Inside Online Doctorate in Public Health (DrPH) Degree Programs

Who is an online DrPH for?

Busy professionals who want to advance their careers often look to Doctor of Public Health online programs. These programs are popular among mid-level professionals in the public health field who:

• Have earned a master’s in public health and gained some experience in the field
• Want the flexibility of online learning coupled with the ability to continue working in their jobs

But keep in mind that online learning, while incredibly flexible for most, can also provide some challenges. Here’s what you need to succeed in an online DrPH program:

• Technological skills: you should be comfortable working, studying, and communicating online; being well-versed in the technology it takes to handle message boards, chat rooms, and video lectures is a necessity.
• Self-discipline: online programs require you to study independently for long hours at a time with some guidance but lots of wiggle room; you should be organized, driven to succeed, have a great deal of self-discipline, and be able to create and meet your own deadlines

Fortunately, many of these skills come easily to seasoned public health professionals.

What’s the difference between a DrPH and a PhD?

Though the DrPH and the PhD might seem quite similar, the truth is that graduates from each program are prepared for very different roles in the field.

• A PhD focuses strongly on academic and scientific roles in public health, helping to prepare students to enter into research or academia.
• A DrPH is meant for those who intend to work hands-on in the field in a leadership role.

Here’s a bit more about how each degree breaks down:

Get information on the online PhD programs in public health.

What do you learn in an online DrPH program?

Despite variety across online DrPH programs, many will have similar core concepts or courses that students need to learn or take. This helps to ensure that professionals graduate with the skills they need to excel in a variety of public health settings.

Here’s a sampling of what you should see when earning your Doctor of Public Health online.

Organizational Leadership

A study on how to lead effectively in organizations of various sizes, financial abilities, and goals. Leadership courses are an integral part of the doctoral degree programs in public health. They might be presented under names such as Leadership Seminar, Leading Organizations, Advanced Leadership, and the like.

Problem-Solving Seminar

Part of the goal of the Doctor of Public Health online is to prepare students for solving problems, whether that’s for an individual or a global community. Problem-solving seminars take real-world issues and challenge students to work through the issue and present solutions that serve the greater good.

A few examples of course names might include: The Obesity Crisis, The Opioid Crisis, Protecting the Environment, Safeguarding Workers, or Suicide Prevention.

Data Analysis

Those in the public health field are often faced with reams of data and asked to make sense of it all. Understanding how to analyze that data, condense it down into something meaningful, and convey that through effective communication is what this course is all about.

Though many schools simply name this “Data Analysis,” this might show up under other names, such as Advanced Data Analysis, Data Workshop, or Methods for Data Analysis.

Research

All that data comes from in-depth research, which public health leaders must understand how to conduct, evaluate, and communicate to others within an organization. Research courses will help students understand what goes into surveys, canvassing, and other forms of collecting information from various populations.

The courses might be called things like Qualitative Research, Research Theory and Methods, Quantitative Research, Qualitative Data Analysis, or Mixed Methods in Research in Public Health.

Communication

Those in public health are often in the public eye, offering information to reporters, journalists, news organizations, government organizations, and more. Strong communication skills are an absolute necessity for someone representing public health interests in front of the cameras.

These courses, with names like Effective Presentations, News Media Interviews, or Public Health Media, are designed to help students feel at ease when communicating important information to the greater communities.

Doctor of Public Health online programs are meant to bolster a student’s skills in a variety of areas that will help them become more effective leaders. Many incoming students already have a firm grasp of these skills and just need a bit of polish as they move forward into their leadership roles. A few of these skills include:

• Excellent communication
• Attention to detail
• The ability to disseminate research
• Problem-solving skills
• Strong leadership abilities

What opportunities to specialize do online DrPH programs have?

Those entering the doctoral program in public health are already well into established careers and seeking a step up along that path. Specializing within a degree program is quite common at this stage, as students usually want to further the career path they are already on and become more proficient in one particular area.

