Online Master of Public Health (MPH)
MHA Search
The most pressing challenges in public health today—pandemics, population health, health disparities, healthcare access, and the rising costs of healthcare—require forward-thinking leaders. Many of those leaders choose to complete a master of public health (MPH) degree, which equips them to address not only the challenges that exist today, but the ones that will exist in the near future.
The core curriculum of most MPH programs will cover the foundational issues of public health leadership. This may include biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health, and health informatics. Many programs also offer the opportunity for students to specialize in a specific area of public health, such as epidemiology or nutrition. And even online MPH programs will incorporate an in-person practicum, where students will apply what they’ve learned in the classroom to real-world scenarios.
Entry requirements for online MPH programs will vary from school to school but may include the following: a competitive undergraduate GPA (3.0 or greater); a statement of purpose; relevant work experience; GRE scores; and letter(s) of recommendation. Applicants should also take note of an MPH program’s accreditation. The industry standard is the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), but some online programs are still very young and not all have achieved full accreditation.
Earning an MPH is a step towards creating a healthier, fairer world. To learn more about online MPH programs and the experts teaching them, read on.
Featured Online MPH Programs
The online MPH program at GW Milken Institute SPH is ranked number 12 in the nation by US News and World Report. Online students benefit from the school’s location in the nation’s capital, linking with an alumni network of over 300,000 and establishing connections with influential public health leaders during in-person immersions.
The program is highly customizable, with a curriculum tailored to each student’s individual goals, whether toward a niche area of public health or a more generalist approach. Elective courses are available in epidemiology, global health, health communication, health informatics and analytics, health policy, and program planning and evaluation. Students looking to focus on the applications of data science and IT in healthcare may choose to concentrate in health informatics.
The online MPH program at GW Milken Institute SPH consists of 45 credits and can be completed in either a one-year accelerated format, an 18-month accelerated format, or on a longer, part-time basis.
- Location: Washington, DC
- Accreditation: Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)
- Expected Time to Completion: One to two years
- Estimated Tuition: $1,765 per credit
The online MPH program at Ohio University differentiates itself by offering an additional focus on rural health disparities. Its graduates can become health leaders who prioritize the protection of vulnerable and underserved communities.
Students in the MPH program at Ohio University will take courses such as program planning and implementation in public health; health disparities; environmental health; evaluation and quality improvement in healthcare; and social and behavioral sciences. Students may earn an epidemiology certificate by taking classes in epidemiology in public health and biostatistics in public health.
After completing the core curriculum, students will participate in a capstone project, applying what they’ve learned in the classroom to a community setting. The program consists of 42 credits in total.
- Location: Athens, OH
- Accreditation: Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) (Applicant)
- Expected Time to Completion: Two years
- Estimated Tuition: $1,079 per credit
Strayer University hosts an online master of health services administration (MHSA) program with a public health concentration option. Students in this program will apply legal and ethical thinking to complex public health conditions, explore basic epidemiology concepts, develop strategies to manage pandemics, and learn how to manage healthcare organizations.
The MHSA curriculum at Strayer University includes classes such as managerial epidemiology; public health management; environmental health management; management in healthcare; healthcare policy, law, and ethics; and health information systems. The program consists of 12 classes in total, each 11 weeks in length.
- Location: Herndon, VA
- Accreditation: Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
- Expected Time to Completion: 12-18 months
- Estimated Tuition: $1,680 per course
The MPH program at Grand Canyon University is focused on the public health challenges of the 21st century. Students will learn how to design, plan, and implement public health programs and services following the industry’s best practices.
The MPH program curriculum at Grand Canyon University includes classes such as: social and behavioral principles of public health; application and interpretation of public health data; international perspectives in community health; and leadership and management in public health. Students will also take a public health capstone course that requires 150 hours of supervised field experience. The program consists of 48 credits in total.
- Location: Phoenix, AZ
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Expected Time to Completion: 24 to 36 months
- Estimated Tuition: $557 per credit
Tufts University School of Medicine offers an online MPH program that’s accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). Program faculty members collaborate with local and state health departments and national and international organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
The online MPH program at Tufts utilizes a collaborative online environment, with live, seminar-style classes. In their studies, students will explore ways to address health disparities in their own communities. Students may choose to concentrate in either epidemiology and biostatistics or population health promotion. In addition to the core curriculum, students will complete an applied learning experience (ALE) that includes 160 hours of supervised field experience. The program consists of 40 credits.
- Location: Middlesex, MA
- Accreditation: Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)
- Expected Time to Completion: 20 to 32 months
- Estimated Tuition: $1,831 per credit
The online MPH program at UNC Gillings School of Public Health is rated as one of the best in the nation by US News & World Report. Graduates will be prepared to anticipate and combat some of society’s most urgent public health challenges.
