MPH Program is the best guide for finding a Master of Public Health degree. When looking for an MPH program, make 100% sure it is accredited. The top accrediting board for MPH programs is the CEPH, or the Council on Education for Public Health.
MPH Program Guide for 2022 and Beyond
Sponsored MPH Online Programs
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Master of Public Health (MPH)
Earn your Master of Public Health (MPH) from UNC-Chapel Hill’s Gillings School of Global Public Health in as few as 16–20 months. The CEPH-accredited online learning experience offers four concentrations.
- Three accredited concentrations: MPH Leadership, MPH Nutrition, and Applied Epidemiology
- Part-time and full-time program options
- Curriculum includes applied field experience. Field placement services available.
George Washington University
Master of Public Health
With the online Master of Public Health (MPH) program from GW’s Milken Institute School of Public Health, you can earn your MPH in as few as 12 months. Make a meaningful difference in public health without having to relocate. No GRE required.
- Complete in as few as 12 months
- No GRE required
- Accredited by CEPH
Baylor University
Master of Public Health
Baylor University’s Master of Public Health online program can be completed in as few as 18 months. Serve communities in Texas and around the world. GRE scores are not required to apply.
- No GRE required
- Part-time and full-time options available
- Complete in as few as 18 months
Simmons University
Master of Public Health
The online Master of Public Health program from Simmons prepares students to become public health practitioners and address health inequity. The MPH can be completed in 15 months. No GRE required.
- No GRE scores required to apply
- No public health experience required to apply
- Complete in as few as 15 months
Boston University
Online Master of Public Health
Fully online and offered by the No. 6 School of Public Health, the Boston University Online MPH program offers a skills-based curriculum focused on health equity that prepares graduates to solve real-world public health problems. In just 24 months students will acquire the knowledge and skills to influence change and transform lives in their communities across the globe. No GRE/GMAT required to apply.
- 100% Online
- Affordable
- No. 6 School of Public Health
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MPH Program.com was created to help public health students research the Master of Public Health program online. This guide is specifically tailored to students that already have their Bachelors degree in a related field, as many accredited MPH programs require a minimum of a Bachelors degree.
There are hundreds of MPH programs in the US, and many universities are bringing their MPH programs online, creating a more seamless way for those looking to work or continue their career within public health.
Our MPH Program Guide is hand-edited and extensively researched. We have public health experts assist us with writing program guides, and have actual humans visit the accredited MPH schools in our database to quickly and easily summarize their program information on our website.
You can rest assured that all of the schools listed on this website are accredited. Some programs may have more information than others, such as graduate admissions information, specific MPH concentrations for the school’s MPH program, or even tuition information.
What is a MPH?
Stated directly, a MPH is a Masters in Public Health. ‘MPH’ is an acronym for the Master of Public Health Degree. Within the Public Health sector, ‘MPH’ is the common vernacular for the graduate or Masters level degree in Public Health, similar to an MBA for the business field. There are over 30 different specialty tracks or concentrations of the MPH that are available.
What Does Someone with a MPH Degree Do?
To get started, it is best to have a basic understanding of how society is affected by public health and public health professionals. One statement about public health would fail to be all-inclusive, since there is so much that goes into improving the overall health of society.
One of the main goals of the public health industry is to prevent the public from acquiring or spreading dangerous diseases or illnesses.
Providing direct support to people and to organizations that deal with people can contribute to better knowledge of the biologics associated with health as well as the preventative measures associated with successfully suppressing disease and illness. This can be achieved through educational programs, supervision, consulting, and patient services.
Connecting the general public with resources and services that can potentially be beneficial for them is another responsibility for individuals in this field. People within communities desire access to immunizations, family planning, occupational safety programs, and healthcare services that can assist them with providing a healthier environment for their families and others around them.
It is important that there are services available that monitor vital productions, such as food and water, as well as the safety of workplaces, community gathering places, and hospitals.
What You Should Know About the Master of Public Health Degree
A Masters in Public Health is a highly interdisciplinary degree that prepares students for careers that involve the overall improvement of individual, community, or global health. This program seeks to provide outlets for public health professionals to research methods of disease prevention, nutrition improvement, and increasing public knowledge about illness and disease.
Course Structure
If you are considering public health as a potential degree field, you should be prepared to take courses that introduce you to diseases from a biological standpoint. A greater understanding of how diseases and illnesses form and are transferred can provide you with a more knowledgeable foundation for better performance in the field.
