Population Health

Choose the Path That Is Right for You

TRACK I: Choose this track if you have a master's degree in health education and promotion.

TRACK II: Choose this track if you have a master of public health.

TRACK III: Choose this track if you hold a master’s degree in an academic discipline other than the public health field.

Track I

Curriculum

Minimum Degree Requirements

• 83 quarter credits
  • Foundation course (3 cr.)
  • Core courses (25 cr.)
  • Research courses (20 cr.)
  • Focus area courses (15 cr.)
  • Dissertation (minimum 20 cr.)
• Four PhD residencies to equal a minimum of 16 days

You may be eligible to transfer a maximum of 39 graduate-level credits into the program.

Walden students have up to 8 years to complete their doctoral program unless they petition for an extension.

In general, students are continuously registered in the dissertation/doctoral study course until they complete their capstone project and it is approved. This usually takes longer than the minimum required terms in the dissertation/doctoral study course shell.

To complete a doctoral dissertation, students must obtain the academic approval of several independent evaluators including their committee, the University Research Reviewer, and the Institutional Review Board; pass the Form and Style Review; gain approval at the oral defense stage; and gain final approval by the Chief Academic Officer. Students must also publish their dissertation on ProQuest before their degree is conferred. Learn more about the dissertation process in the Dissertation Guidebook.

Please refer to Walden’s catalog for more information about degree requirements.

This sequence represents the minimum time to completion. For a personalized estimate of the number of your transfer credits that Walden would accept, call an Enrollment Specialist at 855-646-5286.

