Public Health (MPH)
Master of Public Health (PH MPH)
Unit: School of Public Health and Information Sciences (GH)
Program Webpage
Program Information
Introduction
The Master of Public Health (MPH) degree program is designed to graduate students with skills in the core competencies in public health and additional competencies in one of the following concentrations: biostatistics, environmental and occupational health, epidemiology, population health management, health policy, health promotion and behavior, or global public health.
Graduates of the MPH program are prepared for positions in the public health workforce, in health-related industries, and in academic organizations and for further professional or academic education.
Competencies
The MPH program has adopted the foundational competencies published by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH 2016 MPH Foundational Competencies) and each MPH concentration has developed concentration-specific competencies.
The learning objectives for each course in the MPH curriculum are mapped to these targeted foundational CEPH competencies and the learning objectives for courses offered in each concentration are mapped to the specific competencies developed for that concentration.
Concentrations
Concentrations are offered in each of the following areas of public health. Each concentration is designed to develop the competencies needed by a public health worker in the corresponding area.
| Concentration | Department |
|---|---|
| Biostatistics | Bioinformatics and Biostatistics |
| Environmental and Occupational Health (suspended to further enrollment, effective fall 2018) | Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences |
| Epidemiology | Epidemiology and Population Health |
| Global Public Health - emphasis in Maternal and Child Health | All |
| Health Policy | Health Management and System Sciences |
| Health Promotion and Behavior | Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences |
| Population Health Management (suspended to further enrollment, effective fall 2018) | Health Management and Systems Sciences |
Students are encouraged to declare their concentration at the time of application, though applications from students that do not declare a concentration are also accepted. For students declaring concentrations, the faculty in each concentration reviews applicants for acceptance. Applications from students that do not declare a concentration are reviewed for acceptance by the MPH Program Director.
Requirements for declaring concentrations in the MPH program after matriculation are:
- Undeclared students will need to identify to a concentration prior to November 15 of their first semester.
- The student must be in good standing in the MPH program.
- Any undeclared student will first meet with the department chair or director of the concentration prior to declaring that concentration to determine if there are any additional criteria for admission to that concentration.
Accreditation
The School of Public Health and Information Sciences is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). For more information, see the School’s accreditation webpage.
Admission Requirements
The ideal candidate for admission to the MPH program has received the equivalent of a bachelor's degree or higher, can comprehend and communicate effectively in English, has the recommendations of at least three persons in a health-related or advanced education field, has performed satisfactorily on one or more standardized test, and is interested in pursuing a career in public health or a related field.
The requirements for admission to the MPH program are:
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution or its equivalent
- Recommended minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
- If a candidate's primary language is not English, one of the following:
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam with a minimum score of 90 (after conversion for test type)
- Passing an advanced level Intensive English as a Second Language program.
- Degree from an accredited U.S. institution (requires provisional admission with evaluation of English language competency and potential requirement to pass an advanced level Intensive English as a Second Language program)
Applicants must apply through the Centralized Application Service for Public Health (SOPHAS) at SOPHAS.org.
Students graduating from the University of Louisville and planning to attend the MPH program can apply directly to the School of Public Health and Information Sciences.
An application is considered after the following requirements have been received:
- Three letters of recommendation written within the last twelve months.
- Official transcripts of all degrees.
- One-page personal statement written by the applicant that is a clear, substantive description of his or her goals in public health, noting any professional or research experience.
- Official score from any of the following standardized tests: GRE*, MCAT, DAT, GMAT, or LSAT.
- International applicants: Foreign credential evaluation of all degrees from non-U.S. institutions. Please contact the MPH program prior to completing this requirement.
- Students applying with a concentration in Health Policy must be interviewed by the HMSS Health Leadership Committee.
* The GRE requirement may be waived for applicants to the MPH Program who have four or more years of public health-related experience. Each department determines what constitutes such experience for their discipline. Applicants interested in applying for a GRE waiver should contact the relevant department.
