The Public Health Degrees - MPH, MS(PH), DrPH, PhD, ScD

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Interested in a public health degree but not sure which one to pursue? There are many degrees available in public health, both academic and professional at master and doctoral levels. Below is a list of the various degrees one can obtain in public health.

Disclaimer: This information pertains to accredited US institutions. Non-accredited schools do not have to follow the CEPH certification guidelines for public health education, and thus the information below may not pertain to them.

Master Level Degrees

Master of Public Health (MPH): The MPH is a professional terminal degree designed to be a comprehensive public health graduate education. Graduates from these programs generally have a concentration in one of the areas of public health (eg. epidemiology, community health, health policy and administration, environmental/occupational health, etc.), which is the focus of the coursework. All MPH students complete at least one course in all "core" areas of public health. MPH students are also required to complete a practicum, internship, or field work of some sort, as well as a culminating project (eg. comprehensive exam, thesis, presentation, etc.).

The MPH is generally conferred directly by the School of Public Health at that university. The majority of schools will allow students from a variety of undergraduate disciplines and work backgrounds. Many students come directly from undergraduate studies. Some schools offer the MPH to doctoral-level professionals (MD, JD, DDS, etc.) only. Competitiveness of admission to MPH programs varies from institution to institution, but generally speaking, admit rates range from 35% - 80%. A competitive applicant should have at a minimum a demonstrated interest in public health, a 50th-percentile on all GRE sections, and a 3.0 undergraduate GPA. The degree typically takes two years of full-time coursework. Some schools offer an accelerated one year program for individuals already possessing a doctoral-level degree. As with most professional degree programs, students are generally not accommodated with significant scholarship or grant options to fund their studies.

Master of Science (MS, MSc, ScM, MSPH): The MS is an academic research degree designed for folks who wish to attain the quantitative and qualitative skills to become proficient researchers. Students apply to a particular discipline, and very little coursework is taken outside of that discipline (the MSPH is the exception to this rule as it is still an academic research degree but still incorporates some of the core PH coursework from the MPH). This trait makes the MS a less suitable degree for someone who wishes to be a public health professional that requires the interdisciplinary education that a MPH provides. MS students will generally complete an independent research project with a traditional thesis/dissertation and defense. Many students enrolling in a MS program are very suitable applicants to academic doctoral programs (eg. PhD, ScD) due to similarities in coursework and research requirements. Typical programs require two years for coursework and thesis/dissertation.

The MS is generally conferred by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (or applicable name at that particular institution) rather than the School of Public Health at that university, and thus admissions requirements will be different than a MPH applicant. In general, applications to MS programs are more competitive than MPH programs due to the smaller allowable class sizes and necessary individual attention of a MS student during the thesis and defense phase. Admit rates vary significantly. MS students will sometimes receive funding for their education under a faculty member's training grant or project grant, but is not common.

Doctoral Level Degrees

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH): The DrPH is the doctoral-level equivalent of the MPH. The DrPH is a professional terminal degree designed for public health professionals with several years of experience who wish to become leaders and decision makers in their fields. The DrPH is a degree conferred as a school-wide degree from SPHs, as such, students may concentrate in many areas of public health. Dissertation and defense work is necessary, but different than in traditional academic dissertations. The DrPH dissertation and defense tackles unique public health issues, and the research is solving and addressing systemic topics rather than the narrow focused research of an academic researcher (eg. association of 20 SNPs with esophageal cancer). Some DrPH recipients do become academic researchers, although the typical path is back into public health practice.

As with all doctoral-level degrees, admittance to a DrPH program is highly competitive. Competitive applicants will possess at the least, a MPH degree, several years of experience in public health, and a focused goal toward the DrPH. Some programs will allow students to be concurrently in the workforce while completing their degrees. Typical time to completion is three years for full-time study and up to seven years for part-time study. Options to fund a student's education varies significantly.

Doctor of Philosophy/Science (PhD, ScD, DSc): The PhD/ScD is an academic doctoral degree focused on research and is the doctoral equivalent of the MS degree. Students enrolled in a PhD/ScD program apply to a specific department and focus almost entirely on that single discipline. The goal is to train researchers in that particular field of study. In general, the PhD/ScD is a requirement for a career as an academic researcher in US universities and principal investigators. Students will work under a committee of faculty members, complete coursework, pass a qualifying examination, and complete a dissertation and defense to graduate from the program.

In general, PhDs are conferred by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (or applicable name at that particular institution), whereas the ScD is conferred by the SPH. The differences in PhD versus the ScD is mostly in name only, and the reasons why an institution may confer a PhD or ScD depends on who the school wishes to confer the degree. As with DrPH admission, admission to PhD/ScD programs is highly competitive. Competitive applicants will have a master-level degree in a related public health discipline; demonstrated research interest, skills and ideas; a stellar GPA; and outstanding GRE scores. Due to the heavy mentoring aspect of a PhD/ScD degree, spots are limited. Funding options for students typically comes in the form of a fellowship, training grant, or teaching/research assistant.

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Awesome post!!!


I just want to add, that some schools do directly offer the MS. USF is one of them. It also generally is more geared towards PhD study since they often include classes/seminars in grant proposal writing, presentations, etc.

