Students at the School of Public Health accrue nearly 70,000 hours of real-time public health experience. Our students have routinely ranked this experience as one of the most meaningful and fulfilling portions of their academic experience.
The School of Public Health’s programs teach students to work effectively with and within various agencies and communities. We are committed to creating rigorous and interdisciplinary academic, research and service programs that emphasize the unique role of social justice and human rights in public health. The School’s programs teach students to make an impact on:
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Diverse communities and neighborhoods
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Healthcare financing and delivery systems
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Research institutions
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Governmental and community-based service organizations
Problem-Based Learning
Drexel SPH students learn how to foster productive partnerships among each of these entities to enhance the population’s health status. The curriculum of the School is presented through a blended curriculum of inquiry-driven, Problem-Based Learning (PBL) with traditional coursework, and is focused on the five core disciplines of public health:
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Biostatistics
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Environmental and occupational health
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Epidemiology
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Health systems management and policy
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Social and behavioral sciences
In the spring quarter of the first year, students are required to complete a 120-hour practicum that provides them with hands-on experience in community-based settings. In the second year, students spend 1.5-2 days per week across the academic year at a community site where they are developing their required Community-Based Master's Project.
Please visit our Office of Community Projects to learn more about the school’s practicum requirements and community partnership programs.