Master of Public Health (MPH)
Overview
The Master of Public Health (MPH) is offered on campus and online with concentrations in community health and epidemiology. Students may complete the program at their own pace with the potential to earn their degree in as little as 18 months. The MPH program uses a combination of public health coursework and applied learning experiences to ensure graduates are ready to join the workforce to tackle pressing public health issues.
Key Benefits
- Complete in as little as 18 months
- Can complete one or both concentrations in community health and epidemiology
- By 2030, employment is expected to grow 21% and 30% for community health workers and epidemiologists, respectively
Program Objectives
Students receiving the MPH degree will be trained for positions in health policy, research, education, and administration. The community health concentration places special emphasis on the application of public health theory and science to the planning, organization, and evaluation of community health programs. The epidemiology concentration focuses on the distribution, etiology, and patterns of health conditions within populations.
Graduates will be able to:
- Obtain employment in a variety of settings including academic and research institutions, local and state health departments, non-profit organizations, healthcare settings, and businesses in the private sector
- Work with diverse populations to promote and protect health at the local, state, national, and global levels
- Develop knowledge and skills in public health content areas of interest such as infectious and chronic disease, environmental health, health behavior, maternal and child health, health equity, and nutrition
Courses
The MPH program consists of 42 credit hours and is organized so that students complete a public health core (15 credits), at least one concentration (9 credits), a practicum experience (6 credits), and elective courses (3-12 credits). All courses are 8-week, accelerated courses.
Public Health Core (15 credits)
PH 505: Health Program Planning (3)
PH 528: Public Health Policy (3)
JOUR/IMC 585: Health Communication (3)
PH 610: Biostatistics for Public Health Practice (3)
PH 646: Epidemiology (3)
Public Health Practicum (6 credits)
PH 698: Public Health Practicum (6)
- Satisfies the CEPH requirement for an Applied Practice Experience (APE)
Community Health Concentration (9 credits)
PH 555: Health Equity (3)
PH 635: Theories in Health (3)
PH 685: Health Program Evaluation (3)
Epidemiology Concentration (9 credits)
PH 670: Applied Epidemiology (3)
PH 674: Chronic Disease Epidemiology (3)
PH 680: Infectious Disease Epidemiology (3)
Electives (3-12 credits)
Students without an undergraduate degree in public health must take PH 600: Foundations of Public Health in their first semester as one of their elective courses. Students will have the option to use their elective courses to complete a second MPH concentration or to take courses at the 500+ graduate level within or outside the public health program in their areas of interest. Electives outside the public health program may follow a 16-week semester program delivery.
Integrative Learning Experience (ILE)
In the last semester of their degree, students will complete a comprehensive exam to satisfy the CEPH requirement for an integrative learning experience (ILE).
Contact
For more information about the MPH program, contact the program coordinator, Dr. Allison Ford-Wade, ford@olemiss.edu, or any of our public health faculty.