The Master of Public Health is a graduate degree for present and future public health professionals or students seeking additional public health training and education.
The program teaches students how to tackle the challenging health issues of society and work harmoniously with other sectors to enlighten and enforce standard health practices.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the 15 best MPH programs in 2024 to help you select the most suitable. Carefully read through.
Table of contents
What Is An MPH?
An MPH graduate degree equips people to engage with specific groups and communities to improve their health via awareness, education, policy, and research.
A Masters’s in Public Health program will provide students with a more advanced understanding of the five core disciplines of public health (biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health, health policy & administration, and social & behavioral sciences), as well as the opportunity for advanced knowledge in a specific specialization.
When you get your MPH, you’ll learn about current health and wellness trends, as well as scientific methodologies and best practices for changing health habits in a variety of settings.
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Why Should I Get A Masters In Public Health
A master’s degree in public health positions workers for fulfilling careers with real potential for making an impact. This program gives learners a deeper understanding of public health at an advanced level.
An MPH degree provides the option to specialize by providing a comprehensive understanding of the main disciplines of public health across practice and policy. It opens up the channel to high-level income positions. Some public health positions that require a master’s degree include epidemiology, advanced health education, and research.
According to TopUniversity, MPH programs are often taught from a worldwide perspective, highlighting the various ways in which public health professionals have grown increasingly important around the world.
Public health officers and researchers routinely cross national boundaries as they create strategies to prevent disease, propose changes, and promote health and well-being.
If you want to enroll for a master’s degree in public health, you can check out the entry requirements below.
What Are The Entry Requirements For MPH Programs
The admission requirements to study for a master’s degree in public health differs according to the institution. However, there are common entry requirements.
The entry requirements into MPH programs usually include:
- A bachelor’s degree
- Standardized test scores (GRE, MCAT, LSAT, etc.)
- A resume
- Letters of recommendation
- Personal statement
Depending on the institution and/or program, candidates may be expected to possess a certain amount of time working in a professional, health-related work setting. MPH application needs may also be affected by the concentration selected.
Each school will have a slightly distinct set of requirements for admissions, such as MPH programs without GRE requirements, so it is very important you check the school’s website and also work with an admissions officer to ensure your application meets all the appropriate requirements.
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15 Best MPH Programs
Our list of best MPH programs in 2024 was carefully selected based on reputation, accreditation, and cost. Data were drawn from IPEDS, College Scorecard, Niche, and US News & World Report.
The Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) is in charge of the accreditation of the Master in public health (MPH) programs.
1. University of Texas Health Sciences Center
The University of Texas Health Sciences Center offers the best Master in Public Health programs available in Texas. Their program focuses on the following four areas Environmental Health, Epidemiology, Health Promotion/Health Education, Management, Policy, and Community Health (MPACH).
UTHealth specializes in biomedical sciences, informatics, nursing, dentistry, and medicine. It has a psychiatric hospital and other outlying clinics and outreach programs around Texas to help you finish your degree and enter a working job.
Additionally, the school actively collaborates with several private companies and government organizations to help students advance their careers.
UTHealth School of Public Health is one of the leading universities in the country responsible for orienting public health academic leaders, according to a recently released independent analysis.
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2. University of California – Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health is a public university that started in 1943 as the first public health college west of the Mississippi. As an institution of excellence, The University of California – Berkeley Public Health offers one of the most comprehensive MPH programs in the US.
Here students are free to choose from 11 concentrations, the career that fits their path. You can select between Community Health and Sciences with degrees in Health and Social Behavior, Nutrition, or Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health; Environmental Health and Sciences or Global Health and Environment; Epidemiology and Biostatistics; Health Policy and Management; and Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology.
To accommodate the busy students, there is an online MPH degree, and a 4+1 fast track in a master’s in public health if the student’s undergrad was at Berkeley Public Health.
UC Berkeley School of Public Health ranks #1 for a place to receive a doctorate in Public Health with a #1 rank in Epidemiology from National Research Council Rankings.
