Introduction

The Master of Public Health (MPH) degree program is a School-based program designed to graduate students each with core competencies in public health and specialized competencies in one of the following concentrations: biostatistics, environmental and occupational health, epidemiology, health promotion and behavior, and health management.

Graduates of the MPH program are prepared for positions in the public health work force, in health-related industries, and in academic organizations and for further professional or academic education.

The dual M.D.-MPH degree program is a five-year program.  In addition, a Dual Bachelor-MPH degree is available.

Admission

The ideal candidate for admission to the MPH program has received the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree or higher, has education or training in one or more health-related fields, has worked or studied in a public health-related situation, can comprehend and communicate effectively in English, has the recommendations of at least three persons in a health-related or advanced education field, has performed satisfactorily in one or more standardized test, and is very interested in pursuing a career in public health or a related field.

The requirements for admission to the MPH program are:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution or its equivalent
• Recommended minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• If candidate’s primary language is not English, one of the following:

o   Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam with a minimum score of 250 (after conversion for test type)

o   Passing the exit examination for the advanced level of the Intensive English as a Second Language Program at the University of Louisville

o   Degree from an accredited U.S. institution (requires provisional admission with evaluation of English language competency and potential requirement to pass the exit examination for the advanced level of the Intensive English as a Second Language Program at the University of Louisville)

An application is considered once all of the following requirements have been received:

• Graduate application and payment of application fee.
• Three letters of recommendation written within the last twelve months.
• Official transcripts of all degrees.
• Resume or curriculum vitae.
• One-page personal statement written by the application that is a clear, substantive description of his or her goals in public health, noting any professional or research experience.
• Official score from any of the following standardized tests: GRE, MCAT, DAT, GMAT, or LSAT.
• International applicants: Foreign credential evaluation of all degrees from non-U.S. institutions. Please contact the MPH program prior to completing this requirement.

Concentrations

Concentrations are offered in each of the five basic areas of public health by the department that focuses on the area. Each concentration is designed to develop the competencies needed by a public health worker in the corresponding area.

Requirements for acceptance to the concentrations in the MPH program are:

Individual Track Option

A student may complete an individual track in place of completing a concentration. The individual track option is designed for students who meet the requirements and wish to study areas of public health that are not directly addressed by one of the available concentrations or who are enrolled in a dual master’s degree program with the MPH. A student’s program of study in an individual track is established as part of admission to the individual track option.

Requirements for admission to the individual track option are the following:

• GPA of 3.25 or higher in required first-year MPH program courses
•  One of:
  •  Enrollment in a dual master’s degree program with the MPH
  • Personal statement of purpose and reasons for an individual track
• Program director approval of a faculty member to serve as the student’s advisor for the track application process and, if admitted, for the track and practicum
• An acceptable program of study for an individual track recommended by the student’s advisor
• Competitive selection of student’s application using rankings of the above requirements among all applicants for an individual track at that time

The program may limit the number of admissions to the individual track option in any one year based on the total number of MPH students and dual degree students. In addition the program director may seek review and advice from the MPH Advisory Committee on some or all of the applications. If a student is not admitted to the individual track option, he or she must choose and be admitted to an existing concentration.

The curriculum consists of courses in four areas: core (6 courses), concentration or individual track (5), practicum experience (2), and integrating experience (3). Core courses and two integrating experience courses are completed prior to taking courses in other areas. Toward the end of taking these courses, each student either identifies his or her area of concentration and is admitted to the department offering the concentration or applies and is admitted to the individual track option. Once admitted into the concentration or individual track option, the student takes concentration courses or course in his or her individual track program of study, completes the practicum experience, and takes the remaining integrating experience course, which includes a comprehensive written examination focused on the program’s core MPH competencies.

Full-time students are expected to complete the program and graduate in two years. Part-time students are required to complete the program and graduate within six years.

Faculty Advisor

On matriculation, each student is assigned a faculty advisor and is requested to meet at least twice each semester with his or her advisor. Advisors are available to address general academic and public health questions and to assist the student in declaration of his or her area of concentration or the individual track option.

After admission into a concentration, each student is assigned a faculty advisor who serves as academic practicum advisor, academic mentor, and counselor on career and employment opportunities, professional development, and opportunities beyond graduate school. The faculty advisor for a student in the individual track option is assigned as part of admission to the option.

Program of Study

The program of study is predetermined for courses in core, practicum experience, and integrating experience areas and in the majority of the concentration area. Concentrations have one or two elective courses. The program of study for an individual track is established as part of admission to the individual track option.

