Procedure for Admission to the Master of Public Health
The criteria used in determining admissions to the Master of Public Health degree program include:
- Completion of a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, with a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of at least 2.5 (on a scale of 4.0) OR
- An earned graduate degree from an accredited institution with a CGPA of 3.0 or higher.
- Completion of an undergraduate statistics course or equivalent (approved by the Public Health Department Chair/Program Director) with a grade of “C” or better is required for Master of Public Health. Students accepted provisionally into the program without having completed and earn a “C” or better in the required Statistics course must complete the course within one quarter after their acceptance date or will be dismissed. Students cannot appeal the dismissal from the university as a result of failure to meet the conditions of provisional admission.
- Submission of official transcripts from all postsecondary institutions attended within 5 weeks of the class start date (refer to Conditional Acceptance).
For additional admissions information please see the admissions section here.
Offered at Online Programs, Savannah and Virginia Beach campuses, with all classes offered in an online format. Fully online programs may include an in-person clinical or practicum experience.
Note: Not all Online Program offerings are available to residents of all U.S. states. Please contact an admissions representative for further information.
The Master of Public Health (MPH) degree program at South University is a 56-credit program designed to educate students and working professionals about areas of critical importance to local, national, and international public health challenges. The MPH program is organized around a curriculum which consists of core competencies, principal courses, and a practicum experience. The core courses cover the five main areas of public health competencies. The principal courses are designed to cover a broad range of topics to help develop each student's knowledge, skills, and abilities in public health practice and to further develop the skillsets of working professionals in the public health field. Lastly the students take part in a practicum experience that synthesizes information learned throughout the program and as such should be taken as the last course in the program.
Mission Statement
Our public health program is dedicated to preparing an inclusive community of practitioners, educators, and scholars who are committed to working in their communities to promote health equity for all.
Vision Statement
A future where everyone regardless of their background, location, or income, has the potential to lead the healthiest life possible
Core Values
Health Equity: The program is committed to creating an environment where all individuals can reach their full health potential. Students are empowered to address health challenges across various populations, equipping them with the skills to improve the quality of life and access to healthcare. This includes understanding the difference between health equality and equity, recognizing and addressing the lack of resources such as funding, transportation, and social conditions that impact health outcomes.
Community-Based: The program emphasizes a community-based approach to public health. It focuses on local communities, particularly those with limited resources and in need of greater capacity. Students are trained to work closely with community members, informing policy makers, and engaging distance-based stakeholders with limited accessibility. The program aims to address health disparities and support populations that have historically been underserved or marginalized.
Practice Approach: The program prioritizes training students to work in professional practice. It prepares students to tackle real-world situations and meet the needs of communities through assessment and partnership with community members. Students are encouraged to become change agents and actively engage in community-based participatory practices. They are equipped to explain public health concepts effectively within the community setting and contribute to practical solutions.
Inclusion: The program is committed to fostering an inclusive environment that supports students from non-traditional backgrounds and those with limited access to opportunities. It seeks to ensure that participatory engagement within the program reflects the communities students relate to. The program actively seeks to include students who may be overlooked or lack access to other public health programs, providing them with the necessary means to pursue education and contribute to the field.
Program Goals:
Teaching: Provide a competency-based curriculum that equips students to practice in communities, to promote public health, and to address health equity issues.
Service: Empower students to work with communities and implement public health practices with cultural humility and respect
Scholarship: Promote health equity in communities by engaging in scholarly activities and preparing students to apply scholarship in public health practice.
Program Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the program Students will:
- Explain the history and philosophy, and core functions of Public Health.
- Apply evidence-based approaches that utilize quantitative and qualitative methods to inform program planning, implementation, evaluation
- Evaluate the organization, structure and function of Public Health and healthcare systems both nationally and globally.
- Design culturally sensitive community-based health programs that address racism, structural bias, and social determinants of health to achieve health equity.
- Develop written and oral public health content that is culturally competent and audience appropriate.
- Apply leadership skills to build partnerships or coalitions that advocate for policies and programs to address community health challenges.
Master of Public Health Degree Program: 56 Credits
Core Courses: 20 Credits
The course provides an overview of social and behavioral issues related to public health practice. An examination of theories, concepts and models from various social and behavioral disciplines used in public health research and practice will be explored. Students will also gain an understanding of the areas of cultural competence, levels of prevention, and core competencies of public health throughout this course.
