Graduate programs

The School of Public Health graduate programs are designed to prepare students for professional work in the fields of community health, health promotion, health management, and health policy in a wide variety of settings. Students may also complete a plan of study that prepares them to pursue a doctoral degree in a health-related area. 

The School of Public Health offers three graduate degrees, and two doctoral programs: 

1. A Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) degree in Health Promotion.

2. A Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) degree in Health Management and Policy.

3. A Master of Arts/Master of Science (M.A./M.S.) degree in Health Studies. 

4. The doctoral program (PhD) in Community Health is an interdisciplinary course of study designed to provide students with advanced learning in conducting research and developing instructional skills in public health with a focus on community engagement and the social determinants of health.

5. The doctoral program (PhD) in Health Systems and Policy is an interdisciplinary course of study designed to provide students with advanced knowledge, analytic skills, and competencies in conducting research and developing teaching and learning skills in health systems and policy.

Students with a wide variety of undergraduate degrees and professional experience are admitted to the School of Public Health.

Admission requirements

Biostatistics M.P.H.

Environmental Systems and Human Health M.P.H.

Epidemiology M.P.H.

Health Management and Policy M.P.H.

Health Promotion M.P.H.

Primary Health Care and Health Disparities M.P.H. online

Biostatistics M.S.

Health Studies M.A./M.S.

Health Studies M.A./M.S.

The M.A./M.S. degree in Health Studies is not accepting applications at this time.

The M.A./M.S degree in Health Studies is designed to provide students with an interest in physical activity/exercise an opportunity for graduate study. Students must complete each of the common required courses (including the completion of a project or a thesis) as well as courses in the area of physical activity/exercise. 

Students applying to the the M.A./M.S. - Health Studies degree should have an undergraduate academic background in a health related discipline. Previous coursework in the biological sciences may be helpful, depending upon the graduate academic plan of study that the student wishes to pursue.

Students pursuing the M.A./M.S. degree in Health Studies must complete at least 49 graduate credits with a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher, including a core of 22 credits, and 18 additional credits from the physical activity/exercise concentration and 3 credits of elective to be determined by student and advisor.

All M.A./M.S. students must complete either a thesis or a project. The thesis option requires the completion and defense of a thesis (9 credits), and the project option requires the completion of a project (6 credits). 

Requirements

The following courses are required:

Concentration Courses

PHE 507Seminar

1-9

PHE 545Men's Health

4

PHE 546Urban and Community Health

3

PHE 551Women and Holistic Health

4

PHE 552Women's Health

3

Age 556Health Aspects of Aging

4

Age 558Perspectives on Aging

3

PHE 573Physiology of Exercise

4

PHE 575Exercise Testing Techniques

4

Soc 592Qualitative Methods

4

Psy 550Occupational Health Psychology

4

Psy 571Health Psychology

4

Bi 517Mammalian Physiology

4

Bi 518Comparative Animal Physiology

4

Bi 520Ethical Practice in the Life Sciences

3

Bi 562Neurophysiology

4

Common Required Courses

PHE 511Foundations of Public Health

3

PHE 512Principles of Health Behavior I

3

PHE 520Qualitative Research Design

3

PHE 521Quantitative Research Design and Analysis

3

PHE 530Epidemiology I

4

PHE 576Physical Activity, Health, and Disease

3

PHE 577Exercise, Nutrition, and Performance

3

9 credits of thesis
or 
6 credits of project

Electives

Elective credits determined by student and advisor.

3