Online Master's in Public Health (MPH): Reviewing Top Programs
Public health pros tackle everything from vaccine rollout to health equity, and the workforce is always looking for new and qualified professionals. Whether you already are in the field or are looking to transition to it, pursuing an online MPH degree can help you succeed. Let DFG show you what to expect from an online MPH program by looking inside schools, answering common questions, highlighting the doors that open after graduation, and more.
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Expertise: Higher Ed.EditorialOnline LearningExplore Online MPH Degrees
Online MPH programs offer a flexible path to an advanced degree in public health. Students often need to balance work, home life, and school, so online MPH programs can help streamline your higher education path. Not all MPH programs are entirely online – hybrid formats add in-person components to ensure a robust framework for student learning. When choosing a program, consider the program focus since many have a distinct focus while others allow students to pick from or design their own concentrations. Also look at a program’s flexibility and requirements for in-person study, as well as its focus on developing other essential elements, like hard and soft skills. Let’s explore a few online MPH programs and the variety of options available.
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina offers three online MPH programs. The master’s in Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior Professional Program is specifically for health department, community, school, and worksite practitioners. The Epidemiology Online MPH Program covers the five core disciplines as well as advanced training in epidemiologic and biostatistical methods. The Health Services Policy and Management online MPH gives the essential knowledge, skills, and experience for leadership in public health. Each of these programs builds students’ public health knowledge and offers focused skills in specific areas.
Duration: 2 to 3 years
Mode: Online
Cost: $6,868 to $14,880 per semester
Curriculum:
- Quantitative and Qualitative Methods for Public Health Practice
- Public Health Systems, Policy, and Leadership
- Practical Applications for Public Health Planning
- Concentration-specific Competency Courses
Johns Hopkins
Johns Hopkins Master of Public Health prepares students for leadership as professionals addressing current global health problems. The program provides a diverse and collaborative environment where students learn from each other and a flexible curriculum with both onsite and online options and full- and part-time enrollment. Most courses for the full-time program are on campus, though students can also take advantage of online courses. The part-time program can be online, on site, or both. There are also RA opportunities with projects in 67 countries. The capstone project applies program learning to a public health problem relevant to a student’s interest.
Duration: 2 to 4 years
Mode: Online and in person
Cost: $1,374 per credit
Curriculum:
- Assessing Population Needs
- Biologic and Genetic Factors
- Biology and Public Health
- Communication Strategies
- Environmental Health
- Foundational Public Health Knowledge
- Health Equity
- Interprofessional Education
- Leadership, Governance, and Resource Management
- Negotiation and Mediation
- Population Dynamics
- Public Health Policy/Problem Solving and Health Practice
- Qualitative and Quantitative Methods
- Epidemiology
- Systems Thinking
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota’s online Maternal and Child Health MPH is rooted in social justice and focuses on skills that serve the needs of vulnerable populations. The program’s standard track is 48 credits for students without advanced degrees and with limited professional experience. The advanced standing track is 42 credits for students with advanced degrees and at least three years of professional experience in maternal and child health or public health. The program offers integrated health sciences, a supportive environment, and a comprehensive curriculum. Coursework is enhanced by an affiliated training center that provides ongoing education and outreach opportunities.
Duration: 2 to 4 years
Mode: Online, in person, and blended
Cost: $1,156 per credit
Curriculum:
- Public Health Core Courses and Electives
- Maternal and Child Health Core and Foundation Courses
- Methodological and Analytical Skills
- Management, Communications, Policy, and Advocacy
- Applied Practical Experience
- Integrative Learning Experience
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Online Public Health Master’s FAQs
Are online public health master’s degrees completely online?
Though coursework can be completely online, in-person practicums are common for many online MPH programs. These in-person experiences reinforce the concepts taught in the classroom. Students typically complete practicums at a facility nearby. For some, this may be their current workplace. Some practicums occur on campus. These intensives last anywhere from a few days to a week and allow students to meet with their cohort, consult with faculty, and engage in in-person learning that broadens their understanding of classroom material.
Do I need to take the GRE to be accepted into an online MPH program?
Somes students can enter online MPH programs without taking the GRE, a standardized test many schools still use to help select applicants. However, some schools look at other factors that make up a student’s history, such as grade point average or work experience, instead of a GRE score. Some schools allow work experience, such as five years in the public health field, to replace the GRE requirement.
How long do online MPH degrees take to complete?
The MPH program can take four years of part-time study with many schools capping the window of completion at five years. Full-time students take about two years. There are also a few accelerated programs that take about a year, but they require intense focus that make it more difficult to continue working while going to school. The one-year online MPH is best for those who have the time to devote solely to their education.
Why is accreditation important for online MPH programs?
Regional accreditation is the gold standard for ensuring a school meets all the criteria of a high-quality education. Programmatic accreditation helps ensure students who graduate from a particular program are well-versed in their field and ready to begin their careers. The Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), a member of the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors (ASPA), accredits MPH programs. When looking for a top-notch program that provides the recognition your eventual degree deserves, make CEPH accreditation a priority.
How much does an online MPH cost?
Earning an MPH online means a great deal of time and effort as well as a financial commitment to your future. Before taking that leap, it’s important to understand the bottom line for your program. Expect to pay up to $60,000 for an online MPH program, though there are slight variations in tuition amounts as well as in fees and associated costs. Where you live and how much of your program is online versus in person also figures into its price tag.
