As part of its mission to promote the health of individuals and communities with a special emphasis on diverse populations and the Southwest, The University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health is offering two new doctoral programs in public health, accepting students beginning in the fall 2007 semester. The programs were approved by the Arizona Board of Regents at their meeting on Thursday (Jan. 25).

The new degree offerings are a doctorate degree (PhD) in Biostatistics and a professional doctorate degree in Public Health (DrPH). The DrPH degree will offer two concentrations, one in Public Health Policy and Management and another in Maternal and Child Health.

“These new academic programs offer exciting opportunities for us to attract students—ranging from our own graduates who want to go on to obtain a doctorate to students interested in these areas from across the state of Arizona, the United States, and the globe,” explains G. Marie Swanson, PhD, MPH, Founding Dean and Mel and Enid Zuckerman Endowed Chair in Public Health. “Furthermore, having more extensive opportunities to train students at the doctoral level will strengthen our faculty recruiting efforts. One of the great rewards for any graduate faculty is to educate students at both the master’s and doctoral levels.”

“These are two distinct doctoral programs that will strengthen the public health and academic workforce in Arizona,” adds Doug Taren, PhD, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health.

“The doctoral degree in biostatistics will strengthen the research role that the University has in a variety of biological sciences for diverse topics such as environmental studies to clinical trials on new drugs,” said Dr. Taren. “The doctoral program in public health will enhance the public health workforce for health departments and other health care providers along with the many organizations that focus on improving our public’s health.”

The DrPH is an advanced, professional degree program designed for the student who has a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree, or its equivalent, and who intends to pursue a leadership career as a public health professional. The program is unique as it focuses on developing future leaders in public health practice, who will advance the public’s health through the integration and application of a broad range of knowledge and analytical skills in leadership, practice, policy analysis, research, program management and professional communication. 

The PhD in Biostatistics will have an emphasis on the foundations of statistical reasoning and will require its graduates to complete rigorous training in applied probability and statistical analyses. This new program will prepare students who have demonstrated excellence in mathematics and the sciences to become research biostatisticians in academia, industry, or government. 

For several years, the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health also has offered a doctorate degree (PhD) in Epidemiology, which trains individuals for careers in research and teaching in academic settings, research institutes, government agencies and industry.

Both programs will be open to both residents and non-residents and will be implemented with differential tuition.