East Tennessee State University
College of Public and Allied Health
The Doctor of Public Health (Dr. P. H.) Program
In Epidemiology

The Dr.P.H degree program at East Tennessee State University has recently been approved by the Tennessee Board of Regents and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. Anyone interested in admission may apply by downloading the graduate application from the ETSU website ( http://www.etsu.edu/gradstud/pdf/domapp031.pdf) and return it completed to the School of Graduate Studie . Designate on the form that it is for the “DrPH”. Follow all application guidelines for both the School of Graduate Studies (online) and the program (see below). If you have additional questions about the program please contact the coordinator at DrPHCoordinator@etsu.edu, or 423-439-6720. Admission inquiries should be directed to the School of Graduate Studies at 423-439-4221.

Epidemiology concentration students will master epidemiological skills and knowledge at a high level for solving public health problems. Major areas include: descriptive epidemiology; biology; problem conceptualization; study design; data collection and monitoring; data management; data analysis; interpretation; communication; ethics; substantive area of focus based on the student’s interest.

The Doctor of Public Health program (Dr.P.H.) offers an advanced professional degree designed to prepare graduates for leadership roles in public health at state, national and international levels, in both rural and urban settings. The concentration in epidemiology is scheduled to begin in Fall 2007.

The Dr.P.H. program intends to produce graduates with mastery in the following doctoral competency areas:
1) Comprehension and Communication: a command of the technical body of knowledge in public health and its related disciplines and how to communicate it to professional and lay audiences;
2)  Problem Solving: the ability to initiate, organize and pursue the investigation of significant problems in public health and its related disciplines;
3)  Health Advocacy: the capacity to analyze and formulate policies and strategies in support of the public's health;
4)  Leadership: the capacity for leadership in high level positions in public health administration, teaching or practice where advanced analytical and conceptual skills are required.
Graduates should be capable of serving in a variety of leadership capacities at state, national and international levels, enhancing the public's health in both rural and urban settings.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the Doctor of Public Health in Epidemiology has the same requirements as existing graduate requirements plus additional specific requirements (in Italics) as listed below:

1)  Application fee
2)  Application form
3)  One official transcript of all previous undergraduate and graduate work, except previous coursework completed at ETSU .
4)  A personal essay that includes a written statement of career and educational goals, professional experience, and area of interest for the dissertation .
5)  Official scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
6)  Four letters of recommendation
7)  MPH or equivalent preparation in a related field from a regionally-accredited university.

Students will be admitted on a competitive basis, and those with a demonstrated ability to integrate public health competencies and skills into public health practice will be preferred.

Graduation Requirements

Completion of the Dr.P.H. degree will require: (1) a minimum of 58 semester credit hours of course work beyond the master's degree as previously described; (2) a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale; (3) passing the doctoral comprehensive candidacy examination; (4) satisfactory completion of a practicum/internship; (5) passing the preliminary oral examination; (6) completing a dissertation of publishable quality; and (7) passing the final dissertation defense. A student in the Dr.P.H. degree program shall have seven (7) calendar years from the date of initial registration to complete and successfully defend a dissertation. All students must pass Institutional Review Board certification sponsored by ETSU if working with human subjects. All students must pass HIPAA certification if their research/practicum falls under the requirements to secure the privacy and confidentiality of patient records .

Coursework:

Students will be required to complete a minimum of 58 semester hour credits, comprised of 25 credits of required core courses, 12 hours of concentration courses, 6 hours of practicum, 6 hours of electives and 9 hours of dissertation. The required core credits constitute core competencies of the Dr.P.H. program. Students will be encouraged to choose concentration courses that maximize the fit between the student's educational objectives and opportunities throughout the University. The ability to include educational opportunities throughout the University will enhance student learning, and may ultimately increase research collaborations among students and faculty across the University.

Curriculum

The Dr.P.H. curriculum consists of five components. These include completion of: (1) required and elective courses; (2) a comprehensive examination; (3) a 340-hour practicum experience; (4) a preliminary oral examination; and (5) a dissertation. The proposed program requires completion of a minimum of 54 semester credit hours beyond the MPH or equivalent professional/academic degree, distributed as follows:

 Public Health Core Courses: Total credits: 25

Epidemilogy Concentration Courses: Total credits: 12

Elective Courses*: Total minimum credits (including, but not limited to the following): 6

Culminating Experiences in Epidemiology: Total credits: 15

*Unless Otherwise stated, electives shall be selected in consultation with the student's academic advisor and may be taken in any area appropriate to the student's professional goals.