Public Health

The Master of Public Health prepares the student to meet the needs of the community by promoting health among diverse populations. The mission of public health is to provide a framework to protect and promote policies, systems, and overall community health by utilizing the 10 Essential Public Health Services across the public health systems.

The goals of the program are to enhance the knowledge of public health to provide a healthier community, prevent disease, and promote access to care based on public health core competencies. Obtaining a Master's of Public Health degree will prepare students for a wide variety of entry level careers and opportunities with the ability to work for governmental agencies, healthcare, non-profits, education, or other organizations. Following the completion of the program, a graduate will be able to:

• Prepare for entry level employment in community health by demonstrating knowledge and skills in the 10 Essential Public Health Services domains.
• Assess population health and needs of communities.
• Analyze data related to population health to assist in solving healthcare problems.
• Address health hazards through investigating, diagnosing causal factors.
• Prepare and deliver effective healthcare communications for various situations using a variety of appropriate technologies.
• Use analytical and reflective thinking techniques to identify and analyze problems, and develop solutions.
• Evaluate diverse perspectives and promote inclusion in public health settings.
• Test for a national public health certification.

The following is a list of example occupations that one could pursue (this is just a sample, as job titles and names continue to change in the industry):

• Public Health Officer
• Public Health Administrator
• Performance Management Director
• Epidemiologist
• Public Health Emergency Management
• Environmental Scientists and Specialists
• Biostatistician
• Health Educator 
• Community Health
• Healthcare Administrator/Manager
• Healthcare Data Analyst

The following is a list of example organizations in which one could pursue employment:

• Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
• World Health Organization (WHO)
• US Public Health Services (USPHS)
• State Department of Health and Human Services
• County Public Health Departments
• Indian Health Services
• Hospitals
• Non-Profit Organizations
• National Institutes of Health
• Academia
• Hospitals or Other Healthcare Settings

include, but are not limited to, the following:

• 11-9111.00 – Medical and Health Services Manager
• 29-2071.00 – Medical Records and Health Information Technicians
• 19-1041.00 – Epidemiologists
• 19-2041.00 – Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
• 19-2042.00 – Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers
• 19-2043.00 – Hydrologists
• 21-1094.00 – Community Health Workers
• 21-1091.00 – Health Education Specialists

*Detailed information regarding classifications can be found at www.onetonline.org.

In order to graduate and receive a Master of Public Health degree, students must earn a minimum of 42 credits for the courses in the Public Health curriculum and have a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.0 or better. Students who elect to do so may also sit for a wide variety of industry certifications, which completion of are not required to graduate. One attempt at the Registered Environmental Health Specialist (REHS) certification or the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) is included in tuition costs; passing scores are not required for graduation.

Each semester is 16 weeks, split into two 8-week terms. The following term schedule is subject to change.