requires students to synthesize coursework and demonstrate mastery of core public health competencies. Students complete a mentored research experience with faculty before developing their own dissertation proposal and completing their dissertation. Students may choose either the traditional thesis format or the three-manuscript option.

Major Competencies

• Analyze the social and behavioral determinants of health and illness at the individual, community, and societal levels, and the mechanisms required to design and evaluate interventions at all levels to improve health and address health inequity
• Develop and apply theoretical frameworks to formulate research questions relevant to the above areas of scholarship
• Use a broad range of methodological approaches to design and conduct research addressing these research questions with the highest ethical standards
• Disseminate findings to a wide range of stakeholders and engage in both scientifically rigorous and socially responsible processes to translate findings to improve the health of the public
• Develop a strong professional identity and prepare to contribute meaningfully in a career as a scientist, administrator, and/or educator, to ensure the continued impact of the social and behavioral sciences in public health

Additional Information

For more information about this program, please contact:

Additional information can be found on the Dornsife School of Public Health website, including admissions criteria and how to apply.

Degree Requirements

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Foundational Public Health Learning Objectives: PBHL 501 is only required for students who do not have a degree from a CEPH accredited school.

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Students entering with prior training in Biostatistics and Epidemiology may waive these courses with consent of advisor and program director. Students without this prior background will take  EPI 570 and BST 571. BST 555 may be recommended for students who choose to have formal instruction in SAS.

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 Repeated for credit six times

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In consultation with their faculty mentor, students will choose the required number of electives in each of the three areas identified above. Courses must be graduate coursework in the Department of Community Health and Prevention, other departments at Dornsife School of Public Health, or in other Schools and Colleges at Drexel. Additional courses may count with Program Director and faculty mentor approval.

Sample Plan of Study

Sample Plan - Option I

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PBHL 501 is only required for students who do not have a degree from a CEPH accredited school.

Sample Plan - Option II

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PBHL 501 is only required for students who do not have a degree from a CEPH accredited school.