Dalla Lana School of Public Health
- Doctor of Public Health
- Our Programs
- Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)
The Dalla Lana School of Public Health (DLSPH) at the University of Toronto is pleased to announce the implementation of a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) program – the first ever offered by a Canadian university. The program is aligned with the School’s Academic Plan 2019-2024 and will serve to bolster and strengthen public health and health systems capacity in Canada, and potentially, across the globe. It is especially relevant and timely, as we continue to face increasingly complex and challenging health and health system problems.
- Read more about the Program Launch: A Message from the Dean
- Read a welcome message from the DrPH Program Director: Dr. Ted Witek
While our other doctoral programs are research-intensive, the DrPH focuses on accelerating the use of research evidence to inform practice and policy. As such, the DrPH program offers practice-based training and applied research skills. Students will develop and advance important key leadership, management, and public health practice competencies.
DLSPH is exceptionally well suited to deliver a DrPH program, given our outstanding Faculty with expertise in such areas as health system and public health leadership, evidence appraisal and public health, knowledge translation and implementation, public health policy and ethics, Indigenous health, and global health.
“Toronto Public Health and DLSPH have a long history of support and collaboration in the field of public health practice and research. The addition of this new program that will help to shape future leaders of public health, is an opportunity to enhance this collaborative partnership and demonstrate the importance of public health, both within Toronto and more broadly.” – Dr. Eileen De Villa, Medical Officer of Health, Toronto Public Health
Learn more about the impact our DrPH students make in public health .
A DrPH handbook pdf is provided as a supplemental format to this webpage. At times there may be delays between updates of this Website and the DrPH handbook pdf. Students should consider this webpage as the most current information if discrepancies arise.
This handbook also supplements the Graduate Department of Public Health Sciences (GDPHS) Handbook . The GDPHS Handbook provides general information about the School, policies, procedures, resources, etc.
Degree Overview
The Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) advances public health education, addressing evaluation and translation of evidence in policy and practice decision-making contexts. The doctoral professional program is based on existing areas of faculty expertise within the Dalla Lana School of Public Health (including Public Health Sciences and the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation). The focus of the program is to contribute to emerging needs in public health to address increasingly complex issues. Graduates will develop skills and knowledge in four major competency areas, as defined by the Council on Education for Public Health: (1) Data & Analysis; (2) Leadership, Management, Governance; (3) Policy & Programs; and (4) Education & Workforce Development. The DrPH will allow graduates to take on advanced roles (e.g., leadership, knowledge translation) in public health policy and practice settings.
The program is offered on a full-time basis over 4 years of study and is comprised of five major components: course work, an applied research project, a comprehensive exam, a thesis, and a final oral exam.
Students attend 1-week on-campus “burst weeks” (~6 hours/day) in the each term of years 1 – 3. The applied research project takes place in the summer of year 1 and the comprehensive exam in the summer of year 2. Thesis work begins in year 3 and continues through year 4.
There is a growing need and demand for public health professionals who have advanced professional education and the skills to implement improvements in our public health and health care systems in Canada and globally. The is imperative as “public health challenges become more global and complex”. [1]
The DrPH builds on and complements existing Masters and PhD programs respectively, and allows students to continue their academic education, in addition to developing other advanced professional competencies. It is a professional degree that fosters advanced knowledge in evidence-based public health by providing the knowledge and skills needed to interpret and critically appraise different types of evidence, conduct applied research, and propose/implement evidence-based changes to policy or practice.
Many public health and health system organizations require individuals with advanced education in the effective translation of knowledge and in transformative leadership. Through the integration and application of knowledge and skills in data analysis, leadership, policy and program management, and effective communication, DrPH graduates will be prepared for senior leadership careers in public, not-for-profit organizations, as well as for-profit organizations.
[1] Sherman BR, Hoen R, Lee JM, Declercq ER. Doctor of Public Health Education and Training. Public Health Rep. 2017 Jan/Feb;132(1):115-120. doi: 10.1177/0033354916682204. Epub 2016 Dec 14. PMID: 28005488; PMCID: PMC5298511.
The program is offered on a full-time basis over 4 years of study. To maximize flexibility for DrPH students (many who continue to work), the curriculum is delivered throughout the calendar year, using a combination of in-person and online formats.
