PhD in Public Health at East Carolina University

The Public Health at East Carolina University is a PhD program designed for students who want to build the knowledge and skills required for careers in this field. Delivered on campus at the university's main campus in Greenville , United States of America, the program is taught in English and takes 4 years to complete. Students study in a Full Time environment while preparing for future professional opportunities. The next intake starts on August 21, 2027.

About PhD in Public Health

The DrPH is the terminal professional degree for individuals who intend to pursue careers in public health, evidence-based leadership and/or practice-based research. The goal of the DrPH program at ECU is to expand capacity for the advancement of public health leadership with a focus on rural, underserved and multi-cultural communities. It aims to train graduates to be transformative future leaders, teachers, innovators and researchers in public health with the ability to create and implement evidence-based public health programs.

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Program Directors by Concentration Area:

The goal of the Public Health, DrPH program is to educate leaders who can transform the health system into one that provides high quality care; reduces per capita costs of health care; improves population health; and addresses health needs of the rural, poor, underserved multicultural populations to reduce health disparities. The DrPH is a terminal degree for individuals who intend to pursue leadership careers in applied, practice-based, public health research and leadership.

The DrPH program offers two concentrations: (1) environmental and occupational health, and, (2) health policy, administration, and leadership. Both concentrations have specific course content that embeds rural health throughout the plan of study. Graduates of this program will be prepared for leadership positions in government (local, state, or federal public health institutions), non-profit institutions (health advocacy or community service), or for-profit institutions (health care organizations, health research organizations, health insurance, pharmaceutical industry and health-related industries) with preparation for research and teaching in higher education.

The DrPH is a 50 s.h. to 74 s.h. program. The minimum degree requirement depends on the student's academic background. Students with an MPH from an accredited program will have taken the 24 hours of foundational courses and will have met that requirement. Those without an MPH degree or equivalent will be required to take the foundational courses before taking the doctoral level courses. Experience in health practice is highly desired.

Consistent with a practice-focused degree and with public health discipline expectations, the degree will require both a practicum/field placement and a dissertation. Special consideration may be provided at the discretion of the program directors to those with exceptional backgrounds or uniques skill sets. The program offers flexibility for today's working professional seeking an advanced degree while at the same time, ensuring that graduates of the program demonstrate the skills needed to be transformational leaders in public health.

The basic curriculum plans for each level of experience and each concentration are as follows:

Doctor of Public Health - Environmental and Occupational Health Concentration

(50 s.h. - 74 s.h.)

1. Applicant with a master of public health - 50 s.h.

a. Interdisciplinary core - 9 s.h.

HUMS 7004 - Ethics and Research
PUBH 8020 - Organizational Theory and Leadership
PUBH 8025 - Quantitative Research Methods

b. Concentration core - 15 s.h.

PHAR 7680 - Toxicology
PUBH 7930 - Environmental and Occupational Exposure Assessment
PUBH 8110 - Emerging Issues in Environmental and Occupational Health
PUBH 8125 - Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology
PUBH 8245 - Health Policy Analysis

c. Specialty areas - 9 s.h.

(Choose a specialty area.)

Environmental:

PUBH 8002 - Public Health Microbiology, Water and Food Safety
PUBH 8004 - Public Health Pests and Vector-Borne Diseases
PUBH 8006 - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment

Occupational:

PUBH 8003 - Issues and Case Studies in Occupational Medicine
PUBH 8005 - Advanced Control of Occupational Hazards
PUBH 8007 - Advanced Industrial Hygiene Applications

d. Elective - 3 s.h.

(Choose from below courses.)

GEOG 6340 - GIS for Public Health Research
HUMS 7201 - Independent Study
PUBH 8100 - Applied Environmental and Industrial Hygiene
PUBH 8120 - Introduction to Environmental and Occupational Health Law
PUBH 8150 - Environmental Risk Communication
Approved electives from other departments
Approved elective from another department

e. Dissertation - 9 s.h.

PUBH 9000 - Dissertation Research

f. Field experience - 5 s.h.

PUBH 8684 - Field Practicum

2. Applicant without a master of public health – 74 s.h.

a. Foundation courses - 24 s.h.

BIOS 7021 - Biostatistics for Health Professionals I
MPH 6000 - Public Health Practice
MPH 6002 - Ethics and Law in Public Health
MPH 6010 - Fundamentals of Environmental Health
MPH 6011 - Introduction to Epidemiology
MPH 6013 - Principles of Health Behavior
MPH 6020 - Research Methods
MPH 6035 - Interdisciplinary Rural Health

b. Interdisciplinary core - 9 s.h.

