Master of Public Health in Global Public Health

The 10% Online MPH in Global Public Health degree gives students an in-depth understanding of the economic, educational, political, sociocultural, environmental, ecological, and biological conditions that impact health outcomes for worldwide populations.

As community advocates versed in global public health education, research, and practice, graduates will be prepared to devise thoughtful solutions to health challenges that consider the region’s social determinants of health and diverse data.

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

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 Online MPH in Global Public Health curriculum, will be able to:

• MPH-GPH1: Evaluate determinants of global public health based on one or more of the five major public health perspectives: systems and policies, epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental and occupational health, or health education and behavioral science;
• MPH-GPH2: Demonstrate an understanding of the economic, educational, political, sociocultural, environmental, ecological or biological conditions that represent obstacles to attaining global health;
• MPH-GPH3: Describe how management of global health programs is influenced by international organizational, regulatory, or ethical frameworks;
• MPH-GPH4: Explain the global standards for the protection of human subjects in diverse cultural settings;
• MPH-GPH5: Analyze causes of morbidity and/or mortality in major regions of the world and how they are affected by demographic, sociocultural, biological, or occupational and environmental factors; and
• MPH-GPH6: Apply global perspectives to public health education, research, or practice. 

The Online MPH in Global Public Health degree is a fully online program, providing students with the opportunity to earn a degree from the Rutgers School of Public Health from anywhere.

Full time students are admitted to begin their coursework in the fall semester. Full-time students are required to complete nine (9) credits (three courses) each semester (fall, spring, and summer) of designated coursework, to complete the degree requirements in five (5) semesters. Part-time students are admitted to begin their coursework in either the fall or spring semester and are required to complete six (6) credits (two courses) each semester (fall, spring, and summer) of designated coursework to complete the degree requirements in eight (8) semesters.

Like traditional classroom courses, Online MPH in Global Public Health degree courses will start and end on specific days and have assignment deadlines that are the same for all online students.

Students are admitted to begin their coursework in the fall semester and may be full-time or part-time students:

• Full-time students are required to complete nine (9) credits (three courses) each semester (fall, spring, and summer) of designated coursework, to complete the degree requirements in five (5) semesters.
• Part-time students are required to complete six (6) credits (two courses) each semester (fall, spring, and summer) of designated coursework to complete the degree requirements in eight (8) semesters.

Students can expect to complete their coursework asynchronously (at any time of day) online, except for group projects that will require meetings with classmates. Students will digitally interact with their professors and classmates through various opportunities, such as discussion boards and collaborative projects throughout each semester. Students will also be able to review and access course materials, recorded lectures, and other forums online at any time.

A practicum experience is also mandatory and may be completed locally. Student practicum orientation and meetings may be completed synchronously (at a specific date and time), however, the format of the practicum experience - in- person or remote - is suggested by the practicum site.

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

For Fall semester start, apply by April 15 (priority) or June 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.

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 (APE) (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 Courses (15 Credits)

Note: Students should review the Course Descriptions in the School Catalog for specific information about prerequisites required for required courses and recommended electives.

• UGPH 0600 - Introduction to Global Public Health
• UGPH 0515 - Global Communicable and Noncommunicable Diseases
• HBSP 0600 - Health Behavior and Policy Research Design and Methods
• HBSP 0623 - Cross National Comparisons of Health Systems
• HBSP 0652 - Program Planning and Evaluation

Other Requirements

• PRAC 0621 - Interprofessional Education Experience (0 credits) [Fall/Spring]
  Students are required to register for and complete an Interprofessional Education activity prior to graduation.
• Complete Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) online training on Human Subject Research Protections (For Students Enrolled Fall 2024 and After)

Recommended Elective Courses (9 Credits)

Electives may be chosen from the below list of recommended courses; from other courses offered across the School of Public Health, including the School’s global courses (INTL courses); or with approval of the academic advisor. An Independent Study may also be done for up to 3-credits, with approval of the academic advisor and an SPH faculty member. Students interested in taking a graduate course at another Rutgers school must consult with their academic advisor and complete appropriate cross-registration forms in advance of registration. When choosing electives, students should consider the prerequisite requirement(s) and the location or teaching modality of the course. (Courses below are offered online asynchronous or online synchronous.)

Electives with Emphasis on Social and Commercial Determinants of Health

• HBSP 0683 - Social-Ecological Approaches to Suicide Prevention (Spring)
• EPID 0673 - Social Epidemiology (Summer)
• UGPH 0580 - Social Determinants of Health (Summer)

Electives with Emphasis on Community Health

• HBSP 0654 - Public Health Communication/Risk Communication (Spring)
• HBSP 0682 - Understanding Suicide (Fall)

Electives with Emphasis on Evaluation and/or Research

• EPID 0621 - Survey Research in Epidemiology (Fall)
• EPID 0641 - GIS in Public Health (Spring)
• UGPH 0650 - Community Engaged Methods in Public Health (Summer)

Electives with Emphasis on Populations

• ENOH 0620 - Climate Change: Planet & Human Health (Fall)
• ENOH 0621 - Sustainability: Planet & Human Health (Fall)
• UGPH 0521 - Culture and Health (Summer)
• UGPH 0560 - Foundations in Maternal and Child Health (Fall)

Electives for Completing an Internal Certificate

Online MPH students interested in concurrently completing a Certificate program in addition to their MPH degree should discuss this with their advisor first as many of the certificate programs are campus-based with only a few certificate programs available with online courses. Then, they should discuss their plans with the respective Certificate Coordinator, complete the necessary forms in advance, and plan their curriculum to account for the six shared credits. (Students are not able to pursue a certificate in the same concentration as their MPH degree program.)

The Online MPH in Global Public Health is a fully online degree program. Robust courses and engaging learning experiences will be delivered through Canvas, a learning management system, which can be accessed using your computer from your own home or other preferred location with suitable internet connection and bandwidth speeds.

Students will digitally interact with their professors and classmates through various opportunities, such as discussion boards, interactive lessons, engaging group activities, and collaborative projects throughout each semester. Students will also be able to review and access course materials, recorded lectures, and other forums online at any time.

Like traditional classroom courses, Online MPH in Global Public Health courses will start and end on specific days and have assignment deadlines that are the same for all online students.

The Online MPH in Global Public Health courses are developed by subject matter experts in public health and instructional designers in online learning. Each program is designed to deliver relevant, applicable course outcomes that will help prepare you to succeed in global public health.

All students are required to possess a personal laptop, no older than approximately two years, which must meet the computing requirements outlined here. Additionally, students must have a headset with a microphone and an internet connection with a bandwidth of 100mbps.