Northeastern will soon have the first master’s degree in public health program in New England focusing exclusively on urban issues. The MPH Program in Urban Health, which begins in the fall, is designed to train public-health professionals who work to reduce the racial, ethnic, and class-based health disparities facing urban populations in the United States and around the world.
According to director Shan Mohammed, Northeastern’s program will be different from similar offerings because of the university’s broad and deep focus on urban concerns and an initiative that will pair students with mentors in the field.
“We’re building on the core idea of co-op by getting people out in the real world with mentorships,” Mohammed says.
He hopes the program will attract about twenty students, allowing for a low faculty-to-student ratio.
The interdisciplinary program will draw on Northeastern’s strengths in health and social science, urban studies, law, management, and public policy. Studying across this range of disciplines will help students prepare for the strategic alliances urban public-health professionals have to build.
Modern cities face a host of public-health problems, including the management of air, water, and food quality; the control of infectious diseases; and the health threats posed by dense living situations and poverty, such as substance abuse, community violence, and the potential outcomes of international terrorism.
In addition, urban public-health experts must try to reverse racial and ethnic health disparities; the lack of effective health education and promotion for diverse populations; and limits on access to timely, appropriate health services.
Northeastern’s new program will be advised by a group of representatives from local public-health, health-related, and community organizations.
Planned collaborations with the Boston Public Health Commission and Northeastern’s Center for Community Health Education Research and Service (an established partnership with community-health centers) will also support the program.
“People are often struck by the challenges of urban poverty, racial segregation, youth violence, addiction—you name it. When people think of urban health, naturally they think of the negatives,” says Mohammed.
“But there are also a lot of opportunities in the urban environment to improve urban health. This is the kind of skill set we want students to attain.”
The program exemplifies Northeastern’s steady focus on urban issues, says President Aoun: “Through community partnerships and interdisciplinary approaches, we are committed to addressing the many challenges our cities must meet, including the critical need to prevent and treat illness and disease across all economic levels.”