Program Contacts

DrPH Lead - Community & Behavioral Health

Jenn Leiferman, PhD

DrPH-Community & Behavioral Health

The DrPH Program in Community and Behavioral Health is designed to develop public health leaders who are skilled in the development, implementation, and evaluation of theory and evidence-based programs that contribute to health and wellness. “Community” is interpreted broadly and can include neighborhoods, schools, worksites, towns, cities, regions, nations, or a group of individuals that share some unifying characteristic (e.g., disease status, racial or ethnic status, etc.) In addition to a strong knowledge base in social and behavioral theory and evidence, graduates will have strong research skills to facilitate their contributions to the body of evidence linking social and behavioral factors to health and to aid them in developing sound health promotion policy.

Admissions Requirement

In addition to the general admissions requirements for the DrPH program, the Focus Area in Community and Behavioral Health requires the following:

MPH in behavioral/social sciences/health education or equivalent. If the applicant does not meet this requirement, the four Community and Behavioral Health core courses (CBHS 6611, 6612, 6613, 6624) need to be taken during the first year of the program.

The online application will be available soon. Please complete the Request More Information Form to be notified when the application is available.

DrPH Community and Behavioral Health Coursework

DrPH students in the Community and Behavioral Health Focus Area will follow the curriculum structure outlined for all DrPH students. The 12 hrs of credit in the Focus Area will include the following:

3 hrs of CBH Advanced Seminar. This new course will address theory and practice at a level beyond that covered in CBH Master’s level courses. Students will acquire advanced skills in developing, testing, and applying health behavior theory to public health problems.

3 hrs of CBH Quantitative Methods. This new course will address experimental design and analysis techniques utilized in the social sciences, including , t-tests, ANOVA; MANOVA; multiple linear and logistic regression; scale development techniques, including factor analysis and Cronbach’s alpha analysis; and assessment of measurement reliability and validity.

3 hrs of Qualitative Methods. Students will take HBSC 7051-3 at the downtown campus, or an equivalent course that explores methods for collecting and analyzing interview and text-based data and theoretical paradigms that underlie these methods.

3 hrs of Advanced Methods/Statistics. Students will select one additional course addressing advanced methods. Usually, this will be directly related to their dissertation research. Possible topics include but are not limited to: structural equation modeling, Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM), item-response theory, advanced factor analysis, advanced qualitative methods, and mixed-methods.

Selective credit hours (9) will build the student’s specific area of expertise, leading to the qualifying exams and dissertation. Examples of areas of specialization for CBH include (but are not limited to) the following: health communications, maternal and child health, cancer prevention and control, physical activity, nutrition, aging, school health, and mental health. Coursework to fulfill the selectives requirement may be taken in the School of Public Health or another relevant school or department. Courses must be selected in consultation with the student’s advisor.