Last Updated: July 23, 2022
Pursuing MS in Public Health
Public health is a field of study that combines areas like behavioral science, health policy, law, ethics, etc. Students who enroll in a master’s program in public health will primarily focus on sickness prevention which will in turn allow them to stay young longer. They will deal with issues that people deal with daily and will be able to focus on not just the health of individuals but that of communities, populations, and families as a whole.
Most often, students opt for this field of study because of the rewarding careers they can eventually take up. The field of public health will allow students to work with people from other disciplines and backgrounds since it involves positively impacting people from around the world. Students will be dealing with the treatment of diseases and injuries but they will focus mainly on the discovery and outreach of health interventions that can help people on a larger scale. While taking a BS in Public Health would suffice for a candidate in procuring decent work opportunities, taking a master’s degree in the subject will allow them to find specialized professions in the field.
Benefits of Taking an MS in Public Health
The benefits of taking an MS in Public Health or an MPH program lie in the work opportunities one will receive and the impact these professions can have on a larger scale in society. Taking a degree in public health alone will provide candidates with the opportunity of saving and change lives within a whole community. But at the same time, the impact that one can make within this field is mostly dependent on the kind of qualifications one possesses. In that respect, having a master’s degree in this field can be highly beneficial for candidates.
An MPH program will allow students to specialize in one particular area of public health or they will also be able to take a general program that deals with most areas in the field. This will provide them with the options of being a health educator, or even a researcher that tackles problems within a specialized area of public health. Upon completing an MPH program, students will also have the option of working abroad. They will be able to travel widely or settle in one place depending on their choice of career.
Eligibility Requirements for MS in Public Health
The eligibility requirements one will have to meet while applying for an MPH program are dependent on the institution to which one is applying. Most universities will have specific GPA requirements along with other general requirements that universities have for graduate programs. A few of the general requirements that one will have to meet include-
- Letters of Recommendation
- Educational Transcripts
- Completed Course in Human/General Biology and Algebra/Calculus
- Resume
- GRE, if specified
- GPA of 3 or above
- Proof of English Proficiency
- Statement of Purpose
- Work Experience
Cost of MS in Public Health
The cost of MPH programs varies from institution to institution. Public universities have a lower tuition fee for in-state students when compared to out-of-state students but at the same time, both these tuition fees will be relatively lower than the fee required at private universities. The average fee that one will have to pay for a master’s program in public health ranges from $11,000 to $90,000. Students will be able to apply for scholarships and other financial aid while enrolling in the program that can substantially reduce their financial burden.
Duration for MS in Public Health
The duration of MPH programs can range anywhere from 11 months to 2 years depending on the university. The number of credits offered through most MPH programs is similar irrespective of the duration the program requires for course completion. Oftentimes, students will also have the option of completing the program sooner than their classmates depending on the workload they can tackle.
Top Programs for MS in Public Health
A few of the best graduate programs for public health include-
| Program | University | Location | Fee |
| Master of Public Health | John Hopkins University | Baltimore, MD | $76,200 per year |
| MPH-65 | Harvard University | Boston, MA | $59,000 per year |
| Master of Public Health | University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill, NC | $73,000 per year |
| Master of Public Health | Columbia University | New York, NY | $42,000 per year |
| MS in Public Health | Emory University | New York, NY | $44,000 per year |
| Master of Public Health | Boston University | Boston, MA | $91,500 |
| Master of Public Health | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | Ann Arbor, MI | $58,500 /$79,500 per year |
| Master of Public Health | University of California | Los Angeles, CA | $11,200 per year |
MPH-John Hopkins University
This program has a duration of 11 months and offers 80 credits to students upon course completion. One of the main highlights of the program is that it offers a 50-50 division of core courses and electives allowing students to learn more about the subjects of their choice than compulsory subjects. Around 35% of the class size comprises international students. The program also involves 100 hours of practicum experience along with a capstone project that has to be completed.
The concentrations offered for the program include aging & public health, food systems, humanitarian health, infectious diseases, child & adolescent health, etc. The fee per year for the program is $76,200.
