Part-time Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) Program

The Part time DrPH in PFRH is designed to allow working public health professionals to complete a doctoral education as part of a career development plan. This degree option is particularly well suited to population and maternal and child health professionals working in the federal agencies, in state and local health departments, and in other health organizations located in the mid-Atlantic region.

Admissions requirements and decisions for the part-time DrPH program applicants are the same as for all PFRH DrPH degree applicants.  At the time of the admissions decision, applicants are admitted as either a part time or full time DrPH student.  Part time students matriculate into the program the 1^st term of each academic year and are required to attend both the School and PFRH orientation offered prior to matriculation.  At this time, funding for part-time students is considered on a case by case basis, but generally if any is awarded, it would only be for support of tuition.  Part-time DrPH students are required to meet the same academic standards as other degree students in PFRH. 

Sample Part-time DrPH Schedule

Part time DrPH students are required to register for a minimum of 1 unit per term during 4 terms of each academic year.  The following timelines need to be met in order to fulfill the requirements of the program:

• Take 1^st year comps by the end of the 2^nd year, in June with other doctoral students. (Generally, part-time DrPH students complete biostatistics. and epidemiology requirements in Year 1, and the DrPH Seminar and PFRH required courses by the end of Year 2)

• Take 2^nd year comps by the end of the 3^rd year or 4^th year in either January or June with other doctoral students.  (Taking PFRH required research seminars, other School and PFRH track required courses)

• Take PFRH Department Oral Exam and School-wide Preliminary Oral Exam by the end of the 4^th year. 

• Finish the DrPH program by the end of the 9^th year. 

PFRH part time DrPH students would need to take courses during the day, during the week on campus.  At this time, the only required PFRH course offered via distance is 380.604 Health Across the Life Span: Frameworks, Contexts, and Measurements.