The University of Toronto does not offer remote doctorate degrees. As a professional degree, however, the program is designed with maximum flexibility for the student cohort to manage several responsibilities concurrently. For example, the core DrPH required courses are offered as on-line or hybrid.
As the DrPH program was launched during the global COVID-19 pandemic, several modifications to the courses allowed successful implementation, some that will carry on post-pandemic as they proved to be both efficient and effective. On-campus activities resumed in in January 2022 as did the in-person sessions of hybrid courses and on campus in-person sessions.
As personal interaction with your fellow students, faculty, and community public health leaders is an important element of the educational process, three on-campus “Burst Weeks” are held in September, January and April. These weeks will incorporate the in-class portions of the hybrid courses, various skill forums (e.g., media training), cohort thinktanks, and a variety of interactions with faculty and community public health leaders.
Important to consider is most courses at the DLSPH are offered in-person or hybrid. Thus, student’s selection of a required methods course and the free choice elective courses may not be offered remotely, and the student will be responsible to organize course selection based on their needs, i.e., optimal elective courses for a particular student’s need may be only offered in person.
Competencies
The DrPH emphasizes competencies that support the comprehensive evaluation and translation of evidence in policy- and practice- decision-making contexts. By integrating advanced education with professional competency development and a significant practical/field experience, graduates are equipped with the knowledge, skills, methods, and tools to effectively apply evidence to public health policy and practice. Graduates are well-positioned to lead public health and health system organizations, address complex health and health system challenges, and can adapt and effectively respond to emerging health needs, threats, and changing health systems.
Specifically, graduates develop skills and knowledge in four major competency areas, as defined by the Council on Education for Public Health: (1) Data & Analysis; (2) Leadership, Management, Governance; (3) Policy & Programs; and (4) Education & Workforce Development. DrPH graduates will be prepared for senior leadership careers in public, not-for-profit organizations, as well as for-profit organizations.”
Council on Education for Public Health, Schools of Public Health & Public Health Programs, October 2016
Admission Requirements
We welcome mid-career professionals with relevant Masters-level training (such as a Master of Public Health, Master of Health Sciences, Master of Health Administration, etc.) plus a minimum of 5 years of work experience to apply. The program is designed for working professionals, with online learning components integrated throughout.
Click here to view minimum application requirements. Click here for information regarding the application process.
Getting Started
General information about the School, policies, procedures, resources etc. is provided in the general Graduate Department of Public Health Sciences (GDPHS) Handbook . The GDPHS Handbook includes information on standard administrative processes summarized in the table 1.
Course Requirements
Course Requirements: 6.0 * FCE (5.0 * FCE required courses and 1.0 FCE elective courses)
*NOTE: Students who started the DrPH degree program prior to Fall 2024 are required to complete a total of 6.5 FCE including the courses listed above and HAD5765H Case Studies in Health Policy, or an approved alternative.
Managing Pre-requisites
It is important to review all prerequisites when planning your course of study. When pre-requisites are listed, they normally indicate DLSPH courses (PHS or IHPME), but equivalent courses taken elsewhere would be considered since most DrPH students would not have completed PHS/IHPME courses during their master’s degree program, if completed elsewhere.
Prerequisites may also be ratified with work experience. For example, one DrPH student completed an MPH at University of Waterloo where it is likely that equivalent courses were completed. That, along with work experience, would be enough to satisfy the pre-requisites listed.
Any circumstances not directly satisfied by specific course completion should be reviewed and approved by the instructor, copying the DrPH Program Director.
Managing In-Person vs Remote Courses
All core courses are offered through a remote learning format with some elements incorporated in the on-campus “Burst Weeks”. Electives can be delivered in-person or remotely depending on the course so students should consider this when selecting their elective courses.
