The doctoral program in Public Health (DrPH) provides advanced, practice-based training in public health with a concentration in leadership and management. The DrPH program is designed to prepare students for a broad range of academic, research, teaching and community practice roles.

This fully online program can be completed in 3-5 years of full-time study. Actual completion time may vary depending on course registration, transfer units, and fulfillment of other degree requirements.

Program Outcomes

The primary goal of the DrPH program is for students to attain competencies across four domains

Foundational competencies, as defined by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), an independent agency that accredits degree programs in public health, include: (1) Data and Analysis; (2) Leadership, Management & Governance; (3) Policy & Programs; and (4) Education & Workforce Development. In addition, mastery of advanced skills in leadership and management is required.

All competencies are mapped throughout the curriculum to ensure students develop and demonstrate proficiency systematically throughout their academic experience.

Degree Requirements

A minimum of 49 units are required for the degree. All core and concentration courses must be taken for a letter grade; Pass/Fail grading is not permitted for these courses. Exceptions apply to certain applied and milestone-based experiences.

Foundational Knowledge in Public Health

All DrPH students must demonstrate foundational public health knowledge in the profession and science in the public health and factors related to human health. This is validated through Foundational Knowledge in Public Health Assessment Modules:

• Students with an MPH: Must complete the modules within one year of their matriculation.
• Students without an MPH: Must complete the modules within one year of completing the Foundations in Public Health, Certificate  

Coursework

Core Courses (35 units)

• CGH 410 - Foundations of Global Health: An Interdisciplinary Approach (Doctoral) (4 units)  

• CGH 349F - US Health Policy (1 - 4 units)   

• CGH 400 - Advanced Theoretical Foundations in Health Education & Promotion (4 units)   

• CGH 401A - Advanced Statistical Methods I (4 units)   

• CGH 402 - Advanced Research Methods (4 units)   

• CGH 405 - Seminar in Grant Writing & Proposal Development (Doctoral) (4 units)   

• CGH 408 - Foundations of Program Planning (doctoral) (4 units)   

• CGH 409 - Designing and Evaluating Health Behavior Interventions (4 units)   

• CGH 419 - Qualitative Methodology in Public Health (4 units)   

Concentration Courses (10 units)

• CGH 414 - Advanced Topics in Public Health Management (3 - 4 units)  
• CGH 418 - Health Equity in Research and Practice (3 units)  
• PSYCH 350KK - Positive Organizational Psychology (4 units)  

Transdisciplinary Requirement

Transdisciplinary courses are advanced intensive experience that prepares doctoral students for high-level discourse, research, and inquiry and provides practical experience working with colleagues in different fields. Doctoral students admitted or readmitted in Fall 2004 or later, are required to complete a Transdisciplinary course, preferably before the end of their second year of doctoral coursework. For the DrPH degree, students must complete this requirement with CAFE 430 - Inclusive Excellence Changemakers: Justice Centered Frameworks for Education (0-4 units) .

Advanced Practicum 

All DrPH students are required to complete an applied practice experience in public health that demonstrates and reinforces program foundational and concentration competencies. DrPH students have an opportunity to complete a project that is meaningful for an organization to advance public health practice; and collaborate with practitioners, allowing opportunities to develop leadership competencies within the field. No waivers are granted for this requirement.

• CGH 406 - Advanced Practicum in Public Health (0 units)  

Students have the option to participate in the Community Lab Series track. Students must apply for and be formally accepted into the track before beginning the sequence. This is not a required component of the program, but those who choose to pursue it must meet additional requirements. Students in this track must complete the following courses prior to enrolling into CGH 406:

• CGH 412 - Community Based Translational Research to Promote Population Health (0 - 4 units)  

• CGH 417 - Population Health System Engineering (0 - 4 units)  

Interprofessional Practice Co-Curricular Education

The Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) requires DrPH students to meet foundational competencies related to interprofessional practice (IPP). The co-curricular requirement provides students with an opportunity to propose interprofessional team approaches to address a given public health topic/issue and to integrate the knowledge and/or perspectives from an external sector/profession with their own public health training. Students can demonstrate these competencies by successfully completing:

• CGH 489E - Interprofessional Practice Co-Curricular Requirement (0 units)   

Research Tool

The research tool requirement can be fulfilled upon satisfactory completion of CGH 402 - Advanced Research Methods (4 units) .

Teaching Tool

Students must demonstrate proficiency in education and workforce development. The teaching tool requirement can be fulfilled upon satisfactory completion of CAFE 430 - Inclusive Excellence Changemakers: Justice Centered Frameworks for Education (0-4 units)  .

Practical Experience Milestone

Students must meet the Practical Experience Milestone by completing an applied practice experience within a public health agency (paid or unpaid), approved by the School. (See advanced practicum requirement.)

Qualifying Examination

The qualifying exam assesses students’ depth and breadth of knowledge and problem-solving skills in public health. Successful completion of the qualifying exam is required for advancement to candidacy.

Final Scholarly Product

Each candidate must produce a high-quality, field-based written product that demonstrates synthesis of foundational and concentration-specific competencies and aims to influence public health practice. A defense is scheduled after submission of the scholarly product approved by the candidate’s Guidance Committee.

Transfer Credit

The DrPH program permits the transfer of up to 13 semester units from prior graduate work completed outside of CGU with advisor approval, in accordance with University policy.

Time to Degree Extensions

The standard time to degree is 7 years (or 6.5 years with 12 transfer units). Up to three extensions may be granted:

• For a student’s first extension: granted for a period of two years.
• Second and third extensions: granted for one year each.

Students not completing the program after three extensions are subject to program withdrawal and must petition for reinstatement.

Students who have met the time to degree limit and are changing their bulletin year to the current bulletin year are allowed only three (3) extensions, not including those extensions previously requested and approved prior to the effective bulletin year change. For a student’s first request, extensions are granted for a period of two years. Up to two additional one-year extensions may be approved given individual circumstances.

Program Policy Updates and Student Responsibility

The bulletin outlines core DrPH requirements. Students must also consult the DrPH Program Handbook for additional policies that may apply.