MPH Requirements:

MPH Concentrations:

Evaluative Sciences Concentration

The mission of this concentration is to prepare public health professionals with the analytical, research, and statistical skills necessary to benchmark and evaluate health improvement initiatives in community and health care settings. Increasingly, the health field is challenged to adopt an evidence-based approach to preventing and treating disease and disability. The concentration in Evaluative Sciences will play a critical role in meeting this challenge. The concentration curriculum includes courses in advanced biostatistics, clinical outcomes research, demographic theory and methods, and health services research. There is a special emphasis on integrating cost effectiveness and cost benefit concepts into the curriculum so that resource allocation issues are considered.  The faculty has training in research design, implementation of research projects, and analysis of data as well as expertise in evaluating the performance of specific areas of the health system. Faculty members study a variety of health issues including health care quality improvement, patient decision-making, and determinants of health and disease. Some faculty members work with physicians to improve clinical outcomes for patients with heart disease, cancer, asthma, and other conditions. Others work with health care administrators to increase efficiency in the use of health care resources in hospitals and other medical care settings. Others work with organizations to improve health in communities.

Suggested Plan of Study

Required Courses

HPH 555  Demographic Theory & Methods (3 credits)

HPH 560  Advanced Biostatistics (3 credits)

HPH 565  Health Services Research Applications (3 credits)

HPH 567  Clinical Outcomes Research (3 credits)

Selectives

(3 credits from courses listed below. Each course may not be offered every year.)

HPH 519  Independent Study (variable credits)

HPH 528 Survey Research Methods (2 credits)

HPH 566  Clinical Trials (2 credits)

HPH 570  Multilevel & Longitudinal Analyses (2 credits)

HPH 646  Continuous Quality Improvement in Healthcare (3 credits)

HPH 657  Demographic Economics I (3 credits)

HPH 664  Health Economics I (3 credits)

HPH 665  Health Economics II (3 credits)

Or, with approval of advisor, other research methods courses in the University may be substituted.

Community Health Concentration

The mission of this concentration is to prepare students for community-based work in public health. Students will acquire skills and knowledge related to planning, implementing, and evaluating community health improvement projects and interventions, as well as learn the principles of community-based participatory research. The curriculum includes courses on the theories of health behavior, health communications, and ethical issues related to community health, as well as planning, implementing, and evaluating health programs.

Suggested Plan of Study

Required Courses

(Courses from Department of Health Care Policy & Management, School of Health Technology & Management)

HAS 527  Principles & Practices of Community Health (3 credits)

HAS 545  Ethics & Health Care (3 credits)

HAS 557  Planning & Implementing Community Health Programs (3 credits)

HAS 559  Health Behavior & Risk Reduction (3 credits)

HAS 560  Evaluation of Community Health Programs (3 credits)

Or, with approval of advisor, other community health-related courses in the University may be substituted.

Public Health Practice Concentration

The mission of this concentration is to prepare students with a clinical background for positions in public health organizations or to incorporate public health knowledge, skills, and values into their clinical practice. Students in this concentration are required to take courses in the history of public health and medicine, public health law, and demography. With the exception of students in the combined MBA/MPH program, only persons with a clinical degree or studying for a clinical degree such as medicine, nursing, dentistry, physical therapy, or physician assistant can select the Public Health Practice concentration.

Suggested Plan of Study

Required Courses

HPH 524  Strategic Management of Public Health Organizations (2 credits)

HPH 530  History of Public Health & Medicine (2 credits)

HPH 549  Public Health Law (2 credits)

HPH 555  Demographic Theory & Methods (3 credits)

(Course from Department of Technology & Society)

HPH 660  Management Accounting & Financial Decision Analysis (3 credits)

Selectives

(3 credits from courses listed below. Each course may not be offered every year.)

HPH 504  Surveillance & Control of Infectious Diseases (3 credits)

HPH 505  Topics in Population Health Studies (1-3 credits)

HPH 519  Independent Study (variable credits)

HPH 532  Environmental Epidemiology & Exposure Assessment (3 credits)

HPH 534 Spatial Analysis: Health Applications (3 credits)

HPH 542  Introduction to Global Health I (3 credits)

HPH 546 Introduction to Global Health II (3 credits)

HPH 548  Health and Science Communications (3 credits)

HPH 560  Advanced Biostatistics (3 credits)

HPH 565  Health Services Research Applications (3 credits)

HPH 566  Clinical Trials (2 credits)

HPH 567  Clinical Outcomes Research (3 credits)

HPH 568  Overview of Molecular Medicine & Genomics (2 credits)

(Courses from Department of Health Care Policy & Management, School of Health Technology & Management)

HAS 527  Principles & Practices of Community Health (3 credits)

HAS 545  Ethics & Health Care (3 credits)

HAS 559  Health Behavior & Risk Reduction (3 credits)

(Course from Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology)

HPH 659  Biology of Cancer (1 credit)

(Courses from School of Social Welfare)

HPH 620  Parameters of Social & Health Policy I (3 credits)

HPH 621  Parameters of Social & Health Policy II (3 credits)

HPH 626  Overview of Substance Abuse (2 credits)

HPH 630  Chemical Dependency in Special Populations (2 credits)

HPH 631  Cultural Competence: An Ingredient Enhancing Treatment Outcomes (2 credits)

HPH 633  Childhood Sexual Abuse & Long-Term Sequelae (2 credits)

HPH 635  Seminar on Family Violence (2 credits)

HPH 636  Community Analysis & Health Promotion (2 credits)

(Course from Department of Anthropology)

HPH 658  Use of Remote Sensing & GIS in Environmental Analysis (3 credits)

(Courses from Department of Economics)

HPH 657  Demographic Economics I (3 credits)

HPH 664  Health Economics I (3 credits)

HPH 665  Health Economics II (3 credits)

(Courses from Marine Sciences Research Center or Department of Technology & Society)

HPH 653  Introduction to Homeland Security (3 credits)

HPH 654  Nuclear Safeguards & Security (4 credits)

HPH 655  Chemical & Biological Weapons: Safeguards & Security (4 credits)

HPH 656  Risk Assessment, Regulation, & Homeland Security (4 credits)

HPH 661  Methods of Socio-Technological Decision-Making (3 credits)

HPH 662  Systems Approach to Human-Machine Systems (3 credits)

HPH 671  Marine Pollution (3 credits)

HPH 672  Marine Management (3 credits)

HPH 673  Groundwater Problems (3 credits)

HPH 675  Environment & Public Health (3 credits)

HPH 676  Environmental Law & Regulation (3 credits)

HPH 684  Environmental & Waste Management in Business & Industry (3 credits)

HPH 686  Risk Assessment & Hazard Management (3 credits)

HPH 687  Diagnosis of Environmental Disputes (3 credits)

HPH 688  Principles of Environmental Systems Analysis (3 credits)

HPH 689  Simulation Models for Environmental & Waste Management (3 credits)

Or, with approval of academic advisor, other courses in the University related to the student's goals may be substituted.