Online Master of Public Health (MPH)
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For the 2023-2024 academic year, we have 112 schools in our MHAOnline.com database and those that advertise with us are labeled “sponsor”. When you click on a sponsoring school or program, or fill out a form to request information from a sponsoring school, we may earn a commission. View our advertising disclosure for more details.
“The future for MPH graduates looks promising and diverse, with opportunities expanding across various sectors. Public health professionals have the opportunity to shape healthcare, policy, and community.”
Linda Marc, ScD, Associate Dean of Public Health Practice and Continuing Education, Walden University
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, equipping them to address not only the challenges that exist today but also the ones that will exist in the 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. Read on to learn more.
| Featured Online MPH Programs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Walden University | Master of Public Health (MPH) | Visit Program Website |
| George Mason University | Master of Public Health (MPH) - Public Health Practice | Visit Program Website |
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For the 2023-2024 academic year, we have 112 schools in our MHAOnline.com database and those that advertise with us are labeled “sponsor”. When you click on a sponsoring school or program, or fill out a form to request information from a sponsoring school, we may earn a commission. View our advertising disclosure for more details. |
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Meet the Expert: Linda Marc, ScD, MPH, MS
Dr. Linda Marc is the associate dean of public health practice and continuing education at Walden University’s College of Health Sciences. With nearly 20 years of experience in public health, she has held academic and leadership roles at Yale, Harvard, and Boston University Medical Center. Her work spans diversity in clinical trials, social determinants of health, and patient-reported outcomes.
Dr. Marc has led major national and international public health initiatives, including directing a $21 million HRSA-funded HIV behavioral intervention project across 26 U.S. sites. She has served as CEO and chief science officer of Behavioral Science International, advising ministries of health in Haiti and serving as a key contributor to public health efforts related to sexual violence, HIV prevention, and mental health in vulnerable populations.
Appointed by the U.S. Census Bureau, Dr. Marc served for a decade on advisory committees shaping national race and ethnicity data collection policies. She holds a doctorate of science (ScD) in the social determinants of health from the Harvard School of Public Health and an MPH in psychosocial epidemiology from the Yale School of Public Health.
MHAOnline.com: What is something you wish the public understood about public health?
Dr. Marc: Now is the time to shape the future of public health. As many aspects of the field come under increased scrutiny, it is essential to engage with evidence-based knowledge and advocate using science and facts. By doing so, we can influence policy, shape discourse, and drive positive social change in our communities.
Public health is an essential field that is tangible for all, and it continues to evolve, respond, and adapt to new technologies, health issues, and crises.
MHAOnline.com: Do you have any advice for those who may be considering an MPH program like yours?
Dr. Marc: Pursuing a master of public health (MPH) degree is a transformative and impactful step toward a career in improving population health. At Walden, students can enter the program with diverse academic and professional backgrounds. Through a strong foundation in core public health disciplines, graduates are well-prepared to pursue a wide range of roles, including public health educators, researchers, community health planners, biostatisticians, behavioral and social health specialists, environmental and occupational health professionals, and public health policymakers.
MHAOnline.com: What does the future look like for graduates of these types of programs?
Dr. Marc: The future for MPH graduates looks promising and diverse, with opportunities expanding across various sectors. Public health professionals have the opportunity to shape healthcare, policy, and community.
Featured Online MPH Programs
The online master of public health (MPH) program at the University of North Carolina’s 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 three different concentrations: MPH leadership; applied epidemiology; or MPH nutrition.
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.
The curriculum includes courses such as systems approaches to understanding public health issues; data analysis for public health; developing, implementing, and evaluating public health solutions; core principles in public health leadership; nutrition across the life cycle; nutritional epidemiology; leadership in health policy for social justice; fundamentals of epidemiology; and methods in field epidemiology.
- Location: Chapel Hill, NC
- Accreditation: Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH); Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Expected Time to Completion: 16 to 36 months
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. The program also offers a concentration in community health.
Students in the MPH program at Ohio University will take courses such as program planning and implementation in rural public health; rural health disparities; environmental health sciences in public health; program evaluation in rural public health; and social and behavioral sciences in public health. 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 of Education for Public Health (CEPH); Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
George Mason University’s online master of public health (MPH) program features a partnership with the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO). This partnership aims to prepare leaders in public health through workforce training, executive leadership education and applied research. Students in this program will be required to complete 200 contact hours of fieldwork for the applied practice experience. Through in-person fieldwork and an experiential curriculum, students will gain valuable public health expertise and knowledge that will prepare them to create a positive change.
This 42-credit program includes core courses such as foundations of public health; fundamentals of epidemiology and biostatistics; community assessment and partnerships; health program planning and evaluations; role of government in healthcare and public health; and applied public health leadership and management. The program also includes a public health practice concentration.