MPH 65-Harvard University
This is a 65-credit program that students will be able to apply for upon completing their bachelor’s degree and gaining 2 years of post-baccalaureate work experience. The program will mainly deal with subjects like health management, health policy, and nutrition. This is a full-time program that spreads across 3 semesters and will involve a summer practicum experience that students will have to take up between their second and third semesters.
The fee for the program is around $59,000 per year and the program has a duration of 1.5 years.
MPH-University of North Carolina
This program has a duration of 16 to 20 months and the university offers students 12 different concentrations they can choose from and specialize in. The program offers students 42 credits in all that is split into 15 credits for core courses, 15 for concentration courses, 3 for the culminating experience, and 9 for electives. Students are also required to complete 200 hours of practicum to complete the program along with a comprehensive examination.
The concentrations offered include applied epidemiology, health behavior, health policy, nutrition, public health data science, leadership in practice, etc. The fee for the program is calculated per credit with the tuition for each credit being $1,735. The estimated tuition is around $73,000 per year.
MPH-Columbia University
This program has a duration of 2 years and includes subjects like ethics of public health, history of public health, qualitative and quantitative foundations, biological basis, globalization, global health, etc. as core subjects. Students who take up this program are also required to complete two certificate programs which are based on interdisciplinary topics like global health, chronic disease, aging, etc. Students are also required to complete a practicum as part of the program.
The annual tuition fee for the program is around $42,000 and students will also have to pay an additional fee of $6,300.
MS in Public Health-Emory University
This program is offered by the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University and has a duration of 2 years or less depending on the department of one’s choosing. The departments under which one can take the program include environmental health, epidemiology, health policy, health care management, biostatistics, etc. The core courses offered under the program include statistical methods, the US healthcare system, behavioral sciences, critical issues in global health, etc. Students are also required to complete a 200 to 400-hour practicum experience for course completion.
The fee for the program is around $44,000 per year.
MPH-Boston University
This program has a duration of 16 months when taken as a full-time program but students will be able to complete the program in 2 to 3 years if they take it up as a part-time program. The specializations for the program are offered in the form of functional and context certificates that students are required to take as a part of the program. The functional certificates offered include health communications & promotion, health policy & law, healthcare management, program management, etc. The context certificates offered include global health, infectious disease, human rights & social justice, etc. Students are also required to complete over 240 practicum experience hours for course completion.
The total fee for the program is $91,500.
MPH-University of Michigan
This program has a duration of 2 years and candidates will be receiving 42 to 60 credits upon course completion. Students will have the option of taking the program from departments like epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health sciences, health management & policy, nutritional sciences, etc. The core courses include applied biostatistics, nutrition & public health, public health sciences & environment, etc.
The fee for in-state students per year is $58,500 whereas the fee for out-of-state students per year is around $79,500.
MPH-University of California, Los Angeles
This is a professional degree with a duration of 2 years. Students will be able to specialize in one department while taking this program including biostatistics, community health sciences, epidemiology, environmental health sciences, and health policy and management. The fee for the program is $11,200 for both residents and non-residents.
High Paying Career Options after MPH
Candidates who have completed a graduate program in public health will have innumerable job options depending on the specialization they have chosen. Candidates who have taken a general program of MPH without specializing will also be able to find high-paying career options in the field depending on what they wish to achieve within the field. A few of the best career options include-
- Biostatistician- Candidates who have specialized in biostatistics will be able to take up this job. It involves public health research and will include collecting data from patients and analyzing them to create reports that can be used for further research.
Median Salary- $92,000 per year
- Environmental Scientists- Candidates who have specialized in environmental sciences will be able to take this job. It deals with different kinds of environmental pollution-based research.
Median Salary- $73,000 per year
- Epidemiologist- This job involves identifying and researching certain diseases that are widespread among different communities. They will have to analyze the data that has been collected and spread awareness regarding the same to the public and governmental organizations.
Median Salary- $74,500 per year
- Emergency Management Director- This job involves the creation of plans and other preparations for the mitigation of natural disasters. Their main task will be to ensure minimizing the risk faced by the public during such disastrous events.
Median Salary- $76,000 per year
- Community Service Manager- This job role consists of providing social services to a certain section of a community. This can include children, the elderly, or even homeless people.
Median Salary- $70,000 per year
