Doctoral program in Public Health Executive Leadership (DrPH) (Online)
Program Details
Beginning in August of 2025, the DrPH will be jointly offered by the Department of Health Policy and Management and the Department of Public Health Leadership and Practice. There is only one application and there is no need to list a specific department as you apply.
The Program seeks individuals working in mid to senior career level management and leadership positions and working full-time with substantial leadership responsibilities in communities, organizations and institutions that are focused on health.
Please visit https://sph.unc.edu/hpm/hpm-drph/ for additional details for the DrPH program.
Academic Coordinator
Kim Sieler
Academic Coordinator
krsieler@email.unc.edu
Minimum Credit Hours
42+
Application Cycle
Fall
Priority Deadline (For Fall Graduate School Fellowship Consideration)
NOTE: DrPH students are NOT eligible for Graduate School scholarships.
Final Deadline
Second Tuesday of December (December 10, 2024)
Expected Duration
3 Years
Learning Environment
Online + campus visit(s)
Dual Degree Options Available
None.
How To Apply
I. Complete UNC Graduate School application
The Graduate School Application is a common application system for UNC Chapel Hill programs. For the DrPH, the Major is: Public Health Executive Leadership, and the Degree is: Doctor of Public Health.
More Information
1. Application Fee
The UNC Graduate School application fee is $95. Information on UNC Graduate School Fee Waiver Requests
2. Faculty Interest(s)/mentor(s)
Not required. Skip this part.
3. Applicant information, including North Carolina residency information.
4. Area(s) of interest
Not required. Skip this part.
5. Educational history
Please upload a copy of your most recent transcript(s), including your current term grades, if applicable. (If grades are not yet available, send them to the UNC Gillings program contact as soon as they become available.) Be sure the transcript reflects the name of the institution and any degrees you received.
We advise that you order two copies of your transcript(s) to be sent to you. If you are admitted and choose to enroll, UNC will require official transcript(s) showing degree(s) awarded.
6. Community standards
You will be asked about honor code, crime, academic sanction, military discharge, etc.
7. Upload your personal statement.
Statement of Purpose (Length Guideline: 1,000-1,500 words)
Why are you pursuing a DrPH degree? Why are you applying now? Explain what you hope to gain from the DrPH Program in Executive Public Health Leadership and how getting this degree will help you advance the field of public health in ways you otherwise would not be able.
What are your career goals?
A doctoral degree, in part, requires one to take charge of their own learning. What do you independently hope to further explore and learn above and beyond the coursework? This might be something for a dissertation topic or an applied integrated learning experience, a cross-cutting theme for you, or something else.
Describe your biggest disappointment or failure in your work or career so far. How did you respond to this challenge? What did you learn from this?
How will your lived experiences and attributes contribute to a positive learning environment?
Program Supplemental Question—Leadership Statement (Length Guideline: 500-1,000 words)
Describe your leadership experience and accomplishments that support your eligibility for the DrPH program.
Describe what you consider to be your most significant professional leadership accomplishment. Please describe the role you played, and how this helped to improve the health of a population. (Please note: We are interested in one or more specific examples where you demonstrated leadership, such as when you identified a problem and marshaled the people and resources to address the problem.)
How, if at all, have you impacted health equity or improved health outcomes through your experiences? Please explain the actions that you took and the outcomes you achieved.
You must upload the Leadership Statement via the Required Supplemental Document upload on the Program Supplement page of the application.
8. Upload your resume or CV.
9. Enter names of recommenders. UNC will then send them an email with instructions for submitting a letter on your behalf.
3 Letters of Recommendations are required. We encourage references from professors or teachers (or teaching assistants) or work/research supervisors who have worked directly and closely with you and who can speak about you with specificity.
10. Report test scores, if applicable.
GRE scores are neither required nor typically recommended for applicants.
International applicants must submit official TOEFL or IELTS standardized test scores. Code 5816 routes to UNC. TOEFL/IELTS scores must be no more than two years old.
11. Document submission (check legibility of uploads)
Applicants should preview all documents uploaded into the application system to ensure that all documents are legible for committee review.
12. Track your progress.
You will be able to track status through the Graduate School application. Once a decision is made, you will receive an email instructing login to the Graduate School application portal to see the decision letter.
II. Application Review Process
More Information 1. Department reviews application and recommends a decision. Time-to-decision varies. Departments make recommendations to the UNC Graduate School for admitting and denying applicants. Final decisions are rendered by the UNC Graduate School. 2. UNC Graduate School reviews department recommendation and renders a final decision: The UNC Graduate School reviews all admissions recommendations made by programs. Once final decisions have been made, the UNC Graduate School will send the applicant an email instructing them to login to their application portal to see the decision letter. III. Costs and Funding More Information When estimating costs, please visit the UNC Cashier’s Office and use the Graduate and Professional Program Tuition and Fees link. Please note that the tuition and fees of graduate programs at Gillings vary from other graduate programs at UNC. Gillings departments and concentrations consider both domestic and international applicants for funding. Please see below for helpful tips and resources: 1. Applicants will be reviewed for eligibility for limited scholarships. Departments and concentrations will decide which applicants to nominate. No additional application is required. 2. Please refer to our School’s Costs and Funding page and/or UNC-Chapel Hill’s Office of Scholarships and Student Aid (OSSA) website. 3. Apply for FEDERAL financial aid by March 1 (please verify this date via FAFSA). If you have been admitted and completed the FAFSA form by their deadline, the UNC Office of Scholarship and Student Aid will create a financial aid package for you. 4. Funding offers through the department are possible but not guaranteed. For more information on our curriculum and graduate school/career outcomes, please see our Student Handbook. Gillings Admissions Kim Sieler John Wiesman and Oscar Fleming
During and After The Program
Questions?
sph-admissions@unc.edu
Academic Coordinator
krsieler@email.unc.edu
Directors of Graduate Admissions
john.wiesman@unc.edu | oscar.fleming@unc.edu