Courses in the concentration include public health preparedness and response; evidence-based public health practice; public health equity and justice; project management in public health; and public health problems in a changing society.
- Location: Fairfax, VA
- Accreditation: Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH); Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Expected Time to Completion: 30 to 36 months
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville offers an online master of public health (MPH) program preparing students for versatile careers dedicated to promoting the well-being and health of all individuals. The program offers four concentration options that provide pathways to several public health careers. These concentrations include epidemiology (EPI); community health education (CHE); health policy and management (HPM); and veterinary public health (VPH).
This 42-credit program has both full-time and part-time options and can be completed entirely online. The curriculum includes courses such as environmental health; health systems, policy and leadership; biostatistics; fundamentals of program evaluation; epidemiology; and assessment and planning.
In the last semester, students will apply the skills they have learned to real-life situations through an applied practice experience (APEx). They get to pick the site of their APEx, allowing them to work at organizations within their community. Through this 240-hour minimum work experience, students develop and demonstrate public health competencies while contributing to projects that benefit organizations.
- Location: Knoxville, TN
- Accreditation: Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH); Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Expected Time to Completion: 24 to 36 months
Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences offers an online master of public health (MPH) program that focuses its studies on community health science. Prospective students can choose to complete this 42-credit program on a part-time, full-time, or accelerated basis. Through the community health science focus, students will learn how to serve people in their community in the best manner through partnerships with public health organizations and cross-disciplinary collaboration.
All students in this program will be required to attend a weekend-long on-campus immersion experience, during which they will learn from Baylor University’s faculty members and network with their fellow online students.
The curriculum includes courses such as theoretical foundations of health behavior and public health; foundations of public health; public health concepts in epidemiology; assessment and planning in public and community health; evaluation in public and community health; administration and leadership in public health; fundamentals of environmental health science; statistical methodology; and global public health.
- Location: Waco, TX
- Accreditation: Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH); Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Expected Time to Completion: Accelerated (12 months); full-time (18 months); part-time (24 months)
Purdue’s CEPH-accredited online master of public health program includes a family and community health concentration that focuses on issues related to the family unit. Incorporating real-world examples of public health intervention design, the program’s coursework helps students learn how to analyze research studies and translate them into real-world settings. The program also incorporates a 200-hour work experience practicum that can be tailored to each student’s area of interest.
Comprising 42 credits, the program’s core coursework includes courses such as theoretical foundations of health behavior; fundamentals of epidemiology; introduction to quantitative methods of public health; introduction to environmental health; public health administration; and design and analysis of public health interventions.
The family and community health concentration includes courses such as healthcare communication; international health systems: a comparative approach; public health program and policy evaluation; families and health; and public health nutrition.
- Location: West Lafayette, IN
- Accreditation: Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH); Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
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. The curriculum includes courses such as fundamentals of biostatistics; global health and social justice; health policy and systems thinking; program planning, implementation, and evaluation; leadership and professional practice in public health; and public health research methods.
- Location: Minneapolis, MN
- Accreditation: Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH); Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
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. The program offers several concentration options in epidemiology & biostatistics; population health promotion; health services management & policy; nutrition; and individualized study. Notably, only the population health promotion and epidemiology & biostatistics concentrations are available online.
The program consists of 42 credits. Core courses include principles of epidemiology; public health assessment: data, determinants, and systems; public health action: programs, policy, and advocacy; principles of biostatistics; and evaluation of public health programs.
- Location: Boston, MA
- Accreditation: Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH); New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
- Expected Time to Completion: 20 to 32 months
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 five concentrations: biostatistics and epidemiology; community health promotion; global health; health services and policy; or generalist. They’ll also complete a hands-on practicum to apply what they’ve learned in the classroom to the real world. The program consists of 42 credits.
The curriculum includes courses such as foundations in health education and promotion; public health leadership and management; principles of epidemiology; principles of biostatistics; epidemiology of infectious disease; organizing and mobilizing communities for public health; ethical issues in public health; public health policy & politics; and chronic disease epidemiology.
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
- Accreditation: Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH); WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
- Expected Time to Completion: 12 to 24 months
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 courses in statistics for public health; epidemiology in public health; foundations of public health practice; health protection; health systems development; and population health improvement. 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: 24 to 36 months (part-time)
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.
The core curriculum includes courses such as introduction to biostatistics; social determinants of health; communication fundamentals; nutrition and public health; principles of epidemiology for public health; public health systems, policy, and management; public health sciences and the environment; population health; and leadership skills for interprofessional practice.
- Location: Ann Arbor, MI
- Accreditation: Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH); Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