I also wanted to add that the MS can take longer than the MPH due to more course requirements and the thesis. They are also less likely to take part-time admits.


Great job, as usual Stories!
 
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Can you list some of the advantages of graduating from a CEPH school vs. a reputable state school that is not accredited?
 
Can you list some of the advantages of graduating from a CEPH school vs. a reputable state school that is not accredited?

Your Public Health education would be unaccredited. So if the job you want in the future requires an accredited public health education, you'd be ineligible for the job. Also, an unaccredited program/school hasn't met the requirements of course offerings to offer you a comprehensive public health education, so what you learn may be incomplete and/or inaccurate.
 
Hi everyone,

first of all I apologize if this is on the wrong thread. I'm trying to see if anyone can recommend good schools (east coast) that offers DrPh. I have my MPH from a CEPH accredited school

Thanks

Tony
 
When considering DrPH programs, be sure to look at how long they've been established. Some (most?) programs are fairly recent, so I might be wary of those that aren't at least a few years old with alumni who've graduated already...
 
Laceto,

It depends on the Concentration. What I've learned is Most Colleges/Schools are only known for thier DrPH because of the success of a particular concentration offering the DrPH degree.

But Healthwolf is 100% right, Until 2007-2008 Florida A&M University was the only University in Florida offering the DrPH degree, and currently USF is the only other in Florida that offers that degree.

But East Coast, I'd prolly go with UNC, UAB, and Emory in that order...Throw Drexel and Pittsburgh in there too. UNC and UAB offer many different DrPHs and many course options.
 
Apologies if this should be in its own thread.

What about master's degrees other than MPH and MS? Perhaps it's fairly easy to judge how prestigious alternative degrees are at schools that don't offer an MPH, but it's hard when they ofter a slew of Master's-level degrees.

I'm visiting Hopkins right now and from talking to people, it makes virtually no difference whether you get an MPH or an MHS from there (assuming two people applying for a job, med school, etc. had equivalent levels of work experience). At JHSPH, though, MPH is a mid-career degree, so people w/ less than 2 yrs full-time public health experience have to go for the MHS. Plus it's #1, so who cares, right?

But what about other programs? Minnesota, for instance, has an MPH and an MS in Biostats, that someone w/ less than 2yrs professional experience could apply to (I think...not particularly interested in that track myself). Would someone qualified for an MPH or an MS, or some other similarly named degree be crazy to choose the alternative over MPH?
 
Apologies if this should be in its own thread.

What about master's degrees other than MPH and MS? Perhaps it's fairly easy to judge how prestigious alternative degrees are at schools that don't offer an MPH, but it's hard when they ofter a slew of Master's-level degrees.

I'm visiting Hopkins right now and from talking to people, it makes virtually no difference whether you get an MPH or an MHS from there (assuming two people applying for a job, med school, etc. had equivalent levels of work experience). At JHSPH, though, MPH is a mid-career degree, so people w/ less than 2 yrs full-time public health experience have to go for the MHS. Plus it's #1, so who cares, right?

But what about other programs? Minnesota, for instance, has an MPH and an MS in Biostats, that someone w/ less than 2yrs professional experience could apply to (I think...not particularly interested in that track myself). Would someone qualified for an MPH or an MS, or some other similarly named degree be crazy to choose the alternative over MPH?

JHU is the only school, as far as I know, that offers the MHS. While, the MHS within an Epidemiology department may be fundamentally the same as the MPH, the MHS is also conferred within other departments at JHU that are not public health disciplines (but are housed within the PH school, such as the molecular microbiology and immunology department) which do not conform to the standards of a MPH degree. So it's not necessarily an apples-apples comparison: it can be, but isn't necessarily.

As for the 2 years of experience requirement, aside from Harvard and JHU, I'm not sure of any other schools that have it for the MPH. All other schools allow non-professionals to enter into the MPH program.

At a school like UMN (and pretty much every university in the country) an academic degree MS versus the professional degree, MPH, serve different purposes and roles. Those purposes are outlined in the topic thread. But specifically looking at a department like Biostatistics, it is my opinion that a person would be better served getting the MS degree because it provides more training in the statistical methods than the MPH could provide because MPH degrees are required to provide education in all core areas of public health whereas (taking away opportunity to take additional stats courses) the MS will let a student take more classes in statistics since they don't have to take the PH cores (and always requires a thesis with real data analysis).
 
Laceto,

It depends on the Concentration. What I've learned is Most Colleges/Schools are only known for thier DrPH because of the success of a particular concentration offering the DrPH degree.

But Healthwolf is 100% right, Until 2007-2008 Florida A&M University was the only University in Florida offering the DrPH degree, and currently USF is the only other in Florida that offers that degree.

But East Coast, I'd prolly go with UNC, UAB, and Emory in that order...Throw Drexel and Pittsburgh in there too. UNC and UAB offer many different DrPHs and many course options.

Yeah, don't forget about Hopkins, Harvard and Boston U too...tons of other East Coast schools offer at DrPH, but again, depends on what you want to do. Many DrPH programs are interdisciplinary so offer a wide range of topics and courses for you to pick from.
 