HUMS 7004 - Ethics and Research
PUBH 8020 - Organizational Theory and Leadership
PUBH 8025 - Quantitative Research Methods

c. Concentration core - 15 s.h.

PHAR 7680 - Toxicology
PUBH 7930 - Environmental and Occupational Exposure Assessment
PUBH 8110 - Emerging Issues in Environmental and Occupational Health
PUBH 8125 - Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology
PUBH 8245 - Health Policy Analysis

d. Specialty areas - 9 s.h.

(Choose a specialty area.)

Environmental:

PUBH 8002 - Public Health Microbiology, Water and Food Safety
PUBH 8004 - Public Health Pests and Vector-Borne Diseases
PUBH 8006 - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment

Occupational:

PUBH 8003 - Issues and Case Studies in Occupational Medicine
PUBH 8005 - Advanced Control of Occupational Hazards
PUBH 8007 - Advanced Industrial Hygiene Applications

e. Elective - 3 s.h.

(Choose from below courses.)

GEOG 6340 - GIS for Public Health Research
HUMS 7201 - Independent Study
PUBH 8120 - Introduction to Environmental and Occupational Health Law
PUBH 8150 - Environmental Risk Communication
Approved electives from other departments
Approved elective from another department

f. Dissertation - 9 s.h.

PUBH 9000 - Dissertation Research

g. Field experience - 5 s.h.

PUBH 8684 - Field Practicum

Doctor of Public Health - Health Policy, Administration, and Leadership Concentration

(50 s.h. - 74 s.h.)

1. Applicant with a master of public health - 50 s.h.

a. Interdisciplinary core - 9 s.h.

HUMS 7004 - Ethics and Research
PUBH 8020 - Organizational Theory and Leadership
PUBH 8025 - Quantitative Research Methods

b. Concentration core - 18 s.h.

PUBH 8130 - Strategic Planning, Theory and Practice
PUBH 8134 - Financial Planning and Management
PUBH 8240 - Human Resources Management
PUBH 8245 - Health Policy Analysis
PUBH 8350 - Qualitative Research Methods
PUBH 8352 - Quality Improvement and Cost Effectiveness Analysis

c. Elective - 9 s.h.

(Choose from below courses.)

HUMS 7201 - Independent Study
PUBH 8460 - Economic Analysis in Health Systems
PUBH 8463 - Health Information Systems
PUBH 8571 - Public Health and Aging
PUBH 8680 - Public Health Disaster Preparedness and Response
Approved electives from other departments
Approved elective from another department

d. Dissertation - 9 s.h.

PUBH 9000 - Dissertation Research

e. Field experience - 5 s.h.

PUBH 8684 - Field Practicum

2. Applicant without a master of public health – 74 s.h.

a. Foundation courses - 24 s.h.

BIOS 7021 - Biostatistics for Health Professionals I
MPH 6000 - Public Health Practice
MPH 6002 - Ethics and Law in Public Health
MPH 6010 - Fundamentals of Environmental Health
MPH 6011 - Introduction to Epidemiology
MPH 6013 - Principles of Health Behavior
MPH 6020 - Research Methods
MPH 6035 - Interdisciplinary Rural Health

b. Interdisciplinary core - 9 s.h.

HUMS 7004 - Ethics and Research
PUBH 8020 - Organizational Theory and Leadership
PUBH 8025 - Quantitative Research Methods

c. Concentration core - 18 s.h.

PUBH 8130 - Strategic Planning, Theory and Practice
PUBH 8134 - Financial Planning and Management
PUBH 8240 - Human Resources Management
PUBH 8245 - Health Policy Analysis
PUBH 8350 - Qualitative Research Methods
PUBH 8352 - Quality Improvement and Cost Effectiveness Analysis

d. Elective - 9 s.h.

(Choose from the below courses.)

HUMS 7201 - Independent Study
PUBH 8460 - Economic Analysis in Health Systems
PUBH 8463 - Health Information Systems
PUBH 8571 - Public Health and Aging
PUBH 8680 - Public Health Disaster Preparedness and Response
Approved electives from other departments
Approved electives from other departments

e. Dissertation - 9 s.h.

PUBH 9000 - Dissertation Research

f. Field experience - 5 s.h.

PUBH 8684 - Field Practicum

Academic Requirements

In order to remain in good academic standing, students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all coursework once they have earned a total of 9 semester hours attempted. Students who fail to meet this criteria may be placed on probation or dismissed from the program.

