Public Health Degree Programs at Drexel University
Drexel University appears in our ranking of the 10 Best MPH Degrees in the Northeast.
Drexel University offers public health degree programs through the Dana and David Dornsife School of Public Health. One of the main options is a full-time Master of Public Health (MPH) program, which is available on the Philadelphia campus. It includes four concentrations or majors: health management and policy, epidemiology, environmental and occupational health, and community health and prevention. All majors take some required core public health classes, including Systems and Public Health Research Methods and Public Health Foundations. They will also do some practical experiences. One requires that they work up to 240 hours in the field. The university asks students to do one breadth experience each semester too.
Two other MPH programs are available for graduate students too. In the online MPH, students can only pick a major in global health that looks at how diseases can spread from one country to another and some of the specific issues affecting people in one region. Online students can take courses on maternal and child health or LGBTQ health too. They’ll also take MPH courses that include Global Health Ethics, Public Health Ethics, Health Systems Policy Analysis and Monitoring and Evaluation in Global Health Programs and Advocacy.
The executive MPH program offered by Drexel University follows a cohort format where students take their core classes in the same small groups. This program features one year of full-time work and a second year that includes an applied practical experience. This experience allows students to use their classroom knowledge as they work in the field. Students need to complete a minimum of 56 credits to complete their degrees. Drexel University has an 87% placement rate among students who found full-time work in the public health field within one year of finishing their studies.
Also available is a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Public Health. This is one of the only bachelor’s in public health degree programs in the country. It features 181 credits of classes that include Disease Outbreak Investigation, Global Health, Violence and Trauma, Women, Children, Health and Society and Drugs and Society. Majors will do a public health capstone at the end of their studies and can do an internship too. Co-op experiences are also available that allow students to work in hospitals and gain practical health care experience.
The university offers other related programs both online and in Philadelphia. Students can get a Master of Science (M.S.) in Biostatistics if they want to do research work or an M.S. in Public Health Ethics. Certificates in public health, maternal and child health and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender health are also available.
About Drexel University
Established in 1891, Drexel University is a private university with a flagship campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Originally called the Drexel Institute and later the Drexel Institute of Technology, it has a strong reputation for both the technology and research programs that it offers today. The university offers one of the nation’s oldest co-op programs and can help students find placements with major employers in Philadelphia. U.S. News and World Report ranks Drexel as one of the country’s most innovative schools as well as one of the top colleges. Students can now attend the University City Main Campus, Queen Lane Campus, Center City Campus, or Drexel University Sacramento.
Drexel University Accreditation Details
Drexel University has the regional accreditation that students need if they want to get financial aid with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This accreditation comes from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). It has one of the only two accredited MPH programs in Pennsylvania and the only accredited program in Philadelphia. Those programs have accreditation from the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).
Drexel University Application Requirements
The School of Public Health at Drexel has admissions requirements that all incoming students must meet. Students applying to the MPH program need to use the Schools of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS) application. Drexel has a separate application for those applying to the MPH program. All MPH students need to submit their college transcripts along with a resume or CV and three letters of recommendation. Drexel accepts letters written by both professional or employment and academic references. They also need to provide a statement of purpose with a list of their objectives. The university has the same requirements for the executive MPH program, which also asks that students take up to six social science and biology courses.
Undergrads applying to the public health program can use the Drexel University Admission Application, Common Application or Coalition Application. The application has a section for students to write their essays and asks them to pay a $50 fee when they submit it. They also need to give Drexel their transcripts, standardized test scores and two letters of recommendation. One letter must come from a high school guidance counselor. Each application has a section where students can add the contact information for their references, which Drexel will use to secure their letters.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Undergrads pay a $150 general fee each semester and $1,173 per credit hour in their classes. This cost drops to $657 to $740 per credit hour on any of the community and regional campuses affiliated with the university. All other undergrads pay a $790 general fee and $17,382 per semester. Full-time students get discounts on any of the affiliated campuses too for full-time enrollment. The School of Public Health charges graduate students $1,303 per credit hour and a general fee of $140 for part-time students and $280 for full-time students. While their fees remain the same, their tuition changes when they choose other programs. In the executive MPH program, students pay $1,497 per credit hour. Other programs charge $1,210 per credit hour.
Drexel can help students qualify for and get financial if they have a completed FAFSA. Financial aid goes to students in the online programs and those attending the Philadelphia campus or another campus. This can include work-study and grants for undergrads and jobs for graduate students. All students can qualify for federal loans too that include unsubsidized, subsidized and PLUS loans. There are alternative loans available for students and their families too. All of the public health programs at Drexel University have institutional and government financial aid available for incoming and continuing students.