The Master of Public Health (MPH) is a 42-credit hour program that offers broad, interdisciplinary training in public health that prepares students for work in various settings. Settings may include public and private healthcare organizations and businesses, health research facilities, social service, and environmental health agencies, and government institutions dedicated to public health policy, programming, and services. There are three concentrations from which students may choose:
Public Health Promotion
The Public Health Promotion concentration prepares students to educate others, develop programming, conduct research, and advocate for public health. Attention to improving health equity and reducing health disparities among all populations is a central focus. Additionally, students will be prepared to pursue terminal degrees in the behavioral, epidemiological, or environmental health sciences and health-related law, policy, and healthcare administration.
School Health
The School Health concentration prepares students for leadership roles in the field of school health. Through applied practice, students learn best practices in curriculum development, selection and design of assessments, skills-based teaching strategies, program planning and evaluation, and advocacy while also building foundational knowledge in health content areas. Additionally, the coursework meets Illinois requirements for certified teachers seeking an endorsement in Health Education. It also prepares them to take the Illinois Health Education content test.
Healthcare Administration
The Healthcare Administration concentration prepares students for leadership and management positions in various healthcare settings. In addition to learning the basic principles of public health, students explore and apply concepts, processes, and theoretical content related to public policy, human resource management, marketing, financial planning, health economics, health equity, and global health. An emphasis is placed on the differences between leadership and management and the role of ethics, cultural competency, and social, economic, and environmental accountability in effective leadership.
All three concentrations prepare students to sit for the Community Health Education Specialist certification exam. More information about the exam can be found on the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing website.
Admission Requirements
Applicants can find University Graduate Admissions requirements here in the Academic Catalog. Additional application information can be found on the Admissions website. Program-specific admissions information, including when the program accepts applications for admission, please contact department.
MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Public Health Promotion Concentration Required Courses | ||
| PH-400 | Introduction To Public Health | 3 |
| PH-405 | Social And Behavioral Health Theory | 3 |
| PH-410 | Epidemiology | 3 |
| PH-415 | Biostatistics | 3 |
| PH-420 | Environmental Health | 3 |
| PH-430 | Health Literacy & Health Communications | 3 |
| PH-440 | Health Disparities & Health Advocacy | 3 |
| PH-450 | Health Care Program And Services Administration | 3 |
| PH-460 | Design And Development Of Public Health Programs | 3 |
| PH-470 | Research Methods In Public Health | 3 |
| PH-480 | Internship I | 3 |
| PH-490 | Capstone | 3 |
| Public Health Promotion Concentration Elective Courses | ||
6 credits approved by the academic advisor | ||
| School Health Concentration Required Courses | ||
| PH-400 | Introduction To Public Health | 3 |
| PH-405 | Social And Behavioral Health Theory | 3 |
| PH-410 | Epidemiology | 3 |
| PH-415 | Biostatistics | 3 |
| PH-420 | Environmental Health | 3 |
| PH-460 | Design And Development Of Public Health Programs | 3 |
| PH-523 | Mental Health Education And Promotion | 3 |
| PH-503 | Human Sexuality And Sex Education | 3 |
| EXSC-405 | Applied Nutrition | 3 |
| PH-519 | Substance Use And Abuse Education | 3 |
| PH-555 | Organization And Administration Of School Health | 3 |
| PH-564 | Theories And Concepts Of School Health Education | 3 |
| PH-470 | Research Methods In Public Health | 3 |
| PH-490 | Capstone | 3 |
| Healthcare Administration Concentration Required Courses | ||
| PH-400 | Introduction To Public Health | 3 |
| PH-405 | Social And Behavioral Health Theory | 3 |
| PH-410 | Epidemiology | 3 |
| PH-415 | Biostatistics | 3 |
| PH-425 | Global Health | 3 |
| PH-430 | Health Literacy & Health Communications | 3 |
| PH-450 | Health Care Program And Services Administration | 3 |
| PH-460 | Design And Development Of Public Health Programs | 3 |
| PH-470 | Research Methods In Public Health | 3 |
| PH-480 | Internship I | 3 |
| PH-490 | Capstone | 3 |
| COBM-403 | Topics In Management And Marketing | 3 |
| MNGT-403 | Leadership And Organizational Behavior | 3 |
| Healthcare Administration Concentration Elective Courses (Pick 1 Course) | ||
| HRD-400 | Hrd And The Organization | 3 |
| HRD-410 | Talent Management | 3 |
| MNGT-474 | Human Resources Policy And Decision Making | 3 |
Graduate Student Requirements:
In addition to program-specific requirements, all graduate students must abide by university graduate policies, which can be found in the Academic Catalog in the section of the College of Graduate Studies and Research.
EXIT REQUIREMENTS
Successful completion of all program requirements.
This is a sample plan of study for a student pursuing the MPH - Public Health Promotion concentration part-time. For a full-time plan of study or for part- and full-time plans of study for the School Health Promotion concentration, contact the program coordinator and/or academic advisor.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Hours | |
| PH-400 | Introduction To Public Health | 3 |
| PH-415 | Biostatistics | 3 |
| Term Hours | 6 | |
| Term 2 | ||
| PH-440 | Health Disparities Health Advocacy | 3 |
| PH-405 | Social And Behavioral Health Theory | 3 |
| Term Hours | 6 | |
| Term 3 | ||
| Elective Course | 3 | |
| Term Hours | 3 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Term 1 | ||
| PH-410 | Epidemiology | 3 |
| PH-420 | Environmental Health | 3 |
| Term Hours | 6 | |
| Term 2 | ||
| PH-450 | Health Care Program And Services Administration | 3 |
| PH-460 | Design And Development Of Public Health Programs | 3 |
| Term Hours | 6 | |
| Term 3 | ||
| Elective Course | 3 | |
| Term Hours | 3 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Term 1 | ||
| PH-470 | Research Methods In Public Health | 3 |
| PH-430 | Health Literacy Health Communications | 3 |
| Term Hours | 6 | |
| Term 2 | ||
| PH-490 | Capstone | 3 |
| PH-480 | Internship I | 3 |
| Term Hours | 6 | |
| Total Hours: | 42 | |