25 Best Online Master’s Degrees in Public Health 2020

The Online Master of Public Health from George Washington University is available through three different degree formats, which include an accelerated 18-month MPH, an accelerated one-year MPH program, or a customizable MPH completed at one's own pace. Whichever program is chosen, Public Health students of GWU are can apply their MPH toward six different concentrations. Provided concentrations include Health Policy, Global Health; Environmental and Occupational Health; or Epidemiology and Public Health Research Methods. Depending on the concentration chosen, elective courses involving Global Vaccinology; Climate Change and Social Change; or Law, Medicine, and Ethics are available.

While the MPH is completable online, GWU students are expected to finish a form of supervised, in-field residency within the public health industry. The three distinct types of MPHs' available online will determine how quickly online GWU students are capable of finishing practicum requirements via residential services, This is because the university upholds work limitations for students based on enrollment. For example, students enrolled in the 18-month program do not recommend students to work more than a part-time schedule.

San Jose State University provides an online 42-credit Master of Public Health program through its College of Health and Human Sciences. The MPH is attainable within 24 months and most classes are available through ZOOM, SJSU's online classroom platform. The online MPH program is encompassed by a 22-credit Public Health core accompanied by a 16-credit Health Education, a four-credit practicum, and a final comprehensive exam. Core classes within the Public Health portion include Principles of Epidemiology and Environmental Health. The Health Education core, however, focuses more on classes such as Theoretical Foundations of Public Health or Applied Data Analysis.

SJSU only admits incoming students once per year and doesn't allow transfer students to apply previous credits toward their online MPH at SJSU. In fact, the university only admits 25 graduate students per application cycle, making the MPH very competitive. Students who are accepted to SJSU are provided a scholarship opportunity involving one's academic contributions toward LGBT equality and HIV awareness. The prestigious honor is awarded by Matthew Staley, who also happened to be an MPH alumnus from SJSU.

Northeastern University provides an online Master of Public Health Program with a concentration in Urban Health. The 42-credit MPH is awarded through Northeastern's Bouvé College of Health Science Department of Health Sciences. The MPH consists of two categories, which are Public Health and Urban Health. Core classes within the Public Health core include Introduction to Epidemiology, and Society, Behavior, and Health. The Urban Health core allows students to take a more sociological approach to public health with classes such as Race, Ethnicity, and Health in the United States, or Urban Community Health Assesment.

To graduate, all MPH students are expected to volunteer 200 hours of community service via an internship through a research-based, public health institution. Although Northeastern does not require a thesis for MPH students to graduate, a 3-credit capstone takes the place of such and provides online students with a chance to present their academic research and experiences involving the public health discipline.

The University of North Dakota offers an online program leading to a Master of Public Health degree. Students can choose to specialize in Health Management & Policy, Indigenous Health, or Population Health Research & Analytics. The program prioritizes cultural competency and serving diverse communities through public health. The Indigenous Health specialization is the only online program of its kind in the United States. The core curriculum across all specializations covers biostatistics, environmental health, epidemiology, and more. All students must complete a supervised practicum experience and a culminating experience. The culminating experience includes a scholarly project and a seminar in leadership and advocacy. The degree program can be completed in one and a half to two years, depending on the students' desired pace.

Founded in 1883, UND is the oldest university in the state of North Dakota. The public flagship university has a historically strong liberal arts foundation and a more recent prioritization on scientific research. Located in Grand Forks, the UND campus is home to research institutions including the Center for Rural Health, the Energy and Environmental Research Center, and the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center. U.S. News & World Report ranks UND No. 205 in national Universities, No. 112 in Top Public Schools, and No. 138 in graduate Public Health

The University of Washington offers a blended-format program leading to an Executive Master of Public Health degree. While classes are held mostly online, six sessions are held on-campus throughout the program. The rigorous program has a focus on health equity, leadership, and social justice. Learning is partly team-based, incorporating group projects and team activities. The curriculum covers key areas of public health such as data analysis, evidence-based approaches, policy, and public health ethics. Course examples include Health Systems Leadership, Problems in Global Health, and Social Determinants of Population Health. Students must also complete practicum experience and either a master's thesis or capstone project. The program takes two years to complete.

UW was originally founded in 1861 in downtown Seattle. Now located in the city's University District, it is the flagship institution of the six public universities in the state of Washington. The university operates additional campuses in the Washington towns of Bothell and Tacoma. The main campus is home to one of the largest library systems in the world, which includes more than 26 university libraries. UW is a member of the Association of American Universities and classified as a doctoral research university by the Carnegie Foundation. The university is noted for its research in medicine, computer science, and engineering. It is ranked by U.S. News & World Report at No. 59 in National Universities, No. 37 in Most Innovative Schools, and No. 20 in Top Public Schools. It is also ranked No. 7 in graduate Public Health.

Online students can earn their Master of Public Health through the Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine at Nova Southeastern University. The Florida-based university provides the MPH online or residentially through the completion of 27 core requirements, although online students are required to attend orientation on-campus. Such classes include Biostatistics, Legal and Ethical Issues in Public Health, and Social and Behavioral Sciences Applied to Health. Nova also provides a broad range of electives such as Public Health Genomics, All Hazards Preparedness, and Tropical Diseases.