Suggested research methods courses*:
CHL4009H Methods and Approaches in Public Health Research CHL5115H Qualitative Analysis and Interpretation CHL5129H Introduction to Mixed Methods Research for Public Health CHL5130H Advanced Methods in Applied Indigenous Health Research CHL5133H Evaluating Quantitative Public Health Research CHL5150H Data Collection Methods for Research & Evaluation Projects CHL5203H Survey Design and Social Research Methods in Public Health CHL5424H Advanced Quantitative Methods in Epidemiology CHL5429H Advanced Analytic Methods for Bias in Epidemiologic Studies HAD5752H Introduction to Knowledge Translation & Implementation Science HAD5763H Advanced Methods in Health Services Research HAD6501H Introduction to Methods for Health Professions Education Research HSR1001H Introduction to Qualitative Methods
* Methods courses listed above may not all be offered in each academic year. Check current timetables for annual course offerings. Permission from instructor and submission of Add-Drop form is required for enrolment. Proof of permission and the completed form should be emailed to the PHS Graduate Office at grad.dlsph@utoronto.ca .
NOTE: Methods courses other than those listed above should be reviewed by the DrPH Program Director. Forward permission from the instructor and a course syllabus to ted.witek@utoronto.ca .
Supervision
Click here to view the SGS Graduate Supervision: Guidelines for Students.
Program Director
Beginning prior to admission, and with the assistance of the Program Director, the applicant will explore supervisory possibilities: a faculty member with an appointment in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health who has a Full appointment in the School of Graduate Studies (SGS). The faculty supervisor may be confirmed prior to beginning the program, and generally will be in place by the end of the first year. Students are encouraged to explore broadly and have wide-ranging discussions with potential supervisors. The Program Director must approve the selection of the primary supervisor.
The Supervisor is responsible for providing mentorship to the student through all phases of the PhD program. Thus, to the extent possible, the Supervisor, in parallel with the Program Director, will guide the selection of courses, applied research project, supervisory committee membership, and supervisory committee meetings; will assist with applications for funding; and will provide references for the student on a timely basis. The Supervisor also will comment on the student’s plan for preparation for the comprehensive examination. The Supervisor will guide the development of the student’s applied research project, and the implementation and conduct of all aspects of the research; advise on writing the thesis; correct drafts and approve the final thesis; and attend the defense.
Advice on working with your supervisor
The DrPH program was designed with the understanding that many students will be in or approaching mid-career. It is crucial that time commitments be pre-discussed to insure a smooth balance. It is understood that detailed time requirements are needed for this discussion. Please refer to the course requirements as a basis for this commitment. For some individuals, the work setting may offer placement and dissertation opportunities. As academic commitments will evolve through program, periodic touchpoint with your work supervisor is encouraged.
Supervisory Committee
With the assistance of the Supervisor, and with the approval of the Program Director, the student will assemble a Supervisory Committee within the first year of study.
Role and Responsibilities
The Supervisory Committee, chaired by the Supervisor, will contribute advice regarding course selection; preparation for the comprehensive examination; selection of the thesis topic; and implementation of the research plan. The Supervisory Committee also will provide timely and constructive criticism and guidance regarding data analysis, writing the thesis, and preparing for its defense.
Composition
The Supervisory Committee generally will comprise the Supervisor and at least two members. Supervisors must hold Full appointments in the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) and have a primary appointment in DLSPH. Committee members may hold either Full of Associate SGS appointments and may or may not hold a primary appointment in DLSPH. Between these individuals and the Supervisor, there should be expertise in all content and methodological areas relevant to the student’s applied research focus and thesis.
Supervisory Committee meetings will be held at least every twelve (12) months throughout the student’s DrPH program. Under certain circumstances (e.g., during times of very rapid progress), the student and the Supervisory Committee may decide there is a need for more frequent meetings.
At the end of every meeting of the Supervisory Committee, the student and the Committee will complete the Supervisory Committee Meeting Report . All present must sign the report, which will be delivered to the Program Director and filed in the student’s progress file in the Graduate Department of Public Health Sciences.
Applied Research Project
The DrPH Applied Research Project is regarded as a key applied learning experience aimed at supporting skills development and ideally leading to the DrPH Dissertation.
It will involve a 16 week practical experience over the summer between the first and second year of study. The project should be based in a relevant public health system organization, which will be endorsed by the DrPH Program Director and your supervisor, and will address a complex challenge for which the student will conduct a critical review of the literature, identify gaps and weaknesses in current knowledge, and aim to recommend appropriate solutions or strategies for resolution.