3. University of California – Los Angeles
The MPH program at UCLA Fielding School of Public Health is one of the best in the United States. With eight tracks to choose from, UCLA offers five in Biostatistics, Community Health Sciences, Epidemiology, Health Policy and Management, and Environmental Health Sciences. They also have an Executive MPH program for professionals who work full-time in the area.
Here students are given access to a wide range of local and global hands-on training opportunities that equip them with the skills needed to move public health evidence to action.
4. University of Georgia
The University of Georgia offers one of the best MPH programs in the world. The program requires a 00-hour internship, core courses from every area of concentration, attendance to classes and other educational activities, and a final report.
The university offers seven areas of concentration, including Disaster Management, Environmental Health Science, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Gerontology, Health Promotion and Behavior, and Health Policy and Management.
With 17 schools/colleges on the Athens campus, admission to UGA is quite tough. Applicants are must meet the requirements which go beyond the degree.
The high standards that are demanded of students that extend beyond their degree demonstrate UGA’s dedication to “inspire students.”
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5. University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
The University of Michigan offers an MPH degree in public health in four areas of concentration on epidemiology, including General, Global Health, Hospital & Molecular, and Occupational & Environmental.
After graduation, students work in some of the reputable hospitals in the world with a high rate of graduate satisfaction.
Forbes and US News consistently rate the University of Michigan as one of the best 20 colleges in the US.
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6. Loma Linda University
Loma Linda University School of Public Health is one of the leading institutions offering masters in public health. You can obtain an MPH degree with five areas of concentration in Epidemiology, Global Health, Health Education & Wellness Coaching, Nutrition, and Population Medicine.
Their Master of Public Health program teaches students the fundamentals of public health through one of eight main concentrations and the clinical instruction needed to qualify as public health personnel with a 400-hour practicum.
Loma Linda University is a 7th-day Adventist health science college, but students are not required to be a part of the church.
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7. Northeastern University
Northeastern University is a research-based institution that was founded in 1898. It operates from campuses in the Boston neighborhoods of Roxbury, Fenway-Kenmore, Back Bay, and South End.
Northeastern University’s Master of Public Health degree program requires the completion of 42-credit hours to be certified. The MPH program includes academic rigor and competency-based education in an engaging learning environment.
International students and local students can study full-time (for two years) or part-time (up to 5 years).
The program is approved by the Council on Education in Public Health (CEPH) accreditation requirements.
8. John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
This challenging MPH program trains students to become leaders in public health, capable of solving current global health issues through multidisciplinary, evidence-based approaches.
Throughout the program, students meet with public health academic members who are internationally recognized for their teaching, practice, and continuing research. Students learn as much from each other as they do from their curriculum in this varied and collaborative learning environment.
Additionally, MPH students benefit from a flexible curriculum, online and onsite alternatives, hundreds of courses taught by 1,500+ faculty members, and RA opportunities in 67 countries.
9. California State University
The MPH degree program at CSUN prepares graduate students to be public health professionals. It prepares students for roles in program planning, implementation, evaluation, epidemiology, research as well as other important roles in public, private, and governmental agencies.
Students complete this masters in public health program with vital courses in Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Environmental and Occupational Health, and Health Administration.
Through practical application of knowledge and skills, public health professionals at CSUN develop the multidisciplinary skills required to identify and assess the needs within a community, and plan, implement and evaluate programs with the hope to promote and protect health in the communities in which they serve.
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10. Ohio State University
The Ohio State University College of Public Health in Columbus offers one of the best MPH degree programs in the world. They are known for their work in local communities across the globe.
Its excellence in academics has united students from all over the world who come to learn from the best.
The MPH program has 8 concentrations, including Clinical Translational Science, Epidemiology, Biomedical Informatics, Biostatistics, Environmental Health, Health and Behavior Promotion, Veterinary Public Health, and Program for Experienced Professionals.
