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Master of Public Health in Public Health Practice for Health Professionals (MPH)
Master of Public Health in Public Health Practice for Health Professionals (MPH)
The Rutgers School of Public Health's Master of Public Health (MPH) in Public Health Practice for Health Professionals degree provides clinicians with an in-depth understanding of practice-oriented public health disciplines.
About the Program
This degree provides knowledge of program evaluation and epidemiological methods to allow effective participation in interdisciplinary public health efforts.
This concentration trains current health professionals to develop a specialized skill set in understanding epidemiology to realize current disease patterns and impact health outcomes through program planning efforts, in-depth program evaluations, and appropriate communication of their findings.
Graduates are eligible to sit for the Certified in Public Health Exam.
Competencies
Upon graduation, a student completing the MPH curriculum in Public Health Practice for Health Professionals will be able to:
- Critique epidemiologic literature, assess its strengths and weaknesses, and determine if conclusion(s) are supported
- Use epidemiologic techniques to quantitatively assess patterns and changes in disease occurrence
- Apply quantitative and qualitative research methods in the analysis of health services data
- Evaluate programs in diverse settings
- Present program evaluation or research findings to professional audiences
Program Format and Length
The MPH in Public Health Practice for Health Professionals degree is offered as both a full-time and part-time program for clinicians. Courses are available in-person, remote, and/or online. Students will complete a total of 42 credits, including a practicum experience and capstone research project.
Students seeking this degree must complete 42 credits* of academic work with a minimum GPA of least 3.0; earn no more than six (6) 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.
*The MPH in Public Health Practice for Health Professionals concentration is only available to students who are also eligible for the MPH Degree Option for Clinicians.
Application Deadline and Requirements
Fall Semester Start Date
January 15 (priority)
May 1 (regular)
Spring Semester Start Date
October 15 (priority)
December 1 (regular)
To be eligible for this program, health professionals must have completed an accredited undergraduate program in the United States or its equivalent, are currently licensed as a health care provider in the United States or its territory, and fulfill eligibility requirements for the MPH Degree Option for Clinicians.* Applicants who are Preventive Medicine Residents must have already been accepted as a resident at New Jersey Medical School.
*The MPH in Public Health Practice for Health Professionals concentration is only available to students who are also eligible for the MPH Degree Option for Clinicians. However, MPH Degree Option for Clinician students may pursue any Rutgers School of Public Health MPH Concentration.
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.
Core Courses (18 credits)
- PHCO 0501 - Health Systems and Policy
- PHCO 0502 - Principles and Methods of Epidemiology
- PHCO 0503 - Introduction to Environmental Health
- PHCO 0504 - Introduction to Biostatistics (Prerequisite: Quantitative Skills Assessment)
- PHCO 0505 - Social and Behavioral Health Sciences in Public Health
- PHCO 0513 - Leadership and Management Essentials for Public Health
Practicum (3 credits)
Note: Students should review the Practice Experience webpage for information about Practicum.
- PRAC 0715 - Applied Practice Experience (0 credits) [Prerequisite: APE Learning Agreement and select PHCO and concentration courses]
- PRAC 0716 - Practicum Capstone (3 credits) [Prerequisite: Completion of the APE and Practicum Capstone Learning Agreement]
Review the School’s Registration Calendar for important MPH Practice Experience Registration dates specific to PRAC 0715 and PRAC 0716.
Methods Courses ( 12 credits)
Note: Students should review the Course Descriptions in the School Catalog for specific information about prerequisites required for required courses and recommended electives.
- EPID 0656 - Intermediate Epidemiologic Research Methods (Fall/Spring)
- HBSP 0600 - Health Behavior and Policy Research Design and Methods (Fall/Spring/Summer)
- HBSP 0652 - Program Planning and Evaluation (Fall/Spring/Summer)
Choose one of the following three (these courses can also be used as electives):
- BIST 0535 - Biostatistical Computing (Fall/Spring)
- EPID 0621 - Survey Research Methods in Epidemiology (Fall)
- UGPH 0605 - Qualitative Research (Fall)
Content-Focused Selective Courses (3 credits)
Choose one of the following (these classes may also be used as electives):
- EPID 0552 - Infectious Disease Epidemiology (Fall)
- EPID 0563 - Introduction to Outcomes Research (Fall)
- EPID 0601 - Cancer Epidemiology (Spring)
- EPID 0607 - Reproductive and Perinatal Epidemiology (Fall)
- EPID 0650 - Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology (Spring)
- EPID 0652 - Epidemiology of Chronic Disease (Fall)
- EPID 0672 - Pharmacoepidemiology and Therapeutic Risk Management (Spring)
- EPID 0673 - Social Epidemiology (Spring)
- EPID 0676 - Intermediate Pharmacoepidemiology (Fall)
Other Requirements (0 credits)
- PRAC 0621 - Interprofessional Education (0 credits) [Fall/Spring]
Students are required to register for and complete an Interprofessional Education activity prior to graduation.
Elective Courses (6 credits)
Electives may be chosen from the above selective lists or, with approval of the academic advisor, from courses offered by other concentrations in the School of Public Health. An Independent Study may be done for up to 3-credits of electives, with approval of the academic advisor.