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Rutgers School of Public Health

Biostatistics and Epidemiology

Master of Public Health (MPH) in Public Health Practice for Health Professionals

The MPH degree in Public Health Practice for Health Professionals provides clinicians with an in-depth understanding of practice-oriented public health disciplines. The curriculum provides sufficient knowledge of program evaluation and epidemiological methods to allow effective participation in interdisciplinary public health efforts.

This concentration trains health professionals to develop a specialized skillset in understanding epidemiology to realize current disease patterns and impact health outcomes through preventative program planning efforts, in-depth program evaluations, and appropriate communication of their findings.

Students enrolled in this program can begin their coursework in both the fall and spring semesters. Most courses are offered in-person and with some courses offered remotely or online.

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.

Competencies

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 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

Curriculum

Curriculum for the Master of Public Health in Public Health Practice for Health Professionals (42 credits*)

Students seeking the MPH in Public Health Practice for Health Professionals 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 Course Schedule for each semester to determine when, where, and how a course is offered.

  • 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.
  • REQUIRED 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)
    • -also-
  • REQUIRED CONTENT-FOCUSED SELECTIVE (3 credits) - Choose one of the following nine (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.
  • RECOMMENDED 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.
    • *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.