Social Factors of Public Health
You may also investigate the social factors that come into play in communicable diseases, which may assist you in developing plans that are more effective in preventing mass illness within communities.
There are many concentration specializations for the MPH degree. Depending on whether or not you choose a specialization for your degree, you will possibly touch on specific aspects of public health, such as administration, disaster management, the focus on particular groups within your community, or education. All of the information gained throughout these programs tie together to give you the best understanding of how public health relates to your desired specialty.
Career Options for the Masters in Public Health
Making the choice to pursue a Masters in Public Health could allow you to pursue careers in areas that you may not have thought possible. The skills and expertise that is gained through higher learner can give you an advantage over others in your field, which is what a lot of businesses and organizations prefer.
Public health is a vital part of how the country effectively manages the widespread threat of illness. This can apply in various settings, since any organization that deals either directly or indirectly with the public can be affected by illnesses, disease, or injuries.
It is important to know what a degree can provide prior to dedicating years of your life to learning about it. Public health is definitely a field that can assist you in finding a career that plays a large role in society and can make a difference in the lives of others. Our dedicated experts have provided a few of the fields that you can be a part of with a Masters in Public Health.
If you feel like one of these fields is the right one for you, than a Masters in Public Health may be a good option for you.
Top MPH Programs
There are many different types of public health degrees and careers, and many, if not most, require an MPH. Here are the top MPH program specialties, or concentrations. They are vast, but they are growing, and more colleges are bringing their MPH programs online.
Epidemiology
The MPH Epidemiology concentration involves an accumulation of the many different topics that are considered in the acquisition, spread, and treatment of disease. Through this focus, students have the potential to study how age, sex, and other social characteristics contribute to the groups that have the highest prevalence of disease as well as how these diseases are spread and treated. The Epidemiology degree program is great for MPH majors that wish to pursue careers that investigate the biology of different diseases and how they are communicated throughout the community. Having a broad understanding of the causes, prevention, and control of disease is the overall purpose of this major in public health.
Biostatistics
An important topic in public health is the statistics and analysis of disease within different communities. There are specialists within the field of public health that focus on the computation of statistics and the development of problem-solving programs that can be applied to community health. Biostatistics provides a great blend of public health and mathematics, which contributes greatly to the field and provides methods for understanding why certain areas are more prone to specific diseases.
Environmental Health
This specialization includes several different ideas in public health. Environmental health includes the study of biological mechanisms, which is important to understanding the function and purpose of organisms in biology, risk assessment, another important topic that encompasses the need for proper risk assumptions in public health, and overall environmental health. This major sets itself apart from others in that it considers the environment as a whole when solving delicate public health issues, and provides solutions that seek to increase the integrity of certain environments to better provide for good health.
General Public Health
The General Public Health track offers students the opportunity of learning the basic methods and procedures that are used in different aspects of public health. Most programs in this specialty include topics for several different departments, including administration, research, biostatistics, and microbiology. This major draws students from several different intended careers paths, including those that are seeking careers in public health management, research, or even education.
Social and Behavior Science
Social and behavior sciences play a large role in how disease and illnesses are spread throughout the community. Different groups, whether economic, religious, etc., have different practices that could potentially have an effect on overall public health. Understanding these groups and how they interact is an important part of developing public health regimens that work for everyone. In this degree program, you could potentially research how individuals within a community interact on a daily basis, and how this could potentially interfere with positive public health outcomes. One example of a potential research study for this field is determining a link between religious practices and how they could interfere with proper recovering programs.
Disaster Management
Public health professionals should always be prepared in the event of disaster. This concentration prepares a special group of graduates for responding effectively when unexpected happenings occur. Whether it is a small scaled public health scare or dealing with terrorism or issues with homeland security, it is important that local teams are prepared to protect the public from devastating health-related situations. This degree program includes topics such as Global Health Policy, Problems in Disaster Management, and Leadership in Public Health.
International Public Health
Most public health areas allow students to resolve issues on a local scale. The International Public Health sets itself apart from others in that is studies global health entirely, rather than in one designated area. While in the International Public Health program, students have the potential to research disease and illness in specific countries, as well as document trends that affect certain areas. This knowledge can contribute to a better understanding of what factors come into play with different illnesses and diseases, which can lead to better treatment and prevention in the years to follow.
