The Online M.P.H. in Public Health Practice
Degree Program

Curriculum of the MPH Program in Public Health Practice

The Public Health Practice MPH program accommodates individual interests and strengthens each learner’s skills, just as the traditional MPH program can, but with an inherent recognition that individuals in the MPH Program have prior and current experience working in the health arena.

The Public Health Practice MPH program is designed to provide a superb grounding in public health and accommodates the demanding schedule of the working health care professional. The Capstone Experience is the final course and represents the degree program’s “exit competency,” allowing individuals to demonstrate their proficiency and mastery of the program competencies in a real-world application. The Capstone Experience is taken after other course work is completed.

The PHP Program makes use of online Internet-based technology, an online library, and e-mail to deliver the course content to enrolled learners. Because online education differs in many respects from the traditional mode of classroom delivery of courses, classes may begin with an orientation to distance learning through Internet-based technology. Some learners will be proficient in use of the Internet, while others will need an introduction to the technology.

Learners have available to them online tutorials so that they may maximize the effectiveness of their distance learning experience and learn the policies different faculty employ for e-mail and phone communications, assignments, group projects, examinations, and grading. It is possible to complete the entire program without coming to the UMass Amherst campus. Academic advising is available through the program office.

Curriculum for the Public Health Practice MPH - 42 Credits
Effective for those Matriculating Fall 2007 and Later

Each course is worth three graduate credits in the 42-credit MPH in PHP.

Core Courses (15 credits)

• PUBHLTH 540* Introductory Biostatistics                                                            
• PUBHLTH 565* Environnmental Health Practices                                                   
• PUBHLTH 601* Application of Social and Behavior Theories in Public Health Interventions                                                                                                            
• PUBHLTH 620* Introduction to the U.S. Health Care System                                  
• PUBHLTH 630* Principles of Epidemiology                                                            

Additional Required Courses (9 Credits)

• PUBHLTH 624* Research Methods in Public Health                                               
• PUBHLTH 691S* Capstone Experience                                                                   
• PUBHLTH 698P* PHP Practicum                                                                   

Electives (choose 6 courses-18 credits)

• PUBHLTH 524 Introduction to Health Politics and Policy                                         
• PUBHLTH 525 Ethical Issues in Public Health
• PUBHLTH 567 Environmental Regulation and Compliance                                 
• PUBHLTH 580 Comparative Health Care Systems
• PUBHLTH 590D International Organizations and Population Health
• PUBHLTH 590E Emerging Diseases
• PUBHLTH 590Q Globalization and Health 
• PUBHLTH 608 Communication Theory
• PUBHLTH 614 International Health, Population and Development
• PUBHLTH 621 Health Care Organization and Administration 
• PUBHLTH 628 Financial Management of Health Institutions
• PUBHLTH 632 Applied Epidemiology
• PUBHLTH 690AA Public Health, Aging and Health Policy 
• PUBHLTH 690DS Health Disparities
• PUBHLTH 690E Evidence-Based Policy: An Evaluative Scientist's Tool Box
• PUBHLTH 690SJ Social Justice and Public Health   
• PUBHLTH 691F Data Management and Statistical Computation
• PUBHLTH 704 Health Program Planning                                                         
• PUBHLTH 726 Health Economics and Reimbursement                                         
• PUBHLTH 750 Public Health Emergency Management      
• PUBHLTH 757 Public Health Informatics
• PUBHLTH 780 Public Health Law
  

*Required courses

All core and required courses are offered every Spring and Fall semester. The "PHP Practicum" is additionally offered every Summer. Electives are offered approximately once every three semesters.

For more information, check the Public Health Practice program website at:   www.umass.edu/sphhs, and click on “Public Health Practice”. 

Underlined courses are linked to the course descriptions

If you have additional questions, e-mail the PHP program office at phonline@schoolph.umass.edu or call us at (413) 545-4530. Please be sure to include a current email address and telephone number with all requests for information. Because this is an online program, email is the preferred method of communication.

For a list of courses being offered in the upcoming semester, go to http://UMassULearn.net. Under "Programs" click "Graduate" scroll down to "School of Public Health and Health Sciences" and click "The Master's Degree in Public Health in Public Health Practice Online " (where you can also click on a course for its description).

You can register for courses through UMassLearn at http://UMassULearn.net, or by calling the Registration Office at (413) 545-3653.