JHU is the only school, as far as I know, that offers the MHS. While, the MHS within an Epidemiology department may be fundamentally the same as the MPH, the MHS is also conferred within other departments at JHU that are not public health disciplines (but are housed within the PH school, such as the molecular microbiology and immunology department) which do not conform to the standards of a MPH degree. So it's not necessarily an apples-apples comparison: it can be, but isn't necessarily.

As for the 2 years of experience requirement, aside from Harvard and JHU, I'm not sure of any other schools that have it for the MPH. All other schools allow non-professionals to enter into the MPH program.

At a school like UMN (and pretty much every university in the country) an academic degree MS versus the professional degree, MPH, serve different purposes and roles. Those purposes are outlined in the topic thread. But specifically looking at a department like Biostatistics, it is my opinion that a person would be better served getting the MS degree because it provides more training in the statistical methods than the MPH could provide because MPH degrees are required to provide education in all core areas of public health whereas (taking away opportunity to take additional stats courses) the MS will let a student take more classes in statistics since they don't have to take the PH cores (and always requires a thesis with real data analysis).



Hey Stories,
Thanks for the great info... I jus wanted to ask you this.. I will be starting MHS International Health this fall at JHU. And its a professional PH course. So do you think there might be any difference between this professional MHS and MPH in the same.

Thank you.
 
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Hey Stories,
Thanks for the great info... I jus wanted to ask you this.. I will be starting MHS International Health this fall at JHU. And its a professional PH course. So do you think there might be any difference between this professional MHS and MPH in the same.

Thank you.

Probably not much difference since International Health is a pretty well established PH field.
 
hi ..pl PL ..HELP ME I M IDENTIST AND .. INTERESTED IN MPH .. MATERIN PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAAME AND JOINING IN JAURAY 2012... CAN MY CVARRIER BUILT UP IN USA.. ON MPBH BASIS.... HW MUCH I CAN EARN PL ... GUIDEME OR I CAN TAKE ANY OTHER COURSE.... guide me... how much i can earn.... and which branch l...
 
Dos anyone know anything about the MS program in disability and human development at University of Illinois at Chicago? How competitive is it? What kind of scores and experiences should a successful applicant have?
 
Hi everyone,
i am about to finish my undergrad (mbbs) in coming 6months and i am planning to do MPH(management and policy making) from England. For that i am giving preference to university of Sheffield. My senior doctor who is also PH practicer recommended university of Liverpool and London school of hygiene and tropical health. What you guys recommend about these universities? ...
Thanks
 
hello everyone,
i have seen that most of the reputed public health schools are in US.
but i want to study from Canada only.
now i have some confusion regarding the acrreditation. it seems that only University of Alberta is acrredited:mad:... i would like to know about this as i am from india and dont know have that much of an idea...
help me out!
 
Your Public Health education would be unaccredited. So if the job you want in the future requires an accredited public health education, you'd be ineligible for the job. Also, an unaccredited program/school hasn't met the requirements of course offerings to offer you a comprehensive public health education, so what you learn may be incomplete and/or inaccurate.
This was also probably said already but the majority of jobs that require you to have an MPH will most likely want it to be from a school that they recognize.

Another interesting bit of trivia - in order to be admitted to the United States Public Health Services Commissioned Corps as a health services officer, you must have an MPH from a CEPH accredited school. You also can't take the CPH certification exam if your MPH is not from a CEPH accredited school or program.
 
Can I also just say that the newly accredited City University of New York (CUNY)'s School of Public Health have a fabulous Doctor of Public Health program, geared specifically towards working professionals where you can fulfill requirements for your electives and interdisciplinary courses throughout the CUNY system (ex: think of things like "public health and criminology" at John Jay and "Demography" at Baruch)? I'm going into my second year there, and all of my teachers have come from prestiguous careers and backgrounds, many from Columbia and also many previous editors of the AJPH.

And for those talking about the DrPH program at Columbia, you cannot be admitted into this program until you already obtain a different health-focused (MD, DO, etc.) degree. There's no MPH --> DrPH at Columbia.
 
Can I also just say that the newly accredited City University of New York (CUNY)'s School of Public Health have a fabulous Doctor of Public Health program, geared specifically towards working professionals where you can fulfill requirements for your electives and interdisciplinary courses throughout the CUNY system (ex: think of things like "public health and criminology" at John Jay and "Demography" at Baruch)? I'm going into my second year there, and all of my teachers have come from prestiguous careers and backgrounds, many from Columbia and also many previous editors of the AJPH.

And for those talking about the DrPH program at Columbia, you cannot be admitted into this program until you already obtain a different health-focused (MD, DO, etc.) degree. There's no MPH --> DrPH at Columbia.
Hi
Awesome post!!
Wat about the various concentrations in epi? How's the mhs in epidemology of
Aging programme? N are programs which do not offer concentrations in
Epi worse than the ones which do?? :s
 
Hi all,

I'm interested in the MS/PhD track. One thing that's been quite disheartening is that the degrees don't stack, i.e, the masters takes two years and then the PhD takes another four or five.

Does anyone know of exceptions to this unfortunate set-up?

Thanks!
 
Hi all,

I'm interested in the MS/PhD track. One thing that's been quite disheartening is that the degrees don't stack, i.e, the masters takes two years and then the PhD takes another four or five.