Students may choose from four different concentrations: registered dietitian; applied epidemiology; nutrition; or leadership. In addition to the didactic portion of the curriculum, students will complete an experiential learning module that includes at least 200 hours of fieldwork. The program consists of 42 credits.
- Location: Chapel Hill, NC
- Accreditation: Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)
- Expected Time to Completion: 16-20 months
- Estimated Tuition: $1,997 per credit
The online MPH program at Walden University is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). Students will learn from practicing public health experts and use data analytics to explore solutions to the most pressing problems in the public health field.
The program’s foundational courses provide a global perspective on public health issues and breakthroughs. In addition to the didactic portion of the curriculum, students will complete an intensive two-quarter practicum to gain direct field experience. The program consists of 64 credits.
- Location: Minneapolis, MN
- Accreditation: Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)
- Expected Time to Completion: Varies
- Estimated Tuition: $492 per credit
The online MPH program at USC’s Keck School of Medicine provides students with personalized attention, mentorship, and guidance from renowned public health leaders. Faculty members in the MPH program have served as advisors to organizations such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Students may choose from one of six concentrations: biostatistics and epidemiology; community health promotion; global health; geohealth; health services and policy; or generalist. They’ll also complete a hands-on practicum where they’ll apply what they’ve learned in the classroom to the real world. The program consists of 42 credits.
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
- Accreditation: Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)
- Expected Time to Completion: 12 months
- Estimated Tuition: $1,666 per credit
Imperial College London offers an online Global Master of Public Health program that focuses on the practical aspects of public health. While not formally accredited, the MPH program at Imperial College London adheres to the European standards laid out by the Agency for Public Health Education Accreditation (APHEA) and leverages its own ability to stay nimble and respond to the most recent developments in public health (including the school’s own research discoveries).
Students will take three core specializations: statistics for public health, epidemiology for public health, and foundations of public health practice. Students may also choose two optional specializations from a list that includes infectious disease modeling, global health innovations, participatory approaches in public health, and digital health.
The full MPH program, which includes a post-graduate certificate in public health and a postgraduate diploma in public health, consists of 90 credits under the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS).
- Location: London, UK
- Accreditation: None
- Expected Time to Completion: Two to three years (part-time)
- Estimated Tuition: £10,725 (per year)
The online MPH program at the University of Michigan is designed for students interested in the complex interplay between the varied forces that shape human health globally and locally. The program emphasizes applying research methods and public health principles to improve population health outcomes.
In addition to the core curriculum, students will take elective series in biostatistics; environmental health sciences; epidemiology; health behavior & health education; health management & policy; and nutritional sciences. In the second year of the program, students will complete an applied practice experience (APEx) and an integrated learning experience (ILE). The program consists of 42 credits in total.
- Location: Ann Arbor, MI
- Accreditation: Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)
- Expected Time to Completion: Two years
- Estimated Tuition: $48,000 (total)
Professors to Know in Online MPH Programs
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Stuart Batterman, PhD
University of Michigan
Dr. Stuart Batterman is a professor of global public health at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. His research and teaching interests address environmental impact assessment, human exposure and health risk assessment, and environmental management. Dr. Batterman earned both his MS and PhD in water resources and environmental engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Dr. Batterman teaches urban and global pollution and health, a class in the environmental health and sustainability series of electives for the online MPH program at the University of Michigan. He is particularly interested in improving exposure measures used in risk assessments and epidemiological studies. He also serves as associate editor of the Journal of Environment and Public Health. -
Melissa J. Perry, ScD, MHS
George Washington University
Dr. Melissa J. Perry is a professor and chair in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at George Washington University. She earned her master of health science and doctor of science from the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health. Before joining the faculty at George Washington University, Dr. Perry spent 13 years as a faculty member of the Harvard School of Public Health’s Department of Environmental Health.
A leading public health expert, Dr. Perry’s current research projects investigate how climate change is impacting the properties of pesticides and other chemicals; her classes focus on the connections between climate change and public health. The students Dr. Perry has mentored have become professors, government program directors, and leaders of major research initiatives. -
Helen Ward, PhD, FRCP, FFPH
Imperial College London
Dr. Helen Ward is a physician and a clinical professor of public health at Imperial College London. She earned her MSc in epidemiology from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and completed her PhD at City, University of London. Dr. Ward’s research investigated the health of sex workers in London.
Amongst other responsibilities, Dr. Ward leads the Imperial Patient Experience Research Centre (PERC), which focuses on patient and public involvement for the Imperial Biomedical Research Centre and researches participatory approaches to improving healthcare quality. Dr. Ward is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (FRCP) and a fellow of the Faculty of Public Health (FFPH).
