Best Online Master's in Public Health Programs

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Anyone interested in population health would be well suited for an online MPH program. MPH programs can be highly customizable, and specializations in many different areas exist. Whether a student's interests lie in policy, health promotion, or epidemiology, opportunities to focus on a particular topic are available. Online options to earn an MPH are common and can be found at universities across the US. The majority of programs are 100% online, making it an attractive route for those who need or prefer to study at their own convenience rather than attending classes on-campus.

How Long Does It Take to Earn an Online Master's in Public Health?

Generally MPH degrees take 1-2 years to complete, although accelerated 11-month options do exist. Time to completion varies depending on part-time or full-time status. Total degree time includes core classes, electives or courses within a specialization, and credits for a practicum or internship. Required practicum or internship courses are typically assigned 3-6 credit hours. However, the time actually spent on these experiences is usually around 100 hours or more depending on the program. Practical experiences or internships are arranged with an outside organization with or without help from the program.

Online MPH curriculum varies from school to school but generally consists of common foundational courses followed by electives of specialization tracks chosen by the student. Although public health is a broad field encompassing many areas of study, MPH programs aim to teach students the basics before allowing them to focus on topics of interests that could aid them in the pursuit of employment in the future. Most online MPH coursework can be completed 100% remotely with the possibility of mandatory practicum or internship hours which can be carried out in the local community.

Public Health Foundational Courses

Regardless of which program online MPH students choose to attend, there is typically a selection of foundational courses that are common across the country. Public health concepts include elements from social and behavioral science as well as math and the natural sciences. To gain a grounding in all of these topics, graduate students will usually need to take the following classes:

• Biostatistics
• Principles of epidemiology
• Health policy
• Introduction to environmental health
• Practicum/internship

Experiential learning outside of the classroom has become a popular addition to many online MPH programs. These practicum or internship hours allow students to use the theory learned in class to tackle real-world public health problems. While not only being great for skill-building, students may also be able to make professional connections that could help them secure employment after graduation.

Public Health Specialist and Elective Courses

Some programs allow specialist tracks rather than a choice of electives. In addition to core classes, if students pick a focus, their elective courses will be specific to that area. Specializations are often added after the degree title such as Master of Public Health in Global Health. Because public health is a broad field, a wide range of focuses are available to students who want a specialist rather than generalist track. Some of these options include, but are not limited to:

• Epidemiology
• Global health
• Health policy
• Environmental health
• Nutrition
• Maternal and child health

Licensure and Certification in Public Health

While there is no licensure required to practice as a public health professional, there are a variety of certifications MPH graduates may choose to pursue. Adding professional credentials can demonstrate proficiency in an area of expertise and may lead to better job prospects or an increase in salary. Some of the available public health certification options include:

• Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES): for those working as health educators, the CHES certification is awarded on the basis of knowledge across a broad range of skills such as needs assessment, program planning, and implementation. Interested applicants must have at least a bachelor's degree in health education or at least 25 credit hours in health education. They must then pass an exam covering major topics related to health education.
• Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES): an advanced certification beyond the CHES, the MCHES is for those who have 5+ years of experience as a CHES or a master's degree and 5+ years of professional experience.
• Certified in Public Health (CPH): the CPH credential was designed to prove competency in the public health sciences beyond formal education and work experience. The CPH can be achieved through three different pathways. Applicants can be a student of a program accredited by the Council on Education of Public Health (CEPH), an alumni of a CEPH program, or can have a bachelor's in public health with at least 5 years of experience in the field. Applicants must also pass an exam.
• Registered Environmental Health Specialist/Registered Sanitarian (REHS/RS): for students wishing to pursue a career as a certified public health inspector, the REHS/RS credential is among several available to demonstrate expertise in the field of environmental health. Interested applicants must have at least a bachelor's degree focusing on environmental health. An 'in training' option is available for those in the process of obtaining relevant work experience to put toward certification.

Most MPH programs have minimum requirements for applicants which ensures that prospective students are properly prepared for graduate-level study. Many programs will ask for an undergraduate GPA of at least a 3.0 as evidenced by official transcripts from all institutions attended. Transcripts are generally sent by mail or ordered online and delivered directly to the program via email. Applications are completed and submitted online with any required supporting documentation. Depending on the program, this documentation may include:

• Application fee
• GRE scores
• Personal or goal statement
• Up to three letters of recommendation from prior professors or supervisors
• Resume/CV

For international applicants whose first language is not English, universities may also require scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exams.

MPH degrees are versatile in terms of how they can aid graduates in the workforce. Whether students hope to one day work in the field, for state or local government, or internationally, there is likely an area of public health that fits their interests and career goals. Graduates can pursue many titles and may go on to be a public health administrator or a public health program manager. Those interested in work that takes them into the community may be interested in a career as a public health inspector. If interacting with diverse groups of people of all ages sounds appealing, public health educators often have an MPH and spend their days designing health awareness campaigns and educational materials as well as working directly with the public to promote better diets and healthier habits.