Does anyone know of exceptions to this unfortunate set-up?

Thanks!

Most, if not all, schools offer some sort of master's en route to the PhD (at Yale, for instance, it was the MPhil). Some will allow you take additional course or research requirements to attain a MS en route, as well (an option I did not take).

In all honesty, though, if you're getting a PhD, getting a MS is redundant since it's not your terminal degree.
 
I'm not sure where to post this as I am new to SDN, but I am wondering what types of positions people with DrPH degrees are getting... I'm in public health now but not in my field of maternal/child health. I am interested in health administration in the public sector but I don't see any entry lines- hence my beginning the DrPH program (that and my education addiction, lol)
 
Are you sure that's right about Columbia's program? I met some students who were DrPH students and their only previous degree was an MPH. It also doesn't say anything about having to have a different degree apart from an MPH to get the DrPH on the website.

Can I also just say that the newly accredited City University of New York (CUNY)'s School of Public Health have a fabulous Doctor of Public Health program, geared specifically towards working professionals where you can fulfill requirements for your electives and interdisciplinary courses throughout the CUNY system (ex: think of things like "public health and criminology" at John Jay and "Demography" at Baruch)? I'm going into my second year there, and all of my teachers have come from prestiguous careers and backgrounds, many from Columbia and also many previous editors of the AJPH.

And for those talking about the DrPH program at Columbia, you cannot be admitted into this program until you already obtain a different health-focused (MD, DO, etc.) degree. There's no MPH --> DrPH at Columbia.
 
Interested in a public health degree but not sure which one to pursue? There are many degrees available in public health, both academic and professional at master and doctoral levels. Below is a list of the various degrees one can obtain in public health.

Disclaimer: This information pertains to accredited US institutions. Non-accredited schools do not have to follow the CEPH certification guidelines for public health education, and thus the information below may not pertain to them.

Master Level Degrees

Master of Public Health (MPH): The MPH is a professional terminal degree designed to be a comprehensive public health graduate education. Graduates from these programs generally have a concentration in one of the areas of public health (eg. epidemiology, community health, health policy and administration, environmental/occupational health, etc.), which is the focus of the coursework. All MPH students complete at least one course in all "core" areas of public health. MPH students are also required to complete a practicum, internship, or field work of some sort, as well as a culminating project (eg. comprehensive exam, thesis, presentation, etc.).

The MPH is generally conferred directly by the School of Public Health at that university. The majority of schools will allow students from a variety of undergraduate disciplines and work backgrounds. Many students come directly from undergraduate studies. Some schools offer the MPH to doctoral-level professionals (MD, JD, DDS, etc.) only. Competitiveness of admission to MPH programs varies from institution to institution, but generally speaking, admit rates range from 35% - 80%. A competitive applicant should have at a minimum a demonstrated interest in public health, a 50th-percentile on all GRE sections, and a 3.0 undergraduate GPA. The degree typically takes two years of full-time coursework. Some schools offer an accelerated one year program for individuals already possessing a doctoral-level degree. As with most professional degree programs, students are generally not accommodated with significant scholarship or grant options to fund their studies.

Master of Science (MS, MSc, ScM, MSPH): The MS is an academic research degree designed for folks who wish to attain the quantitative and qualitative skills to become proficient researchers. Students apply to a particular discipline, and very little coursework is taken outside of that discipline (the MSPH is the exception to this rule as it is still an academic research degree but still incorporates some of the core PH coursework from the MPH). This trait makes the MS a less suitable degree for someone who wishes to be a public health professional that requires the interdisciplinary education that a MPH provides. MS students will generally complete an independent research project with a traditional thesis/dissertation and defense. Many students enrolling in a MS program are very suitable applicants to academic doctoral programs (eg. PhD, ScD) due to similarities in coursework and research requirements. Typical programs require two years for coursework and thesis/dissertation.

The MS is generally conferred by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (or applicable name at that particular institution) rather than the School of Public Health at that university, and thus admissions requirements will be different than a MPH applicant. In general, applications to MS programs are more competitive than MPH programs due to the smaller allowable class sizes and necessary individual attention of a MS student during the thesis and defense phase. Admit rates vary significantly. MS students will sometimes receive funding for their education under a faculty member's training grant or project grant, but is not common.

Doctoral Level Degrees

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH): The DrPH is the doctoral-level equivalent of the MPH. The DrPH is a professional terminal degree designed for public health professionals with several years of experience who wish to become leaders and decision makers in their fields. The DrPH is a degree conferred as a school-wide degree from SPHs, as such, students may concentrate in many areas of public health. Dissertation and defense work is necessary, but different than in traditional academic dissertations. The DrPH dissertation and defense tackles unique public health issues, and the research is solving and addressing systemic topics rather than the narrow focused research of an academic researcher (eg. association of 20 SNPs with esophageal cancer). Some DrPH recipients do become academic researchers, although the typical path is back into public health practice.

As with all doctoral-level degrees, admittance to a DrPH program is highly competitive. Competitive applicants will possess at the least, a MPH degree, several years of experience in public health, and a focused goal toward the DrPH. Some programs will allow students to be concurrently in the workforce while completing their degrees. Typical time to completion is three years for full-time study and up to seven years for part-time study. Options to fund a student's education varies significantly.