While OSU is known for its high standards and 54% acceptance rate among its 64,000 students, it also gives learners a worthy campus life thrill.
11. Harvard Chan School School of Public Health
The master of public health degree from Harvard Chan School will offer you the breadth of knowledge, subject-specific experience, specialized skills, and powerful global network you need to establish the career you want in public health.
The program will provide you with the right mix of knowledge required of a public health practitioner to excel as an individual and also as medical personnel.
As a Harvard Chan MPH student, you will enjoy exceptional educational experiences both in and out of the classroom. Additionally, you will build skills not just in analytical and quantitative methods, but also in problem-solving and the application of public health training in real-world situations.
Harvard Chan School MPH graduates have achieved some remarkable things. They have led global efforts to eradicate smallpox and Guinea worm diseases.
SEE ALSO: Harvard University Acceptance Rate.
12. Emory University Rollins School of Public Health
Emory University Rollins offers students an opportunity to earn an MPH within two years or less. The provides students with the best academic-oriented background in public health.
All Rollins MPH and MSPH students must complete a 200-400 hour applied practice experience. This requirement is meant to improve the student’s understanding and application of knowledge and research findings to public health settings by providing an opportunity to gain practical experience.
Additionally, students must also complete an integrated learning experience. An integrative learning experience requires students to integrate and apply the competencies they developed during their study, applied practice experience, and related field experiences.
13. University of California Davis
The School of Medicine/Public Health Services designed the Master of Public Health degree at the University of California-Davis in close collaboration with the local public health community. The program prepares students for careers in healthcare leadership and innovative research in various settings.
The UC Davis M.P.H. program is a 56-unit accelerated program that focuses on the fundamentals of public health. It provides students with two specialization options: general public health and epidemiology and a practicum or internship in a public health environment.
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14. University of Washington
The University offers one of the best Master of public health degree programs. Their common core curriculum combines research and practice skills while preparing students to solve our most complex public health problems.
Students in the MPH program at the University of Washington will be able to evaluate the structure and function of public health care and national regulatory systems. They will learn how societal prejudice and racism harm the healthcare system and how to overcome these obstacles. Students will learn how to assess their community’s health needs and build better health care services.
The University of Washington offers concentrations in Biostatistics, Global Health, Health Services, Environmental and Occupational Health Services, and Epidemiology.
15. University of Wisconsin Madison
The Master of Public Health degree from the School of Medicine & Public Health at the University of Wisconsin prepares students for a career in public health via an interdisciplinary, hands-on approach.
The International Student Services department at UW Madison supports this Master of Public Health in the United States for international students. International students who want to apply may go to the school’s ISS program webpage. To graduate, each MPH candidate must complete a capstone project.
FAQs On Best MPH Programs
Some schools may require at least one year of full-time work experience in public health, while others don’t specify this requirement in their admissions. However, it’s recommended applicants should have at least some internship or volunteer experience prior to MPH applications.
Most institutions require candidates to have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited university or college, however, this does not always have to be in public health. Some colleges may require students to have completed specified prerequisite courses. Relevant employment and volunteer experiences may be advantageous for persons who do not have a bachelor’s degree in public health.
Yes, it is. An MPH degree exposes students to the practical approaches to preventing the prevalence of illness and enabling public health awareness that can impact a community. With an MPH degree, you can work in various career fields.
It takes two years to complete an MPH program. Most MPH degree programs require 42 to 45 credit hours. An MPH degree that requires only 42 credit hours may be completed in two years if the student attends school full-time.
Conclusion
With 15 CEPH-approved MPH programs listed above, selecting the best MPH program should be done based on certain parameters like your career goals, your preferred mode of learning, and your ideal kind of work environment.
References
- besthealthdegrees.com – 25 Best Masters of Public Health Programs
- healthcarestudies.com – What is Public Health and Why Study it?
- publichealthdegrees.org – Masters in Public Health Programs (MPH)
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