Curriculum

Concentration in Implementation Science

DrPH Implementation Science Concentration

The DrPH concentration in Implementation Science is an interdepartmental concentration focused on developing and sharing evidence to support the formulation, implementation and scale up of new health policies and programs, through the application of interdisciplinary tools and approaches to study processes in complex health systems.

The concentration provides students with the skills to work collaboratively, and integrate diverse perspectives into cogent intervention designs and implementation strategies. Students learn how to support iterative cycles of implementation and adaptation of public health programs based on evaluation and learning, and how to synthesize and present complex information to policy-makers and practitioners.

This concentration is relevant to those working domestically and internationally, and is well suited to individuals seeking to develop careers as program managers, physician managers, and those working in the knowledge translation field, or in policy advisory positions.

    Concentration Co-directors

    The Implementation Science concentration co-directors are:

    Please click their links to learn more about their research interests, departmental and center or institute affiliations, and contact information.

    Concentration Competencies

    1. Participate in and lead collaborative multidisciplinary teams that promote a blending of disciplines to inform and evaluate implementation strategies.
    2. Integrate diverse perspectives including those from communities and experts into a cogent intervention design and/or implementation strategy for health programs and policies.
    3. Characterize optimal implementation processes to support iterative cycles of implementation and adaptation based on learning.
    4. Integrate didactic and practice-based experience to support methodologically sound evaluation of implementation processes and outcomes to inform implementation.
    5. Analyze frameworks to improve synthesis and integration of diverse data from multiple sources to inform policy and practice.
    6. Present and interpret demographic, statistical, programmatic, and scientific information to inform decision making by policy makers and other professional and lay audiences.

    Concentration Curriculum

    Students are expected to complete a minimum of 28 credits of concentration-specific courses in the following three categories:

    1. Required courses

    2. Methodology and analysis courses

    3. Elective or content-specific courses

    Course Requirements for DrPH Implementation Science Concentration (28 credits):

    I. Required Courses (14 credits):

    Course # Title Credits
    550.601 Implementation Research and Practice 3
    330.650 Methods in Implementation Science 3
    410.630 Implementation and Sustainability of Community-Based Health Programs 3
    340.726 Implementation Research Methods to Address Real World Epidemiological Questions 3
    TBD DrPH Implementation Science Concentration Seminar 2

    II. Methodology and Analysis Courses (7 credits)

    Course # Title Credits
    221.722 Quality Assurance Management Methods for Developing Countries 4
    312.693 Introduction to Comparative Effectiveness and Outcomes Research 3
    221.654 Systems Thinking in Public Health: Applications of Key Methods and Approaches 3
    309.616 Introduction to Methods for Health Services Research and Evaluation I 2
    309.617 Introduction to Methods for Health Services Research and Evaluation II 2
    330.621 Mixed Methods for Research in Public Health 2
    340.613 Design and Conduct of Clinical Trials 2
    340.686 Introduction to Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis 2
    340.725 Methods for Clinical and Translational Research 1
    340.767 Professional Epidemiologic Methods: Topics and Methods for Health Situation Analysis 2
    410.664 Knowledge Management for Effective Global Health Programs 3

    III. Electives: take course work from the following electives or content-specific courses to complete the required 28 concentration credits.

    Course # Title Credits
    390.678 Introduction to Quality Improvement & Knowledge Translation Research 3
    309.600 Evaluating Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Programs 3
    221.646 Health Systems in Low and Middle Income Countries 3
    700.621 Ethics in Clinical Practice: Fundamentals, Problems and Approaches 3
    221.645 Large-Scale Effectiveness Evaluations of Health Programs 4
    340.861 Clinical Trials: Procedures, Design, and Interpretation of Results 3
    140.664 Causal Inference in Medicine and Public Health I 4
    221.645 Large-Scale Effectiveness Evaluations of Health Programs 3
    410.755 Health Communication Programs 4
    221.625 Evaluation Plans for Primary Health Care Projects in Low and Middle Income Settings: Evaluating Adequacy of District Level Implementation 3
    221.711 Managing District Health Systems in Low and Middle Income Countries 3
    312.620 Performance Measurement in Health Care 2
    340.636 Epidemiology in Evidence-Based Policy 2
    340.765 Professional Epidemiologic Methods: Epidemiologic Intelligence and Population Health Assessments 2
    340.663 Epidemiology Workshop: Interpreting and Using Epidemiologic Evidence 2
    301.692 The Role of Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Improving Global Public Health 3
    410.620 Program Planning for Health Behavior Change 3