Doctor of Public Health Program

MCW's Institute for Health & Equity offers the first online DrPH program in Wisconsin designed to prepare experienced public health practitioners with the competencies needed to lead community health improvement efforts. Training will be self-directed, faculty and dissertation advisor guided, and cohort influenced. This will enable students to work on problems together, and to challenge one another in an environment built on trust. Academic relationships and community partnerships developed through this program will support success in the short term and over the course of a career.

Graduates of the program will be prepared to work in senior level leadership positions in a variety of settings such as:

• Governmental agencies
• Non-governmental organizations
• Hospitals and healthcare systems
• Community-based organizations
• Academic institutions
  

CEPH Accreditation
The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). The DrPH program is also individually accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). The Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) is an independent agency that accredits schools of public health and public health programs offered in settings other than schools of public health.

Admissions Requirements

• A master’s degree from an accredited school or program in public health, a master’s degree in a related field, a doctoral degree, or a professional degree (e.g., MD, JD, PharmD). Students without a master’s degree in public health from an accredited school of public health or program may be required to complete an online core public health course.

• Grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 in prior graduate study
• A current resume or CV
• Three letters of recommendation
• Transcripts from all undergraduate and post-baccalaureate work
• Personal statement that addresses the following questions:
• Describe your academic and career goals and how they align with pursuing the DrPH degree.
• Describe a public health issue that interests you.
• Describe how you learn best.
• Describe your most significant professional leadership accomplishment.
• What do you hope to gain from and contribute to the DrPH program?

• At least three years of post-graduate experience in public health, healthcare, or a related field with management or leadership responsibilities

Application Information
The MCW Graduate School operates on a rolling admissions basis. However, applications accepted by the priority application deadline of November 15th will receive first priority for admission the following Fall.

Foundational Public Health Knowledge
Students will be grounded in foundational public health knowledge prior to matriculation. The program validates foundational public health knowledge through the completion of a CEPH-accredited master’s degree or completion of an online module that addresses the 12 learning objectives. 

Profession & Science of Public Health
1. Explain public health history, philosophy, and values
2. Identify the core functions of public health and the 10 Essential Services
3. Explain the role of quantitative and qualitative methods and sciences in describing and assessing a population’s health
4. List major causes and trends of morbidity and mortality in the US or other community relevant to the school or program
5. Discuss the science of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention in population health, including health promotion, screening, etc.
6. Explain the critical importance of evidence in advancing public health knowledge
Factors Related to Human Health
7. Explain effects of environmental factors on a population’s health
8. Explain biological and genetic factors that affect a population’s health
9. Explain behavioral and psychological factors that affect a population’s health
10. Explain the social, political, and economic determinants of health and how they contribute to population health and health inequities
11. Explain how globalization affects global burdens of disease
12. Explain an ecological perspective on the connections among human health, animal health and ecosystem health (e.g. One Health)

DrPH Competencies
Upon completion of the DrPH program, students will demonstrate knowledge of the 20 foundational CEPH competencies as well as the 5 DrPH public health practice competencies. Students will achieve these competencies through synchronous and asynchronous coursework, practical experiences, and other applied activities. In addition, the curriculum is grounded in the seven key practices necessary to be a high achieving Community Health Strategist.

Community Health Strategist Practices
Practice 1: Adopt and adapt strategies to combat the evolving leading causes of illness, injury and premature death.

Practice 2: Develop strategies for promoting health and well-being that work most effectively for communities of today and tomorrow

Practice 3: Community health strategists will identify, analyze and distribute information from new, big, and real time data sources

Practice 4: Build a more integrated, effective health system through collaboration between clinical care and public health

Practice 5: Collaborate with a broad array of allies – including those at the neighborhood level and the non-health sectors – to build healthier and more vital communities

Practice 6: Replace outdated organizational practices with state-of-the -art business, accountability, and financing systems

Practice 7: Work with corresponding federal partners – ideally, a federal Community Health Strategist – to effectively meet the needs of their communities

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) Course Descriptions

28201 Public Health Practice I-Building a Foundation for Public Health (3 credits)
This is a required course for students matriculated in the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) program. The overall goal of the course is to provide the students with an opportunity to read, critically reflect, actively discuss, and write on the issues related to public health. The materials in this course provide a basis of understanding concepts, theories, and applications critical to public and community health.

28202 Public Health Practice II-Building Community Partnerships and Coalitions (3 credits)
This is a required course for students matriculated in the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) program. The overall goal of the course is to provide the students with an opportunity to read, critically reflect, actively discuss, and write on the benefits of building community partnerships and coalitions. The materials in this course provide a basis of understanding concepts, theories, and applications critical to public and community health.

