Best Online Master’s Degrees in Public Health (MPH)

The MPH online is designed for those who are already working in the field and want to further their career with the master’s designation. Therefore, many of these online programs are extremely flexible, giving students the opportunity to take classes in several different timelines. For instance, some programs might allow students to take one class at a time and work at their own pace; others will require students to take a certain number of courses with their cohort, thus allowing for more peer and professor interaction. A variety of start dates is also a common thread among online MPH programs, providing even more flexibility for those who might need to juggle work and personal obligations along with higher education.

In addition, many schools ask students to meet on campus a few times each year. These campus visits are designed to build camaraderie among the cohort, allow students to get to know each other and their professors, and attend discussions and lectures that spark further interest and passion in the field. These campus visits may occur a few weeks each year, but again it varies – some require several weeks, others just two-to-three-day per year.

Though each school might have a different curriculum structure and some differences in any elective courses, the core courses of the MPH program teach the most important aspects of theory, research, policy, and other important points in healthcare. Here’s what students can expect from the core courses in 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.

Applied Epidemiology: This course is an in-depth look at the field of epidemiology; students will be exposed to studies on the impact certain diseases can have on families, communities, countries, and the world at large.

Interested in specializing your entire MPH degree in epidemiology? Check out our dedicated guide to earning your master’s in epidemiology online.

Health and the Environment: Students will explore the role of environment in human health, how chemical and biological factors affect health and behavior, and how the environment can have an impact on physical aspects and disease in individuals and broader communities.

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.

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.

Ethical Factors in Public Health: This course looks at public health from an ethical standpoint, including the role of morality and faith in public health policy, as well as ethical points to ponder when designing research and implementing policy.

Health Services Administration: Students will learn the basics of administration for health services, including an overview of financial and managerial accounting, operational and capital budgeting, management skills, and value-enhancing decision making. This course goes hand-in-hand with the practicum.

Communication in Healthcare: This course looks at the layered roles of communication in public health, from the doctor-patient relationship to broad national health campaigns. The role of communication in shaping health behaviors, forming attitudes and beliefs and changing the way information is exchanged will all be addressed.

Practicums are a common requirement for many online MPH programs. These supervised, in-person experiences are designed to reinforce the concepts taught in the virtual classroom. Students can typically complete their practicums at an approved facility near their location. For some, this facility may be their current workplace, which can provide added convenience and flexibility while pursuing their degree.

However, some practicums occur on campus. These “intensives” might last anywhere from a few days to a week and are designed to allow students to meet with their cohort, consult with faculty and engage in in-person learning that broadens their understanding of the classroom material.

In some cases, students can enter the online MPH program without fulfilling the GRE requirement. The Graduate Record Examination is the standard test used by many schools to help weed through applicants to their programs. However, some schools look at other factors that make up a student’s history, such as grade point average or work experience, and let those hold more weight than the GRE score. Some schools will allow those who have a certain amount of work experience, such as five years in the public health field, to waive the GRE requirement when entering the master’s program.

Those who want to hit the fast track with their education can opt for the one-year online MPH. Keep in mind that this highly accelerated program requires intense focus, which can make it more difficult to continue working during that time – in fact, those in this program will likely take an overload of courses to complete their degree in the one-year time frame. Finishing the program quickly gives you a higher credential that allows you to look for promotions, higher pay, and more. The one-year online MPH is best for those who have the time to devote themselves solely to their education.

Accreditation is critical when looking for the right fit in MPH programs. Regional accreditation is the gold standard for ensuring a school meets all the criteria of a high-quality education; regional accreditation is institutional, so a school obtains it as a whole. Programmatic accreditation is also important to help ensure students who graduate from a particular program are well-versed in their new field and ready to begin their new career. The Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), a member of the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors (ASPA), is the organization responsible or accrediting MPH programs. When looking for a top-notch program that provides the recognition your eventual degree deserves, make CEPH accreditation a priority.