Some students may choose to address an issue in their current work organization. Others may choose from a variety of organizations available to students with the assistance of the faculty and community leaders.
All projects will establish objectives within the SMART evaluation framework which will be reviewed Week 4, Week 10, and at end of project. The student is responsible for scheduling these reviews with supervisor and Program Director.
Comprehensive Exam
Completion of the exam indicates the student’s preparedness and competency to successfully complete and defend their thesis by testing the student’s knowledge and understanding of relevant theories and methods as they apply to a field-oriented challenge. Students receive preparation for this comprehensive exam through coursework and their applied research project. Consequently, students will only take this examination when most of their course work is completed.
The comprehensive examination is a take-home written exam in the form of a major paper related to a field-oriented challenge. The comprehensive examination tests for depth and breadth of discipline specific knowledge, ability to apply knowledge to address a complex problem (via a field-oriented challenge), and the ability to implement appropriate actions/interventions. This culminating assessment helps assure that students have achieved all program learning outcomes and degree level expectations upon graduation.
The thesis is an independent piece of work on an applied research topic of significance to the practice of public health within or outside of Canada. It demonstrates the student’s ability to produce original applied research, or other advanced scholarship, of a quality to satisfy peer review, and to merit publication. It focuses on generating new translational knowledge and creating value for a public health change.
Students will engage with the literature and practice-based experiences to identify a problem and provide new learning on implementing public health change. In other words, the thesis should demonstrate the student’s mastery of the skills and knowledge to lead or create substantial change in programming or policy development or develop new methods or strategies to accomplish either of these two goals.
The thesis will consist of the following elements:
- Preparation and submission of a final thesis documenting a critical literature review, analysis of the proposed topic, proposed research question(s), methodologies, findings, and implications for policy and practice.
- Submission of tracked leadership log and journaling of field experiences, as well as a leadership change plan outlining how the recommendations from the project will be put into practice.
Visit the School for Graduate Studies Student Guidelines for the Doctoral Thesis for more information:
School of Graduate Studies Final Oral Exam (FOE)
Arrangements for the Final Oral Defense and for the preparation of the final thesis are given at length in the SGS Calendar . The dissertation and the necessary documents must be submitted at least eight weeks prior to the oral exam. See the Graduate Department of Public Health Science academic policies for forms and information for thesis preparation.
Please note that this is a self-funded program. We encourage all our applicants to ensure financial readiness before applying. Tuition fees can be found on the U of T Tuition Fee Lookup Tool . In addition to annual tuition, admitted students will be assessed for non-academic incidental fees for each registered academic session. With the exception of approved leaves of absence, all doctoral students must register continuously until all degree requirements have been fulfilled. While the DrPH degree program is described as a 4-year program, students who must register beyond year 4 to complete program requirements continue to pay full-time fees for each academic session in which they are registered.
Students planning to continue their employment during their program are advised to consult with their employer regarding potential financial and non-financial supports as part of their financial preparations. DrPH students are registered as full-time students. In rare cases, and depending on their employment situation, a student may be eligible for funding from one of the Tri-Agency bodies (e.g., CIHR or SSHRC). DrPH students may also apply to the Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS).
Award and funding opportunities are posted on the DLSPH website here . Many more are listed on the SGS website here . Please review award information, eligibility criteria and application deadlines carefully. Questions can be directed to the PHS Awards Officer at awards.dlsph@utoronto.ca .
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the DrPH program considered a remote program? The University of Toronto does not offer fully remote doctorate degrees. As a professional degree; however, the program is designed with maximum flexibility for the student cohort to manage several responsibilities concurrently. For example, the core DrPH required courses are offered as online or hybrid. As the DrPH program was launched during the global COVID-19 pandemic, several modifications to the courses allowed successful implementation, some that will carry on post-pandemic as they proved to be both efficient and effective. As on-campus activities have resumed, so have the in-person sessions of hybrid courses and the on-campus “Burst Week” sessions (described below). As personal interaction with your fellow students, faculty, and community public health leaders is an important element of the educational process, three on-campus “Burst Weeks” are held in September, April, and January. These weeks will incorporate the in-class portions of the hybrid courses, various skill forums (e.g., media training) , cohort thinktanks, and a variety of faculty and community public health leader interactions. Important to consider is most courses at the DLSPH are offered in-person or hybrid. Thus, student’s selection of a required methods course and the free choice elective courses may not be offered remotely and the student will be responsible to organize course selection based on their needs, i.e., optimal elective courses for a particular student’s need may be only offered in person.