Admission requirements include a competitive GRE, PCAT, MCAT, etc. within five years of applying; a previously earned bachelors degree relevant to the study of public health; and professional experience within the public health industry. Nova emphasizes the importance of demonstrating the MPH Core Competencies. Such values and capabilities involve explaining the fundamental history and ethics of public health, factors of influence within public health, and applying the practices of public health through research, policy writing, and student development of health care systems.

The University of Maryland offers a Master of Public Health in Public Health Practice and Policy through its Department of Health Services Administration. The degree program is offered in a blended learning format, with online courses supplemented by six residency weekends. The multi-disciplinary 45-credit degree is designed to build leadership and problem-solving skills in the public health realm. Core requirements include an Applied Data Laboratory and a course in Public Health Ethics. Major courses include Healthcare Leadership and Communications and Policy and Politics of Health. The curriculum culminates in an internship and capstone experience. The degree can be completed in as few as 18 months.

Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of Maryland. Located in College Park, it is the largest university in both Maryland and the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. A land-, sea-, and space-grant institution, it is a Carnegie-classified top-tier research university and a member of the Association of American Universities. It is also counted among the nation's "Public Ivy" institutions. The university receives research funding from institutions including the Department of Homeland Security, the FDA, and NASA. U.S. News & World Report ranks UMD No. 63 in National Universities, No. 22 in Top Public Schools, and No. 32 in graduate Public Health.

The University of West Florida offers an online program leading to a Master of Public Health. The 42-credit program takes an interdisciplinary approach to public health problems from a local to a global level. Students can choose to pursue a generalist Public Health degree or to major in Health Promotion, Education & Behavior. In any case, students must take core courses in biostatistics, environmental health, epidemiology, public health policy, and social and behavioral sciences. Elective offerings include Bioterrorism, Global Health, and Urbanization and Population Health. All students must complete a six-credit, two-semester supervised field internship in public health. Students must also successfully complete a comprehensive exam.

Established in 1963, UWF is a member institution of the State University System of Florida. It is a public comprehensive research university without faculties of law or medicine. The university specializes in engineering and the humanities. It is a designated space-grant institution and a doctoral research university. Its main suburban campus includes rolling hills and natural woodlands near the downtown area and beaches of Pensacola. The university also operates academic facilities on Santa Rosa Island and in the Historic Pensacola Village. UWF athletic teams compete as the Argonauts, also known as the Fighting Snails.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham provides an online Master of Science in Public Health. Students who choose a concentration in Outcomes Research can complete the program entirely online. The degree program is open to students who hold bachelor's degrees and have strong backgrounds in math. Outcomes research in public health involves clinical decision-making and cost analysis. Graduates with a degree are suited to employment in an academic medical center of a pharmaceutical company. The 43-credit curriculum includes core and concentration course requirements, electives, and project research. Outcomes Research Track courses include Modeling & Simulation, Pharmacoeconomics and Regulation, and Social & Ethical Issues in Public Health. Full-time students typically complete the program in two years or four to five semesters. The degree may take up to five years for part-time students to complete.

UAB was established in 1936 as an extension center of the University of Alabama. It has since evolved into an autonomous four-year public university and member of the University of Alabama System. The Carnegie Foundation categorizes UAB in its top tier of research universities. Its affiliated UAB Health System, which includes a teaching hospital, is one of the largest academic medical centers in the United States. The university is ranked by U.S. News & World Report at No. 157 in National Universities, No. 80 in Top Public Schools, and No. 19 in graduate Public Health.

The University of Illinois at Chicago offers two online program options leading to a Master of Public Health. Students can complete an MPH Professional Enhancement Program or an MPH in Public Health Informatics. Core requirements for the MPH degree include Determinants of Population Health; Interprofessional Education; Public Health Systems; and Policy and Management. The Professional Enhancement core includes courses in Public Health Law and Ethics and Strategic Planning and Budgeting. The Public Health Informatics core includes courses in Data-Mining Applications in Public Health and Web-Based Public Health Information Systems. All students must also complete an applied practice experience and an integrative learning experience in public health.

UIC was founded in 1982 when the University of Illinois system consolidated its Congress Circle and Medical Center campuses. It is now the largest university in the Chicago area in terms of student enrollment. The public institution is categorized in the Carnegie Foundation's top tier of research universities. It operates the largest medical school in the United States and is among the nation's most ethnically diverse universities. U.S. News & World Report ranks UIC No. 129 in National Universities, No. 129 in Best Value Schools, and No. 61 in Top Public Schools. It also ranks the university No. 19 in Public Health at the graduate level.

Texas A&M University offers an online program leading to a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology. Each student is assigned a graduate advisor to help them develop a plan of study, consisting of a minimum of 45 credits of coursework. The core curriculum includes courses in Assessment and Intervention: Wicked Problems in Public Health; Investigation and Control: Acute Public Health Events; and Thinking Populations: The Public Health Mindset. The curriculum also covers biostatistics, data analysis, and data management and computing. The non-thesis program culminates in a practicum experience and capstone class.