Online MPH Concentrations
While online MPH programs essentially offer the same core curriculum, most also have either a unique focus for their program or offer one or more concentration options. This allows you to earn a specialized degree and become an expert in a specific area of public health. Below are examples of available MPH concentrations.
Environmental Health
An environmental health concentration for an MPH program focuses on environmental factors influencing human health. Concentration courses include those on environmental health science and sometimes in specialty areas such as toxicology, air and water quality, occupational health, and environmental risk assessment. Career opportunities for this specialty include occupational health and safety officer, environmental health specialist, epidemiologist, policy advisor, and research scientist. The MPH – Environmental Health program at the University of Illinois Springfield is one example of this concentration.
Epidemiology
An MPH concentration in epidemiology studies the distribution, patterns, and causes of disease and health-related issues. Professionals work with data and conduct research to identify trends and risk factors and develop and implement strategies to prevent and control diseases. Specialized epidemiological fields include infectious disease, environmental health, and bioterrorism. The Epidemiology Online Program at the University of South Carolina is an example of this concentration, which leads to careers like as a public health specialist and an international health planner, among others.
Global Health
A global health MPH curriculum prepares professionals for leadership and management positions that focus on improving worldwide health outcomes. It focuses on global health issues and draws from various disciplines, including public health, epidemiology, biostatistics, and social sciences. Programs often incorporate community engagement approaches. MPH global health careers include global health program managers, public health policy analysts, and global health educators. The Master of Public Health Program at Johns Hopkins focuses on global health issues.
Health Administration
An MPH in health administration focuses on the business and management aspect of healthcare. Graduates work in healthcare policy, administration, and consulting. This concentration includes coursework on healthcare systems and management, finance and economics of healthcare, and healthcare law and ethics. Hospital CEOs often have an MPH with a health administration concentration. Ohio University’s Online Master of Health Administration is one example of this type of MPH focus.
Health Policy and Management
A health policy and management MPH focuses on health economics, public health law, healthcare management, policy analysis, and more. Students develop leadership skills for roles in the public and private sectors where they study public health policy, planning, and advocacy. They work in roles like health policy analyst, public health program manager, and healthcare researcher. The Health Services Policy and Management Online Program at the University of South Carolina is an example of an MPH with this concentration.
Online Public Health Master’s Curriculum
Though each school might have a different curriculum structure and different elective courses, the core courses of an MPH program teach the most important aspects of theory, research, policy, and other important points in healthcare. Here’s what students can expect for core courses for any MPH curriculum.
Public Health Policy
A cornerstone course of the MPH program, this focuses on helping students learn to address public health problems and crises from the point of view of policy and using various methods of assessment to see how well the policies are working. Specific topics include health policy analysis and legal and ethical frameworks.
Applied Epidemiology
This course is an in-depth look at the field of epidemiology. Students study the impact certain diseases can have on families, communities, countries, and the world at large. While most MPH programs include at least one epidemiology course, you can also earn a master’s focused on epidemiology online.
Health and the Environment
This course explores the role of the environment in human health and how chemical and biological factors affect health and behavior. It looks at how the environment can have an impact on physical aspects and disease in individuals and broader communities. Ultimately, this course is about the interconnectedness of environmental factors in many areas of public health.
Health Policy and Management
This course provides an in-depth look at the healthcare system at large, including health management concepts, policy issues, research methodology, and the applications of existing and new policy to population-based healthcare. Specific topics include healthcare systems and structures, public health law and ethics, and health economics. It also develops leadership skills.
Public Health Research
Research is a vitally important part of public health policy. This course looks at a wide variety of points concerning research, such as variable and objectives, theory and research relationships, ethics, designing research questions, and taking valid measurements, among other related factors. It also focuses on interpreting findings to inform public health interventions and policies.
Careers for MPH Holders
Biostatistician
Biostatisticians analyze data and information, write detailed analysis, and calculate sample sizes for clinical studies, among other tasks. Most biostatisticians have at least a master’s degree, but some positions require a PhD in Public Health. This career requires strong math, problem solving, and computer skills as well as the ability to actively learn and make good decisions. Biostatisticians make a median of $104,110 annually, and the field is expected to grow at 9% through 2033.
Epidemiologist
Epidemiologists investigate patterns and causes of disease and injury and work in laboratories and offices at health departments, in hospitals, and at colleges and universities. You need at least a master’s degree to be an epidemiologist along with strong communication, critical thinking, and leadership skills. This field is growing at 19%, faster than average, and the median pay is $83,390 per year, making it a solid career for the long term.
Environmental Specialist
Environmental specialists conduct research and investigations to protect the environment. While some positions are open to those with a bachelor’s degree, higher pay and leadership positions are reserved for those with an MPH. This field is expected to grow 7% through 2033 and has a median income of $78,980 per year. Environmental specialists work in government, consulting, and engineering in an office or lab setting with time also spent in the field.
Top Online MPH Programs
With so many MPH options available, choosing the best program to suit your needs can be overwhelming. It can be helpful to narrow down your options based on key factors that matter most to you. Our list of the best online MPH programs enables you to do just that, presenting you with top programs that meet essential criteria including affordability, accreditation, and student benefits. Discover which schools made our list below.