Degree Requirements

Requirements for the MPH degree are:

• Successful completion of core, concentration, practicum experience, and integrating experience coursework
• Completion of all deliverables for the practicum experience
• Minimum score of 80% on either of two tries of a comprehensive examination on MPH competencies (part of PHPH-697 Integrating Learning and Experience in Public Health) or successful completion of remediation project (part of PHPH-601 )

Coursework

47 total credit hours:

18 credit hours of core coursework

  6 credit hours of practicum experience

  8 credit hours of integrating experience

15 credit hours of concentration or individual track coursework

Biostatistics Concentration

Coursework

Electives

The elective course in the biostatistics concentration may be selected from any three-credit hour, graduate-level course in the University with approval of the student’s faculty advisor and the program director.

Environmental and Occupational Health Concentration

Coursework

Electives

The elective course in the environmental and occupational health concentration may be selected from any three-credit hour, graduate-level course in the University with approval of the student’s faculty advisor and the program director.

Epidemiology Concentration

Coursework

Electives

The elective courses in the epidemiology concentration may be selected from any three-credit hour, graduate-level course in the University with approval of the student’s faculty advisor and the program director.

Health Management Concentration

Coursework

Electives

The elective course in the health management concentration may be selected from any three-credit hour, graduate-level course in the University with approval of the student’s faculty advisor and the program director.

Health Promotion and Behavior Concentration

Coursework

Electives

The elective course in the health promotion and behavior concentration may be selected from any three-credit hour, graduate-level course in the University with approval of the student’s faculty advisor and the program director.

Individual Track Option

Coursework

The five individual track courses are determined as part of admission to the individual track option and may be selected from any three-credit hour, graduate-level course in the University with approval of the student’s faculty advisor and the program director.

MD-MPH Program 

The dual M.D.-MPH degree program is a five year program.

Concentrations

Concentrations are offered in each of the five basic areas of public health by the department that focuses on the area. Each concentration is designed to develop the competencies needed by a public health worker in the corresponding area.

Requirements for acceptance to the concentrations in the MPH program are:

Individual Track Option

A student may complete an individual track in place of completing a concentration. The individual track option is designed for students who meet the requirements and wish to study areas of public health that are not directly addressed by one of the available concentrations or who are enrolled in a dual master’s degree program with the MPH. A student’s program of study in an individual track is established as part of admission to the individual track option.

Requirements for admission to the individual track option are the following:

·         GPA of 3.25 or higher in required first-year MPH program courses

·         One of:

o   Enrollment in a dual master’s degree program with the MPH

o   Personal statement of purpose and reasons for an individual track

·         Program director approval of a faculty member to serve as the student’s advisor for the track application process and, if admitted, for the track and practicum

·         An acceptable program of study for an individual track recommended by the student’s advisor

·         Competitive selection of student’s application using rankings of the above requirements among all applicants for an individual track at that time

The program may limit the number of admissions to the individual track option in any one year based on the total number of MPH students and dual degree students. In addition the program director may seek review and advice from the MPH Advisory Committee on some or all of the applications. If a student is not admitted to the individual track option, he or she must choose and be admitted to an existing concentration.

Curriculum

The curriculum consists of courses in four areas: core (6 courses), concentration (5), practicum experience (2), and integrating experience (3). Core courses and two integrating experience courses are completed prior to taking courses in other areas. Toward the end of taking these courses, each student identifies his or her area of concentration and seeks admission to the department offering the concentration. Once admitted into the concentration, the student takes concentration course, completes the practicum experience, and takes the remaining integrating experience course, which includes a comprehensive written examination focused on the school’s core MPH competencies.

M.D.-MPH students are expected to complete the dual degree program in five years.

M.D.1-MPH Schedule Option

M.D.1-MPH students who successfully complete the first three years are eligible to receive their MPH degree in May of their third year.

The content of the first two semesters of the MPH program is covered in two 6½-week sessions in successive summers. These sessions are not limited to M.D.-MPH students.

M.D.3-MPH Schedule Option

M.D.3-MPH students who successfully complete the first four years are eligible to receive their MPH degree in May of their fourth year.

The content of the first two semesters of the MPH program is covered in two 6½-week sessions in a single summer. These sessions are not limited to M.D.-MPH students.

M.D.-MPH Summer Schedules

Key: C = Classes, F= Finals

Courses (11 credit hours):

HMgmt 501: PHMS-501 Introduction to Public Health Practice and Administration (3)

Biostat 500*: PHST-500 Introduction to Biostatistics (3)

PHI 618: PHMS-618 Introduction to Public Health Informatics (3)

Issues 696: PHPH-696 Issues in Public Health (2)

Courses (12 credit hours):

Epi 501*: PHEP-501 Introduction to Epidemiology (3 credit hours)

HBehav 501: PHPB-501 Introduction to Health Behavior (3 credit hours)

EOH 500: PHEH-500 Introduction to Environmental Health Sciences (3)

CTPE 614: PHPH-614 Critical Thinking and Program Evaluation (3)

* Course is online.

