Doctor of Global Health Leadership and Practice

Overview

The DrGH program is a three-year program. Students will spend the first year (9-12 months) at UW in Seattle focused on coursework. Years 2 and 3 will be spent completing a minimum of three leadership and practice experiences (LPEs) at different global health organizations, completing a practice product for each LPE, passing a general written and oral exam, and completing a culminating practice doctoral meta-project.

The DrGH degree will be highly individualized for each student, as there is flexibility to tailor the program to individual personal and professional goals. Beyond the core curriculum, students will customize their experience by choosing areas of emphasis for study, as well as organizational settings for the LPEs.

Coursework

All students admitted to the DrGH program will complete a minimum of 102 credits, including 48 credits of core requirements, 12 credits in areas of emphasis study, 24 LPE credits, and 12 credits for the practice doctoral meta-project.

Leadership and Practice Experiences (LPEs)

Students will engage in at least three extended (6-12 month) mentored work experiences in settings that provide exposure to a range of US and international agencies and organizations. These leadership and practice opportunities, or LPEs, may arise from the student’s existing professional network, from organizations previously identified by the DrGH program, from the networks of the student’s faculty supervisory committee, or a combination. The task of securing LPE placements will be a collaborative effort between the LPE host site with the DrGH faculty advisor and student.

Practice Products

Students will be required to produce a practice product for each LPE whereby they demonstrate the integration of classroom and workplace learning. Illustrative examples of LPE products include:

  • a stakeholder analysis in preparation for the launch of a new health intervention;
  • a scope of work for an evaluation that involved negotiation across multiple parties;
  • a policy brief outlining evidence of cost-effectiveness of a behavioral change intervention; or
  • a strategic planning document for an organizational unit or program initiative.

Doctoral Meta-Project

Students will complete a practice doctoral meta-project incorporating all prior LPE practice products, with integrative analysis and reflection. Students will also be required to complete an oral presentation of the doctoral meta-project and to disseminate their work (e.g., publish in practice-oriented journal, present a formal report to stakeholders).

General Examination
In Year 2, students will complete a written and oral general exam addressing approaches to leadership and practice challenges in global health.

Faculty Supervisory Committee
DrGH students will form a faculty supervisory committee comprised of UW faculty, which may also include members of the global health practice community. Over the course of the program, the committee will review and provide feedback on the student’s coursework, advise their leadership and practice experiences, serve on the student’s general exam panel, and review and evaluate the student’s LPE product portfolio and doctoral meta-project.