Established in 1871, Texas A&M was the first public institution of higher education in the state. Today, the university's student body is the largest in Texas and the second-largest in the United States. A land-, sea-, and space-grant institution, A&M is a member institution of the Association of American Universities. The university's research facilities include the Institute of Biosciences and Technology, the Texas Institute for Genomic Medicine, and the Texas Transportation Institute. The campus is home to the George Bush Presidential Library, the presidential library and burial site of George H.W. Bush. U.S. News & World Report ranks the university No. 66 in National Universities, No. 44 in Best Value Schools, No. 37 in Most Innovative Schools, and No. 24 in Top Public Schools.

New Mexico State University provides an online Master of Public Health degree through its Department of Public Health Sciences. Students can choose to concentrate in either Community Health Education or Health Management, Administration and Policy. Both concentrated programs can be completed entirely online. Online courses are offered asynchronously, meaning students do not need to participate in live sessions and can study on their own schedules. Distance education technologies used include Adobe Connect, Skype, and Zoom Meeting. The core curriculum includes courses in Community and Psychosocial Aspects of Public Health and Epidemiological Approaches to Disease Control and Prevention. Students must also complete a field experience placement. The 42-credit program culminates in a comprehensive oral and written exam.

Founded in 1888, NM State is the oldest public institution in New Mexico and one of the state's two flagship universities. In addition to the primary location in Las Cruces, the university operates branch campuses in Alamogordo, Carlsbad, Dona Ana County, and Grants. It also operates extension centers and research centers throughout the state. Its research facilities include the Arrowhead Center, the Chile Pepper Institute, and the Leyendecker Plant Science Research Center. It is a land- and space-grant institution and a federally designated Hispanic-serving institution. U.S. News & World Report ranks NM State No. 221 in National Universities, No. 126 in Top Public Schools, and No. 120 in graduate Speech-Language Pathology.

Creighton University awards an online Master of Public Health through its Department of Interdisciplinary Studies. Creighton's online MPH consists of 22 core-credits, 15-credits for students' concentration, and seven credits involving a degree experience and capstone. The online MPH at Creighton requires applicants to have a 3.0 GPA from a previously earned bachelors degree and professional work experience, amongst other typical materials such as a resume.

The MPH's core classes provide a well-rounded experience for Public Health studies, where they'll complete Writing for Graduate Students, Biostatistics, and Public Health Ethics. All MPH students at Creighton choose a concentration between Health Policy and Ethics or Healthcare Management, where they're also able to earn a concentration-specific Graduate Certificate. Students who are more interested in studying the literary and philosophical elements of Public Health can take multiple ethical classes within the Health Policy and Ethics curriculum. The Healthcare Management concentration appears to be designed for students who are business-oriented and prefer to fill leadership positions.

Michigan State University offers a Master of Public Health through its College of Human Medicine. The online program emphasizes applied professional knowledge. The 43-credit curriculum includes 10 credits of foundational courses, such as Community Engagement and Public Health Practice and Health Equity Framework for Public Health Practice. The 15-credit core curriculum includes courses in biostatistics, environmental factors of health, epidemiology, and social and behavioral aspects of health. Students must choose electives from among five interest groups: Global and Cultural Public Health, Infectious Disease, Epidemiology/Biostatistics/Surveillance, Nutrition, and Policy and Administration. The culminating experience is a supervised field practicum and capstone paper.

MSU was established in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, one of the nation's first institutions to teach scientific agriculture. The institution later served as a model for land-grant universities created under the Morrill Act and expanded its curriculum. Today, the public research university is one of the largest universities in the United States in terms of student enrollment. A land- and sea-grant institution, it is a member of the Association of American Universities. U.S. News & World Report ranks MSU at No. 85 in National Universities, No. 35 in Top Public Schools, and No. 46 in graduate Speech-Language Pathology.

The University of Missouri offers a Master of Public Health with an emphasis in health promotion and policy. The 45-credit program can be completed 100 percent online. The curriculum covers areas such as community-based public health interventions, epidemiology, and perspectives in global health. Course examples include Health Care in the United States, Human Health and the Environment, and Social and Behavioral Sciences in Public Health. Students are also required to finish a Public Health capstone along with an internship. Elective offerings include Domestic Violence, Immigrant Health, and Mental Health Policy.

Founded in 1839, Mizzou was the first public institution of higher education west of the Mississippi River. Located in Columbia, it is the biggest university in the state of Missouri by student enrollment. It is also the flagship campus of the University of Missouri System. A land- and space-grant institution, it is a member of the Association of American Universities. Notable alumni include actors Brad Pitt and Jon Hamm, Walmart founder Sam Walton, and playwright Tennessee Williams. U.S. News & World Report ranks Mizzou No. 129 in National Universities, No. 78 in Best Value Schools, and No. 61 in Top Public Schools.