PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The MPH degree program provides a broad didactic experience in public health and preventive medicine. It is a rigorous curriculum with a quantitative focus, is sequenced to be completed within 12 months, and is primarily designed for individuals planning careers in Preventive Medicine and Public Health within the Uniformed Services. An MPH degree or its academic equivalent is a specific requirement for physicians seeking residency training and board certification in Aerospace Medicine, General Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, and several other public health specialties. Matriculants may include physicians and other academically qualified health professionals, such as veterinarians, dentists, sanitary engineers, microbiologists, entomologists, environmental scientists, nurses, and pharmacists, who wish to apply the core disciplines of public health to their career field. Uniformed personnel with education or experience in a health-related discipline are given priority as candidates for admission.
Graduates are expected to use their acquired quantitative and analytical skills in biostatistics and epidemiology to identify and measure community health needs and to investigate the impact of biological, environmental, and/or behavioral factors to solve public health problems. Each graduate will understand the components, operations, and financing of healthcare delivery services, particularly those in the public sector, and have the administrative skills to plan, analyze, manage, and improve public health programs for the Uniformed Services. In addition, many graduates will complete an “area of concentration” with required and elective course work in a specific area of public health and demonstrate the ability to apply appropriate specialized knowledge and skills to their chosen field.
The MPH degree program consists of a minimum of 60 quarter credit hours. The MPH degree requires 36 credit hours in core courses in the Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, including epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health, health services administration, and social and behavioral sciences. The minimum credit load per quarter required for a full-time student is 12, the maximum allowed is 22, and the typical load is 16-18. The satisfactory completion of an independent project and a practicum experience is required, and the courses related to these requirements are part of the core curriculum. The independent project is the capstone of the program and should represent the synthesis, integration, and application of core public health concepts and principles to solve or advance our understanding of a public health problem.
In addition to completing the core courses, MPH students will select an area of concentration from the following:
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics
- Environmental and Occupational Health
- Health Administration and Policy
- General Preventive Public Health
- Global Health
- Tropical Public Health
These areas of concentration are intended to help guide students who wish to focus their training and coursework on a particular area of public health.
CURRICULUM
Master of Public Health, MPH
ADMISSION
Preference for admission goes to medical, dental, and veterinary officers on active duty in the Uniformed Services, as well as to other Uniformed Services officers possessing doctoral degrees in health-related fields. Applicants without a doctoral degree in a health-related field may also be considered for admission. However, these applicants must have, as a minimum, a Baccalaureate degree from an accredited university with an outstanding academic record (college transcript(s) and GRE scores), some health-related experience, and demonstrated interest in pursuing a public health career. Civilian applicants will be considered for admission on a space-available basis, with preference given to physicians and other health professionals sponsored by other U.S. government agencies.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Required documents in support of the application:
- Names of three individuals familiar with the applicant’s academic, professional, and/or military service background and willing to write letters of recommendation. Individuals must be in positions that permit assessment of applicant’s potential for graduate studies
- A personal statement describing how the applicant became interested in public health and how they envision incorporating the training they would receive in their future careers
- Complete employment history/resume including relevant research or teaching experience since college
- Clarify any lapses in time since secondary school of three months or longer in duration
- Active-duty Uniformed Services personnel must obtain the sponsorship of their parent organization and should indicate the status of obtaining this sponsorship
APPLICATION DEADLINES
Deadline for full consideration of applications is December 1st for admission the following July.
If active duty service members require a letter of competitiveness or early consideration for admission before that date, they should notify the University’s Graduate Education office. Late applications are considered on a case-by-case basis, especially as they concern the needs of the Uniformed Services. Apply Here
FINANCIALS
TUITION AND FEES
Tuition and fees are waived for all students. Most students must purchase their own books (some sponsoring organizations provide funding for books).
SERVICE OBLIGATION
Civilian students do not incur service obligation to the United States government after the completion of their graduate studies.
Active-duty Uniformed Services personnel may incur an obligation for additional service in accordance with the applicable regulations governing sponsored graduate education.