Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) Degree Resource Guide

Deciding to pursue higher education is exciting and the possibilities are endless. 

Considering you are on this website, we’ll assume that you have narrowed down your interest to the field of Public Health for your doctoral-level education/training; specifically the Doctor of Public Health degree, or DrPH for short.

On this page, we’ll help you through these questions:

• What is a DrPH?
• What is the difference between a DrPH vs PhD?
• How long is the DrPH degree?
• Can the DrPH degree be done online?
• Which universities offer a DrPH degree?
• Do you have a list of DrPH programs?
• How do I choose the best DrPH program for me?

What is a DrPH?

The DrPH is short for a Doctor of Public Health degree. It is a doctoral-level degree.

While other doctoral-level degrees such as the Ph.D. have an emphasis on research, the DrPH focuses on practice-based training, with an emphasis on leadership. 

Depending on the University, other focuses of the program could include, but are not limited to:

• Communication
• Policy
• Management
• Applied research skills
• Evaluation
• Innovation

What is the difference between a DrPH vs PhD?

The DrPH is a professional doctoral degree that trains public health practitioners in areas of leadership through practice-based training. The exact areas of emphasis in the training varies based on the program/University.

A PhD in public health (i.e. Epidemiology, Biostatistics, or Social and Behavioural Health Sciences) aims to train researchers, often focusing on research methods and analytical skills.

This Blog post further compares the two degrees: Doctor of Public Health – Isn’t that just a PhD?

If you are also considering applying to a Ph.D. program, this guide may be helpful: Tips for applying to a public health PhD program

How long is the DrPH degree?

On average, the DrPH program takes 3-4 years to complete, and as long as 7 years. Because the degree is for working individuals, most Universities are supportive of their students continuing their employment as they pursue the degree.

Our DrPH Programs List Tool below lists the duration of all of the DrPH programs around the world.

Can the DrPH degree be done online?

Yes. Online, hybrid and on-campus DrPH programs exist. 

Our DrPH Programs List Tool below lists all of the Universities that offer the DrPH program online.

Which universities offer a DrPH degree?

The DrPH programs are available at universities around the world in the following countries:

• Australia
• Canada
• England
• Germany
• Malaysia
• Philippines
• Thailand
• United States

Our DrPH Programs List Tool below lists all of the Universities that offer the DrPH program online, categorized by country.

Here are a few of our podcast episodes that dive into some of these programs:

• Getting To Know The Director Of Canada’s First Doctor Of Public Health (DrPH) Program + Personal Reflections Running The Program, With Theodore (Ted) Witek Jr.
• Welcoming The Doctor Of Public Health (DrPH) Degree To Canada At The University Of Toronto & FAQ Session, With Erica Di Ruggiero
• Let’s Learn About The Doctor Of Public Health (DrPH) Degree – A Candidate’s Journey And Experiences, With Meghan Haffey
• From Delhi To Boston To Pursue A DrPH At Harvard, With Bhargav Krishna 

If you are a DrPH student/graduate or a University educator/administrator and would like to highlight your program/students on our podcast or blog, reach out to us.

Do you have a list of DrPH programs?

Here is a list of DrPH programs offered around the world.

This is a condensed summary of the program list that is available for download. Additional information such as admission requirements, cost of the program, prerequisites, and much more valuable information are available for you in the full tool. 

The tool was last updated in December 2022. 

Tool Sneak Peek: DrPH programs offered around the world

How do I choose the best DrPH program for me?

Deciding on the best DrPH program for you will require some research, reflection, and networking. Here are a few simple steps to take to figure this out for yourself:

1. Write down the reasons you want to pursue a DrPH degree and what your objectives for pursuing this degree are.
2. Use the tool above and narrow down the programs that best meet your objectives, and align with other factors that are important to you. This could include the length of the program, the country the institution is based in, or the cost. (This preliminary research on each program is available in our tool – download it here. The tool was last updated in December 2022.)
3. Find and reach out to at least one alumni from each program to understand what it’s like to be a student in the program. Use the tool we developed for you to add additional columns to capture notes from alumni (and perhaps your research). Be sure to track everything you discover about the program.
4. Based on the programs that meet your objective, the factors that are most important to you, and the budget you’ve set aside for your application, choose all of the programs you’d like to apply to!

Want to be part of a community building their dream public health careers just like you, and supporting each other while they do it? Join us in The Public Health Career Club!
We host sessions on the DrPH and bring in mentors/DrPH grads to help you with your decision to apply for the program.