28203 Public Health Practice III-Strategies to Eliminate Health Disparities (3 credits)
This is a required course for students matriculated in the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) program. The overall goal of the course is to provide the students with an opportunity to read, critically reflect, actively discuss, and write on the issues related to and that contribute to health disparities. The materials in this course provide a basis of understanding concepts, theories, and applications critical to public and community health and a means for designing solutions.

28170 Public Health Practice IV: Public Health Applied Research (3 credits)
This is a required course for students matriculated in the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) program. The overall goal of the course is to provide the students with an opportunity to read, critically reflect, actively discuss, and write on the issues related to public health. The materials in this course provide a basis of understanding concepts, theories, and applications critical to public and community health in the context of applied research. The students will develop knowledge and training in the areas of research and data management.

28150 Research Theory (3 credits)
This is a required course for students matriculated in the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) program. The overall goal of the course is to provide the students with an opportunity to gain the foundational knowledge needed to develop a personal theory of research within public health. The materials in this course will provide the basis of this understanding and apply it to issues within public and community health.

28160 Public Health Research Study & Design (3 credits)
This is a required course for students matriculated in the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) program. The overall goal of the course is to provide the students with an opportunity to identify features of public health research and apply those features to areas of interest by the student. The materials in this course provide a basis of understanding concepts, theories, and applications critical to public and community health.

28106 Introduction to Community Engagement (3 credits)
This course is designed to prepare students to apply translational knowledge and skills in community-based settings. Involving and collaborating with community in a bi-directional manner are vital concepts to improving public health and the health of communities. This course provides students with the foundation for understanding community engagement (CE) and community engagement in research (CEnR), based on principles of community-based participatory research (CBPR). 

18268 Leadership for the Public’s Health (3 credits)
This is a required course for students matriculated in the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) program. Leadership for the Public’s Health takes a broad look at leadership within public health practice. An introduction to theoretical and evidence-based research is applied to a wide range of public health leadership crises and challenges. Learners will apply knowledge and personal experiences to newly focused leadership understanding through application to practice. Leadership theory and research will connect to personal leadership critical reflection, political acumen, and peer mentorship in development of a professional development plan/leadership credo.

28301 Public Health Seminar Series (6 courses, 1 credit each)
This is a student-centered, weekly seminar for students matriculated in the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) program. The seminar will consist of several types of activities: 1) presentations on content areas by faculty, community organizations, and community and academic partners in collaboration, 2) sessions focused on issues of professional development, 3) sessions focused on specific research skills or methods, 4) workshop and discussion sessions that provide students with a forum for engagement and collaboration around issues of mutual concern, and 5) student presentations.

Doctoral Dissertation (10 credits)
This course is required for the completion of the DrPH degree. After successfully completing all other coursework, the student must complete a field-based doctoral dissertation that is designed to influence programs, policies, or systems applicable to advanced public health practice. The practice-oriented dissertation must address a research question of the student's design and result in the production of a high-quality written product that demonstrates synthesis of foundational and concentration-specific competencies. Prior to writing the dissertation, the student will develop a dissertation proposal that must be approved by the committee. At the completion of the dissertation, the student will submit the dissertation to the committee at least 30 days prior to the dissertation defense. The student is required to enroll in 10 credits for the dissertation.

Applied Practice Experience (no credit)
DrPH students are required to engage in an applied practice experience in which they are responsible for completion of at least one project that is meaningful for an organization and to advanced public health practice. Relevant organizations may include governmental, non-governmental, non-profit, industrial, and for-profit settings. The applied practice experience may be completed within a student’s own work setting. The deliverable must contain a reflective component that includes the student’s expression of personal and/or professional reactions to the applied practice experience. The student will develop a plan under the guidance of the program staff, director, and faculty advisor.

If you have questions regarding tuition or your account, please contact the Office of Student Accounts, at (414) 955-8172 or mcwtuition@mcw.edu. Please refer to the All Student Handbook (PDF) for tuition payment policies and information.

• Tuition and Fees Schedule (PDF)
• View your Tuition Statement (login required)

Current MCW Employees
Tuition Course Approval Form - Human Resources (PDF)

Financial Aid
Students seeking financial aid please visit the Financial Aid Office website.

Late Fees
There will be a $100 late registration fee for anyone not completing registration by the date indicated on the schedule each semester.

There is also a $250 late payment fee for tuition not paid on time according to the Tuition Payments policy in the All Student Handbook (PDF).

Late payment fee is in addition to any late registration fee.