DrPH in Health Policy and Leadership

The Dr.P.H. degree curriculum in health policy and leadership emphasizes a blend of professional and academic skills, including leadership and management, finance and philanthropy, community engagement and advocacy, policy analysis and development, ethics, and research methods. The current, rapidly changing health and health-care landscapes—marked by significant health disparities and varied challenges—demand a diversity of leadership talents. Moreover, creative approaches are needed to meet these challenges. The Doctor of Public Health degree in health policy and leadership at Loma Linda University provides a unique opportunity to serve at the intersection of leadership and policy. The goal is to prepare participants for success in leadership positions that have a major influence on policies, programs, and public health systems.

Upon completion of this program, the graduate should be able to:

Engage in reflective leadership and analyze a broad range of management and leadership issues, including governance, valuing diversity, planning, conflict resolution, and change management;

Demonstrate the ability to evaluate the health policy development process, including problem identification, policy formulation, and implementation;

Demonstrate commitment to ethical choices and values of justice and equity by formulating strategies for policy advocacy;

Analyze community-building principles and develop strategies to address social determinants of health, including the delivery, quality, and costs of health and health care for individuals and populations;

Develop skills in evaluating, conducting, and reporting research.

Participants could be mid-to-senior-level managers in public health, health care, public and government agencies, higher education, social welfare organizations, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), faith-based organizations, community-based organizations (CBOs), and other related groups. Consistent with the program's focus on social determinants of health to promote health equity, individuals from non-health sectors are encouraged to apply. Those admitted into the program should: (a) have had sufficient experience in the workplace (three or more years), and (b) be currently employed in an organization that is supportive of their degree program and the unique requirement to develop a "learning environment" at the workplace.