A Doctor of Behavioral Health (DBH) is a practice-focused doctoral degree designed for professionals who want to lead improvements in behavioral health, mental health, and integrated care.
Unlike a purely research-focused doctorate like a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), a DBH emphasizes applying advanced knowledge to real healthcare and community settings, helping bridge the gap between physical health, behavioral health, and whole-person wellbeing.
Our DBH program is designed to prepare doctoral-level professionals to think clinically, lead strategically, and innovate systemically. Students build skills in integrated behavioral health, healthcare policy, population health, leadership, program development, telehealth, digital behavioral health, and the ethical use of AI-supported tools and analytics.
Herzing offers two DBH specializations: Clinical and Management. The Clinical track is designed for advanced practitioners seeking to strengthen their ability to integrate behavioral health within healthcare and community systems. The Management track is designed for leaders and administrators who want to transform behavioral health organizations, improve access and quality, support workforce development, and guide system-level change.
A DBH can be a strong fit for professionals with a background in behavioral health, healthcare, social work, counseling, psychology, nursing, public health, or related fields who want to expand their impact. Herzing’s program is 100% online, designed as an applied, workforce-driven doctorate.
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* BLS pay estimates calculate the median annual wage for various occupations. Per the BLS the median wage for an occupation is: "The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount, and half earned less. Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey." Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook 2024. BLS median wage estimates do not represent entry-level wages and/or salaries. Multiple factors, including prior experience, age, geographic market in which you want to work, and degree level and field, will affect career outcomes, including starting salary and earnings as an experienced employee. Herzing neither represents that its graduates will earn the median salaries calculated by BLS for a particular job nor guarantees that graduation from its program will result in a job, promotion, particular wage or salary, or other career growth.
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