Population and Family Health DrPH

The Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health will launch a new DrPH in Leadership in Global Health and Humanitarian Systems in Fall 2012. The innovative new program combines on-site formal classes, remote learning, and field-based research to produce graduates with the skills, knowledge, and drive to take on leadership roles in the field of global health and humanitarian response.

The program structure will equip participants with strong research and measurement capacities and supports their practical application to ‘on-the-ground’ realities of humanitarian aid and global health practice.

Drawing extensively on the expertise and field engagement of professors from the Program on Forced Migration & Health and other department faculty working in the field of global health and humanitarian systems, the curriculum will place a particular focus on themes of policy, protection, and evaluation.

Applicant Profile

The program is intended for leaders and future leaders in public health who want a flexible career combining high level leadership, management and research skills. It is aimed at public health professionals who are invested in applied science, and wish to utilize a systems approach to research, program management and policy development in practice-based settings in developing and crisis-affected contexts. Although open to those earlier in their careers with relevant field experience, the design of the program particularly reflects the needs of mid-career global health and humanitarian professionals. The degree will provide such candidates with the advanced skills in evaluation, organizational management, and technical expertise necessary for career development while allowing them to maintain careers and leadership positions within their current organization and/or home country.

Entrants to the DrPH program will normally hold an MPH, MSW, MD, or similar advance degree that has introduced them to basic concepts of statistics, healthcare management, social sciences and population-based sciences, as well as having several years of professional experience working globally in health and protection in humanitarian and/or developing country settings. It is expected that most students in the DrPH program will continue to work during their term of study, with the exception of their first two semesters, during which students will fulfill the DrPH residency requirement as full-time students residing in New York.

See Admissions Requirements.

Admissions Requirements

Students applying to the program must meet the following minimum admissions criteria:

- Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 3.5 in prior graduate study, or equivalent at institution of graduate study
- Combined score of 1000 or score of 50th percentile or greater in the verbal and quantitative sections of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). GRE scores must not be more than five years old. Applicants with professional doctoral degrees (MD, DDS, JD) from U.S. or Canadian schools are exempted this requirement.
- Several years of post-graduate experience in global health, development, humanitarian work, or a related area, in a substantial management or leadership role
- A prior master's or doctoral degree (not necessarily in public health)
- Demonstrated leadership potential
- Motivation to obtain senior-level positions and to improve the public's health
- Evidence of excellent writing skills
- For international students: TOEFL or IELTS score
- For international students: Financial Certificate (U.S. Immigration requirement for entry into the United States)

Normally, students are expected to have demonstrated competency in the core public health areas specified by Association of Schools of Public Health for MPH graduates prior to beginning their DrPH studies. If students did not undertake relevant courses during prior study, they are required pre-admission, or if taken during the DrPH program, such credits are not counted towards the doctorate. Students may fulfill similar coursework at outside institutions and submit proof of coursework for admission, or fulfill coursework at Columbia.

Candidates are also expected to demonstrate a track-record of employment that indicates their capacity to access relevant work contexts to fulfill the work-based and dissertation requirements of the program.

Applicants to the DrPH degree program should submit their completed online applications to the Mailman School of Public Health by December 1st to ensure full consideration for admission and funding.