Students must satisfactorily pass comprehensive exams before being eligible to move to the dissertations.

Admission

Candidates selected for admission to the doctor of public health program should have previous experience in public health practice and have successfully completed an MPH degree or graduate degree in a closely related field from an accredited program. All applicants must complete an online application to the Graduate School and comply with ECU graduate admission requirements.

For more information about this degree visit the university's academic catalogs.

Requirements and Admission Criteria for PhD in Public Health at East Carolina University

Entry Requirements

In order to be considered for admission, international graduate applicants follow the same steps as a U.S. applicant with a few exceptions as identified in Red font. Step by step instructions are identified below:

Complete the ECU Online Graduate School Application: One application fee and one set of supporting documents should be submitted for each program of study applying to.
Pay the Application Fee: Payment will be made through the self-service portal prior to submission of the application. The payment portal accepts debit or credit card only.
Provide Foreign Transcript Evaluation:

An official course by course credential evaluation of all foreign transcripts indicating that, at minimum, the US equivalent of a bachelor’s degree has been awarded by an accredited college or university is required.

Provide Official Transcript(s) & Diploma Copy: A copy of your transcript(s) and diplomas showing a full education history issued in your native language as well as a notarized or certified copy in English must be uploaded to your application.
Provide Evidence of English Proficiency: If English is not your native language and you have not completed at least one year of education (minimum of 18 credit hours) at a United States school, you are required to take a standardized English language exam or complete the ECU Language Academy (ECULA).
- Language Exam Options: The Graduate School accepts either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), the Duolingo English Test or Pearson Test of English (PTE) and scores must be forwarded to the Graduate School by the testing service. The paper- or computer-based TOEFL exam is accepted by request only.
ECU Language Academy: You may choose to attend the ECU Language Academy instead of taking the TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE. Also, if you do not obtain the required score on the TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE, at least one session of the ECU Language Academy may be required prior to the start of your program. Successful completion of all levels of the ECU Language Academy is required for admission without TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE scores. More information on the ECU Language Academy, including the ECULA application, is available on the Intensive English Program website. Individual programs may have higher minimum requirements.
Provide Official Standardized Admissions Test Results: If required by the program you’re applying to, please arrange for an official score report to be sent directly to the Graduate School by the testing service (GRE or GMAT). ECU’s institutional code is 5180. ECU does not have departmental codes.
Upload Statement of Purpose: If required by the program you’re applying to, please upload a copy of your personal statement (why you believe you would be a good candidate for the program) to your application. You may want to use resources to help you write a personal statement in English such as this webinar.
Provide Letters of recommendation: If required by the program you’re applying to, please arrange to have LOR’s submitted electronically with the online application. Review your program’s application requirements to determine the number of letters, if any, that they require.
Upload Resume: If required by the program you’re applying to, please upload a copy of your most recent resume to your online application.
Provide Financial information: If/when you are admitted to a graduate program at ECU you will be required to provide certified evidence of financial resources adequate to cover educational costs and living expenses. Documents only need submitted if/when an offer of admission is extended.

English Requirements

PTEMin 65
IELTSMin 6.5
TOEFLMin 78

Career Opportunities after Completing PhD in Public Health

Graduates with this degree are successful in many fields and careers, including the following:

Public Health (MPH)
Education and Training
Medical and Health Services Managers
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary

Career Opportunities

ECU has developed resources to help you learn more about career opportunities and job market outlook. In addition, the websites below provide specific information on careers in the various majors from which students may choose:

NC Tower

This website provides graphs and tables of in-depth information on employment rates, wages and ongoing higher education enrollment of graduates from the North Carolina Community College System and from the University of North Carolina system schools. NC Tower includes data on former UNC students who are working in roughly 90% of all jobs in North Carolina. This database excludes information for graduates who are:

Self-employed;
Work for the federal government, including the military: or
Work outside of North Carolina.

US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook

This website also provides in-depth information regarding pay, projected new jobs, required education, growth rate and on-the-job training information on various occupations.

Degree-specific internships

For information on internship information for specific majors, go to the home page of the department in which the major is located and, as available, find the link to the information on internships in that major.

Tuition and Fee Information for PhD in Public Health at East Carolina University

Application Fee 75

How to Apply for PhD in Public Health at East Carolina University

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PhD in Public Health at East Carolina University

East Carolina University

United States of America, Greenville