Credits Required
45
COST
$698.63/credit hour*
*Subject to change without notice
DELIVERY
Online
START TERMS
Fall
The purpose of the MPH Online Program is to train professionals to work in the broad field of public health. The degree requirements include coursework in Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Environmental Sciences, and Public Health Management and Practice. It also includes a practicum in a public health setting.
The MPH Health Equity Online degree is considered a professional degree and takes approximately two years to complete as a full-time student. Students who undertake their training on a part-time basis will require more time.
The pandemic, through its ravages of underserved minoritized populations of the nation, highlighted that systematic disease prevention and control disadvantages already overburdened populations. Given the world, national, and state outcries for professionals who specialize in this practice, we chose to create a new area of emphasis in health equity for our longstanding MPH program. Through the pandemic, we also learned that many students prefer online learning, especially when they can control their schedules via asynchronous formats. The University of Utah will benefit from this offering because it will be the only one in the state with this particular focus. Additionally, our MPH online program will benefit students who work full-time in health and human services professions (physicians, evaluators, environmental scientists, therapists, policy analysts, health planners, epidemiologists, statisticians, public health researchers, community health workers, etc.). It will also benefit persons who desire an advanced degree but live removed from campus or who lack consistent transportation, those with family caregiving pressures, and persons with disabilities.
The MPH program has been continuously accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) since 1978.
At the University of Utah, our courses combine the flexibility of online teaching with the advantages and direct engagement of traditional teaching. Enjoy the benefit of studying online at your own pace while still engaging with classmates and instructors. This flexible way of teaching improves your overall experience and your ability to retain what you learn.
Interactive learning comes in a variety of ways:
- Group assignments, where you collaborate via email or a discussion forum to answer a problem set.
- Contributions to a discussion forum, where you directly respond to previous posts.
- Peer reviews, where you review and comment on assignments from other students.
Our classes also offer multiple routes to stay connected and get help:
- Communicate directly with the instructor via email.
- Participate in and guide online discussions.
- Attend online office hours in discussion threads or on the phone.
- Instructors are available in “real” office hours for students on or near campus; for some courses we offer Q&A sessions in a classroom.
Masters in Public Health
Minimum academic requirements
Applicants must meet academic minimum Graduate School requirements and requirements of the Public Health program for admission. The requirements listed are the minimum set and do not guarantee admission to a graduate program.
The minimum academic requirements for graduate admission are the following:
- A bachelor's degree from a regionally-accredited college/university,
- At least a 3.00 or higher undergraduate weighted mean GPA*
*If the candidate has a GPA below 3.0 they must submit a justification letter explaining why their GPA is lower than 3.0 and why they feel that they are prepared to pursue the public health degree. This letter is different than the Statement of Purpose and will be included with the candidate’s application file.
Students can take the exam year-round by registering online for the date of their choosing.
The following courses are prerequisites for the exam: PBHLT 6100 Biostatistics 1, 6300 Epidemiology, 6400 Public Health Management & Practice, 6500 Public Health Systems & Services, 6600 Social and Behavioral Sciences in Public Health, 6700 Environmental & Biological Science in Public Health, and 6550 Public Health Program Planning, Evaluation, & Implementation.
Students will need to pass the exam to fulfill their graduation requirement and should plan their test date accordingly. Per Graduate School requirements, students will need to be registered for credit hours the semester they take the exam. When you are ready to schedule the exam, contact your graduate student coordinator for a voucher code. MPH students must attempt the CPH exam no later than the set department deadline the semester they plan to graduate. This deadline is in place to allow time for scheduling issues or exam retakes.
- Prior to obtaining the previously mentioned voucher code, students will need to submit
their practice exam results to their graduate student coordinator.
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- A screenshot of this, reflecting the date and time taken is sufficient.
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- Once these results are reviewed, the graduate student advisor will provide a one time
voucher code, to take the exam free of charge.
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- Any additional attempts will be considered an out-of-pocket expense for the student.
- Failure to complete and pass the exam may result in a delay of the student’s graduation.
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Direct Hands-On Experience
All MPH students must complete 6 credit hours (270 hours fieldwork) of practicum prior to graduation. The practicum experience is meant to give students direct, hands-on experience comparable to a career position suitable for someone with an MPH. This will not only supplement the student’s coursework and enrich their academic experience, but also prepare the student for employment after completion of their degree.
Goals
The goals of the practicum are:
- To integrate foundational public health knowledge with a concrete experience of public
health practice. In particular, to observe and report how the following concepts play
out in real public health practice:
- the core functions of public health
- the core organizational practices necessary for governmental agencies to carry out the mission of public health, and
- the essential public health services, from a community-based perspective.
- To identify and report the issues in cultural competence relevant to a specific practicum site and how they play out in real public health practice.
- To identify emerging areas in the practice of public health.
- To broaden knowledge and skills in public health practice.
- To gain experience working with a mentor that has the academic credentials and experience to oversee and evaluate masters level student goals and activities.
Prerequisites Required
Students can begin practicum work after 4 of the 6 pre-requisites (6100, 6300, 6400, 6500, 6550, 6600, 6700) have been completed. One of the four courses must be 6550 and one must be 6100 (Biostatistics) or 6300 (Epidemiology).
A practicum site should expect that the students will come prepared to contribute as well as learn.
Among the highest prospect professions in Utah are jobs in health and social services.
The labor market demand for this program is moderate to high, according to Utah DWS
Economic Data, which includes jobs like Health Equity Consultant; Equity, Diversity
and Inclusion Coordinator; Health Educator; Community Outreach and Equity Director,
among others (list follows). In addition, MPH graduates with a Health Equity emphasis
can apply for general public health, health education, health evaluation, or
health communication jobs. Related occupations that are particularly well-suited to
individuals with a Health Equity emphasis public health degree include health educators
and community health workers, social and human service assistants, medical and health
services managers, social and community services managers, medical scientists, or
social scientists.
The State of Utah has consistently experienced strong demand for health care/social services professionals. In the first quarter of 2020, health care and social services careers made up 11.6% of all state employment, and 10.8% in Salt Lake County. In the fourth quarter of 2019, the state hired 20,974 new professionals in these areas, with average monthly earnings of $3,000. These represented 12.3% of new hires overall in that particular quarter.
Application Deadline
The Division of Public Health admits students into the MPH online program in the Fall semester.
- Application deadline: For guaranteed consideration of your application, please submit by February 15th.
Applications & Required Documents
Applicants must first complete a SOPHAS application. Students who are recommended for admission by the Public Health program will then be asked to complete a University of Utah application through Slate.
When applying through SOPHAS you will need to provide the following:
- Official transcripts for US applicants
- Three letters of recommendation
- Statement of purpose
- Current Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Slate (only apply after being recommended for admission by the Public Health program)
All of the documentation needed for the Slate application will be transferred from your SOPHAS application.
$698.63/credit hour*
*Subject to change without notice
This program qualifies for the U of U employee reduced tuition benefit.