Public Health Policy
Public Health Policy majors seek to give students better knowledge in public health policy analysis as well as management. Students in this program may be taught quantitative and analytical skills that can assist them in being more knowledgeable and effective leaders in public health. This concentration is a great choice for individuals that are interested in pursuing careers in consulting or wanting to work alongside the healthcare field in an effort to better public health in general.
Public Health Management
This concentration takes into consideration the unique set of skills that are needed to be a meaningful leader in the public health community. Through this program, students may be introduced to various topics that require critical thinking and analysis, in order to encourage proper use of public health policy and management skills in the workplace. Ethics, public health law, and administration are a few topics that may be discussed in this program. If you have previous experience working in public health or plan to pursue management opportunities after graduation, this is a great option for a major in public health.
Public Health Education
Teachers and trainers are needed in the public health field to continue the knowledge of disease and illness control throughout generations. This topic includes studies in the basics of biology, public health policy, public health law, social and behavior factors, and epidemiology. In order to be an effective instructor of public health, students in this program must have a great overall understanding of this field and interdisciplinary nature of it. Public health organizations desire individuals from this major to help with the teaching of new topics, and training on new procedures throughout the country.
Health Services Administration
Health Services Administration is a specialized major that involves the assessment of community health needs in an effort to develop policies and programs that effectively meet those needs. Through this program, you could potentially gain a better understanding of the planning that goes into health services, including a more in-depth look into biostatistics, behavior, and epidemiology. Graduates of this major can play a large role in community health services planning, development, and assessment.
Family and Child Health
The MPH – Family and Child Health focuses on the need of policies for families and children. This program includes a curriculum that researches maternal and child health issues, adolescent health and wellness, and overall nutrition. If you want a career that focuses on the health of families and children in particular, than this is a great option. Graduates in this field can seek out careers working for local, state, and government agencies, schools, and local health departments.
Community Health
Community Health majors focus on the area-based outlook on public health. Through this degree program, students may be expected to understanding how illnesses and disease are spread and maintained in small or large communities and learn the necessary precautions that must be taken to prevent large outbreaks. This program encourages the use of research and policy analysis to be a better contributor to the local social environment. Social behavior, family health, and nutrition are 3 major topics that are discussed throughout this program.
Nutrition
At the core of public health, nutrition is what contributes to how well individuals prepare their bodies to properly respond to health crises. In this degree program, students may be introduced to the relationship between nutrition and the development of disease, as well as the factors that come into play when considering the safety and adequacy of food and water throughout the community. Students in this program should gain the skills necessary to provide nutrition assessments to people within the community and test hypotheses related to health and nutrition.
Health Promotion
The MPH – Health Promotion is designed to give students the expertise to properly contribute to effective health programs for the general public. Research is a major part of this field, since health promotion professionals use evidence in their methods to promote good health throughout the community. If you complete this degree program, you should be able to properly use behavior change models to improve health behaviors throughout the population. You should also learn how to properly plan, design, and implement health promotional programs for the public. Working alongside the government and public health policy-makers, graduates in the field can play a large role in the improvement of overall public health.
Infectious Disease
Infectious Disease is a specialty field that focuses on local and global infectious diseases in an effort to contain these diseases and prevent widespread acquisition. Students in this degree program may learn different tactics for designing education and intervention programs suited to inform the public of the potential for outbreaks and measures that they can take to prevent them. The curriculum in this degree program educates students on the biological knowledge of infectious diseases as well as the policies and methods available for the prevention of them.
Public Health Administration
The MPH – Public Health Administration program is designed for individuals that seek positions working for public health organizations or in specific management careers. The program guides students through the planning and coordination of public health services and prepares them for careers working for local, state, or national public health agencies. The generalized nature of this degree program allows for students to seek careers in various fields that manage public health as a central concern. Topics in this program include Effective Leadership, Public Health Policy, and Epidemiology.
MPH in Healthcare
Public health professionals play a large role in the healthcare industry. If you decide that you might be interested in combining your knowledge of public health with the healthcare industry, you could pursue careers in management, consulting, or with local health departments and community health centers.
The job responsibilities associated with this field are vast and include a dedication to providing more effective healthcare centers, educating healthcare professionals and the public about the spread of illness and disease, and working one-on-one with clients in local community health centers.
MPH in Local, State, Government Agencies
Public safety is a major concern for our nation. This is why governments at all levels employ public health professionals to research, assess, and provide guidance in the event that there is a situation or area that could pose a threat to public health.