^† Days and times for courses are examples. Each course has two classes (or online equivalent) per week except two weeks with three classes (14 classes over 6 weeks). Three of the six Fridays have classes in the morning and afternoon.

Faculty Advisor

On admission to the M.D.-MPH program, each student is assigned an MPH faculty advisor and is required to meet at least twice each semester with his or her advisor. Advisors are available to address general academic and public health questions and to assist the student in declaration of his or her area of concentration for the MPH degree.

After admission into a concentration, each student is assigned an MPH faculty advisor from the concentration department who serves as academic practicum advisor, academic mentor, and counselor on career and employment opportunities, professional development, and opportunities beyond graduate school.

Program of Study

The program of study is predetermined for courses in core, practicum experience, and integrating experience areas and the majority of the concentration area. Concentrations have one or two elective courses.

Degree Requirements

Requirements for the MPH degree are:

·         Successful completion of core, concentration, practicum experience, and integrating experience coursework

·         Completion of all deliverables for the practicum experience

·         Minimum score of 80% on either of two tries of a comprehensive examination on MPH competencies (part of PHPH-697 Integrating Learning and Experience in Public Health) or successful completion of remediation project (part of PHPH-601 )

Coursework

47 total credit hours:

18 credit hours of core coursework

  6 credit hours of practicum experience

  8 credit hours of integrating experience

15 credit hours of concentration coursework

Biostatistics Concentration

Coursework

Electives

The elective course in the biostatistics concentration may be selected from any 3 credit-hour, graduate-level course in the University with approval of the student’s faculty advisor and the program director.

Environmental and Occupational Health Concentration

Coursework

Electives

The elective courses in the environmental and occupational health concentration may be selected from any 3 credit-hour, graduate-level course in the University with approval of the student’s faculty advisor and the program director.

Epidemiology Concentration

Coursework

Electives

The elective courses in the epidemiology concentration may be selected from any 3 credit-hour, graduate-level course in the University with approval of the student’s faculty advisor and the program director.

Health Management Concentration

Coursework

Electives

The elective course in the health management concentration may be selected from any 3 credit-hour, graduate-level course in the University with approval of the student’s faculty advisor and the program director.

Health Promotion and Behavior Concentration

Coursework

Electives

The elective course in the health promotion and behavior concentration may be selected from any 3 credit-hour, graduate-level course in the University with approval of the student’s faculty advisor and the program director.

Individual Track Option

Coursework

The five individual track courses are determined as part of admission to the individual track option and may be selected from any three-credit hour, graduate-level course in the University with approval of the student’s faculty advisor and the program director.

Dual Bachelor-MPH

Introduction

The dual bachelor-MPH degree program is a five-year program. The first four years are undergraduate studies, including five core public health courses. An undergraduate student in the bachelor-MPH program is already or will soon become enrolled in an undergraduate program culminating in either the bachelor of science (B.S.) or bachelor of arts (B.A.) degree in the student’s chosen major field and academic unit

The fifth year, including the summer following graduation with a bachelor degree, is graduate studies in public health, leading to the master of public health (MPH) degree. The master of public health (MPH) degree program is a school-based program designed to graduate students with core competencies in public health and specialized competencies in one of the following concentrations: biostatistics, environmental and occupational health, epidemiology, health management, and health promotion and behavior.

Graduates of the bachelor-MPH program are prepared for positions in the public health work force, in health-related industries, and in academic organizations and for further professional or academic education.

Admission

Admission criteria for the undergraduate component of the bachelor-MPH program are:

• Undergraduate student in good standing in the University of Louisville
• Completion of at least 45 credit hours of undergraduate studies
• GPA of 3.3 or higher
• Permission of the director of the undergraduate program (“major field”) in which the student is or becomes enrolled.

The major field is not required to be related to the health sciences.

Application requirements for the undergraduate component are:

• Completed program application

The application includes name, contact information, and grant of permission for the school to access the applicant’s university records.

To continue in the undergraduate component, a student must:

• Maintain student status in the university
• Earn a B- or higher in each of the five required public health courses

Criteria for admission to the MPH component are:

• Bachelor degree from the University of Louisville
• GPA of 3.25 or higher for unconditional admission, or 3.0 to 3.2499 for conditional admission
• Grade average of 3.0 in the five required public health courses with no grade below B-

Application requirements for the MPH component are:

• Completed graduate application and $50 application fee

MPH Concentrations

Concentrations are offered in each of the five basic areas of public health by the department that focuses on the area. Each concentration is designed to develop the competencies needed by a public health worker in the corresponding area. Bachelor-MPH students select their concentrations soon after admission to the MPH component of the program following graduation with their bachelor degrees.

