Master of Public Health

Students pursuing the MPH degree acquire competency in the fundamental public health disciplines; the basic public health sciences; data analysis and policy analysis; communications; program planning and administration; public health systems and the organization of health services in the United States and abroad; recognition and analysis of ethical or legal issues in public health and professional practice; cultural, behavioral, genetic, environmental, political, geographic, and socioeconomic factors in health; the global nature of health and the needs of special populations, such as mothers and children, ethnic minorities, and vulnerable populations; and in the integration of core public health disciplines in public health problem decision-making processes.

Degree requirements common to all MPH specialty areas include:

• competency in the Biological Basis of Public Health,
• completion of the 19 to 22 credit hour MPH core curriculum which includes an Integrative Experience
• an Internship Experience

Biological Basis of Public Health Competency

All students in the MPH degree programs are required to meet The Biological Basis of Public Health Competency Requirement.

There are several ways in which this requirement can be met:

1. A previously earned Medical, Dental, Nursing, or Dietetics degree (registered or registration eligible dieticians only)
2. Extensive and substantial education (earning grades of "B" or better in biological/biomedical courses)
3. Take the Biological Basis of Public Health Exam, earning a grade of 70 or better.

All MPH degree admits were reviewed during the admissions process to determine if the Biological Basis of Public Health Competency Requirement was met due to previous education. The letter of admission from the School of Public Health indicates whether or not you have met the competency requirement. If a waiver was not indicated, students must plan to take one of the Competency Exams offered during Orientation week.

The Biological Basis of Public Health Study Guide is CliffsQuick Review Anatomy and Physiology. Wiley Publishing Co. (2001) written by Phillip E. Pack. The material in this resource will be used for the competency test you will need to take.  Chapters to review are: Chapters 1 - 4, 8, 10-14 and 16-20. This book should be available at a bookstore in your area or it can be purchased at Amazon.com for  $9.99.

The MPH Core Curriculum (19-22 credit hours) including the Integrative Experience

Course		Credit Hours
BST 600	Biostatistics for Public Health *	4
ENH 600	Fundamentals of Environmental Health Sciences	3
EPI 600	Introduction to Epidemiology **	3
HB 600	Social and Behavioral Science Core	3
HCO 600	Introduction to Public Health	3
MCH 695	Public Health Integrative Experience	3

* Some departments require BST 611 (Intermediate Statistical Analysis I - 3 credit hours) and BST 612 (Intermediate Statistical Analysis II - 3 credit hours) as the MPH Biostatistics requirement.

** Some departments may allow a choice of EPI 600 or EPI 610 (Principles of Epidemiologic Research - 4 credit hours) to meet this course requirement. The Department of Epidemiology requires EPI 610 to meet this course requirement.

*** MCH 695- Public Health Integrative Experience.- This course is designed to synthesize and integrate knowledge acquired in course work and other learning experiences and to apply theory and principles in a situation that approximates some aspect of professional practice. Through the analysis of actual cases from the annals of public health practice, participation in a strategic planning exercise, and the development of a new case from current and emerging areas of critical interest to public health , students working in multi-disciplinary groups will demonstrate their ability to apply the general and specific public health knowledge they have learned through their courses of study and effectively apply that knowledge across disciplines to the effective resolution of a public health problem.

The Internship Experience (Minimum of 3 credit hours)

All MPH students in the School of Public Health are required to complete a minimum of 3 credit hours in an internship experience, although individual departments may require more than the school minimum.  The internship is a field experience which bridges professional academic preparation and public health practice.  Knowledge and skills learned in the core and discipline-specific courses are applied in an agency setting under the supervision and guidance of an experienced preceptor.  Faculty internship advisors, departmental program coordinators or the internship program coordinator may assist the student in locating a position.  At the completion of the internship, the student will provide a final product to document the experience and will be graded based upon the agency preceptor's evaluation and the student's final product.  All internships are graded on a Pass/No Pass basis.

Waivers of the School of Public Health Internship requirement may be considered for students with at least one year of continuous, full-time public health experience in a field related to their area of concentration.  Clinical practice by itself does not constitute public health experience.  A prior professional degree in another field or prior working experience that is not closely related to the student's area of concentration are insufficient grounds for a waiver.  Students enrolled in dual degree programs will be required to complete internship experiences unless they meet the waiver criteria.  Students wishing to apply for a waiver should submit a completed Internship Experience Waiver Request Form to the internship program coordinator.  Please note that the waiver of the Internship Experience does not waive the total credit hour requirement for the students program of study.