Public health professionals in this area may be responsible for overseeing food and water production, hazard management, large disease outbreaks, emergency response systems, or potential environmental safety concerns. As with most other fields that involve public health, the potential is vast for graduates that wish to be a part of government-related careers.
MPH for Pharmaceuticals
Oversight in the pharmaceutical industry is imperative to public health. This industry is massive and requires a lot of testing and experimentation to ensure that the public is protected from dangerous of ineffective drugs. Public health professionals provide insight into the mass effects of these drugs to companies that are responsible for manufacturing them.
The approval of drugs for use on consumers is a complicated process, which involves years of testing in laboratories and studies by educated professionals in public health, chemistry, and biology. If you are interested in tying the fields of pharmacology and public health together, there are certainly many different entities that could benefit from your knowledge.
MPH in Environmental Science
When thinking of public health, you may not mention one of the most important factors that determine how well people will respond in the event of disease or illness – the environment. The environment consists of where people live, the toxins or hazards that they are exposed to everyday, and simply the natural consistencies around them.
Public health officials that specialize in environmental studies may find themselves working to assess any potentially harmful environmental hazards that could pose a risk to public health. They may also work hard to improve individual environments, so that risks are reduced to a minimum for certain groups. Basically, any factor that indirectly affects public health and that is associated with the geographical area could be investigated in this field. Pollution, waste management, wildlife, and climate could be a part of what professionals in this area are involved with each day.
Business MPH
Business is an industry that relies totally on the involvement of the public. Without people, there would be no business. With this in mind, it is obvious why public health would be a concern to this genre. Businesses employ public health professionals to help them provide better working environments for their employees.
They also need professionals to assist them in the proper handling of wastes, and ensuring that their products are safe for human use or consumption. The precautionary nature of business relies on educated public health professionals to prevent possible mishaps involving human health and protect the business itself from possible lawsuits or closures based on health-related factors.
MPH in Public Policy and Writing
Since one of the main goals of public health is to communicate knowledge of illness and disease prevention and management, writing is an important responsibility. Public health professionals can spread their knowledge through the use of public websites, books, magazines, and newspapers.
The media is a great way to bring attention to important subjects that require the publics attention. Some health-related organizations use public health writers to provide articles for mass-produced publications. If you have a knack for writing and want to help others within your community, than pursuing a career in writing may be the right choice for you.
MPH in Education
Education is what helps the professional world go around. Public health educators are needed to groom new and upcoming professionals into meaningful careers with the public. This can be done through universities, but is not limited to higher education.
Public health education can be spread through seminars and community health gatherings in which people attend in an effort to better understand the aspects of health improvement. Even trainers for organizers are educators that instruct employees on better employment practices that promote public health. Education is a major part of how professionals in this field teach others how to take part in healthy habits that promote better health.
Accredited MPH Programs
Public health is a great place to make a difference in the overall health of your community. If you have decided to become a part of this highly influential field, you deserve to have access to reliable degree programs that can prepare you effectively for a career working with the public.
The best way to assure yourself that you have chosen the right degree program is to choose a program that is accredited by an organization that is approved by the U.S. Department of Education. The most widely recognized accreditation agency for public health programs is the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). Any schools offering programs in public health should openly provide accreditation information on their website, which you can find through a simple online search. Keep in mind that programs that are on track with CEPH standards are not considered accredited unless they explicitly say so.
A list of CEPH accredited universities can also be found on the organization’s website. Our educational experts have provided some important information regarding approved accreditation below for you to review.
CEPH Accreditation
The highest ranking and only approved accreditation agency for public health and public health programs is the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). This organization is approved by the U.S. Department of Education to accredit universities that teach programs in public health. Universities that have received the seal of approval from the CEPH are widely recognized as valid programs that can be accepted by higher education systems and employers across the country.
The purpose of accreditation by this agency is to ensure that all educational programs provide quality education, meet national educational standards, and provide students with the skills necessary to properly assess and implement public health programs throughout the United States. Universities that have accreditation from the CEPH are considered reliable and effective schools for obtaining a public health degree.
Other Accreditation for Public Health Programs
The CEPH is currently the only organization that is approved by the U.S. Department of Education for the accreditation of public health schools and education. It is important to know the difference between schools that are regionally accredited rather than CEPH accredited.
Universities that offer regionally accredited programs cannot validate their public health programs through CEPH standards, which could have an effect on the usefulness of a degree upon graduation. Most regional accreditation applies to the school as a whole, and have no bearing on whether or not the individual programs satisfy their respective accreditation agencies.