Doctor of Philosophy/Science (PhD, ScD, DSc): The PhD/ScD is an academic doctoral degree focused on research and is the doctoral equivalent of the MS degree. Students enrolled in a PhD/ScD program apply to a specific department and focus almost entirely on that single discipline. The goal is to train researchers in that particular field of study. In general, the PhD/ScD is a requirement for a career as an academic researcher in US universities and principal investigators. Students will work under a committee of faculty members, complete coursework, pass a qualifying examination, and complete a dissertation and defense to graduate from the program.

In general, PhDs are conferred by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (or applicable name at that particular institution), whereas the ScD is conferred by the SPH. The differences in PhD versus the ScD is mostly in name only, and the reasons why an institution may confer a PhD or ScD depends on who the school wishes to confer the degree. As with DrPH admission, admission to PhD/ScD programs is highly competitive. Competitive applicants will have a master-level degree in a related public health discipline; demonstrated research interest, skills and ideas; a stellar GPA; and outstanding GRE scores. Due to the heavy mentoring aspect of a PhD/ScD degree, spots are limited. Funding options for students typically comes in the form of a fellowship, training grant, or teaching/research assistant.


What about Doctor of Health Science (D.H.Sc.)? How does that compare to the other doctoral programs in public health? Do they all have the same weight? Will some doctoral degrees be more highly looked upon by employers or academic centers versus other types of doctoral degrees?

Thank you for all your help.

Sincerely,

Veronica
 
What about Doctor of Health Science (D.H.Sc.)? How does that compare to the other doctoral programs in public health? Do they all have the same weight? Will some doctoral degrees be more highly looked upon by employers or academic centers versus other types of doctoral degrees?

Thank you for all your help.

Sincerely,

Veronica

Only thing I know is that this sounds like a professional degree rather than an academic one and is only offered at a handful of schools in the US (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_of_Health_Science). Sorry I can't be much more help than that.
 
Hi
Does anyone know about universities that accept students in spring for mph programs?
please share your email address in case you applying for mph program this year!
Regards
Anu
 
Natasha:

Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, BC is CEPH accredited. And U. of Montreal, correct me if I'm wrong? I didn't think U. of Alberta was accredited actually, but maybe I'm misinformed.

Useful website:
http://www.ceph.org
 
Hello,
Can anyone tell me about the CDC Dental Public Health Residency Program? Can a foreign trained dentist with only BDS degree is eligible to apply for this program? Hope to receive some input from any of you.
thanks in advance.
 
Only thing I know is that this sounds like a professional degree rather than an academic one and is only offered at a handful of schools in the US (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_of_Health_Science). Sorry I can't be much more help than that.

I have the DHSc degree. There is some variability depending on the school. NOVA requires a capstone project which an encompass many different things and may or may not involve original research.

I went to ATSU, and we had to do an applied research project which had to consist of original research. We had the same number of research applied credits as a PhD program typically has, with the big difference being that the research is more applied in focus, and not bench or basic science.

For example, my ARP consisted of a survey of 30,000 practicing PAs to try and determine the factors that influence specialty selection.

While many, of not most, with the DHSc degree use it as a professional degree and in leadership roles, I have chosen a research career.

My focus was on Organizational Behaviour and Science. I'm working on Audit and Feedback research and was just an invited participant to the first international research collaborative. I'm also working on implementation science examining Clinical Decision Rules, and also Shared Decision Making models in non physician providers.

If anyone has more questions about the DHSc, I am happy to answer. It took me about 3.5 years to complete the degree.
 
Interested in a public health degree but not sure which one to pursue? There are many degrees available in public health, both academic and professional at master and doctoral levels. Below is a list of the various degrees one can obtain in public health.

Disclaimer: This information pertains to accredited US institutions. Non-accredited schools do not have to follow the CEPH certification guidelines for public health education, and thus the information below may not pertain to them.

Master Level Degrees

Master of Public Health (MPH): The MPH is a professional terminal degree designed to be a comprehensive public health graduate education. Graduates from these programs generally have a concentration in one of the areas of public health (eg. epidemiology, community health, health policy and administration, environmental/occupational health, etc.), which is the focus of the coursework. All MPH students complete at least one course in all "core" areas of public health. MPH students are also required to complete a practicum, internship, or field work of some sort, as well as a culminating project (eg. comprehensive exam, thesis, presentation, etc.).

The MPH is generally conferred directly by the School of Public Health at that university. The majority of schools will allow students from a variety of undergraduate disciplines and work backgrounds. Many students come directly from undergraduate studies. Some schools offer the MPH to doctoral-level professionals (MD, JD, DDS, etc.) only. Competitiveness of admission to MPH programs varies from institution to institution, but generally speaking, admit rates range from 35% - 80%. A competitive applicant should have at a minimum a demonstrated interest in public health, a 50th-percentile on all GRE sections, and a 3.0 undergraduate GPA. The degree typically takes two years of full-time coursework. Some schools offer an accelerated one year program for individuals already possessing a doctoral-level degree. As with most professional degree programs, students are generally not accommodated with significant scholarship or grant options to fund their studies.

