Master of Public Health

Chair: Dr. Theresa Horner

The Master in Public Health (MPH) is an accelerated program that serves to reduce the total time and expenses it would take to complete a traditional graduate program in Public Health. The MPH degree consists of 42 credits that include online course work, and field experiences, which emphasize a Rural Health focus culminating in a capstone research project. The online program allows for ease of entry and completion appealing to the working student or professional. The program is collaborative and incorporates current graduate course offerings from across the School of Health Science and Education including the Master in Health Science and the Master in Nursing programs.

Although the MPH program curriculum is designed for completion within a year, students may take up to 3 years to complete the program. Students would be required to declare this intention with their academic advisor and work with them to develop clear pathway towards graduation. Students who exercise this option advised that necessary course sequencing might delay program completion.

Admission Requirements:

• Completed online application
• Official transcripts verifying the conferral of a baccalaureate (bachelor) degree in public health and/or a health related profession. Applicants who do not met this criteria may be asked to complete pre-requisite undergraduate public health courses to secure program admission.  The pre-requisite courses may include
  • PUBH 101 Introduction to Public Health
  • PUBH 202 Epidemiology
  • PUBH 401 Global Health
  • STAT 205 Essentials of Statistics
• Baccalaureate GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale
• GRE (waived if GPA is at or above 3.2)
• Two Letters of Recommendation
• Current resume or curriculum vitae
• One page goal statement regarding your career aspirations in public health
• Non-refundable application fee of $55

Capstone Requirement:

Students in the Master of Public Health Program are required to develop, implement, evaluate, and report upon a public health intervention at a self-identified rural field experience site.  These requirements can be met through the successfully completing of the following courses:

• MPH 525 Fundamentals of Program Evaluation
• MPH 526 Program Planning & Implementation
• MPH 530 Applied Practice Experience
• MPH 533 Community Health Research and Assessment

Graduation Requirements:

A candidate for graduation must satisfy the following requirements:

• Complete all requirements for Master of Public Health degree;
• Complete the minimum number of credits as specified in this publication;
• Receive a minimum “C” grade in each course
• Repeat any course in which a final grade of “D” or “F” was obtained.
• Achieve a cumulative grade point average of 2.8 or better
• Submit a completed Application for Degree form at least one semester prior to graduation date; and
• Satisfy financial obligations to the University.
• Register and sit for the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) exam offered in April and October of each calendar year by the National Commission of Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC).  Students are responsible for the fees associated with this examination.