Most students already have a specific track in mind that will dovetail with their career goals. Here are a few of the more common concentrations you can choose from in your online Doctor of Public Health program.

Health Leadership

This concentration focuses on preparing students to move into upper-level roles in public health organizations. Their work as administrators can help move these organizations into greater opportunities to foster the public good, engage communities they serve, and touch everyone from the individual to the global community.

Epidemiology

This cornerstone of public health focuses on health and disease in certain populations; this concentration helps students better understand and implement the research, survey, and assessment methodologies necessary to understand what is happening in various communities or populations, then search for solutions that will suit the growing needs of those individuals within those communities.

How long do online DrPH programs take?

The length of your Doctor of Public Health online program depends on a number of factors. Though most schools offer a four year schedule that can be extended to six years for the dissertation completion and defense, this often assumes part-time enrollment for working professionals.

Those who devote full-time study to the degree could bring that time down to two to four years (again, much of this depends upon how long the dissertation takes). Other factors include the school itself, the schedule on which it offers online courses, start dates of the various schools, and more.

What’s the cost of earning a DrPH online?

Costs vary by the type of school, how long it takes you to complete a program (part-time or full-time), how much financial aid you might be eligible to receive, and even where you live – some schools offer in-state tuition to online students, no matter where they live, while others have entirely different tuition rates specifically for online learning.

Here’s what the tuition looks like for some of today’s best online DrPH programs:

• Johns Hopkins University:
  $1,162/credit
• University of Illinois – Chicago:
  $950/credit
• Pennsylvania State University:
  $21,960/year
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill:
  $742/credit (resident), $1,548/credit (non-resident)

Do I need to take the GRE to get into a DrPH program?

The answer to that question depends upon the particular program. Some are more traditional and want to see GRE scores, no matter what. Others take a completely opposite approach and do not require the GRE under any circumstances.

Still others fall in the middle, where they do not require the GRE if an applicant has a certain amount of experience; those schools argue that experience of an applicant tells them much more than a standardized test score ever could. This is becoming more common because most DrPH students are working professionals with significant experience and who may be far removed from standardized testing.

Do online DrPH programs have any campus requirements?

Though most coursework in the DrPH program can be completed entirely online, many schools do require campus visits from time to time. The number of visits can vary by program, and might include anything from a one-time weekend visit for orientation to a visit of several days, occurring each semester.

For example, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill requires DrPH students to attend six campus visits over the span of two years; one of those visits might be held somewhere other than Chapel Hill, such as in the case of a special event that focuses on leadership development.

Scholarships

Scholarships available specifically for those in public health or a closely related field can be found through organizations that focus on serving communities and specific populations. In many cases, public health scholarships might also fall under the umbrella of medicine, health professions, or graduate school study.

Apply for scholarships as early as possible due to high competition and strict deadlines.

Financial aid

Start the search by filling out the FAFSA, which many schools use as a benchmark to determine their school-based or program-based awards. Some grants and fellowships might also be available, especially for those engaged in cutting-edge research on the doctoral level.

Research financial aid for online health and medical programs.

Fellowships

Sometimes called assistantships or even work study, these opportunities usually provide a stipend as well as cover the cost of tuition for each semester in which a student keeps their fellowship. Offered directly by the schools, these programs are highly competitive.

Apply early and showcase the finer points of what you can provide to fellow students.

Loans

This is the typical financial fallback plan for graduate students. Scholarships and grants often don’t cover the entire cost, and fellowships are tough to get; therefore, a loan might be the answer.

Look for loans with low interest rates, especially those that don’t begin accruing interest until after you graduate.

Employer assistance

Many employers recognize the value of advanced degrees, and some of them are willing to help you get one. Employer assistance, if offered, usually kicks in after you’ve worked in a particular job for a set period of time. It might be given on the stipulation that you will continue to work for the organization for a certain period of time after receiving the degree.

Speak with your employer’s human resources department for more information.