Master of Public Health (MPH)

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Description

The Department of Public Health and Health Education offers the Master of Public Health (MPH)  for those students wishing to work in the field of Public Health as health educators. Graduates of this program will be prepared to work in a variety of settings and with a variety of populations planning, implementing, and evaluating programs, creating and disseminating health communication materials, and organizing and leading collaborative efforts within and across organizations for the improvement of health.

The program requires students to complete 42 credit hours, which includes a 3-credit internship in the field. The program prepares students to sit for the National Health Education Specialist exam to earn the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) designation or the Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES), depending on professional experience.

Admission to the Program

All applicants for the MPH program must have completed a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university (see the Graduate Admissions section in this catalog for further details). Academic standards for acceptance into the program include the following:

  1. An undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0; (An applicant with an undergraduate GPA of less than 3.0 may present his/her written rationale for acceptance in the application materials.)
  2. A personal statement that describes the applicant’s personal and professional experiences that have lead them to pursue a master’s in community health education; the personal qualities and skills the applicant possesses that will contribute positively to their success in graduate school, the learning of others, and the positive reputation of the program; and the applicant’s personal/professional goals and how they relate to the ten essential public health services.
  3. Contact information for three academic or professional references. If contacted, the references should comment on the applicant's ability to do graduate work, including:
    1. Competence in professional work performance;
    2. Academic performance in college;
    3. Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; and
    4. Ability to relate effectively with colleagues, students, clients, superior and subordinate personnel, and the general public.
  4. Evidence of having successfully completed ("C" or better) at least two semesters of anatomy and physiology 1 & 2 or one semester of survey of anatomy and physiology.
  5. Evidence of having successfully completed ("C" or better) one semester of statistics at the undergraduate level.

Note: Courses completed prior to matriculation may or may not be approved for subsequent inclusion in a successful applicant's Course of Study, at the discretion of the department. Generally, no more than six credits taken before matriculation will be applied to a graduate student's degree program.

Application, official transcripts from all colleges attended, and contact information for three references should be submitted to the Center for Graduate Studies. Applications and deadlines are available online on the Center for Graduate Studies webpage.

The decision to recommend acceptance or rejection of an application lies wholly with the department, whose professional responsibility is to determine if applicants adequately meet academic, professional or ethical standards.

Program Requirements

Students must meet the College's standards for graduate study.

Students enrolled in the MPH program must earn a grade of "B-" or higher (a grade of "C+" does not meet this requirement) in each course applied to the degree.

Required Courses (30 credits)

  • PBH 602 Principles and Philosophy of Health Education
  • PBH 603 Environmental Health
  • PBH 618 Epidemiological Methods
  • PBH 684 Assessment and Evaluation in Health Education
  • PBH 513 Healthcare in America
  • PBH 604 Health Behavior Theory
  • PBH 644 Program Planning
  • PBH 688 Evaluation
  • PBH 650 Communication in Health Education
  • PBH 641 Community Organization

Content Electives (6 credits)

Students should consult with their academic advisor to determine appropriate elective choices; some electives may be offered on a fall-only or spring-only basis and during summer and winter sessions.

Capstone Courses (6 credits)

  • PBH 686 Research Methods in Health Education (pre requisite PBH 684)
  • PBH 693 Internship in Community Health Education (pre/co requisite all other PBH courses)