Rutgers Launches Master of Public Health in Sexual and Reproductive Health, Rights and Justice

The Rutgers School of Public Health has launched a 100% online Master of Public Health (MPH) degree in Sexual and Reproductive Health, Rights and Justice, and is accepting students for the Fall 2026 semester.

Designed for working professionals and students seeking flexibility, the degree is offered 100% online in a mixed format that includes both synchronous courses, held at scheduled times via Zoom, and asynchronous courses that allow students to engage with lectures, assignments, and course materials on their own schedule while meeting structured deadlines. The degree, which allows learners to balance coursework with professional and personal commitments, can be completed from anywhere.  Offering the degree fully online reflects a commitment to access, connecting students across geographic and political contexts, including those living where reproductive information, health care, and rights are increasingly restricted.

Grounded in the reproductive justice framework, the program situates sexual and reproductive health within broader systems of power, inequality, and human rights that shape people’s ability to make decisions about their bodies and lives. Courses prepare students with the public health knowledge, skills, and perspectives to advance sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice in diverse legal, social, and geographic contexts. 

“Sexual and reproductive health is being reshaped in real time by law, politics, and structural inequity, with serious consequences for health and autonomy,” said Laura Lindberg, professor at the Rutgers School of Public Health and director of the new degree. “This program prepares public health professionals to analyze policy impacts, generate rigorous evidence, and design interventions grounded in reproductive justice, so they are ready to respond to today’s challenges and lead future change.”

Students will gain hands-on experience working with data used in surveillance and policymaking, identifying gaps and biases, and evaluating laws and programs for their effectiveness and impact. Throughout the program, students apply a reproductive justice lens to data analysis, policy evaluation, and program design. 

Students will take a dynamic mix of courses focused on global and U.S. sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice, as well as classes in health policy, program planning, and evaluation. The curriculum is complemented by core public health coursework that builds a strong foundation in public health practice and research.

“At a time when access to sexual and reproductive information and health care is increasingly contested, schools of public health have a unique opportunity to train the next generation of leaders,” added Leslie Kantor, professor and chair of the Department of Urban-Global Public Health at the Rutgers School of Public Health. “This new MPH degree reflects the Rutgers School of Public Health’s commitment to equity, scholarship, and preparing professionals who can develop and implement the programs, services, and policies needed to ensure access.”

Graduates will be prepared for careers advancing sexual and reproductive health and justice in public health agencies, nonprofit and advocacy organizations, research institutions, healthcare systems, and policy-focused roles.

The new degree builds on Rutgers School of Public Health’s long-standing leadership in advancing health equity, population health, and innovative public health education.

To apply for the MPH in Sexual and Reproductive Health, Rights and Justice, click here.

To chat with Dr. Laura Lindberg about the degree, click here.