Master of Public Health in LGBTQ Health (MPH)

As the first MPH concentration in LGBTQ health to be offered by an accredited school of public health, students will be prepared to address the unique health care needs of the LGBTQ community and work toward creating new policies and practices founded upon social justice and health equity.

Graduates will be well educated on the health disparities among LGBTQ communities as well as the concepts of gender, sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation as it is situated across public health, culture, history, legal, medicine, and the political context. Students, practitioners, and researchers will be trained in research practice that supports the identification of relevant health problems and opportunities of improvement in current policy to support the holistic health of this community.

Graduates are eligible to sit for the Certified in Public Health Exam.

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Each concentration identifies competencies for each degree offered. These competencies reflect the full range of knowledge, skills, and other attributes that a student will acquire as a result of completing the requirements for a particular degree.

Upon graduation, a student completing the MPH curriculum in LGBTQ Health will be able to:

• Describe the concept of gender, sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation as it is situated across public health, culture, history, legal, medicine, and the political context;
• Understand the origins, causes and manifestations of health disparities among LGBTQ populations;
• Use relevant sources (including public health literature and qualitative and quantitative data) to identify the health status and disparities in specific LGBTQ populations and communities;
• Synthesize the existing literature to identify relevant health problems, policies, programs or gaps in the research to identify research agendas and questions that when addressed will contribute to the improvement of LGBTQ health;
• Design research for diverse LGBTQ populations that address identified relevant health problems; and
• Utilize intersectionality theory to describe how to improve advocacy techniques for populations with multiple marginalized identities.

The Master of Public Health in LGBTQ Health degree is offered to students on a full-time or part-time basis. Courses are available in-person, remote, and/or online. Students will complete a total of 45 credits, including a practicum experience and capstone research project.

Students seeking the degree must complete 45 credits of academic work with a minimum GPA of least 3.0; earn no more than nine (9) credits bearing grades less than “B,” and complete the degree requirements within six years. Courses are three credit hours unless otherwise noted and semester when each course is typically offered is noted parentheses. Students should review the Forward Schedule for long-term course planning and the Schedule-At-A-Glance for each semester to determine when, where, and how a course is offered.

If completing the program as a full-time student (nine or more credits per semester), the degree requirements may be completed in as little as two years (four to five semesters). Part-time students taking at least six credits per semester may expect to finish within four years. Taking courses in the summer may help expedite part-time students’ timing.

Students are also required to register for and complete an Interprofessional Education activity prior to graduation.

Dual-degree options are available in partnership with other Rutgers University schools.

Students can earn a post-baccalaureate certificate alongside their degree with an additional 6-12 credits. Contact admissions for additional information at admissions@sph.rutgers.edu.

Fall Semester Start Date
January 15 (priority)
May 1 (regular)

Spring Semester Start Date
October 15 (priority)
December 1 (regular)

A complete application includes:

• Completion of the online application
• Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended
• Statement of goals, one-to-three pages in length, which addresses:
  • Interest in the program
  • Preparedness for the program
  • Goals and aspirations
• Two letters of recommendation with at least one letter from an academic reference if you are currently enrolled in a degree program or have graduated within the last four years.
• Resume or CV
• GRE General Exam (optional)
• TOEFL or IELTS score for applicants educated in a non-native English-speaking country

Applications are accepted on a rolling, space-available basis following the regular deadline.