Courses

Show Course Descriptions

Course Code	Title	Credits
HLTH 8003	Building a Multidisciplinary Approach to Health Show In this course, students will explore the multidisciplinary nature and integration of professional practice in the health field. Students will have the opportunity to utilize their scholarly voice with diverse audiences and with academic integrity to assure academic and professional success as a scholar-practitioner and social change agent. As leaders in their profession, students will discuss critical health services in the health field utilizing a response to a natural disaster, review of emerging topics in the health field, and what it means to be part of a multidisciplinary team to develop community partnerships with key stakeholders to address health issues impacting their communities, agencies, and/or organizations.	(3 cr.)
HLTH 8205	Assessing Community Needs for Health Education Show It is important for health educators and other health professionals to understand the unique characteristics and health needs of a community in order to provide effective and relevant health education and services. Students in this course learn about the principles and processes of needs assessment and community capacity-building as a first step in the program planning process. Students learn about individual, small-group, and community-based assessments as well as quantitative and qualitative approaches. Students directly apply what they are reading and discussing in class to their own communities by conducting an assessment unique to their community. Other topics covered include use of primary and secondary data; selection and development of instrumentation to collect community data; interpretation and analysis of data, and prioritization of health education needs. Community mapping tools and other technology used in the assessment process are also explored.	(5 cr.)
RSCH 8110	Research Theory, Design, and Methods Show In this research course, students are provided with core knowledge and skills for understanding, analyzing, and designing research at the graduate level. Students explore the philosophy of science, the role of theory, and research processes. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research designs and data collection methods are introduced. The alignment of research components is emphasized. Students also explore ethical and social change implications of designing and conducting research. Students demonstrate their knowledge and skills by developing an annotated bibliography. Prerequisites Doctor of Social Work SOCW 8110 or SOCW 8110W PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision COUN 8001 COUN 8110 RESI 8801C PhD in Social Work SOCW 8110 or SOCW 8110W All Other Programs RESI 8401	(5 cr.)
HLTH 8052	Advanced Issues in Global Public Health Show This course provides an in-depth review and analysis of the leading global health problems, and the primary methods used to measure those problems. Students analyze the social and environmental determinants of global health problems, including urbanization, global industrialization, environmental pollution, and their role in health inequalities within and between populations. In addition, students evaluate population-based approaches to improving global public health, including culturally inclusive and sensitive primary health care, and policies that promote health literacy, health equity and positive social change. Emphasis is placed on strategies to advance inclusion, cultural humility and health equity in public health research, policies and programs. The course takes a cross-disciplinary, ecological approach, enabling students to examine the complex inter-relationships between economic, social and environmental factors, and health.	(5 cr.)
RSCH 8210	Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis Show In this research course, students are provided with the opportunity to develop core knowledge and skills for designing and carrying out quantitative research at the doctoral level, including the application of statistical concepts and techniques. Students explore classical common statistical tests, the importance of the logic of inference, and social change implications of conducting quantitative research and producing knowledge. Students approach statistics from a problem-solving perspective with emphasis on selecting appropriate statistical tests for a research design. Students use statistical software to derive statistics from quantitative data and interpret and present results. Prerequisites Doctor of Social Work RSCH 8110K or RSCH 8110W PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision RSCH 8110 RESI 8801C PhD in Social Work RSCH 8110K or RSCH 8110W All Other Programs RSCH 8110 or RSCH 7110 or RSCH 6110 RESI 8401	(5 cr.)
RSCH 8310	Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis Show Students in this research course are provided with the opportunity to develop basic knowledge and skills for conducting qualitative research at the doctoral level. Students explore the nature of qualitative inquiry, how theory and theoretical and conceptual frameworks uniquely apply to qualitative research, data collection procedures and analysis strategy, and how the role of the researcher is expressed in the ethical and rigorous conduct of qualitative research. Students practice collecting, organizing, analyzing, and presenting data, and they develop a detailed research topic for conducting a qualitative study. Prerequisites Doctor of Social Work RSCH 8110K or RSCH 8110W PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision RSCH 8110 RESI 8801C PhD in Social Work RSCH 8110K or RSCH 8110W All Other Programs RSCH 8110 or RSCH 7110 or RSCH 6110 RESI 8401	(5 cr.)
