Master of Public Health (MPH)

Due to the increasing volume of Fall 2008 MPH applications, students are encouraged to submit applications by March 15, 2008. 

MPH Concentration Descriptions

The Master of Public Health (MPH) is a professional degree designed to prepare graduates to tackle real public health problems, as practitioners who can apply their breadth of understanding as well as some degree of expertise and experience in at least one specific area of public health. The School's interdisciplinary MPH degree program allows students to apply cutting edge scientific and technical knowledge to preventing disease and promoting wellness through organized community efforts.The diversity and complexity of today's public health concerns require practitioners who understand the political, ethical, economic, and scientific concerns involved in addressing the great challenges to the modern world. The school's unique focus on linking academic studies with a broad base of knowledge, skills and experience necessary to meet today's public health challenges. All students participate in at least two distinct public health internship.

*please note: "Plan of study/ Clases required" links open up to a pdf.

Graduates completing the Biomedical Sciences concentration will understand the biomedical basis of public health, including the molecular basis of disease and implications for public health programs. Students will acquire a foundation of knowledge in the core areas of biomedical sciences, and understand the fundamental role of the biomedical sciences in public health, in particular, in the detection, treatment and prevention of genetic, infectious, and other human diseases. They will understand the strengths and limitations of various laboratory methodologies and their application to public health problems. (Plan of study/ Classes required)

Biostatistics

Graduates completing the Biostatistics concentration will be prepared to serve as collaborators in public health projects, providing expert advice on the use of statistics in analysis of public health data. Students will acquire a foundation of knowledge in the core areas of statistical science, develop skills in defining a problem and determining the variables that are relevant to solving a public health problem, understand the appropriate use of data, the integrity of data sets, and how data might be used in public health issues, and acquire specialized knowledge in two areas of statistical science. (Plan of study/ Classes required)

Environmental Health

Graduates completing the Environmental Health concentration will be prepared to assess environmental quality and risk and to apply scientific knowledge to solving environmental health problems. Students will acquire knowledge of environmental health, including two of three sciences relevant to environmental health: chemistry, toxicology, and environmental and occupational health. They will acquire skills in collecting and analyzing environmental data, dose-response assessment and risk assessment, and they will understand the strengths and limitations of various laboratory methodologies so as to make valid use of scientific data and their application to environmental health problems. (Plan of study/ Classes required)

Epidemiology

Graduates completing the Epidemiology concentration will understand the design, application and interpretation of epidemiological studies of public health problems in the community. Students will become familiar with the range of epidemiologic practice, including surveillance, etiologic investigation, and the evaluation of preventive interventions.

They will be able to define, compute and interpret fundamental epidemiologic measures, explain the principles and the strengths and weaknesses of epidemiologic study designs, know how to apply the fundamental techniques for selection of study populations, have experience with techniques for collecting data and evaluating quality of data, demonstrate basic skills for managing computer-based data, and demonstrate the ability to interpret and present the results of epidemiological research. (Plan of study/ Classes required)

Health Policy and Management

Graduates completing the Health Policy and Management concentration will be prepared to manage public health programs. They will learn to articulate alternative models of management/organizational functioning, how these might bear on defining and resolving problems, and understand the uses of organizational research methods in existing organizations. Graduates will be able to utilize communication as a tool for developing participation and motivation among organizational members, as well as performing such core leadership tasks as directing, mentoring, facilitating and brokering. They will be able to state options for change and their supporting theoretical rationale and identify barriers to change, and to develop mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating programs for their effectiveness and quality. (Plan of study/ Classes required)

Social Behavior/Community Health

Graduates completing the Social Behavior/Community Health concentration will understand the influence of individual, group and cultural factors on the health of populations as well as on the ways in which these factors influence the development and organization of public health programs and service delivery in communities. Students will learn to distinguish the relative effectiveness of different public health interventions, utilizing appropriate principles and methods from social and behavioral sciences that address behavior of individuals, groups and communities, and how to design a strategy for developing and/or improving a community-based public health program to reduce the prevalence of a particular risk behavior. They will be able to develop a data management plan for assessing the need for a program, relate the relevance of evaluation or research findings for implementing a program, and develop mechanisms to monitor and evaluate community intervention programs for their effectiveness and quality. (Plan of study/ Classes required)