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Doctor of Public Health
Overview
The Doctor of Public Health is a professional doctorate degree granted on successful completion of an approved program of coursework, in addition to an independent and original investigation of a significant problem in public health, and the presentation of the research as an acceptable thesis. This degree prepares students for leadership positions in the health sector that require advanced analytical or conceptual capabilities. Students should consult the information under the Doctor of Philosophy for information about the departments’ research areas.
Entry Requirements / Assumed Knowledge
To qualify for entry to the program, candidates must have a Master of Public Health degree or equivalent, usually at credit level or higher, or an Honours Bachelor degree of at least Class II, Division 2 standard in a relevant discipline, followed by the equivalent of one year of full-time relevant and approved postgraduate study.
Students should preferably have two or more years of appropriate professional experience, and have demonstrated potential capacity for leadership in the area of specialisation. Applicants should submit a record of professional experience and names of two appropriate referees. International students are required to have achieved an IELTS score of 6.5, with a minimum level of 6.0 in reading, writing, speaking and listening.
Course Requirements
The DPH usually takes three years of full-time study. It includes a coursework component and a research component. There will be no advanced standing granted for previous graduate study at Masters level. The coursework involves a maximum of one year of full-time study (48 credit points) in both required and elective courses. The research component of the program involves at least two years of full-time enrolment, undertaking a thesis following completion of the coursework component. Progression to the research component requires the development of a suitable research proposal, at the end of which the student sits a qualifying examination.
On successful completion of the qualifying examination, the student undertakes the research under supervision. At the end of this period the student will submit a thesis for examination under the regulations for Doctoral Theses of the University. Individual coursework programs should be decided in conjunction with the intended supervisor for the research and the Head of School. The coursework must be passed with a credit average mark to allow progression into the research component of the course. Applicants who have not had a background in public health may be advised to take the four core subjects listed below. Some applicants may be advised to undertake specialised programs in preparation for their research.
Course Program
| Subject |
|
Session |
Credit Points |
| GHMD905 |
Social Foundations of Public Health |
Autumn |
6 |
| GHMD983 |
Statistics in Health Research |
Spring |
6 |
| GHMD904 |
Epidermiology |
Spring |
6 |
| GHMD984 |
Health Research Methodology |
Spring |
6 |
| THES924 |
for full-time students or |
Annual |
48 |
| THES912 |
for part-time students |
|
24 |
| Full-time students are required to submit their theses no later than eight academic sessions from the date of candidature. |
Other Information
Through an agreement with the School of Public Health, University of California (Berkeley), it is expected that selected Doctor of Public Health students will be able to spend one session at the University of California (Berkeley) advancing research and/or coursework interests which are part of their approved program of study.
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