Public Health (MPH)
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The Master of Public Health is designed to meet the growing demand for public health professionals who have the ability to navigate the complex issues inherent to urban communities.
Part-Time
Northeastern University's Master of Public Health Program, offering a concentration in Urban Health, is designed to help students master the type of innovative thinking that is needed to confront the unique public health challenges presented by urban environments.
Knowledgeable, professionally educated public health practitioners are in high demand. The program trains graduates to meet that demand by equipping them with the technical expertise necessary to tackle complex urban health problems. Interdisciplinary faculty then pair that technical know-how with the cultural sensitivity required to communicate effectively with, and advocate for, diverse urban populations, both within the United States and abroad. Students examine how urban environments can affect populations' wellbeing through the lens of the social determinants of health.
Coursework, directed studies, and faculty projects provide students with real-world opportunities to apply newfound research and evaluation skills to areas ranging from poverty, violence, and substance use to immigration, migration, and suburbanization. The program seeks to train racially and ethnically diverse individuals driven by a desire to improve public health at the local, regional, national, and global levels. Graduates leave the program prepared to effectively address the inequities and multi-level public health risks that impact diverse urban populations.
For more information, visit the MPH Program's website.
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Unique Features
- Fall and Spring entry dates
- Online format provides the most flexibility for working professionals
- Elective courses may be taken on a wide range of public health topics, including cross-departmental offerings from Northeastern’s other colleges (law, business, social sciences, and more)
- Community-oriented, 200-hour Practicum takes place in a professional public health setting
- The Capstone Project allows students to integrate theory and practice experiences in a major research, program planning, policy development, management, service delivery, or evaluation project
- Graduates are eligible to sit for the Certified in Public Health (CPH) Exam, the only professional certification specific to the field of public health.
Accreditation Description
The MPH in Public Health program is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).
Career Outlook
A graduate from the MPH in Public Health program has both the technical expertise to address specific urban health issues as well as the strategic and cultural competency needed to interact effectively with and be an advocate for diverse urban populations. Completing your public health training at Northeastern University affords the opportunity to learn from and work with urban public health professionals striving to improve the health of individuals, families, and communities in the Greater Boston area and beyond. Graduates with an MPH degree are employed in number of varied professional settings including: federal, state, and local health agencies; universities and colleges; hospitals; ambulatory medical centers; nonprofit organizations; community-based agencies; insurance and pharmaceutical industries; health maintenance organizations; and private foundations.
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Program Costs
Requirements
- SOPHAS application
- Three letters of recommendation from academic or professional sources only
- Transcripts from all institutions attended
- Personal Statement that describes your interest in and commitment to urban public health
- Resume/CV
- TOEFL for applicants who do not hold a degree from a U.S. institution and whose native language is not English
- Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher
- Official GRE or MCAT scores (waiver requests are available)
- Interview: The Admissions Committee reserves the right to request an in-person or telephone interview with certain candidates
Admissions Dates
| Priority deadline: | February 1 |
| Final deadline: | May 15 |
| Domestic applicants only: | October 15 |
General Requirements
A grade of B– or higher is required in each required course.
Requires 42 semester hours:
Students may take either PHTH 5540 (Health Education and Program Planning) or PPUA 6509 (Techniques of Program Evaluation).
Capstone
Electives
Complete 9 semester hours from the following. In consultation with your faculty advisor, you may complete electives from another discipline:
Northeastern's signature experiential learning model combines academics with professional practice to help students acquire relevant, real-world skills they can apply to their desired industry. Northeastern offers a variety of ways for students to gain experience, some examples include:
- Practicum (Internship) — Students engage in a required 200-hour internship with a public health organization to apply the skills and knowledge they've learned in the classroom.
- In-Class Case Studies — Professors integrate case studies and exercises into the classroom to bring a real-world perspective and relevance to what they’re teaching.
- Research — Students collaborate with faculty in our more than 30 federally funded research centers, tackling some of the most pressing challenges in health, security, and sustainability.
Our Faculty
Our faculty represents a wide cross-section of professional practices and in fields ranging from finance to education to biomedical science to management to the U.S. military. They serve as mentors and advisors, and collaborate alongside students to solve the most pressing global challenges facing established and emerging markets.
By enrolling in Northeastern, you gain access to a network of more than 245,000 alumni and 3,200+ employer partners, including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and global NGOs. Our current students and faculty across strategically located regional campuses further foster that lifelong global community of learning and mentoring.
Below is a look at where our Public Health & Public Policy alumni work, the positions they hold, and the skills they bring to their organization.
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Where They Work
- Department of Public Health
- South End Community Health Center
- Tufts Health Plan, Public Plans
- Atlas Research
- Center for Health Care Strategies, Inc.
- Cambridge Health Alliance
- Mobile Heartbeat
- Massachusetts Department of Public Health
- Massachusetts House of Representatives, Joint Committee on Public Health
- Institute for Community Health
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Job Titles
- Program Evaluator
- Director of Community Programs
- Quality Program Manager
- Senior Consultant
- Program Officer
- Manager of Sexual and Reproductive Health
- Implementation Specialist
- Epidemiologist
- Senior Research Analyst
- Research and Evaluation Project Manager
Learn more about Northeastern Alumni on Linkedin.