The program is designed for professionals who are interested in identifying and enacting public health solutions locally, nationally and globally.
As a student, you’ll learn from an accomplished team of practitioners who provide training in science-based knowledge, empowering you to develop effective, evidence-based programs.
Coursework incorporates real-world examples of public health intervention design, so you learn how to analyze research studies and then translate them into real-world settings.
Concentration in Family and Community Health
The online Master of Public Health curriculum includes a Family and Community Health concentration that focuses on issues related to the family unit. As the definition of “family” continues to evolve, and racial and economic disparities grow, demand will increase for public health professionals who can evaluate and address the changing dynamics affecting health and access to services.
Students focus on public health through the lens of contemporary families and communities by studying social factors, nutrition, and communication, as well as elements contributing to health disparities. By identifying and assessing family and community health in this context, students are well prepared to develop effective programs and initiatives.
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Program Outcomes and Skills
This program is designed for individuals who wish to join the field as well as public health professionals who want to expand their knowledge and abilities. Upon graduating, graduates of the master of public health online have gained a broad understanding of health issues and the skills to address them, including:
- Epidemiology, to identify disease trends
- Biostatistics, to evaluate health trends and intervention approaches
- Health system administration and management, to organize resources for public health
- Environmental health sciences, to understand the threats and opportunities presented by environmental factors
- Behavioral and social sciences, to engage members of the community and encourage individual and group actions that support public health
Public Health Practicum
Practical knowledge and skills are essential to a successful career in public health. To strengthen this knowledge base and ensure it can be applied, a planned, supervised, and evaluated practicum is an essential component of a public health professional degree program. This is your opportunity to translate the theory and core competencies that you have learned thus far in your degree into real-world public health practice.
To accomplish this, you will complete a 200-hour (or 160 hours with approved prior experience) public health practicum under the mentorship of a qualified preceptor. The goal of the practicum experience, per the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) degree accreditation process, is to understand, implement, and evaluate the processes involved in public health interventions.
The work experience practicum that can be tailored to each student’s particular area of interest, helping to build a foundation for future career goals and serving to:
- Provide training in core disciplines
- Add to comprehensive education of public health practice and policy
- Facilitate translation of basic science to application
- Position graduates to be successful leaders in the public health arena
Provide training in core disciplines Add to comprehensive education of public health practice and policy Facilitate translation of basic science to application Position graduates to be successful leaders in the public health arena View the Experiential Learning 101 with Dr. Burress here