Public Health M.P.H.

 Educational Objectives

The purpose of the MPH Program is to prepare individuals to become effective health care practitioners, researchers and teachers who will competently identify public health problems and needs, develop effective strategies to address those needs, and promote appropriate services to be available for the protection of human health.

At a minimum, the following criteria should be met to assure each student a) develops an understanding of the areas of knowledge that are basic to public health, b) acquires skills and experience in the application of basic public health concepts and of specialty knowledge to the solution of community health problems, and c) demonstrates integration of knowledge through a capstone experience.

Admissions Requirements

To be considered for admission to the MPH, an applicant must:

1. Hold a bachelor’s degree or recognized equivalent from a regionally accredited institution and have adequate preparation in the biological, physical, or social sciences. A criterion for admission is at least a B (3.0) grade-point average or the equivalent in work completed after the first two years of a bachelor’s degree program and in all post-baccalaureate course work.
2. Completion of the school’s application process.
3. Submit a personal essay describing what you perceive to be pressing public health issues, why a career in the field appeals to you, and how it will use your strengths and commitment
4. Three letters of recommendation
5. Take and submit scores for the Personal Potential Index (PPI) exam
6. Student’s that do not have a Master’s degree or higher must submit scores for the GRE
7. Satisfactory score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required for applicants whose first language is not English
8. Official copies of all transcripts sent to the Graduate College and unofficial copies to the School of Public Health

Degree Requirements

All students are required to complete six core courses including (18 credits): Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Fundamentals of Environmental and Occupational Health, Theoretical Principals of Health Promotion, Survey of U.S. Health Care Systems, and Fundamentals of Public Health. Additionally, all students are required to complete a three credit internship and a Capstone Project. The Capstone Project requirement may be fulfilled by a professional paper or a thesis. Students will also be required to take seven courses (18-21 credits) in a concentration area and complete a capstone experience (3-6 credits). The total program of study is a minimum of 45 credits. A student must have at least a B (3.0) grade point average in all graduate work in order to graduate.

The MPH degree will be awarded only when all these requirements are met.

MPH Core Course Requirements - Total Credits: 18

Social and Behavioral Health Concentration -Total Credits: 27

Environmental and Occupational Health Concentration -Total Credits: 27

Health Care Administration and Policy Concentration -Total Credits: 27

Biostatistics and Epidemiology Concentration -Total Credits: 27