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About the Doctor of Public Health in Community Health and Prevention

Drexel University’s School of Public Health offers a doctoral program in Community Health and Prevention, leading to the doctor of public health (Dr.P.H.) degree. The mission of the School of Public Health is to promote health and
quality of life through graduate education, applied research, and community service in the prevention and control of disease, injury, and disability. The Dr.P.H. program in Community Health and Prevention builds upon the unique strengths of the School of Public Health, including the master’s program in public health, a multidisciplinary faculty, and institutional resources.

The goal of the Dr.P.H. program in Community Health and Prevention is to produce doctoral-level public health graduates who exhibit a broad-based, systemic understanding of public health and are committed to effecting meaningful change in public and/or community health systems. Integrating applied research, education, service, and advocacy, the program emphasizes the application of interdisciplinary, theoretical, and applied research paradigms to the understanding and prevention of public health problems.

The Dr.P.H. program in Community Health and Prevention is structured as follows: required courses, which build core competencies in community health and prevention; elective courses, which develop specific areas of expertise; the comprehensive exam which reassures student understanding and application of core public health competencies; the practicum, which structures the application of concepts and methods to solving public health problems; and the dissertation, which showcases the student’s competency in applied research. This general framework is infused with community public health practice, rigorous qualitative and quantitative applied research methods, and skilled advocacy.

Developing Core Competencies for Understanding and Solving Public Health Problems

Students in the Dr.P.H. program in Community Health and Prevention are expected to attain five core competencies for understanding and solving specific public health problems. The core competencies for the Dr.P.H. program integrate public health competencies developed by the Council on Linkages between Academia and Public Health Practice* with the unique characteristics of the faculty of the Department of Community Health and Prevention and the practice community.

The five core competencies are as follows:

• Understand the mission, goals, and strategies of community health and prevention
• Understand and assess community health status and needs
• Understand and assess individual and environmental determinants of health
• Design, implement, and evaluate public health programs and policies
• Translate findings into policy recommendations and advocate for change
  

*The Council on Linkages between Academia and Public Health Practice represents national public health academic and practice organizations including the American Public Health Association, the Association of Schools of Public Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Over the past decade, the council has developed a list of public health competencies to guide curriculum development in public health education.