Master of Science (MS, MSc, ScM, MSPH): The MS is an academic research degree designed for folks who wish to attain the quantitative and qualitative skills to become proficient researchers. Students apply to a particular discipline, and very little coursework is taken outside of that discipline (the MSPH is the exception to this rule as it is still an academic research degree but still incorporates some of the core PH coursework from the MPH). This trait makes the MS a less suitable degree for someone who wishes to be a public health professional that requires the interdisciplinary education that a MPH provides. MS students will generally complete an independent research project with a traditional thesis/dissertation and defense. Many students enrolling in a MS program are very suitable applicants to academic doctoral programs (eg. PhD, ScD) due to similarities in coursework and research requirements. Typical programs require two years for coursework and thesis/dissertation.

The MS is generally conferred by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (or applicable name at that particular institution) rather than the School of Public Health at that university, and thus admissions requirements will be different than a MPH applicant. In general, applications to MS programs are more competitive than MPH programs due to the smaller allowable class sizes and necessary individual attention of a MS student during the thesis and defense phase. Admit rates vary significantly. MS students will sometimes receive funding for their education under a faculty member's training grant or project grant, but is not common.

Doctoral Level Degrees

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH): The DrPH is the doctoral-level equivalent of the MPH. The DrPH is a professional terminal degree designed for public health professionals with several years of experience who wish to become leaders and decision makers in their fields. The DrPH is a degree conferred as a school-wide degree from SPHs, as such, students may concentrate in many areas of public health. Dissertation and defense work is necessary, but different than in traditional academic dissertations. The DrPH dissertation and defense tackles unique public health issues, and the research is solving and addressing systemic topics rather than the narrow focused research of an academic researcher (eg. association of 20 SNPs with esophageal cancer). Some DrPH recipients do become academic researchers, although the typical path is back into public health practice.

As with all doctoral-level degrees, admittance to a DrPH program is highly competitive. Competitive applicants will possess at the least, a MPH degree, several years of experience in public health, and a focused goal toward the DrPH. Some programs will allow students to be concurrently in the workforce while completing their degrees. Typical time to completion is three years for full-time study and up to seven years for part-time study. Options to fund a student's education varies significantly.

Doctor of Philosophy/Science (PhD, ScD, DSc): The PhD/ScD is an academic doctoral degree focused on research and is the doctoral equivalent of the MS degree. Students enrolled in a PhD/ScD program apply to a specific department and focus almost entirely on that single discipline. The goal is to train researchers in that particular field of study. In general, the PhD/ScD is a requirement for a career as an academic researcher in US universities and principal investigators. Students will work under a committee of faculty members, complete coursework, pass a qualifying examination, and complete a dissertation and defense to graduate from the program.

In general, PhDs are conferred by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (or applicable name at that particular institution), whereas the ScD is conferred by the SPH. The differences in PhD versus the ScD is mostly in name only, and the reasons why an institution may confer a PhD or ScD depends on who the school wishes to confer the degree. As with DrPH admission, admission to PhD/ScD programs is highly competitive. Competitive applicants will have a master-level degree in a related public health discipline; demonstrated research interest, skills and ideas; a stellar GPA; and outstanding GRE scores. Due to the heavy mentoring aspect of a PhD/ScD degree, spots are limited. Funding options for students typically comes in the form of a fellowship, training grant, or teaching/research assistant.

On the MSPH:

Job opportunities to not differ for the MSPH vs. MPH. You will essentially have the exact same opportunities. The public health coursework is also exactly the same (compare Hopkins MSPH to Emory MPH, Yale MPH, etc and you will see the core coursework is the same). The MSPH has been known to have a stronger training in data and methods, which are great skills. Basically, either program will lead you to the same job opportunities - But I have heard the school reputation matters more than MPH or MSPH..or even MS, etc.
 
Thanks a lot for the information! I'm planning to take MPH.
 
Km.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk
 
Does anyone know about the marketability of Masters abroad. What if a school would be a member of ASPHER; would that be the same as a nationally accredited school? I got accepted at UCD (University College of Dublin) they meet the requirements of CEPH but cannot be a member since they are international. Could I get into a national PHD program if I have an international masters from UCD? and would the masters be marketable for a job in epidemiology?
If you had a general MPH but wanted to specify into Epidemiology what would you have to do?
Sorry for all the questions and if this isn't the right thread!
 
Hi everyone,

I was accepted to the DrPH in International Health at Hopkins (with a good funding package) and to the MPH at Harvard (one year)....I'm leaning towards Hopkins given that it's a doctorate, but would be grateful for any insights. I really want to improve my skills in research methods and quant/qual analysis. My experience for the past 8 years has been in the international arena and I thought it may be interesting to transition to domestic work, but not sure if I would be able to do that down the road with a DrPH in International Health.

Thanks for any advice!
 
hello, I'm a final year medical student schooling in Nigeria. i did a community medicine project titled 'Factors that determine the utilization of primary health care services in Sabon Gari Local Government Area, Kaduna State, Nigeria. My supervisor suggested that I publish the work on a journal. what journal do you think will be good for my career (I'm thinking of a future in Public Health )?

