Master of Public Health

The Master of Public Health (MPH) with a Health Promotion concentration is a 42-credit hour master’s level online degree that also includes an internship at an extramural agency or organization. The MPH degree with a Health Promotion concentration is designed to accommodate graduate students who seek an advanced public health degree to pursue a career as a public health professional. The MPH at UMHB will matriculate its first students in the Fall of 2022.

The public health courses align with the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) criteria, as well as address the certified health education specialist (CHES®) core areas of responsibility, which are defined by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. (NCHEC).

Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Public Health degree at UMHB may choose the five-year combination degree plan with 12 hours of dual credit (graduate courses that will fulfill the undergraduate course requirements) for a total of 150 credit hours.

Career settings for public health professionals may include local, state, and federal government sectors, nonprofit organizations, corporations, hospitals, county health departments, universities, and health foundations.

Health educators typically do the following:

• Assess the health needs of the people and communities they serve;
• Develop programs, materials, and events to teach people about health topics;
• Teach people how to manage existing health conditions;
• Evaluate the effectiveness of programs and educational materials;
• Help people find health services or information;
• Provide training programs for community health workers or other health professionals;
• Supervise staff who implement health education programs;
• Collect and analyze data to learn about a particular community and improve programs and services; and
• Advocate for improved health resources and policies that promote health (U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2021).

Accreditation

The Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to accredit public health programs. Although accreditation of a PHP is not a requirement, UMHB will seek this accreditation status as it places higher standards on public health programs, therefore increasing the credibility of the program. CEPH accreditation, at a minimum, is a three-year process, which can be initiated prior to having at least one graduate from the BSPH and the MPH; however, accreditation cannot be granted until at least one student has graduated from each degree program. Following the completion of the first year of the UMHB PHP, the CEPH initial application submission will be submitted.

*Pending approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges