Online Executive Master's of Public Health (MPH) With Residency Program

***The Executive MPH Program is not currently accepting new students. Please check back in the future for program updates. We invite you to learn more about our other online MPH programs.***

The Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health’s Executive Master’s of Public Health gives you a strong foundation in all disciplines of public health, with a particular focus on public health practice. The curriculum of this flexible, hybrid program is designed for working professionals who are currently employed in public health or a related field and looking to expand their leadership career opportunities, or those with a newfound interest in public health. Core courses in topics like health systems and research methods, paired with your choice of electives and a hands-on public health experience, prepare you with a public health background that fits your academic interests and career goals.

Whether you’re looking to advance in your career, or you’re seeking to expand your knowledge, Drexel’s Executive MPH prepares you to take the next step in your journey.

Program at a Glance

• 56 quarter credits
• Drexel Dornsife is proud to be the first university in Philadelphia to be accredited by the Council on Education in Public Health (CEPH)
• Hybrid curriculum allows for flexible learning environments geared toward working professionals while providing the benefits of in-person networking, collaboration, and practical experience
• U.S. News & World Report ranks Drexel Dornsife the #1 graduate school of public health in Philadelphia and a top school nationwide.
• Taught by highly respected Dornsife School of Public Health faculty
• No GRE required 

What is an Executive MPH Program?

Are you a public health professional looking to advance your career into an executive career path? Drexel’s Executive MPH is designed with the flexibility you need to earn your MPH while still working in your current role and developing your future career goals. As public health needs evolve and grow, public health practitioners are being tasked with more and more expansive responsibilities in the public health space. This academically robust degree will give you an in-depth public health education that covers a wide array of public health skills, while affording you the opportunity to customize your plan of study to your specific professional aspirations. The hybrid format combines online courses with in-person residencies for maximum flexibility and provides you with in-depth exposure to public health experts, executives, and academics to create a robust network.

What Can I Do with An Executive MPH Degree?

Executive MPH Career Opportunities
As a student in Drexel’s Executive MPH program, you will generally be learning alongside professionals who are currently working in public health and related fields. Drexel Dornsife students come from local, state, and federal health agencies, health systems, health and social services, community organizations, education, clinical research, medicine, and pharmaceutical companies.

Upon graduation, many of our students continue to progress in their current companies with strong foundational knowledge that helps them stand out in the job market. Just a few of the employers our students have gone on to have careers with are:

• Philadelphia Department of Public Health
• American Red Cross
• Action Wellness
• Public Health Management Corporation
• Independence Blue Cross
• Penn Medicine
• United States Public Health Service
• NYC Department of Education

How Long Does It Take to Complete an Executive MPH?

Drexel’s Executive MPH program is a 21-month hybrid program that includes in-person sessions on two Fridays per quarter. (In-person Friday sessions are not held during summer term.) These sessions include guest speakers like Philadelphia’s public health leaders. The EMPH is a cohort-based program, so you’ll have the opportunity to collaborate with your fellow classmates during residencies and online coursework.

How Much Can You Make with an Executive MPH?

Executive MPH Salary Expectations
Your salary as a public health professional will vary based on several factors. Title, location, and years of experience all play a role in determining your pay. Learn more about average salaries for roles within the public health sphere by visiting our public health industry guide.

Learn From the Best

As an Executive MPH student, you will learn from the respected faculty in Drexel’s Dornsife School of Public Health. Learn more about Drexel Dornsife’s faculty. The program is Directed by Jennifer Kolker, MPH, the Associate Dean for Practice at the School of Public Health.

Professor Kolker holds a Master of Public Health degree in public health policy and administration from the University of Michigan School of Public Health. She is a Clinical Professor of Health Management and Policy, the Director of the Center for Public Health Practice, and the Co-Director of the Pennsylvania Public Health Training Center, a federally funded training center for the public health workforce, operated in collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh. Professor Kolker teaches the EMPH residency course.

Prior to joining Drexel in 2004, she held various positions in the non-profit world and then the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, working first in HIV/AIDS policy and planning and later in the Office of the Health Commissioner also in a health planning and policy role. Professor Kolker was also a senior policy associate with Public Works, a consulting firm that provides public policy research and analysis to government agencies and officials, non-profits and think tanks across the country.

Professor Kolker teaches several courses on public policy and public health practice and advises and mentors graduate students. Her work is focused on building bridges between academic public health and public health practice within the School’s mission of pursuing public health, human rights, and social justice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Online Executive MPH Program Asynchronous?
Online Executive MPH classes are conducted asynchronously, which means you are not required to be online at a specific time for course instruction. However, many of our classes include group work. In these instances, you will be asked to find time to meet online with other students to complete the small group projects. 

Drexel's 10,000 Hours Podcast: Sharrelle Barber

How can where you live affect your health? For Black communities, their neighborhoods can literally make them sicker. Sharrelle Barber, an assistant research professor at Drexel, looks at the intersection of place, racism, and health.

Related Programs

• MPH: Epidemiology
• MPH: Global Health
• MPH: Urban Health
• Certificate in Infectious Disease Prevention and Control
• Certificate in LGBT Health
• Certificate in Maternal and Child Health
• Certificate in Public Health
• On-Campus Public Health Programs

Drexel University offers a variety of Graduate Minors that can be added to any master's degree program.
State restrictions may apply to some programs.