Promoting Public Health Leadership Via a Distance Education, Practice-Based Doctoral Program


Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

4288.0: Tuesday, December 13, 2005 - 5:30 PM

Abstract #111642

Promoting Public Health Leadership Via a Distance Education, Practice-Based Doctoral Program

Suzanne Havala Hobbs, DrPH, MS, RD, Ned Brooks, MBA, DrPH, William N. Zelman, PhD, and Virginia Wang. Dept. of Health Policy and Administration (HPAA), School of Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB #7411, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7411, 919-843-4846, ned_brooks@unc.edu

The HPAA DrPH is an innovative, distance-executive program in health leadership designed to develop senior-level professionals with the motivation, knowledge, and skills to become top leaders capable of having a major impact on the public's health. The program targets highly successful, mid-career professionals and emerging leaders with substantial leadership responsibilities in communities, governmental and not-for-profit organizations, foundations, and other venues, including entrepreneurs and individuals in nontraditional settings affecting the health of the public.

Beginning in August 2005, yearly cohorts of nine learners will proceed through the three-year program. With the exception of three brief visits to Chapel Hill in each of years one and two, participation occurs off-campus in participants' homes, offices and other remote sites. Students interact with faculty, peers and other participants via a number of state-of-the art, Internet-based media, allowing them to interact live using video, audio, and data sharing capabilities in addition to traditional asynchronous tools.

The program emphasizes adult learning principles, using case-based and collaborative activities and extensive interaction with top-level national health leaders who serve as adjunct faculty, guest speakers and/or program advisors. The first two years are comprised of required coursework – six credit hours per semester, including summers – totaling 36 hours and culminating in dissertation defense and completion of comprehensive exams. Dissertation is completed during the third year (15 credit hours). Additional details are available at http://www.sph.unc.edu/hpaa/academic/drph.htm.

Learning Objectives:

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of the session, learners will be able to
- - • Explain the goal of the HPAA leadership DrPH program.
  - • Describe steps involved in developing a DrPH distance program.
  - • Identify core elements of the leadership DrPH curriculum and dissertation.
  - • Discuss technology considerations in supporting a distance DrPH program.
Keywords: Leadership, Education
Related Web page: www.sph.unc.edu/hpaa/academic/drph.htm
Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation

Successful Leadership Development of Practitioners, Faculty and Students
The 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition (December 10-14, 2005) of APHA