For information on the application process, please contact:
School of Public Health and Information Sciences
University of Louisville
485 East Gray Street
Louisville, KY 40202
Phone: (502) 852-3289
Fax: (502) 852-3294
Faculty Advisor
On matriculation, each student is assigned a faculty advisor and is requested to meet at least twice each semester with his or her advisor. If a student is admitted to a specific concentration that Department will assign a specific faculty advisor. If students are admitted to the Global Health MPH or as undeclared, the MPH program director will serve as their advisor. Undeclared students admitted to a specific concentration by the end of the first semester will be assigned a faculty advisor from the Department that houses that concentration. For Global Health students, a faculty advisor from the Global Health faculty will be assigned by the end of the first semester.
The faculty advisor serves as academic practicum advisor, academic mentor, and counselor on career and employment opportunities, professional development, and opportunities beyond graduate school.
Program Requirements
The MPH curriculum consists of core courses, concentration courses in one of the areas of public health, completion of a practicum experience, and completion of an integrating experience. The core courses are generally completed prior to taking concentration courses, the integration experience, and the practicum.
Full-time students are expected to complete the program and graduate in two years. Part-time students are required to complete the program and graduate within six years.
Coursework
42-48 total credit hours:
- 15 credit hours of core courses
- 3 credit hours of practicum experience
- 3 credit hours of integrating experience
- 21-27 credit hours of concentration coursework
Students must successfully complete core, concentration, practicum, and integrating experience coursework with a minimum GPA of 3.0.
MPH Coursework
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Coursework | 15 | |
| Introduction to Public Health Practice and Administration | ||
| Introduction to Public Health Behavior | ||
| Introduction to Epidemiology | ||
| Introduction to Biostatistics for Health Sciences I | ||
| Introduction to Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences | ||
| Practicum | 3 | |
| Public Health Practicum Experience 1 | ||
| Integrating Experience | 3 | |
PHPH 69X Integrating Learning I (1 hour, course pending) | ||
| Integrating Learning and Experience in Public Health (2 hours) | ||
| Concentration Coursework | 21-27 | |
See Concentration Requirements for specific coursework and a two-year (full-time) Plan of Study | ||
| Minimum Total Hours | 42-48 | |
| 1 | Can be 1, 2, or 3 hours per semester, for a total of 3 credit hours. Hours in a semester vary depending on concentration (see Concentration Requirements). |
Concentration courses (minimum 21 credit hours)
All students seeking an MPH degree in the School of Public Health and Information Sciences (SPHIS) must take a minimum of 21 credit hours in their selected concentration. For a detailed description of coursework for each of the concentrations, click on "Concentration Requirements" in the menu above.
Concentration Requirements
Biostatistics Concentration
42 total hours, made up of the following:
15 credit hours of MPH core coursework
3 credit hours of Practicum
3 credit hours of Integrating Experience
21 credit hours of required courses in Biostatistics
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| PHMS 501 | Introduction to Public Health Practice and Administration | 3 |
| PHPB 501 | Introduction to Public Health Behavior | 3 |
| PHEP 501 | Introduction to Epidemiology | 3 |
| PHST 500 | Introduction to Biostatistics for Health Sciences I | 3 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| PHEH 500 | Introduction to Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences | 3 |
| PHST 501 | Introduction to Biostatistics for Health Sciences II | 3 |
| PHST 620 | Introduction to Statistical Computing | 3 |