Quarter Credits : 4
This course introduces Public Health theories and practices. Students explore the evolution of contemporary Public Health systems and how those systems partner with healthcare systems. The course also explores and discusses Public Health principles, concepts, missions, current concerns, and values.
Quarter Credits : 4
This course is a study of the major environmental and occupational factors that contribute to the development of health problems in industrialized and developed countries.
Quarter Credits : 4
This course is a study of epidemiological methods to evaluate the patterns and determinants of health and diseases in populations.
Quarter Credits : 4
This course provides a problem-based understanding and application of parametric statistical assessments in the area of public health practice, as well as exposure to more advanced methodologies such as ANOVA, linear and multiple regression methods, and categorical response variable analysis. Students will utilize statistical software to perform basic and advanced analyses.
Quarter Credits : 4
Principal Courses: 32 Credits
This course is an analysis of current research in health policy including the history of issues, arguments for various positions, and the development of frameworks to enable development of positions on the issues.
Quarter Credits : 4
This course provides a foundation for program planning and evaluation in public health. It provides basic planning principles, processes, and methods, and encourages a multi-disciplinary approach integrating the use of theory and practice.
Quarter Credits : 4
In this course, students will analyze major health issues impacting communities worldwide, including communicable and non-communicable diseases, as well as the global burden of disease. Students will gain insight into the social, economic, and environmental determinants shaping health outcomes and health inequities across the globe. They will learn to design culturally sensitive disease prevention interventions at all levels of prevention. Additionally, students will compare the U.S. Public Health and healthcare systems with those in other international settings. In the realm of global health leadership, students will examine how leaders advocate for policies and programs that advance global health. The course also emphasizes the One Health approach, which acknowledges the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, and the impacts of climate change on all three.
Quarter Credits : 4
This course provides skills and strategies for the development and implementation of health promotion and health education programs in various environments. Emphasis will be placed on how identification of risk factors, lifestyle, and behavior changes can promote positive healthy behaviors and prevent disease among individuals, groups, and communities.
Quarter Credits : 4
Strategies will be presented for locating and utilizing scientific evidence to make programmatic and health policy decisions. Application of principles of scientific reasoning and systematic uses of data and information systems will be emphasized.
Quarter Credits : 4
Ecological approaches frame how prevention, control, health promotion, protection and emergency measures protect the public's health. Current topics may include health disparity, cultural competence, genomics, workforce planning, credentialing, and media communication.
Quarter Credits : 4
The course explores the basic legal and ethical foundations of the public health legal system and examines the relationships among public health, the constitution, economics and human rights.
Quarter Credits : 4
This course examines the strategies and execution of grant and proposal writing as well as contract administration in the public health sectors. Topics may include research into funding sources, use of prospectus documents, preparation competitive proposals for grants and contracts, and peer review. Students will engage in all aspects of grant and proposal writing, including how to efficiently and effectively describe research and program design, outcomes, objectives and methodology, data management, evaluation, and budget development applied to the preparation of an actual proposal. Students will also examine the contract administrative responsibilities resulting from successful grants and contracts, including monitoring and reporting program and fiscal data.
Quarter Credits : 4
Practicum Experience: 4 Credits
This course is a practical application of program knowledge, skills, and abilities to a real-world public health setting. The practicum involves placement of the student in a non-academic setting in the area where the student lives. The placement cannot be in the same department in which the student currently works and cannot assume the same role as the student currently works. Government agencies, community organizations, businesses, public health organizations, and social service agencies are all examples of the kinds of placements that would be appropriate. The student is expected to work with the agency/organization a minimum of twelve (12) hours a week for a minimum of 10 weeks and a minimum of 120 contact hours. In addition, the student is expected to maintain close contact with his/her faculty member as well as a preceptor from the agency/organization. The student is to write a report of his/her experience, describing the nature and operation of the placement setting, detailing his/her activities, responsibilities, and interactions with other individuals, and any public health insights gained from the experience. Where the student is given an issue or problem by the placement supervisor, its nature and outcome should also be included in the report, along with the methods used to address the issue or problem.
Quarter Credits : 4