HLTH 8412	Health Education and Communication Strategies Show Effective communication plays a vital role in the diffusion of a health behavior or innovation. In this course, the health educator is introduced to a wide range of health communication strategies. Assignments will allow students to apply and evaluate the use of health education delivery methods for various populations and practice settings (i.e., community, clinical, worksite, global, schools). Principles and theories of health communication and behavior change will be applied to a variety of health education case studies. Students will also demonstrate how to design and communicate culturally tailored health information to an audience of their choice. They will also explore the use of emerging technologies and social media in delivering and promoting health education. Prerequisites HLTH 8003 HLTH 8110 HLTH 8205 RESI 8401	(5 cr.)
HLTH 8207	Grant Writing Show Grant writing is a highly marketable skill that requires many nonprofit, educational, and community organizations to secure external funding in order to provide needed services to the community. In this course, students will explore the basic skills needed for grant writing including identifying potential funding sources, creating objectives and a need statement, preparing and justifying a budget, identifying appropriate assessment plans, and writing an executive summary. Course assignments will allow students to directly apply what they are reading and discussing by writing a full grant proposal based on an actual Request for Proposal (RFP). Prerequisites RESI 8401	(5 cr.)
HLTH 8551	Preparing for Dissertation Show The focus of this course is on the process of writing the doctoral dissertation premise and prospectus. The premise will guide students through their committee selection process. The prospectus will guide students through the stages of writing a dissertation—conducting a literature review, developing a problem statement and research questions, and evaluating research designs, methods, and types of analysis. The premise and prospectus that students write for this course will be for a possible dissertation topic. This exercise is the cornerstone of this course and will prepare students for working with their chosen dissertation topic. Prerequisites RESI 8402	(5 cr.)
	FOCUS AREA COURSES- choose 3 courses
HLTH 8573	Child and Adolescent Health Issues Show Students in this course cover diseases and disorders in children and adolescents. Topics include diabetes, anorexia, headaches, epilepsy, burn injuries, cystic fibrosis, asthma, addiction, and adolescent obesity. Health promotion for children and adolescents is discussed, including cardiovascular health, nutrition, and exercise. Also covered are insights into special issues such as posttraumatic stress disorder, daily stress, sexually transmitted diseases, sleep disorders, and ethical and legal issues in pediatric and adolescent health psychology. Prerequisites PSYC 8745	(5 cr.)
HLTH 8574	Women's Health Issues Show Student in this course cover diseases and disorders in children and adolescents. Topics include diabetes, anorexia, headaches, epilepsy, burn injuries, cystic fibrosis, asthma, addiction, and adolescent obesity. Health promotion for children and adolescents is discussed including cardiovascular health, nutrition, and exercise. Also covered are insights into special issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder, daily stress, sexually transmitted diseases, sleep disorders, and ethical and legal issues in pediatric and adolescent health psychology. Prerequisites PSYC 8745	(5 cr.)
HLTH 8745	Health Psychology Show Health psychologists work toward positive change in healthcare and health behavior through the study of relationships between patients and providers, how individuals and groups adapt to illness, damaging health behaviors, health cognitions, and many other related issues. In this course students explore the field of health psychology with a focus on the biopsychosocial model. They discuss behavioral and biomedical theories as well as the effect of psychological (personality), behavioral (health behaviors and coping), and social factors (stress and physician-patient relationships) on physical health and wellness. Through the examination of current literature and peer discussions, students explore and address issues related to cardiovascular and immune health, including heart disease, stroke, cancer, and HIV/AIDS. They demonstrate their understanding of course material and consider how topics apply to their personal and professional life through the development of taskforce papers, a health brochure, and a final essay.	(5 cr.)
HLTH 8815	Contemporary/Gerontology/Geriatric Psychology Show Statistical data indicate that people are living longer and the number of older persons is continually increasing. As the population ages, society must prepare to address their needs. Students in this course are provided with a multidisciplinary approach to the study of aging in contemporary societies. Students examine the biological, psychological, social, and societal contexts of aging. They also explore the historical and cross-cultural perspectives on aging, social theories of aging, managing chronic diseases, cognitive changes associated with aging, mental health issues, sexuality, and social interactions. Through a series of taskforce reports on various topics, such as sexually transmitted diseases, substance abuse, and elder abuse, students apply course concepts and critically examine current issues in gerontology.	(5 cr.)
HLTH 8035	Epidemiology: Decoding the Science of Public Health Show Epidemiology is the science concerned with controlling and preventing disease in communities.Students in this course are provided with an epidemiological approach to the study of the incidence, prevalence, and patterns of disease and injury in populations, and the application of this study to the control of public health problems. Key sources of data for epidemiological purposes are identified, and principles and limitations of public health screening programs are addressed. Students learn to calculate basic epidemiological measures and to draw appropriate inferences from epidemiological data and reports. Prerequisites PUBH 6125	(5 cr.)