Membership in public health professional organizations is open to both students and graduates working in the field. Many organizations specific to public health exist and have general or more specialized focuses. They connect members to a network of other professionals where they can collaborate, produce and publish research, and stay informed on advances in the field. These institutions work to promote their area of public health through advocacy, policy, and research.

Generally, professional organization membership entails paying annual dues. This provides several benefits that depend on the entity but usually include reduced fees for yearly meetings, access to scholarly journals and/or continuing education, and networking opportunities. Some prominent public health professional organizations are:

• American Public Health Association (APHA)
• American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH)
• American College of Epidemiology (ACE)
• Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE)
• National Environmental Health Association (NEHA)
• Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL)

Job Outlook for a Master's in Public Health

Graduates from online MPH programs will be entering a growing field. An MPH can lead to careers in research, human services, policy, and healthcare. MPH graduates are employed in government, non-profits, private, and international organizations. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), many roles are being created for graduate-level public health practitioners as hospitals increasingly acknowledge the need for infection preventionists.

The BLS projects job growth for the following careers in public health:

• Epidemiologist: 5% growth will add 400 jobs
• Health education specialist: 11% growth will add 7,100 jobs
• Community health worker: 15% growth will add 9,900 jobs
• Health services manager: 32% growth will add 133,200 jobs

How to Become an Epidemiologist

Epidemiologists collect and analyze data related to population health to prevent the spread of disease or infection. Becoming an epidemiologist requires at least a master's degree in public health, preferably with a specialization in epidemiology or biostatistics. Coursework should focus on research skills, statistics, and data management and analysis. Generally, students should be familiar and comfortable with using statistical software such as R, SAS, SPSS, or STATA which are used for advanced data analysis.

Epidemiologists are routinely employed by state and local government and manage data from those populations. However, positions in research in both academic and private settings are also available. Hospitals are beginning to hire more epidemiologists to oversee infection control programs to prevent hospital-acquired infections (HAIs). The BLS reports that the highest paid epidemiologists work in private research organizations and earn a median annual salary of $99,770 as of May 2019. The lowest paid earn around $62,440 and work in academia.

How to Become a Health Educator

Health educators inform the public about how to stay healthy. This can mean addressing topics like diet, exercise, disease management, or harm reduction. Health educators may work as education specialists developing materials or organizing campaigns or as community health workers who spend the majority of their time in the field interacting with the public.

Health educators need at least a bachelor's degree, though an MPH may open doors to advancement, higher pay, or a wider range of work duties. Students wishing to work in this field at the graduate-level should choose an online MPH program that offers a community health, health education, or health promotion specialization track. This coursework will prepare them to conduct educational needs assessments in order to design effective interventions in the community.

As of May 2019, the BLS reports that community health workers made a median yearly salary of $40,360 while health education specialists earned around $55,220. For both job titles, workers had the highest salaries in hospitals which include public and private settings.

Many online MPH programs will consider applicants with a bachelor's degree in any field. However, for specialization tracks like epidemiology or biostatistics, some prior coursework in statistics may be required. Although there are bachelor's degrees in public health, other majors can prove beneficial when undertaking graduate study. The behavioral and social sciences such as sociology and psychology are helpful for understanding personal and group health behaviors as they relate to health promotion and education. The natural sciences or mathematics including biology and statistics will provide a good foundation for those wishing to undertake advanced study in environmental health, nutrition, or infectious diseases.

Beyond the MPH, doctoral study is available for graduates seeking further training in public health. Doctoral degrees for public health can be awarded as a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH). PhDs are usually geared toward those looking to enter research or academia while DrPH programs prepare students for leadership positions as public health practitioners. Both degree types typically consist of a mix of theory courses ending in a dissertation, which is an original piece of research written by the student. Doctoral degrees in public health generally take between 3.5-5 years to complete but this time may vary based on enrollment status.

Students seeking financial aid for an online MPH program can find opportunities in the form of US government student loans, scholarships, and grants. Graduate students, whether studying online or on-campus, can avail of federal loans by first filling out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) with their personal and financial information. The FAFSA will determine award amounts and type of loans available based on the students financial situation. These loans must be repaid, but payment plans can be arranged to ease the burden.

Scholarships and grants can also help defray the cost of graduate education. While grants are specific to students with a substantial financial need, scholarships can generally be applied for by any student who meets the minimum requirements. MPH graduate students studying online have numerous opportunities open to them. One such scholarship is the Winston Health Policy Scholarship which awards up to 20 scholarships of $10,000 each every year to graduate students studying any discipline related to health policy. Interested applicants must submit two letters of recommendation, a CV, university transcripts, and a personal statement.