Masters Of Public Health Degree
Considering a Masters degree in Public Health? Use this quick reference guide to find the best program and get financial aid to do it.
If you are interested in health and healthcare on a larger scale, then the Masters of Public Health degree may be for you. Working in the healthcare field is rewarding, and at this particular level, it involves troubleshooting and assisting city planners in developing public health campaigns and procedures. With the Masters of Public Health (MPH) degree many different jobs are open to you. The following article offers information about the prerequisites for a Masters degree in this field, the top schools offering the MPH degree, and how to find money for college.
Prerequisites and Requirements for the Masters of Public Health Degree (MPH)
As a minimum requirement you must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university. You must prove you attended, and obtained your degree. Do this by providing copies of transcripts. Keep in mind that in order to be admitted to the MPH degree program at most colleges, you must have graduated with your bachelor’s degree with a GPA of at least 3.0 or better. Some colleges also require you to complete higher level math classes that included algebra and calculus. During your undergraduate years you must have completed several science classes, including biology or chemistry. The best prerequisite, and easiest pathway, is to already have a bachelor’s in public health. Then all of your prerequisite coursework is known to be complete.
Top Schools Offering MPH Degrees Online and On-Site Education Options
Several schools, both online and on-site, rise to the top when it comes to outstanding MPH coursework. The following schools offer the MPH degree, have multiple ways to finance your education, and have graduates who go on to command excellent salaries and positions throughout the U.S.
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Johns Hopkins University: Located in Maryland, Johns Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health is considered one of the top programs in the U.S. You can take the program online or onsite, and they accept both part time and full time students. Depending on the career track you take, expect to spend one to four years obtaining this degree. JHU has 1,500 faculty and at least 67 countries have project collaborations. JHU is regarded as having the largest group of alumni in this field both domestically and internationally.
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Harvard University: Located in Massachusetts, Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health. In order to be accepted you must not only have your bachelor’s degree in the field but you must also have completed at least two years in the work field. Harvard graduates often command some of the highest salaries throughout the world. This college offers onsite and partial remote learning opportunities.
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Brown University: Located in Rhode Island, Brown University not only offers the masters degree in public health, but also allows dual degree programs. Graduates from this university often go into policy, rules and regulations work. Others are well known in the research field in this industry. This college is onsite only.
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Tulane University: Located in Louisiana, Tulane University has the oldest and most long running school of public health. It is the only school in the U.S. that offers the tropical medicine and public health degrees concurrently, or in tandem.
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Emory University: Located in Georgia, Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health offers ten different programs of study for the MPH. The degree program generally takes two years to complete. Emory University offers both onsite and distance based programs. Emory believes in an integrative learning experience, meaning they require hands-on instruction and research by students.
Jobs in the MPH Sector
Public health jobs are many and varied. Some of the positions and programs of study available for you include Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences, Biostatistics, and Environmental Health and Epidemiology. You can also study to have a hand in determining local, federal and global health policies, health care management or global environmental health initiatives. If math and science are strengths then consider going into research. Those types of careers include epidemiology, biostatistics and health policy and health services research.
Financial Aid and Grants Available
Whether you study remotely or attend in person, a master’s degree is not cheap. Most graduates will incur at least 40-50k to complete this degree, on average. Therefore, it is a good idea to get as much financial aid as possible. The first place to start is to fill out the Federal Application for Financial Aid (FAFSA). Even if you plan to get a scholarship or grants, and do not want to go the student loan route, fill out the FAFSA form. This is because most universities and grant programs pull the information from the FAFSA form. The next step is to speak with your top three universities and see what types of scholarships and grants are available for graduate students. You may find the number of financial aid offerings much less than for undergraduates. This means you must broaden your search parameters to include civil organizations, as well as apply for fellowships from professional organizations.