	ADVANCED RESEARCH COURSE- choose 1
RSCH 8260	Advanced Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis Show Students in this research course build upon knowledge and skills acquired in the prerequisite quantitative reasoning course and are presented with opportunities to apply them. They are provided with more specialized knowledge and skills for conducting quantitative research at the doctoral level, including understanding multivariate data analysis and applying more advanced statistical concepts, such as factorial ANOVA, mediation, moderation, logistic regression, ANCOVA, and MANOVA. Students explore existing datasets and apply suitable statistical tests to answer research questions with social change implications. In this course, they approach statistics from a problem-solving perspective with emphasis on selecting the appropriate statistical tests for more complex research questions and social problems. Students use statistical software to perform analyses and interpret and present results. They will apply and synthesize their knowledge and skills by carrying out a quantitative research project. Prerequisites Doctor of Social Work RSCH 8210K or RSCH 8310K or RSCH 8210W or RSCH 8310W PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision RSCH 8110 RSCH 8210 CPLB 802L PhD in Social Work RSCH 8210K or RSCH 8210W or RSCH 8310K or RSCH 8310W All Other Programs RESI 8402	(5 cr.)
RSCH 8360	Advanced Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis Show Students build upon the knowledge and skills acquired in RSCH 8310 - Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis. and have experience applying them. Students develop a more sophisticated understanding of the theoretical antecedents and practical applications of eight contemporary qualitative approaches. Students gain experience developing qualitative interview guides, collecting data, and managing the process from transcription through analysis. The unique challenges of confidentiality and ethical issues are explored as well as implications for social change. Students will apply and synthesize their knowledge and skills by developing a qualitative research plan using a topic relevant to their capstone. Prerequisites Doctor of Social Work RSCH 8210K or RSCH 8310K or RSCH 8210W or RSCH 8310W PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision RSCH 8110 RSCH 8310 CPLB 802L PhD in Social Work RSCH 8210K or RSCH 8210W or RSCH 8310K or RSCH 8310W All Other Programs RESI 8402 Note: This course was previously RSCH 8350.	(5 cr.)
RSCH 8460	Advanced Mixed-Methods Reasoning and Analysis Show Students build upon knowledge and skills acquired in RSCH 8210 - Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis and RSCH 8310 - Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis for more specialized knowledge and skills to design mixed-methods research at the doctoral level. Students are provided with more specialized knowledge and skills for designing mixed-methods research at the doctoral level. They gain an understanding of the types of mixed-methods designs and how to select the most appropriate approach for the research question(s). The emphases of this course are on integrating quantitative and qualitative elements into true mixed-methods studies, practice in data analysis, and integration of qualitative and quantitative data within a research write-up. Students will apply and synthesize their knowledge and skills by developing a mixed-methods research plan that incorporates qualitative and quantitative elements appropriately. Prerequisites PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision RSCH 8110 RSCH 8210 RSCH 8310 CPLB 802L PhD in Social Work RSCH 8210K or RSCH 8210W or RSCH 8310K or RSCH 8310W All Other Programs RSCH 8110 or RSCH 7110 or RSCH 6110 RSCH 8210 or RSCH 7210 or RSCH 6210 RSCH 8310 or RSCH 7310 or RSCH 6310 RESI 8402 Note: This course was previously RSCH 8450.	(5 cr.)
	DISSERTATION
HLTH 9101	Dissertation Show In this course, doctoral students have the opportunity to integrate their Program of Study into an in-depth exploration of an interest area that includes the completion of a research study. Students complete the dissertation independently, with the guidance of a dissertation supervisory committee chair and committee members, in a learning platform classroom in which weekly participation is required. Students complete a prospectus, proposal, Institutional Review Board application, and dissertation.Students take this course for a minimum of four quarters and are continuously enrolled until completion of their dissertation with final chief academic officer (CAO) approval.To complete a dissertation, students must obtain the academic approval of several independent evaluators including their committee, the University Research Reviewer, and the Institutional Review Board; pass the Form and Style Review; gain approval at the oral defense stage; and gain final approval by the chief academic officer. Students must also publish their dissertation on ProQuest before their degree is conferred. Learn more about the dissertation process in the Dissertation Guidebook. Prerequisites RESI 8403	(5 cr. per term for a minimum of 4 quarters until completion)
	DOCTORAL WRITING ASSESSMENT
DRWA 8880	Doctoral Writing Assessment Show This course is part of Walden's commitment to help prepare students to meet the university's expectations for writing in courses at the doctoral level. In this course, students write a short academic essay that will be scored by a team of writing assessors. Based on the essay score, students will complete or be exempted from additional required writing support needed to meet writing proficiency standards. This required assessment course is free. Students will be enrolled automatically in it at the beginning of their doctoral program.	(0 cr.)
VIEW ALL COURSES Less Courses

