MPH in Global Health: All Tracks
The Global Health MPH program emphasizes a social justice approach to global health with a focus on the social, economic, and political determinants of health, and the history and context of global responses to health problems. The core curriculum develops competencies in the basic tools of public health, including epidemiology, biostatistics, global health systems, environmental health, and social behavioral sciences. Courses in research methods and management are also required. A practicum provides hands-on experience with local or international agencies engaged in global health activities, and academic coursework culminates with independent scholarship leading to a research or practice thesis. The curriculum is highly interdisciplinary, with faculty and courses from across campus including natural and social sciences and the humanities. Case studies and applied learning are common approaches, and contributions by students provide a major component of the learning environment.
We are committed to creating a diverse environment that promotes dialogue and learning. We honor the perspectives of people from different backgrounds and histories. Diversity encompasses differences in race, ethnicity, sex, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, culture, ability, age, and nationality. We welcome all of those who are willing to address global health issues and promote social justice.
The program is separated into “tracks” to complement the core curriculum and to address the distinct competency needs of our students’ career goals. The current tracks include the following:
General Track
The General Track is designed for students with substantial global health experience who envision careers requiring an array of competencies to work among multiple agencies involved in global health, including ministries of health, non-governmental organizations and academic institutions. The General Track provides a broad curriculum with a wide selection of courses and maximal flexibility to develop one’s own curricular direction. Students can focus on policy development; program design, implementation, and management; health education promotion; program evaluation; research; tropical medicine; and others.
Leadership, Policy, and Management Track
Designed for mid-career professionals, the Leadership, Policy and Management (LPM) Track seeks to train creative leaders, effective managers, and influential policy advocates who will translate knowledge into action to transform health systems. In addition to the MPH core curriculum, students complete case-based coursework and practical experiences focusing on key competencies of leadership (fostering individual and team growth, managing cultural differences, public speaking, conflict resolution); management (financial, human resources, organizational design, operations research); and policy development and advocacy (issue identification, stakeholder mapping, options analysis). A practicum or “professional affiliation” with local or national institutions provides hands-on training, and students complete a practice thesis applying LPM skills to an actual organization, implementation or policy challenge. A four quarter (12 month) “accelerated” option is available to students who seek and are able to complete a more concentrated curriculum than the traditional two-year program.
Epidemiology Global Health Track (managed by the Department of Epidemiology)
The purpose of the Epidemiology MPH-Global Health Track is to combine broad training in public health with specific training in the principles and methods of epidemiology and community health in developing countries. The degree requirements include course work in epidemiology, biostatistics, global health, health services, and environmental health; a practice experience in a public health agency (practicum); and completion of a research-based master's thesis. The degree is appropriate for individuals who possess an MD, DVM, DDS, ND, or PhD degree who seek a career in public health practice or academia, or medical students interested in a combined MD/MPH program. We also consider exceptional individuals with a bachelor's degree and health-related background who seek an MPH to prepare for a master's-level career in public health practice or research, or who plan to apply to the PhD program in Epidemiology after completion of an MPH.
Health Metrics and Evaluation Track
The Health Metrics and Evaluation (HME) Track is designed for individuals with demonstrated quantitative skills who intend to pursue careers at the national and international level in quantitative research, methods and modeling development, survey design and analysis, health system and program evaluation, policy analysis, or academia. The HME Track curriculum follows the established MPH core requirement model while incorporating a set of methodological and analytical courses from a variety of quantitative disciplines.
Peace Corps Master's International Track
The Peace Corps Master's International (PCMI) Track is designed for students who do not necessarily have developing country health work experience, although they are expected to have substantial (about two years) work experience beyond college, preferably in a health setting. This program is particularly well-suited for students who for financial or other reasons have not been able to engage in global health activities. Students gain developing country work experience by fulfilling a requirement to serve two years in the Peace Corps after their first year of academic coursework. Curriculum for this track is otherwise identical to that of the General Track. After returning from the Peace Corps and completing the degree, graduates of this track will have similar career opportunities to those in the General Track.
Concurrent Degrees with MPH
The Department of Global Health encourages students to take full advantage of the University's unique position as a leading education, research, and service institution and to consider one of the many concurrent degree programs available with the MPH. Enrollment in a concurrent degree program at the University permits a student to proceed in a coordinated way towards sequential completion of both degrees in a shortened period of time. Some of the options available are not formal concurrent programs, but the degrees listed can be pursued in parallel with the Global Health MPH. In some cases, agreements may be reached between the two programs to allow for sharing of some credits and/or projects. Most concurrent degrees begin with a successful application to the other school, followed by an application to the MPH during the first year of study in the first program.
Concurrent Degree Program Options
