Community Health and Prevention

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

Transcripts

Official transcripts must be sent directly to Drexel from all of the colleges and universities that you have attended. Please note that transcripts are required regardless of number of credits taken or if the credits were transferred to another school. An admission decision may be delayed if you do not send transcripts from all colleges and universities that you have attended.

Transcripts must show course-by-course grades and degree conferrals. If your school does not notate degree conferrals on the official transcripts, you must provide copies of any graduate or degree certificates.

If your school issues only one transcript for life, you are required to have a course-by-course evaluation completed by an approved transcript evaluation agency.

Precise, word-for-word English translations of all non-English language documents are required along with official documents in the original language. All translations must be completed by the issuing institution or an ATA-certified translator. Visit the American Translators Association website to search for an ATA-certified translator.

International students: If you have already graduated from your previous institution at the time of your application, please email your graduation certificate(s) attached as PDF or Microsoft Word documents to [email protected]. Note: Any international applicant, regardless of program, may be required to provide a transcript evaluation should the Admissions Committee determine it is needed for the application to be reviewed. If your transcripts are selected for a course-by-course evaluation by an external agency, you will be responsible for supplying all necessary documentation and paying all necessary fees to have your transcripts evaluated.

If you have questions regarding what documents you must submit to fulfill the transcript requirements, contact the Office of Graduate Admissions.

Standardized Test Scores

GRE test scores are not required.

Test of English as a Foreign Language

International applicants are required to demonstrate English language proficiency by submitting scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL minimum scores: 80/550/213), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the Pearson Test of English (PTE minimum score: 53) unless they meet the criteria for a waiver.

Essay

Please write an essay describing your career goals, including specific research and scholarly interests. Please be sure to indicate how your interests coincide with those of particular School of Education Faculty members.

Submit your essay with your application or through the Discover Drexel portal after you submit your application.

Résumé

Upload your résumé as part of your admission application or through the Discover Drexel Portal after you submit your application.

Letters of Recommendation

Recommenders should be able to speak to your academic performance.

Interview

Virtual, in-person, or telephone interview required for qualified applicants.

Academic Experience

Admission to this program requires a minimum 3.25 GPA (a 3.5 is preferred).

Writing Sample

Please submit a sample of scholarly writing, including but not limited to published articles, theses, or term papers, by mail or email as an attachment to [email protected].

Mailing Addresses