Pls reply asap.
Thanks,
Sam.
 
hello, I'm a final year medical student schooling in Nigeria. i did a community medicine project titled 'Factors that determine the utilization of primary health care services in Sabon Gari Local Government Area, Kaduna State, Nigeria. My supervisor suggested that I publish the work on a journal. what journal do you think will be good for my career (I'm thinking of a future in Public Health )?

Pls reply asap.
Thanks,
Sam.


Elsevier or American journal of public health, maybe?
 
Hey guys, I'm a current junior undergraduate attending the university of Delaware, and I've become interested in public health. During my winter, I took the time to research what kinds of jobs I can get with a bachelors in health behavior science, with a minor in public health, I'm also waiting to minor in business administration because I'm raising my GPA to enter the program. Anyway, I have read up on what the profession of infection prevention is all about, and I'm writing to ask you if it would be possible for someone like me to get involved in this field, without having a nursing degree...I was given the opportunity to shadow an infection preventionist at a hospital. I have yet to fulfill that opportunity, but first I want to understand if I will he able to get a job out of this in the end. Could I end up getting an internship, and research experience? I know I would really need to get a certification, but even then...would I be able to work as an infection preventionist? I am looking to work as one even if it is a temp job for a couple or few years that's if they allow me, before going for my masters in hospital epidemiology. Thank you!
 
Majored in Economics/Chinese and recently graduated from medical school. I did not match this year, pondering future paths. I would be interested in a Masters In Health Economics. My future employment goals would be upper level management for a major healthcare company. Thanks.
 
I am new to this forum so I don't really know how it works but I'll take the chance,

I am an intern(medical) right now and will be graduating next year. I was looking into doing MPH in health policy and management next year in the U.S.

1)I wanted to know if I require to have graduated from a business school to do MPH in health policy and management??

2)Also I see that there are other concentrations in the field too like maternal and child health basically community medicine.

3)Which concentration has more job opportunities and is better for a medical student.

I'd highly appreciate the help.
 
Hello ,
I am new to this forum and would like someone to guide me. I am an old International medical graduate , tried to do residency , but unfortunately could not succeed. i was trying to choose MPH , lots of them require GRE . i found there were MPH infectious diseases and microbiology did not require it.I do not know what are the jobs i can get after doing MPH - MIC (INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND MICROBIOLOGY). I spoke to professor and she emphasized that whoever has done MPH under her, got residency. when i asked her that since i am a very old graduate (passed bat 15 years back), my chances of getting residency was very slim and what i can get after doing MPH in Infectious diseases and microbiology, she said I can get federal jobs.

so ,my question is same: what job will i get if i do not get residency after MPH-MIC.
 
HI
ppl
i am a med grad too
which university to choose between JOHN HOPKINS / UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND / UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA

all these are online programs so what is the difference between online and on-campus course ? value and employment prospectus ?

all 3 offer different amount of credits hrs ? so more credit hours are better? enlighten please

jhsph offer 80 credits . UNE offer 46credits or more similarly to U of Alberta ? how to choose

secondly how to get occupational medicine American board certification after MPH ? please elaborate the pathway
 
Hi I am an IMG from India, GPA 3.81, GRE 30, AWA 4.0, I applied to Minnesota, Boston, Tufts, Thomas Jefferson, UMass Amherst , Temple and Claremont.
I got into Minnesota, Boston , Thomas Jefferson , Temple and Claremont.
Still haven't heard from UMass and Tufts.. really confused where to go .. Please help
 
Hello Everyone
I have applied for MPH for spring intake and have been accepted in Boston University, Loma Linda University California and Georgia State University so far. I would want to know, given a choice between Loma Linda and Boston, what should I go for? I've also been awarded a merit award of $15000 in Boston University. Apparently Boston University is quite expensive than others but comparing the tuition fees of Loma Linda and Boston, both are ending almost in the range of $50k-60k. I am also looking forward to appearing my NBDEs while studying for my MPH. Really confused. Kindly respond ASAP.
 
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Hi,

I realize I am the first to post in about 8 months. I read through *most* comments. I am about to begin my MS in epi at the University of Houston. I was wondering if it is possible to go from an MS to a DrPH. This option is appealing to me because I have been doing research since my undergrad career and have decided to do an MS in order to strengthen a background in stats. Seems like everyone needs a stats person. However, I would also like to get the practicum experience. I feel that will make me a well-rounded person. I could do an MS/MPH (I think, maybe not because that program is in Bioinformatics), but that seems somewhat lateral.
 
Hi,

I realize I am the first to post in about 8 months. I read through *most* comments. I am about to begin my MS in epi at the University of Houston. I was wondering if it is possible to go from an MS to a DrPH. This option is appealing to me because I have been doing research since my undergrad career and have decided to do an MS in order to strengthen a background in stats. Seems like everyone needs a stats person. However, I would also like to get the practicum experience. I feel that will make me a well-rounded person. I could do an MS/MPH (I think, maybe not because that program is in Bioinformatics), but that seems somewhat lateral.

I think it would be lateral because an MS in Bioinformatics and an MPH are very similar- in both you'd cover a lot of statistics, especially if you went into an MPH in epidemiology. If you look closely many schools offer both because the overlap in classes make it easy for them to offer both cheaply. It is possible to go from an MS to a DrPH, you'll have to look at the CEPH accredited schools that accept people not experienced in PH.
 
