MPH - Master of Public Health (MPH)

The MPH major curriculum is designed to meet the Foundational Public Health Knowledge learning objectives, the MPH Foundational Competencies, the Applied Practice Experience, and the Integrative Learning Experience established by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).

The MPH program ensures that all students are grounded in the following foundational public health knowledge upon graduation:

Foundational Knowledge

Profession & Science of Public Health

1. Explain public health history, philosophy, and values.

2. Identify the core functions of public health and the 10 Essential Services.

3. Explain the role of quantitative and qualitative methods and sciences in describing and assessing a population's health.

4. List major causes and trends of morbidity and mortality in the US or other community relevant to the school or program

5. Discuss the science of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention in population health, including health promotion, screening, etc.

6. Explain the critical importance of evidence in advancing public health knowledge.

   Factors Related to Human Health

7. Explain the effects of environmental factors on a population's health.

8. Explain biological and genetic factors that affect a population's health.

9. Explain behavioral and psychological factors that affect a population's health.

10. Explain the social, political and economic determinants of health and how they contribute to population health and health inequities.

11. Explain how globalization affects global burdens of disease.

12. Explain an ecological perspective on the connections among human health, animal health, and ecosystem health.

Core Competencies

• Biostatistics

• Epidemiology

• Environmental Health Sciences

• Health Services Administration 

• Social and Behavioral Sciences

  The MPH program ensures that all students can demonstrate the following competencies upon graduation:

  Evidence-based Approaches to Public Health

• Apply epidemiological methods to the breadth of settings and situations in public health practice.

• Select quantitative and qualitative data collection methods appropriate for a given public health context.

• Analyze quantitative and qualitative data using biostatistics, informatics, computer-based programming, and software, as appropriate.

• Interpret results of data analysis for public health research, policy or practice.

  Public Health & Health Care Systems

• Compare the organization, structure, and function of health care, public health, and regulatory systems across national and international settings.

  Public Health & Health Care Systems

• Compare the organization, structure, and function of health care, public health, and regulatory systems across national and international settings.

• Discuss the means by which structural bias, social inequities and racism undermine health and create challenges to achieving health equity at organizational, community and societal levels.

  Planning & Management to Promote Health

• Assess population needs, assets, and capacities that affect communities' health.

• Apply awareness of cultural values and practices to the design or implementation of public health policies or programs.

• Design a population-based policy, program, project or intervention.

• Explain basic principles and tools of budget and resource management.

• Select methods to evaluate public health programs.

  Policy in Public Health

• Discuss multiple dimensions of the policymaking process, including the roles of ethics and evidence.

• Propose strategies to identify stakeholders and build coalitions and partnerships for influencing public health outcomes.

• Advocate for political, social or economic policies and programs that will improve health in diverse populations.

• Evaluate policies for their impact on public health and health equity.

  Leadership

• Apply principles of leadership, governance, and management, which include creating a vision, empowering others, fostering collaboration and guiding decision making.

• Apply negotiation and mediation skills to address organizational or community challenges.

  Communication

• Select communication strategies for different audiences and sectors.

• Communicate audience-appropriate public health content, both in writing and through oral presentation

• Describe the importance of cultural competence in communicating public health content.

  Interprofessional Practice

• Perform effectively on interprofessional teams.

  Systems Thinking

• Apply systems thinking tools to a public health issue.

The Master of Public Health students must complete a total of 45 graduate semester credit hours of coursework. Students will be enrolled in fifteen credits from the major required courses representing the fundamental domains of public health: biostatistics, epidemiology, social and behavioral sciences, health services administration, and environmental health science. Fifteen credits will be chosen based on the specialization of one of two concentrations: epidemiology or health promotion. Students will choose an additional six credits from elective courses. Three credits will be Applied Practice Experience that includes a public health field practicum, and six credits will be awarded from the Integrative Learning Experience.

Students are required to complete the Applied Practice Experience and the Integrative Learning Experience.

Practicum: Applied Practice Experience

The Applied Practice Experience (APE) requires students to complete a three-credit-hour practicum experience, a minimum of 120 hours. The practicum is a supervised work experience for MPH students to work on a project to help integrate and apply the knowledge and competencies from the MPH program to a real-world public health concern. Students may choose a public health setting, such as a local health department, community organization, school, or hospital. The practicum will allow the students to apply and enhance the skills necessary to function as a public health professional. The practicum is designed to address the program's competencies and the student's career interests while making contributions to the practicum site.

Upon completion of the APE, students will be able to:

• Expand knowledge of public health and health services

• Apply the skills and competencies learned in the academic program in a public health practice setting

• Increase self-confidence as a public health professional

• Acquire practical skills to enhance career opportunities

• Provide a service to the practicum site by participating in projects to serve the community

Students are expected to gain supervised experience in a public health setting that will allow them to demonstrate competency through the APE. Students are required to submit at least two products, or deliverables, from the practicum experience. Each student will demonstrate a total of five competencies: three MPH foundational competencies and two competencies that are defined by the chosen field of study.

Integrative Learning Experience

The Integrative Learning Experience (ILE) includes a self-assessment, a critical reflection of students' professional growth. The ILE will demonstrate the attainment of the Foundational Competencies and field of study competencies. Students will submit a reflection paper, a presentation, and assigned projects to demonstrate a competency-based integrative learning experience.

To be eligible for the Master of Public Health, students at Parker University must fulfill the following requirements:

• Complete 45 credit hours of graduate study

• Complete the course of study required for the Master of Public Health with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher, based on a 4.0 scale

• Complete the degree requirements with no more than two courses with a grade of "C."

• Complete all of the Master of Public Health degree requirements within five years of beginning coursework; exceptions for extenuating circumstances reviewed by the Dean.

MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH - HEALTH PROMOTION

MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH - EPIDEMIOLOGY

MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH - VETERANS HEALTH