Application for this degree program is available through SOPHAS at www.sophas.org
The MPH degree provides students with a clear understanding of the roles of the core disciplines in public health. It also provides students with sufficient knowledge of the theory and terminology used by these disciplines to allow effective participation in interdisciplinary public health efforts and with specialized skills in at least one public health discipline. Your area of specialization should play an important role in your choice of concentration(s) and, consequently, in your location (New Brunswick or Newark).
Students seeking the MPH degree must complete 45 credits of academic work with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0; earn no more than nine (9) credits bearing grades less than "B;" and complete the degree requirements within six year. This coursework is distributed as follows:
18 CREDITS in core areas of public health: Students in all concentrations must take the following five core courses: Health Systems and Policy, Introduction to Biostatistics, Introduction to Environmental Health, Principles and Methods of Epidemiology, Public Health Essentials, and Social and Behavioral Health Sciences in Public Health. Students must take and pass a quantitative skills assessment before registering for the core courses in Biostatistics and Epidemiology. We have designed a quantitative skill assessment screening test to help identify students who may have a weak math background or lack quantitative preparation. The assessment reviews basic quantitative skills and logic that is required in both the Biostatistics and the Epidemiology core courses. Based upon performance on the quantitative skills assessment, each student will be advised if he or she needs additional preparation prior to registering for the courses.
15 - 18 CREDITS of courses required by the concentration: Students enrolled at the New Brunswick location may concentrate in one of the following areas: Biostatistics; Environmental Health Sciences; Epidemiology; Global Public Health; Health Systems & Policy; Public Health Nutrition; Occupational Safety & Health; or Social & Behavioral Health Sciences. Students enrolled at the Newark location may concentrate in Epidemiology, Public Health Nutrition; or Urban Public Health. To determine which courses are required for specific concentrations, please visit the Concentrations webpages. Because courses are specific for each concentration, it is essential that students meet with their advisors each semester to discuss specific course selections and to have their schedules approved. Please refer to the Academic Advisement section of the School of Public Health's catalog.
6 - 9 CREDITS of elective courses: Please refer to the concentration's description for specific recommended electives for each concentration. If a student identifies courses that do not appear in the Catalog, approval to take the course must be obtained from the faculty advisor prior to registration.
3 CREDITS of Practicum Capstone: This includes a research project, supervised by a faculty member, and a final written report.
0 CREDITS of Applied Practice Experience: This includes a public health project, conducted at an outside organization, and two deliverables created for the organization.
An Interprofessional Education Experience: This includes participating in an approved interprofessional education event held in conjunction with the RBHS Office of Interprofessional Programs.
Students may complete the requirements for two of the concentration areas. For example, a student can combine Epidemiology with Social & Behavioral Health Sciences. To achieve this, the student typically has two advisors, one from each concentration. The double major consists of a student taking all required concentration courses from both disciplines, usually requiring 51-54 credits in total (as compared to the minimum of 45 credits for the MPH degree). The Applied Practice Experience and Practicum Capstone requirements are coordinated between the two advisors and reflects both disciplines. Students who wish to request a dual concentration must complete and submit a Dual Concentration form. Individual concentration areas may have limitations or requirements on double concentrations. Students should consult an advisor from each area for complete information.
Students may complete one or more Certificate programs alongside their MPH degree to further enhance their skills and expertise in a specialized area. No more than six (6) credits may be counted towards the curricular requirements for a degree and certificate program. Students who wish to request an internal certificate must complete and submit a Request for Internal Certificate form. The requested Certificate program will review the student's original admissions file and the student's transcript.
For physicians interested in Occupational and Environmental Medicine, the Occupational and Environmental Medicine Residency Program is a two year postgraduate medical training program leading to eligibility for certification in Occupational Medicine by the American Board of Preventive Medicine. The Rutgers OEM program is affiliated with both the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and the Rutgers School of Public Health. Residents complete the MPH during this period. For further information contact: please contact the program coordinator, Rutgers Residency Program in Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 170 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854 | phone: (848) 445-6093.
For physicians interested in Preventive Medicine, the Preventive Medicine Residency Program is a two year postgraduate medical training program leading to eligibility for certification by the American Board of Preventive Medicine. The Program is coordinated by the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School on the Rutgers Health Sciences Campus at Newark. Residents complete the MPH during this period. Grant stipend support may be available to qualified applicants. For further information contact: please contact the director of the Preventive Medicine Residency, Dr. Pauline Thomas, Department of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, MSB F592, 185 South Orange Ave, Newark, NJ 07101 | phone: (973) 972-9384.