The Department of Population and Public Health Sciences (DPPHS) is a leader in public health education and research. The department is home to the first Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) program in southwest Ohio, a rigorous undergraduate public health curriculum, and two nationally recognized research centers.
We leverage our alumni network, public health partners, and research centers to provide our students a unique hands-on educational experience. Graduates of our programs go on to become leaders in medicine, public health, health care, insurance, and non-profit agencies - building the public health workforce for our region.
Our History
Founded in 2005, the Department of Population and Public Health Services was established with the generous support of Oscar Boonshoft, the namesake of our School of Medicine. With his charge, Wright State embraced the challenge to lead—advancing science, improving healthcare, and expanding access to quality care. The department has also been shaped by other significant gifts from local families, including Zoe and Bob Hittner, the Levin Family, and Dr. John D. and Gretchen H. Bullock.
As the first M.P.H. program in southwest Ohio, we've championed interdisciplinary education and impactful research while forging strong community partnerships across the Miami Valley. Today, we reflect on two decades of leadership, innovation, and service as we look forward to what is to come.
Mission
Engage students in interprofessional experiences including education, research, and service with many populations and communities.
Vision
A diverse community of public health leaders that promotes and protects health for all.
Values
- Student-Centeredness: The central focus of our program is our students and their future as public health professionals.
- Community Engagement: Impactful public health initiatives require authentic partnerships with all stakeholders.
- Equity: Healthy communities are those in which all members thrive, are represented, and whose differences are considered.
- Integration with Medicine: The health of populations is best served when medicine is integrated with public health principles, programs, and policies.
- Leadership: As the first academic public health program in southwest Ohio, we continue to develop new leaders and lead impactful public health initiatives throughout the region.
- Research and Scholarship: We use evidence to fill gaps in knowledge, providing innovative solutions to public health issues. Students engaged in this process will continue to pioneer in their future endeavors.