| PHPH 679 | Public Health Practicum Experience | 1 |
| Hours | 10 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| PHST 680 | Biostatistical Methods I | 3 |
| PHST 645 | Health Sciences Data Collection Instrumentation | 3 |
| PHPH 679 | Public Health Practicum Experience | 2 |
| PHPH 69X | Integrating Learning I, course pending | 1 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| PHST 640 | Statistical Methods for Research Design in Health Sciences | 3 |
| PHST 681 | Biostatistical Methods II | 3 |
| PHST 684 | Categorical Data Analysis | 3 |
| PHPH 697 | Integrating Learning and Experience in Public Health | 2 |
| Hours | 11 | |
| Minimum Total Hours | 42 | |
Epidemiology Concentration
Students concentrating in the MPH Epidemiology Program will be required to fulfill a minimum of 48 credit hours including the following:
15 credit hours of MPH core coursework
3 credit hours of Practicum
3 credit hours of Integrating Experience
24 credit hours of required courses in Epidemiology
3 credit hours (maximum) of either a) an epidemiology selective1 or b) an independent study (i.e., PHEP 666)2
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| PHMS 501 | Introduction to Public Health Practice and Administration | 3 |
| PHPB 501 | Introduction to Public Health Behavior | 3 |
| PHEP 501 | Introduction to Epidemiology | 3 |
| PHST 500 | Introduction to Biostatistics for Health Sciences I | 3 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| PHEH 500 | Introduction to Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences | 3 |
| PHST 501 | Introduction to Biostatistics for Health Sciences II | 3 |
| PHEP 602 | Epidemiological Methods | 3 |
| PHEP 647 | Epidemiology Data Management & Analytics Lab | 2 |
| PHPH 679 | Public Health Practicum Experience | 1 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| PHEP 619 | Biology of Disease in Populations | 3 |
| PHEP 604 | Epidemiology of Infectious Disease | 2 |
| PHEP 616 | Disease Surveillance and Health Statistics | 3 |
| PHEP 627 | Survey Research Methods | 3 |
| PHPH 69X | Integrating Learning I, course pending | 1 |
| PHPH 679 | Public Health Practicum Experience | 1 |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Spring | ||
| PHEP 609 | Epidemiology of Cardiovascular Disease | 2 |
| PHEP 655 | Emerging Issues in Epidemiology | 3 |
| PHPH 679 | Public Health Practicum Experience | 1 |
| PHPH 697 | Integrating Learning and Experience in Public Health | 2 |
| One of the following: | 3 | |
| Masters Independent Study in Epidemiology and Population Health | ||
PHEP Selective (see list below) |
||
| Hours | 11 | |
| Minimum Total Hours | 48 | |
1 Availability of the following courses will vary each year as epidemiology selectives with consideration to faculty workloads:
- PHEP 606 Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology (3)
- PHEP 607 Epidemiology of Cancer (2)
- PHEP 613 Epidemiology of Aging and Disability (3)
- PHEP 620 Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology (3)
- PHEP 624 Methods in Reproductive and Perinatal Epidemiology (3)*
- PHEP 626 Introduction to Social Epidemiology (3)
- PHEP 611 Nutritional Epidemiology (3)
- PHEP 615 Foundations of Global Maternal and Child Health (3)*
- PHEP 625 Child Health and Development (3)*
2 PHEP 666 Masters Independent Study in Epidemiology and Population Health may be taken as an optional course for MPH Epi-concentration students who wish to supplement their learning experience via independent research with a faculty member. Enrollment is limited to 3 credit hours for an MPH student.
*Availability subject to coordination with Global Health Concentration. Non-epidemiology courses also may be selected pending program and instructor permissions; all courses offered by SPHIS are pre-approved by the program, with the exception of those required for the MS or PhD in Epidemiology (PHEP 618, PHEP 621, PHEP 622, PHEP 623, PHEP 648, PHEP 649, PHEP 701, PHEP 702, PHEP 750, PHEP 778) for which both program and instructor permission will be required for enrollment.