- Can you provide additional Information on the DrPH Applied Research Project ? The initial cohort experience will be utilized to inform the future direction of the applied research project; thus, you are encouraged to keep a frequent dialogue with the Director. Forms with examples of projects and scheduled Q&A Roundtable will be available during the Fall 2021 Term.
- When will a formal list of classes be posted for the upcoming academic session? Course timetables for Fall/Winter are posted in mid-July with enrolment opening mid-August. The Summer timetable is posted in March. Please visit the Timetables webpage.
- As a professional degree program, what advice can you offer as I discuss commitments with my work supervisor? The DrPH program was designed with the understanding that many students will be in or approaching mid-career. It is crucial that time commitments be pre-discussed to insure a smooth balance. It is understood that detailed time requirements are needed for this discussion. Please refer to the course requirements as a basis for this commitment. For some individuals, the work setting may offer placement and dissertation opportunities. As academic commitments will evolve through program, periodic touchpoint with your work supervisor are encouraged.
- Can you provide a checklist of responsibilities of the student from acceptance to start of classes?
__ Organize a work-school schedule (if applicable) __ Confirm acceptance and commitment with employer (if applicable) __ Review course timetable for class enrolment which opens in late summer __ Search Faculty for parallel interest and potential selection of supervisor __ Outline potential applied research projects for discussion with Program director/Supervisor __ Apply for any financial aid per program guidelines (while program is self-funded, limited options for aid may be pursued).
- Some courses required for DrPH in Year 2 and Year 3 or 4 have listed prerequisites. If students are entering DLSPH to earn a DrPH how are these prerequisites satisfied?
It is important to review all prerequisites when planning your course of study. For example,
HAD5778H required in Year 2 has prerequisites of HAD5011H or CHL5300H HAD5765H required in Year 3 or 4 requires HAD5011H or equivalent
When pre-requisites are listed, they normally indicate DLSPH courses (PHS or IHPME), but equivalent courses taken elsewhere would be considered since most DrPH students would not have completed PHS/IHPME courses during their Master Degree program, if completed elsewhere. Also, prerequisites may also be ratified with work experience.
Example: One DrPH student completed an MPH at University of Waterloo where it is likely that equivalent courses were completed. That, along with work experience, would be enough to satisfy the pre-requisites listed.
Doctor of Philosophy in Health Quality
Click here to learn how to apply!
The PhD in Health Quality (PhDHQ) will prepare experts who will improve the delivery of healthcare through teaching, developing new methodologies and theoretical frameworks, as well as testing innovation in the field of health quality. The PhDHQ program offers a collaborative approach to comprehend and address the complexities within the healthcare system. Graduates of the program will be prepared to take senior leadership roles in health quality portfolios in practice and policy settings across Canada and will also be educated to assume tenure track positions in university programs. While the degree is research intensive, it will also be grounded in pragmatism and will help prepare independent researchers for quality improvement research and developing leadership capabilities in health settings.
The PhDHQ program is a four-year, interdisciplinary program using a combination of synchronous and asynchronous study as well as interactive online videoconferencing. The PhDHQ program consists of five (5) courses in year one, including an internship over the summer months. The internship will be tailored to the learners’ interests and to broadening their perspectives on health quality. In the fall term of year two, students complete the comprehensive exam. In the winter and summer terms of year two (2) students will focus on the development of their thesis proposal and complete HQRS 905 Current Topics in Health Quality. After a successful oral examination of the thesis proposal, students submit their project for ethics review and then proceed to data collection, analysis, and writing. The thesis requires independent, original research and makes up at least two-thirds of the time normally required for the program. Upper year students are expected to visit campus at least once per year; students are required to attend the final thesis examination in person. Nurtured by close mentoring relationships with faculty supervisors, the Queen’s model is to ensure graduate students present and publish their research, and normally complete their program in 4 years.
