Online Masters in Public Health Programs

What is a Master of Public Health Degree?

The Master of Public Health degree is often referred to as an MPH. It is not a traditional medical degree in which the student gets a license to practice medicine. It is intended to educate leaders in the public health field in administrative and executive duties. The Master of Public Health is designed to give students an education and prepare them for organizational roles in various aspects of public health. The Master of Public Health can also be a stepping stone for students seeking a PhD degree in public health or other education at the doctoral level.

What are the top Master of Public Health Programs?

Although there are literally thousands of programs and schools that offer Master of Public Health, there are many that are nationally and globally recognized. No matter which you choose to apply to, make sure you know more about what kind of education they offer, if it is accredited, and if it will lead to the career path you want before applying. To give you an idea, we have gathered a little more information on three of them.

  • Johns Hopkins University – Their Bloomberg School of Public Health is known all over the world and has even been listed first in “U.S. News and World Report’s” best schools in public health. Its program prepares students to become leading health professionals who are capable of taking on current and future health problems both locally and abroad. The Master of Public Health program itself consists of a full time 11 month format in which students will interact with over 500 members of the public health faculty. In addition to campuses in Washington D.C., they also have a school in Barcelona and even online options.
  • Harvard – People often think lawyers, doctors, or businessmen when they think of Harvard University. However, they also have a top notch Master of Public Health program. It heavily emphasizes student directed learning, as well as problem solving. It is a two semester, 42.5 credit program that can be pursued full or part time as the student chooses. Admission requirements can be stiff here. Students are asked to have some form of medical or law degree, such as an MD, DO, or JD, before being admitted to the program.
  • NYU – The folks at New York University have done a top notch job of letting students know all about their Master of Public Health through their website. In the MPH program, students are taught various ways to address public health problems and are offered partnerships with agencies, career workshops, hands on work, and much more. Each year, the school chooses 90 students each year to enter into the program out of about 450 applicants.

How Can I Find Accredited Master of Public Health Programs and Schools?

No matter which schools you apply to for your Master of Public Health, it is important that they are accredited by a known agency. One of the easiest ways to see if a school or program is accredited is to search for it on The U.S. Department of Education’s database. There, you can find results of schools by name, state, and the name of the agency that has done the accrediting.

If you want an agency that directly accredits schools offering an MPH, there are options. One such agency that specifically deals in schools of public health is the Association of Schools of Public Health. They currently list over 1,700 programs in public health at the master level. You can even sort by area, degree level, and even if the school offers a Peace Corp program using their search engine. You can also click on each result to learn more about the degree offered.

Another place to find accredited Master of Public Health degrees is the Council on Education for Public Health. You can search by university, degree, concentration, state, and even for online programs. They also have other resources for students of public health on the main site.

What are the Admission Requirements for a Master of Public Health?

As with any other graduate degree, the first requirement to entering a master’s program is an undergraduate degree, such as bachelor’s. While it is not necessary to have a bachelor’s in public health, it does help to have it in a related area such as health administration, biology, or other compatible subject. Excellent scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) are almost always a requirement, especially when applying to prestigious schools. Scores from any or all of other tests such as the Graduate Management Admission Test, Medical College Admission Test, and/or Law School Admission Test can also be required or greatly improve your chances of getting in.

Other requirements often include the filling out of a lengthy application which can detail a student’s goals, accomplishments, and reasons for wanting a Master of Public Health. Letters of recommendation from faculty members, employers, or prominent members of the community can also be required. Graduate schools will often ask for an essay that further explains a student’s motivations, desires, and past experiences. It is also not unusual for students who pass the initial application stage to be asked for an interview. They will often be invited to campus to conduct interviews with admissions personnel.

There are also items that students can have that can help them stand out among other public health candidates. These can include licenses to practice medicine, such as a doctor’s or nurse’s license, a license to practice law, as well as relevant experience in either or both. Students who speak a second or third language can also stand out. Some schools even prefer students with an education in social sciences, mental health, statistics, law, or others.

Where Can I Find Master of Public Health Scholarships and Grants?

Because the area of public health is considered so important, there are many ways to pursue scholarships and grants to help pay for an MPH. The best way to find a scholarship or grant for your public health studies is through the financial aid office of the school or schools you plan on attending. The people there are tasked with knowing the latest information in new and reoccurring scholarships and grants. They can even help individual students find and apply for them.

If looking for scholarships on the web, there are many places that offer scholarships in public health. One of the most comprehensive is the Association of University Programs in Health Administration. They have tons of scholarship programs from those for minority students to those going into health policy. Visit the site to learn more about each.

Schools themselves can also offer a variety of scholarships to public health students. Columbia’s Mailman School of Public Health offers 26 different scholarships, fellowships, and grants to its students. They include options on everything from global health to reproductive health policy.

Grants are also available for students of public health. A visit to the Health Resources and Services Administration shows three different grant programs. There is the Public Health Traineeship, or PHT, which funds programs at member schools to prepare students in public health for careers in biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health, toxicology, nutrition, and child health. The other two grants are for public health training centers and residency programs in public health.

What Careers are Available to Someone with a Master of Public Health?

Did you know that several heads of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have Master of Public Health degrees? The current director does, and so did many of the previous. Many other federal and state government positions in public health also require or prefer someone with an MPH degree. These can also include jobs in the Department of Health and Human Services, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Administration on Aging, and many others. State and local governments also need qualified health care professionals to run the administrative and executive side of things.

There are also several sub specialties available when pursuing a Master of Public Health. They are generally divided into five areas:

  • Behavioral science jobs include behavioral health scientist and health educator.
  • Biostatistics is also another field in public health and careers can include data management, clinical trials, and program evaluation.
  • Environmental health professionals study how the environment can affect the health of an entire population.
  • Epidemiologists study how diseases spread. Infectious disease, outcomes research, or outbreak study can all be areas of employment.
  • Another specialty for those with a Master of Public Health is health policy and management. They study and work in the area where health care is delivered and can often give advice on future and current policies.

Wrapping Up

The Master of Public Health degree is a great way to combine a love for helping people with a knack for statistics, medical learning and public service. Check out the list of schools below for some of the best accredited online MPH programs available.