***Effective for entry Fall 2019***

Degree Title: Master of Public Health

Program Name and Number: Public Health - MP8175

Department/Units: Department of Social and Public Health

Delivery Mode: Online

Terms of Entry: Fall, Spring and Summer

Program Mission: The program’s mission is to prepare public health professionals to address community health needs locally, nationally, or internationally, in collaboration with partnering organizations and entities. 

Program Learning Objectives:

• Synthesize a body of scientific literature in order to document the social, behavioral, and environmental determinants of a specific health behavior among a specified population,
• Communicate, both orally and in writing, outcomes of a diagnostic investigation of a specific health disparity among a rural community,
• Design a plan for the evaluation of a public health program that includes a logic model, methods for formative evaluation, methods for process and impact evaluation, and methods for disseminating evaluation results to stakeholders,
• Design a public health program that is based upon established theoretical or conceptual frameworks in the social and behavioral sciences, and
• Develop a proposal for funding for a community based public health program.

Program Overview:  The online Ohio University Master of Public Health (MPH) degree, with a concentration in Community Health, prepares students to examine the behavioral, social, and cultural factors that impact health behavior and health outcomes.  Students complete coursework related to social, behavioral, environmental, and cultural determinants of health as well as courses focused on the assessment, design, implementation and evaluation of health interventions in rural and underserved settings.   Through online instruction, research and/or field experience, students will work with OU faculty and public health leaders in rural or underserved areas who are actively engaged in rural and underserved community health research and/or practice.  Students who complete an MPH are well positioned for careers in a variety of settings, including: local or state health departments, community-based organizations, governmental organizations (CDC), and global health.

This program is an entirely online 42 semester hour program.  Students are required to take the following courses: Public Health Concepts, Epidemiology in Public Health, Biostatistics in Public Health, Social and Behavioral Sciences in Public Health, Environmental Health Sciences in Public Health, Program Planning and Implementation in Rural Public Health, Program Evaluation, Rural Health Disparities, Grant Writing in Public Health Practice, Fundamental Health Policy Concepts, Components and Systems, Interprofessional Healthcare in Rural/Underserved, MPH Seminar. Students also will complete a minimum of 3 hours of elective courses.

In addition to the core and elective courses, all students are required to complete a practicum in which students are required to work a minimum 200 hours at a rural or underserved community health organization.  This practicum can be done in an approved location; either nationally or internationally.  Finally, students are required to complete a capstone project.  Each student will complete a capstone project under the guidance of their MPH faculty advisor. The purpose of the capstone project is to provide an in-depth educational experience that will prepare the student for future practice and/or academic endeavors.  The capstone project may include, but is not limited to, a research project (using primary or secondary data), a publishable paper, literature review, or grant proposal.   Graduation requirements include: a presentation of the capstone project and a portfolio compiling accomplishments.

Concentration: Community Health

Opportunities for Graduates: Graduates with an MPH work in a variety of public health settings, including: local and state health departments, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hospitals, and non-profit health organizations.

Link to Program: this will be created by Pearson

Graduation Requirements: 42 semester hours, including the completion of a capstone project.  The required courses are:

• HLTH 6710: Public Health Concepts (3 credits)
• HLTH 6720: Social and Behavioral Sciences (3 credits)
• HLTH 6740: Biostatistics in Public Health (3 credits)
• HLTH 6730: Epidemiology in Public Health (3 credits)
• HLTH 6760: Environmental Health (3 credits)
• HLTH 6140: Rural Health Disparities (3 credits)
• HLTH 6001: Program Planning and Implementation in Rural Public Health (3 credits)
• IHS 5300: Fundamental Health Policy Concepts, Components and Systems (3 credits)
• HLTH 6770: Grant Writing in Public Health Practice (3 credits)
• HLTH 6790: MPH Seminar (2 credits)
• IHS 5510: Interprofessional Healthcare in Rural/Underserved (1 credit)
• HLTH 6920: Practicum/Field Experience (3 credits)
• HLTH 6100: Program Evaluation (3 credits)
• HLTH 6911: Capstone Project (3 credits)
• Free Electives: 3 hours

Culminating Experience: A brief description of the capstone or culminating experience, including options. 

• This program requires a Capstone Project in which the student works under the supervision of a faculty member.  Capstone Projects may include, but are not limited to: conducting a research project, developing a grant proposal, or conducting a literature review. 

Admission Requirements:

Deadlines:

• Rolling admission for Fall, Spring and Summer

Applicants must:

• Earned bachelor’s degree at the start of the MPH program
• GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale (undergraduate)
• GPA of 3.5 of higher on a 4.0 scale (graduate)
• Submit 3 professional letters of recommendation
• Submit a personal statement (1000 word limit) (academic background, professional background, why they want to pursue an MPH at OU, and what they plan to do in the future)
• Send official transcripts
• CV or resume
• GRE optional (if taken, scores sent to Ohio University)

International admissions:

• GRE optional (highly recommended if the individual has not previously taken a statistics course)
  • If taken, the scores should be sent to Ohio University
• TOEFL (must meet unconditional requirements without funding eligibility – see the following for more information: https://www.ohio.edu/graduate/prospective-students/international-students/englishproficiency)