Global Public Health Concentration - Maternal and Child Health Emphasis
48 total credit hours, made up of the following:
15 credit hours of MPH core coursework
15 credit hours of Global MPH concentration courses
3 credit hours of practicum experience
3 credit hours of integrating experience
12 credit hours of targeted MCH emphasis coursework
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| PHMS 501 | Introduction to Public Health Practice and Administration | 3 |
| PHPB 501 | Introduction to Public Health Behavior | 3 |
| PHEP 501 | Introduction to Epidemiology | 3 |
| PHST 500 | Introduction to Biostatistics for Health Sciences I | 3 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| PHEH 500 | Introduction to Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences | 3 |
| PHST 501 | Introduction to Biostatistics for Health Sciences II | 3 |
| PHMS 530 | Comparative Health Systems | 3 |
| PHEP 615 | Foundations of Global Maternal and Child Heath | 3 |
| PHPH 679 | Public Health Practicum Experience | 1 |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| PHST 645 | Health Sciences Data Collection Instrumentation | 3 |
| PHEP 624 | Methods in Reproductive and Perinatal Epidemiology | 3 |
| PHPB 614 | Critical Thinking, Programming Planning, and Implementation | 3 |
| PHPH 679 | Public Health Practicum Experience | 1 |
| PHPH 69X | Integrating Learning I, course pending | 1 |
| Hours | 11 | |
| Spring | ||
| PHEH 526 | Nutrition and Maternal and Child Health | 3 |
| PHEP 625 | Child Health & Development | 3 |
| PHPB 620 | Emerging Infectious Diseases: Impacts and Control | 3 |
| PHPH 679 | Public Health Practicum Experience | 1 |
| PHPH 697 | Integrating Learning and Experience in Public Health | 2 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Minimum Total Hours | 48 | |
Health Policy Concentration
48 total hours, made up of the following:
15 credit hours of MPH core coursework
3 credit hours of Practicum
3 credit hours of Integrating Experience
27 credit hours of required courses in Health Policy
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| PHMS 501 | Introduction to Public Health Practice and Administration | 3 |
| PHPB 501 | Introduction to Public Health Behavior | 3 |
| PHEP 501 | Introduction to Epidemiology | 3 |
| PHST 500 | Introduction to Biostatistics for Health Sciences I | 3 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| PHEH 500 | Introduction to Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences | 3 |
| PHST 501 | Introduction to Biostatistics for Health Sciences II | 3 |
| PHMS 610 | Health Policy & Analysis | 3 |
| PHMS 645 | Health Services Research Methods I | 3 |
| PHPH 679 | Public Health Practicum Experience | 1 |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| PHMS 662 | Health Economics | 3 |
| PHMS 646 | Health Services Research Methods ll | 3 |
| Health Policy (PHMS) Elective | 3 | |
| PHPH 679 | Public Health Practicum Experience | 1 |
| PHPH 69X | Integrating Learning I, course pending | 1 |
| Hours | 11 | |
| Spring | ||
| PHMS 609 | Health Finance and Financial Management | 3 |
| PHMS 704 | Health Impact Assessment | 3 |
| PHPB 611 | Community Organization and Assessment | 3 |
| PHPH 679 | Public Health Practicum Experience | 1 |
| PHPH 697 | Integrating Learning and Experience in Public Health | 2 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Minimum Total Hours | 48 | |
Health Promotion and Behavior Concentration
46 total hours, made up of the following:
15 credit hours of MPH core coursework
3 credit hours of Practicum
3 credit hours of Integrating Experience
25 credit hours of required courses in Health Policy
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| PHMS 501 | Introduction to Public Health Practice and Administration | 3 |
| PHPB 501 | Introduction to Public Health Behavior | 3 |
| PHEP 501 | Introduction to Epidemiology | 3 |
| PHST 500 | Introduction to Biostatistics for Health Sciences I | 3 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| PHEH 500 | Introduction to Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences | 3 |
| PHST 501 | Introduction to Biostatistics for Health Sciences II (or approved PH elective) * | 3 |
| PHPB 611 | Community Organization and Assessment | 3 |
| PHPH 679 | Public Health Practicum Experience | 1 |
| Hours | 10 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| PHPB 612 | Health Communications Campaigns: Theory and Practice | 3 |
| PHPB 614 | Critical Thinking, Programming Planning, and Implementation | 3 |
| PHPB 630 | Social Determinants of Health | 3 |
| PHPB 6XX | Grant Writing, pending approval | 1 |
| PHPH 679 | Public Health Practicum Experience | 1 |
| PHPH 69X | Integrating Learning I, course pending | 1 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| PHPB 604 | Health Decision and Risk Analysis | 3 |
| PHPB 615 | Advanced Program Evaluation | 3 |
| PHPB 635 | Health Promotion Policy Development and Advocacy | 3 |
| PHPH 679 | Public Health Practicum Experience | 1 |
| PHPH 697 | Integrating Learning and Experience in Public Health | 2 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Minimum Total Hours | 46 | |
*Other elective can be any SPHIS course for which the student meets the prerequisites or other another relevant course approved by the student's academic advisor.