Requirements for acceptance to the MPH concentrations in the MPH program are:

Individual Track Option

A student may complete an individual track in place of completing a concentration. The individual track option is designed for students who meet the requirements and wish to study areas of public health that are not directly addressed by one of the available concentrations or who are enrolled in a dual master’s degree program with the MPH. A student’s program of study in an individual track is established as part of admission to the individual track option.

Requirements for admission to the individual track option are the following:

·         GPA of 3.25 or higher in required first-year MPH program courses

·         One of:

o   Enrollment in a dual master’s degree program with the MPH

o   Personal statement of purpose and reasons for an individual track

·         Program director approval of a faculty member to serve as the student’s advisor for the track application process and, if admitted, for the track and practicum

·         An acceptable program of study for an individual track recommended by the student’s advisor

·         Competitive selection of student’s application using rankings of the above requirements among all applicants for an individual track at that time

The program may limit the number of admissions to the individual track option in any one year based on the total number of MPH students and dual degree students. In addition the program director may seek review and advice from the MPH Advisory Committee on some or all of the applications. If a student is not admitted to the individual track option, he or she must choose and be admitted to an existing concentration.

MPH Curriculum

The curriculum consists of courses in four areas: core (6 courses), concentration (5), practicum experience (2), and integrating experience (3). Core courses and two integrating experience courses are completed prior to taking courses in other areas. Toward the end of taking these courses, each student identifies his or her area of concentration and seeks admission to the department offering the concentration. Once admitted into the concentration, the student takes concentration courses, completes the practicum experience, and takes the remaining integrating experience course, which includes a comprehensive written examination focused on the school’s core MPH competencies.

Faculty Advisor

On admission to the bachelor-MPH program, the student is assigned an program advisor and is required to meet at least twice each semester with his or her advisor. Advisors are available to address questions about program requirements and extra-curricular opportunities in public health.

On admission to the MPH component, each student is assigned an MPH faculty advisor and is required to meet at least twice each semester with his or her advisor. Advisors are available to address general academic and public health questions and to assist the student in declaration of his or her area of concentration for the MPH degree.

After admission into a concentration, each student is assigned an MPH faculty advisor from the concentration department who serves as academic mentor and counselor on career and employment opportunities, professional development, and opportunities beyond graduate school.

MPH Program of Study

The MPH program of study is predetermined for courses in core, practicum experience, and integrating experience areas and the majority of the concentration area. Concentrations may have one or two elective courses.

MPH Degree Requirements

Requirements for the MPH degree are:

·         Successful completion of core, concentration, practicum experience, and integrating experience coursework

·         Completion of all deliverables for the practicum experience

·         Minimum score of 80% on either of two tries of a comprehensive examination on MPH competencies (part of PHPH-697 Integrating Learning and Experience in Public Health) or successful completion of remediation project (part of PHPH-601 )

Coursework

47 total credit hours:

18 credit hours of core coursework

  6 credit hours of practicum experience

  8 credit hours of integrating experience

15 credit hours of concentration coursework

Biostatistics Concentration

Coursework

Electives

The elective course in the biostatistics concentration may be selected from any 3 credit-hour, graduate-level course in the university with approval of the student’s faculty advisor and the program director.

Environmental and Occupational Health Concentration

Coursework

Electives

The elective courses in the environmental and occupational health concentration may be selected from any 3 credit-hour, graduate-level course in the university with approval of the student’s faculty advisor and the program director.

Epidemiology Concentration

Coursework

Electives

The elective courses in the epidemiology concentration may be selected from any 3 credit-hour, graduate-level course in the university with approval of the student’s faculty advisor and the program director.

Health Management Concentration

Coursework

Electives

The elective course in the health management concentration may be selected from any 3 credit-hour, graduate-level course in the university with approval of the student’s faculty advisor and the program director.

Health Promotion and Behavior Concentration

Coursework

Electives

The elective course in the health promotion and behavior concentration may be selected from any 3 credit-hour, graduate-level course in the university with approval of the student’s faculty advisor and the program director.

Individual Track Option

Coursework

The five individual track courses are determined as part of admission to the individual track option and may be selected from any three-credit hour, graduate-level course in the University with approval of the student’s faculty advisor and the program director.

Program Director

Assistant Professor

Professor 

Associate Professor 

Acting Chair 

Associate Professor 

Assistant Professor 

Assistant Professor 

Assistant Professor 

Assistant Professor 

Professor 

Associate Professor