Leadership for International Health and Sustainable Development, DrPH
The DrPH in Leadership for International Health and Sustainable Development prepares mid-career professionals for leadership roles in public health practice in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The program equips students with advanced skills in health metrics, program management, and evidence-based policy decision-making, enabling them to address global health challenges. Delivered through a flexible online format, the program integrates case studies, interactive discussions, and real-world applications. Graduates will be prepared for leadership positions in international organizations, government agencies, and NGOs, with a focus on advancing sustainable health systems and policies to reduce health disparities and improve global well-being.
Program Competencies
Upon completion of the program, in addition to the core CEPH’s DrPH competencies, the graduate should be able to demonstrate the following program-specific competencies:
- Design implementation plans for strategies and interventions that are centered on individuals, communities and populations in LMICs.
- Recommend how a program can be adjusted, sustained or expanded based on findings from program monitoring and evaluation.
- Synthesize complex data and evidence to inform evidence-based decision-making.
- Recommend effective communication approaches to inform evidence-based decision-making.
- Design strategies and interventions to facilitate the use of relevant and timely data and evidence in health program and intervention design and implementation.
- Integrate human centered design, embedded research practices, and adaptive management approaches to improve relevance, responsiveness and effectiveness of interventions and programs.
- Assess how systems thinking tools can be used to explain the outcomes of complex health and sustainable development systems.
- Design a systems-informed health policy using systems thinking and policy analysis tools to address health threats.
The DrPH requires 57 credit hours, including 15 credit hours of pre-requisite courses at the Master level and 42 credit hours of advanced doctoral study. The program requires a demonstration of mastery of competencies through a portfolio of products developed during the Applied Practice Experience (APE) and Integrated Learning Experience (ILE). The curriculum is offered fully online.
| Course ID | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| DrPH Pre-requisite Courses | ||
| SPHL 6020 | Foundations in Public Health | 3 |
| SPHL 6050 | Biostatistics for Public Health | 3 |
| SPHL 6060 | Epidemiology for Public Health | 3 |
| SPHL 6070 | Health Systems Policy and Management | 3 |
| SPHL 6080 | Design Strategies in Public Health Programs | 3 |
| DrPH Core Courses | ||
| IHSD 7250 | Sustainable Health and Development Program Design | 3 |
| IHSD 7030 | Health Systems and Policy in Low- and Middle-Income Countries | 3 |
| IHSD 7450 | Leadership and Strategic Management for International Health and Sustainable Development | 3 |
| SPHL 8010 | Budget and Financial Management | 3 |
| IHSD 8050 | Evidence for Decision Making | 3 |
| SPHL 8870 | Strategies for Effective Workforce Development | 3 |
| Concentration-Specific DrPH Required Courses | ||
| IHSD 7300 | Implementation Practice | 3 |
| IHSD 8100 | Knowledge Management for Public Health Impact | 3 |
| IHSD 8300 | Strategic Use of Data and Evidence in Global Health Programs and Systems | 3 |
| IHSD 8500 | Systems Thinking in International Health and Sustainable Development | 3 |
| Elective and Portfolio Courses | ||
| Electives (Minimum of 9 credits) | 9 | |
| SPHL 9460 | Practice Based Portfolio: Experiential Learning | 2 |
| SPHL 9470 | Practice Based Portfolio: Culminating Experience | 1 |
| Total Credit Hours | 57 | |
Model Schedules
This part-time program uses a cohort model with a Fall start. Students take two online classes each semester including summer.
Model Schedule for students with a previous CEPH-accredited MPH degree
Students with a previous MPH or relevant master’s degree within the last 7 years may transfer some relevant pre-requisite coursework with approval from the course director(s) and the Program Director.
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| IHSD 7250 | Sustainable Health and Development Program Design | 3 |
| IHSD 7450 | Leadership and Strategic Management for International Health and Sustainable Development | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| IHSD 7030 | Health Systems and Policy in Low- and Middle-Income Countries | 3 |
| IHSD 8050 | Evidence for Decision Making | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Summer Session | ||
| SPHL 8010 | Budget and Financial Management | 3 |
| SPHL 8870 | Strategies for Effective Workforce Development | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| IHSD 7300 | Implementation Practice | 3 |
| IHSD 8100 | Knowledge Management for Public Health Impact | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| IHSD 8300 | Strategic Use of Data and Evidence in Global Health Programs and Systems | 3 |
| IHSD 8500 | Systems Thinking in International Health and Sustainable Development | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Summer Session | ||
| Elective 1 | 3 | |
| Elective 2 | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| Elective 3 | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Spring | ||
| SPHL 9460 | Practice Based Portfolio: Experiential Learning | 2 |
| SPHL 9470 | Practice Based Portfolio: Culminating Experience | 1 |
| Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 42 | |
Model Schedule for students without a previous CEPH-accredited MPH degree
Students without a previous MPH degree or a master’s degree in a relevant field will need to take 5 (five) pre-requisite courses in year 1 of the program before they can begin their doctoral coursework.
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| SPHL 6020 | Foundations in Public Health | 3 |
| SPHL 6060 | Epidemiology for Public Health | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| SPHL 6050 | Biostatistics for Public Health | 3 |
| SPHL 6070 | Health Systems Policy and Management | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Summer Session | ||
| SPHL 6080 | Design Strategies in Public Health Programs | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| IHSD 7250 | Sustainable Health and Development Program Design | 3 |
| IHSD 7450 | Leadership and Strategic Management for International Health and Sustainable Development | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| IHSD 7030 | Health Systems and Policy in Low- and Middle-Income Countries | 3 |
| IHSD 8050 | Evidence for Decision Making | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Summer Session | ||
| SPHL 8010 | Budget and Financial Management | 3 |
| SPHL 8870 | Strategies for Effective Workforce Development | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| IHSD 7300 | Implementation Practice | 3 |
| IHSD 8100 | Knowledge Management for Public Health Impact | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| IHSD 8300 | Strategic Use of Data and Evidence in Global Health Programs and Systems | 3 |
| IHSD 8500 | Systems Thinking in International Health and Sustainable Development | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Summer Session | ||
| Elective 1 | 3 | |
| Elective 2 | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| Elective 3 | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Spring | ||
| SPHL 9460 | Practice Based Portfolio: Experiential Learning | 2 |
| SPHL 9470 | Practice Based Portfolio: Culminating Experience | 1 |
| Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 57 | |
Program String and Field of Study: PHDPH_GR, LISD
To learn more about the department, visit https://sph.tulane.edu/ihsd/home.