Public Health Graduate Programs

Technological advances in medicine have led to ever-growing datasets and constantly changing platforms and structures — and PhD-level biostatisticians are needed more than ever to help identify key scientific discoveries from these data.

At Penn State, you’ll have access to two newly established institutes that offer exciting opportunities to pursue research projects in biostatistics: the Clinical and Translational Science Institute and the Institute for Personalized Medicine.

Prepare for a career in health-related research, with an emphasis on hands-on applications of methods in the real world, in this 30-credit program designed for working students.

The program includes graduate-level course work in biostatistics, epidemiology and health services research, and provides knowledge and insight required in health related research. Students learn population-based methods for planning, executing, analyzing and disseminating research results, and methods for evaluating and improving health care practices.

The objectives of the PhD in Epidemiology program are to train students to master current quantitative methods, obtain broad knowledge of major human disease epidemiology, and become expert in a specific disease or health status topic.

The 28-credit (minimum) PhD in Epidemiology program is offered primarily as a full-time degree program, and can be completed in four years of full-time study.

The PhD degree program in health policy in administration is offered through the College of Health and Human Development at Penn State University Park and trains quantitative, multidisciplinary health service researchers.

The 53-credit PhD program consists of a core curriculum covering the organization and financing of health services and state-of-the-art statistical methods, as well as specialized training in either health economics, healthcare management and organizations, or population health and demography.

Delivered exclusively online through Penn State World Campus, the Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in homeland security gives you comprehensive training in a fast-growing field with the convenience of completing coursework from anywhere in the world.

Our curriculum provides a fundamental understanding of homeland security in a global context with the option to specialize in public health preparedness, geospatial intelligence, information security and forensics, or agricultural biosecurity and food defense.

This joint degree offers students an accelerated course of study and advanced training in law and public health, culminating in the terminal professional degrees in both fields.

Graduates are uniquely positioned to pursue career opportunities in federal, state, and local government, as well as in the non-profit, academic, and private sectors.

The JD/MPH joint degree is offered through Penn State College of Medicine in partnership with Penn State Dickinson Law in Carlisle, PA, and Penn State Law on the University Park campus. The JD/MPH degree offers students an accelerated course of study of law and public health, enabling them to successfully enter the complex and ever-changing fields of public health and health law.

Penn State students pursuing this degree will gain advanced knowledge of legal matters relating to public health; use legal tools to solve public health challenges; and train for a career in public health research, policy, and advocacy; health law; or environmental law.

This five-year course of study is for students who have a special interest in public health, community health and behavior change, and who want to incorporate this into their medical practice.

You’ll take one year off between your third and fourth years of medical school to complete MPH credits, including a practicum and a capstone project.

Some medical school credits can count double toward an MPH degree.

The graduate certificate programs offered through the Department of Public Health Sciences at Penn State College of Medicine provide strong foundational graduate-level coursework to students seeking career advancement and lifelong learning opportunities.

Many certificate courses are transferable toward master's degrees at Penn State College of Medicine, pending successful application and admittance to such a degree program.