To complete a doctoral dissertation, students must obtain the academic approval of several independent evaluators including their committee, the University Research Reviewer, and the Institutional Review Board; pass the Form and Style Review; gain approval at the oral defense stage; and gain final approval by the Chief Academic Officer. Students must also publish their dissertation on ProQuest before their degree is conferred. Learn more about the dissertation process in the Dissertation Guidebook.

8-Year Maximum Timeframe
In general, students are continuously registered in the dissertation/doctoral study course until they complete their capstone project and it is approved. This usually takes longer than the minimum required terms in the dissertation/doctoral study course shell.

Note: Time to completion and cost are not estimates of individual experience and will vary based on individual factors applicable to the student. Factors may be programmatic or academic, such as tuition and fee increases; transfer credits accepted by Walden; program or specialization changes; unsuccessful course completion; credit load per term; part-time vs. full-time enrollment; writing, research, and editing skills; use of external data for the doctoral study/dissertation; and individual progress in the program. Other factors may include personal issues such as the student’s employment obligations, caregiving responsibilities, or health issues; leaves of absence; or other personal circumstances.

Tuition and Fees

Curriculum	Requirements	Cost	Total *
Tuition-Coursework	63 quarter credits	$590 per quarter hour for coursework credits	$37,170^
Tuition-Dissertation	20–130† quarter credits	$590 per quarter hour for dissertation credits	$11,800–$76,700*
Technology Fee		$160 per quarter	$1,600–$5,120*
Residency Fee	Four Residencies	$1,375 each (virtual) $1,475 each (in-person: travel, lodging and other expenses are additional)	$5,500–$5,900
Estimated Range:			2.5-Year	8-Year
			$56,070	$124,790*+
			(assuming completion in a 2.5-year timeframe)	(assuming completion in an 8-year timeframe)

These are ranges of what a student can expect in terms of time and tuition cost to complete a degree. It does not include other fees, nor is it adjusted for tuition increases over time. Walden faculty has concluded that generally students who do not complete their program in eight years are unlikely to complete and only allow students to exceed that time frame when a student petitions for an extension and provides good reason for the delay and assurances that obstacles to completion can be overcome. Time is calculated using the time allowed for each semester or unit that the student completes. Students are encouraged to work continuously during the program so as not to extend the time needed to complete the degree as work can become stale and students lose focus. Students who earn two grades of “Unsatisfactory,” who repeatedly drop a course before a semester or unit has been completed, or are unable to complete in the eight year time frame, should expect that they may be dismissed from the program. Walden believes that it is in the best interest of a student who is unable to complete the degree in the stated ranges to strongly consider withdrawal or obtaining a lesser degree.

Time to completion and cost are not estimates of individual experience and will vary based on individual factors applicable to the student. Factors may be programmatic or academic such as tuition and fee increases and/or the student’s transfer credits accepted by Walden; program or specialization changes; unsuccessful course completion; credit load per term; writing, research and editing skills; use of external data for their doctoral study/dissertation; and/or individual progress in the program. Other factors may include personal issues such as the student’s employment obligations; care giving responsibilities or health issues; part-time vs. full-time enrollment; leaves of absence; and/or other personal circumstances.

Tuition and fees are subject to change. Books and materials are not included. Students may incur additional costs for remedial writing assistance, if necessary.

^This assumes students successfully complete their coursework on the first attempt.

^† Based on a 2.5-year minimum completion requirement and an 8-year maximum timeframe as outlined in Walden academic policy.

*Tuition and fees will be higher if students petition to extend the 8-year maximum timeframe or choose to take more expensive elective courses.

⁺Tuition and time to complete may be reduced if transfer credits are accepted, or if you receive grants, scholarships or other tuition discounts. For a personalized estimate of the number of your transfer credits that Walden would accept, call an Enrollment Specialist at 844-642-0198.

Track II

Track III

Admission Requirements

Program Admission Considerations: A master's degree or higher.

General Admission Requirements: Completed online application and transcripts. Please note that the materials you are required to submit may vary depending on the academic program to which you apply.

More information for international applicants.