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Public Health MPH

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Sattha Riyapan and Austin Cohrs, both alumni of the Master of Public Health program in the Department of Public Health Sciences at Penn State College of Medicine, discuss a poster being presented. The two men are at left in the photo, pointing toward a large research poster.

Master of Public Health (MPH)

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Preparing for Careers in Public Health

The Penn State Master of Public Health (MPH) is a 42-credit degree program preparing students for meaningful careers in public health.

It offers flexible classroom and practice-based learning opportunities for full- and part-time students.

Choose From Several Tracks

Students can specialize in one of the following areas:

As part of the MPH program, every student participates in both an internship and a capstone experience designed to take their knowledge into the workplace.

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About the Program

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Curriculum

Students in the Master of Public Health (MPH) Program complete a series of core courses as well as electives in one of several specialty tracks:

  • Community & Behavioral Health - Advanced instruction in health promotion and disease prevention.
  • Epidemiology & Biostatistics - Advanced instruction in the quantitative sciences, with a focus on applied epidemiological methods and practice.
  • Global Health - A focus on building skills necessary to identify, interpret, and understand global health concepts, as well as, apply these skills on both the international and local stage. This is offered exclusively online through Penn State World Campus.

Learn more about the Master of Public Health (MPH) curriculum.

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Accreditation

The logo for the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) is a circle with the words Master's/Doctoral CEPH Accredited and an image of three red and gray interlocking circles.

The MPH degree program is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).

To request a copy of our accreditation self-study document and final accreditation report, please email Michelle LaClair at mlaclair@psu.edu or Jessica Yingst at jmy5048@psu.edu.

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Global Health Opportunities

The Department of Public Health Sciences' Global Health Program gives students the option of pursuing the global health track as part of a graduate degree or obtaining a graduate certificate in global health. In addition, students can participate in the Global Health Exchange Program, which provides international opportunities to study public health in diverse settings.

These areas of focus reflect Penn State's broader commitment to improve overall health and well-being and to promote a global understanding through integrated programs in education, research and service.

Global Health Exchange Program

International fieldwork is a critical step for students to gain practical experience in global health.

Each summer, this program sends MPH students abroad to India, Ghana, Taiwan and other international sites.

These international field experiences can fulfill the program’s practicum requirement. While abroad, students engage with the local community to address identified local public health issues.

Students are also able to participate in a domestic global health internship to fulfill the practicum requirement.

Here's what some participants have said about the program:

  • "The internship may have only been eight weeks in duration, but its effects in me have truly altered the trajectory of my career."
  • "Going to Bahrain was eye-opening, mind-blowing, and rewarding. I got opportunities to conduct public health research projects in collaboration with local researchers. This was a precious opportunity for me to translate my skills and knowledge to real-world practice."
  • "Having the opportunity to experience these prominent global health threats firsthand has influenced my education and has helped me to become a better, more compassionate, and knowledgeable public health professional."

As part of the Global Health Exchange Program, the Department of Public Health Sciences hosts a group of incoming health professional students from international partner sites for three weeks in the summer. The program features educational lectures by faculty, shadowing and observational learning, visits to regional and national public health organizations, and cultural exchange of public health topics with public health students.

A student in the Penn State College of Medicine Master of Public Health program is seen at a practicum site in India.
A student in the Penn State College of Medicine Master of Public Health program is seen at a practicum site in India.
Wooden buildings and market stalls in Ghana with a woman reaching into a box.
Students who participate in the Global Health Exchange Program cultivate an understanding of the link between culture and health. The goal is to facilitate a global dialogue on diverse approaches to public health challenges. This photo was taken during the program by a student in Ghana.

Training Opportunities

A number of workshops on global health topics are offered, such as Writing for Health Policy and Advocacy. Additional opportunities will be added to the website as they become available.

Global Health Case Competition

Each year, Penn State assembles an interprofessional team comprised of students from the College of Medicine, Dickinson Law and University Park campuses to participate in The Emory Morningside Global Health Case Competition. The competition poses a hypothetical public health crisis for teams to solve. Each team must successfully work together to create and present a comprehensive plan that addresses the problem. Presentations are judged by a panel of experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), academia, State Health Departments, private industries, and nongovernmental organizations.

The Penn State team consists of up to six students from an array of degree programs such as public health sciences, medicine, nursing, engineering, biology, business and law. To participate, interested graduate and undergraduate students must apply each fall.

View details on the Global Health Case Competition.

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More About Penn State College of Medicine

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What's New in Public Health

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Student Resources

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Penn State College of Medicine strives to create the best culture of respect and inclusion for our students. A number of programs, services and facilities are available.

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Dr. Inginia Genao, right, Penn State College of Medicine’s vice dean of diversity, equity and belonging, meets with a student on the College of Medicine campus.
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Campus Life

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Student Housing

Housing is available to Penn State College of Medicine students, residents and postdocs in University Manor East and West apartment complexes. One of the complexes is pictured as seen from a higher floor of a nearby building, with a road and trees framing it in the background.
Housing in University Manor apartments is available to Penn State College of Medicine students.

Penn State College of Medicine offers housing in its University Manor East or University Manor West apartments to full-time students, residents, postdoctoral scholars and visiting scholars.

Read more about on-campus housing.

Life in Hershey, PA

Penn State College of Medicine is in Hershey, PA, a town known as the home of the HersheyPark amusement park and the Hershey Chocolate Factory. Two banners depicting cartoon candy characters are seen on a light pole in downtown Hershey, PA, in summer 2016, with a brick building with large glass windows in the background.
Hershey, Pa., is known as "The Sweetest Place on Earth."

Penn State College of Medicine's primary campus is located in Hershey, Pa. The area provides numerous diverse and delicious dining experiences, sports, concerts and entertainment, and is a short drive away from the Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington, DC, metro areas.

Read more about life in Hershey.