Department Contact:
Chair: Dr. Theresa Horner, thorner@francis.edu, 814-472-3357
Program Description:
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.
Although the MPH program curriculum is designed for completion within 18 months, students may take up to three years to complete the program. Students would be required to declare this intention with their academic advisor and work with them to develop a clear pathway towards graduation. Students who exercise this option are advised that necessary course sequencing might delay program completion.
Estimated Completion Time:
Typically 18 months of full-time study
Student Learning Outcomes:
Graduates of this program will be able to:
- Engage in evidence-based practice, using Public Health Sciences, to promote physical, mental, and spiritual wellness rooted in environmental health;
- Exercise leadership in Public Health, grounded in an ecological perspective, by identifying the natural and social determinants of health status in communities and the dynamic interplay among these factors for the promotion of health;
- Create systems level interventions using quantitative and qualitative epidemiologic outcomes evaluation to analyze the geographical, demographic, and cultural patterns of the distribution of disease and injury in communities;
- Engage in life-long learning to promote the science of Public Health through evidence-based research;
- Utilize systems level educational interventions, focused on wellness, that improve communication amongst residents and organizations by addressing factors such as health literacy and diversity using resources within academic, health care, and political institutions;
- Generate and lead interdisciplinary collaborations to ethically assess and address persistent and emerging challenges in public health through health policy at the local, state, national, and global level.
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 these 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
Admissions Deadline:
This program has rolling admission.
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:
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;
- 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.
Total Credits Required:
42 credits