I think they want a MPH for most DrPH. I have a MPH in epi/biostats. I dont remember much after 3 years. MS in bioinformatics are not similar. They expect you to be more well versed in stats.
 
Interested in a public health degree but not sure which one to pursue? There are many degrees available in public health, both academic and professional at master and doctoral levels. Below is a list of the various degrees one can obtain in public health.

Disclaimer: This information pertains to accredited US institutions. Non-accredited schools do not have to follow the CEPH certification guidelines for public health education, and thus the information below may not pertain to them.

Master Level Degrees

Master of Public Health (MPH):
The MPH is a professional terminal degree designed to be a comprehensive public health graduate education. Graduates from these programs generally have a concentration in one of the areas of public health (eg. epidemiology, community health, health policy and administration, environmental/occupational health, etc.), which is the focus of the coursework. All MPH students complete at least one course in all "core" areas of public health. MPH students are also required to complete a practicum, internship, or field work of some sort, as well as a culminating project (eg. comprehensive exam, thesis, presentation, etc.).

The MPH is generally conferred directly by the School of Public Health at that university. The majority of schools will allow students from a variety of undergraduate disciplines and work backgrounds. Many students come directly from undergraduate studies. Some schools offer the MPH to doctoral-level professionals (MD, JD, DDS, etc.) only. Competitiveness of admission to MPH programs varies from institution to institution, but generally speaking, admit rates range from 35% - 80%. A competitive applicant should have at a minimum a demonstrated interest in public health, a 50th-percentile on all GRE sections, and a 3.0 undergraduate GPA. The degree typically takes two years of full-time coursework. Some schools offer an accelerated one year program for individuals already possessing a doctoral-level degree. As with most professional degree programs, students are generally not accommodated with significant scholarship or grant options to fund their studies.

Master of Science (MS, MSc, ScM, MSPH): The MS is an academic research degree designed for folks who wish to attain the quantitative and qualitative skills to become proficient researchers. Students apply to a particular discipline, and very little coursework is taken outside of that discipline (the MSPH is the exception to this rule as it is still an academic research degree but still incorporates some of the core PH coursework from the MPH). This trait makes the MS a less suitable degree for someone who wishes to be a public health professional that requires the interdisciplinary education that a MPH provides. MS students will generally complete an independent research project with a traditional thesis/dissertation and defense. Many students enrolling in a MS program are very suitable applicants to academic doctoral programs (eg. PhD, ScD) due to similarities in coursework and research requirements. Typical programs require two years for coursework and thesis/dissertation.

The MS is generally conferred by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (or applicable name at that particular institution) rather than the School of Public Health at that university, and thus admissions requirements will be different than a MPH applicant. In general, applications to MS programs are more competitive than MPH programs due to the smaller allowable class sizes and necessary individual attention of a MS student during the thesis and defense phase. Admit rates vary significantly. MS students will sometimes receive funding for their education under a faculty member's training grant or project grant, but is not common.

Doctoral Level Degrees

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH):
The DrPH is the doctoral-level equivalent of the MPH. The DrPH is a professional terminal degree designed for public health professionals with several years of experience who wish to become leaders and decision makers in their fields. The DrPH is a degree conferred as a school-wide degree from SPHs, as such, students may concentrate in many areas of public health. Dissertation and defense work is necessary, but different than in traditional academic dissertations. The DrPH dissertation and defense tackles unique public health issues, and the research is solving and addressing systemic topics rather than the narrow focused research of an academic researcher (eg. association of 20 SNPs with esophageal cancer). Some DrPH recipients do become academic researchers, although the typical path is back into public health practice.

As with all doctoral-level degrees, admittance to a DrPH program is highly competitive. Competitive applicants will possess at the least, a MPH degree, several years of experience in public health, and a focused goal toward the DrPH. Some programs will allow students to be concurrently in the workforce while completing their degrees. Typical time to completion is three years for full-time study and up to seven years for part-time study. Options to fund a student's education varies significantly.

Doctor of Philosophy/Science (PhD, ScD, DSc): The PhD/ScD is an academic doctoral degree focused on research and is the doctoral equivalent of the MS degree. Students enrolled in a PhD/ScD program apply to a specific department and focus almost entirely on that single discipline. The goal is to train researchers in that particular field of study. In general, the PhD/ScD is a requirement for a career as an academic researcher in US universities and principal investigators. Students will work under a committee of faculty members, complete coursework, pass a qualifying examination, and complete a dissertation and defense to graduate from the program.

In general, PhDs are conferred by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (or applicable name at that particular institution), whereas the ScD is conferred by the SPH. The differences in PhD versus the ScD is mostly in name only, and the reasons why an institution may confer a PhD or ScD depends on who the school wishes to confer the degree. As with DrPH admission, admission to PhD/ScD programs is highly competitive. Competitive applicants will have a master-level degree in a related public health discipline; demonstrated research interest, skills and ideas; a stellar GPA; and outstanding GRE scores. Due to the heavy mentoring aspect of a PhD/ScD degree, spots are limited. Funding options for students typically comes in the form of a fellowship, training grant, or teaching/research assistant.
What are the PhD options after having a Mph degree from JHU? It’s not focused on research. I am an international medical graduate but not certified in USA.
 
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