Public Health Master (M.P.H.), Degree Program

Program of Study and Internship (45-51 credits)

  1. Courses core to all concentrations: Students are required to maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in their core courses.
    1. Bms 505 Biological Basis of Public Health (3)
    2. Ehs 590 Introduction to Environmental Health (3)
    3. Epi 501 Principles and Methods of Epidemiology I (3)
    4. Epi 551 Basic Principles in Statistical Inference (3) or
      Epi 552 Principles in Statistical Inference I (3) or
      Sta 554 Introduction to the Theory of Statistics I (3)
    5. Hpm 500 Health Care Organization Delivery and Financing (3)
    6. Hpm 525 Social and Behavioral Aspects of Health (3)
    7. Sph 681  Professional Practice in Public Health (3)
  2. Internships

    Students will complete 9 credits of internships, completed in at least two different organizational settings, for example a state health department, county health department, hospital, or non-governmental organization (NGO). The two settings may be as closely related as two different parts of the NYS DOH or as unrelated as a local hospital and an international NGO. Up to 6 credits of internship may be waived by students with significant past public health experience. Students are required to present one internship experience at the annual SPH Student Poster Day.
  3. Integrative Learning Experience (ILE): The ILE will demonstrate synthesis of foundational and concentration competencies and result in a high-quality written product. ILEs will be specific to each of the 8 concentrations and are incorporated in the concentration course requirements.
  4. Areas of Concentration:
    1. Biomedical Sciences
      1. Core Courses: Bms 505, Ehs 590, Epi 501, Epi 552, Hpm 500, Hpm 525, Sph 681 (21 credits)
      2. Additional Quantitative Course: Epi 514 or Epi 553 (3 credits)
      3. Required Concentration Course: Bms 601 (3 credits)
      4. Advanced Course: Choose one from the following: Bms 552, Bms 553, Bms 610, Bms 612, Bms 622, Bms 663 or Ehs 530 (3 credits)
      5. Electives: As approved by advisor, must include one additional Bms course (12 credits)
      6. Integrative Learning Experience 
      7. Internship: (9 credits, up to 6 credits may be waived)
    2. Biostatistics
      1. Core Courses: Bms 505, Ehs 590, Epi 501, Sta 554, Hpm 500, Hpm 525, Sph 681 (21 credits)
      2. Required Concentration Courses: Epi 514, Sta 555, Sta 558, Sta 559, and Sta 566 (15 credits)
      3. Electives: As approved by advisor (6 credits)
      4. Integrative Learning Experience
      5. Internship: (9 credits, up to 6 credits may be waived)
    3. Environmental Health
      1. Core Courses: Bms 505, Ehs 590, Epi 501, Epi 551 or 552, Hpm 500, Hpm 525, Sph 681 (21 credits)
      2. Additional Quantitative Courses: Choose one of the following: Epi 502, Epi 514, Epi 621/Ehs 612 or Epi 553/Sta 553 (3 credits)
      3. Required Concentration Courses: Ehs 520, Ehs 530 and Ehs 665 (9 credits)
      4. Electives: As approved by advisor (9 credits)
      5. Integrative Learning Experience
      6. Internship: (9 credits, up to 6 credits may be waived)
    4. Epidemiology
      1. Core Courses: Bms 505, Ehs 590, Epi 501, Epi 552, Hpm 500, Hpm 525, Sph 681 (21 credits)
      2. Additional Quantitative Course: Epi 553 (3 credits)
      3. Required Concentration Courses: Epi 502 and Epi 514 (6 credits)
      4. Electives: As approved by advisor, must include two additional 600-level courses in Epidemiology (12 credits)
      5. Integrative Learning Experience
      6. Internship: (9 credits, up to 6 credits may be waived)
    5. Health Policy and Management
      1. Core Courses: Bms 505, Ehs 590, Epi 501, Epi 551 or 552, Hpm 500, Hpm 525, Sph 681 (21 credits)
      2. Additional Quantitative Course: Choose one from the following: Epi 553, Hpm 550, Hpm 635 or Hpm 647 (3 credits)
      3. Required Concentration Courses: Hpm 501, Hpm 641 and Hpm 650 (9 credits)
      4. Electives: As approved by advisor (9 credits)
      5. Integrative Learning Experience
      6. Internship: (9 credits, up to 6 credits may be waived)
    6. Social Behavior and Community Health
    7. Core Courses: Bms 505, Ehs 590, Epi 501, Epi 551 or 552, Hpm 500, Hpm 525, Sph 681 (21 credits)
    8. Additional Analytic Course: Choose one from the following: Epi 553, Hpm 520 or Hpm 647 (3 credits)
    9. Program Planning: Hpm 535 and Hpm 627 (6 credits)
    10. Electives: As approved by advisor (12 credits)
    11. Integrative Learning Experience
    12. Internship: (9 credits, up to 6 credits may be waived)
  5. Interdisciplinary Tracks
    1. Population Medicine
      Open to physicians enrolled in the New York State Fellowship in Applied Public Health and to other licensed healthcare professionals, by permission of fellowship director.
      1. Core Courses: Bms 505, Ehs 590, Epi 501, Epi 552, Hpm 500, Hpm 525 (18 credits)
      2. Additional Quantitative Course: As approved by advisor (3 credits)
      3. Required Concentration Course: Sph 603 (6 credits)
      4. Electives: As approved by advisor (15 credits)
      5. Integrative Learning Experience
      6. Internship: (9 credits) All fellows complete 12 months of intensive practicum rotations during the second year of the program. Most use those practicum rotations to earn MPH internship credit, but those with significant past experience in public health or preventive medicine may waive up to 6 credits of MPH internships. All fellows complete 12 months of practicum rotations even if their MPH is completed early.
    2. Public Health Practice (available only via online study)
      1. Core Courses: Bms 505, Ehs 590, Epi 501, Epi 551 or 552, Hpm 500, Hpm 525, Sph 681 (21 credits)
      2. Required Concentration Course: Hpm 571, Hpm 627, Hpm 647 (9 credits)
      3. Electives: As approved by advisor (12 credits)
      4. Integrative Learning Experience
      5. Internship: (9 credits) Students in this track who are experienced public health professionals may apply to waive internship credit based on past experience in public health. Except in extraordinary circumstances, students will waive no more than 6 internship credits. Internship credits not waived can generally be earned through appropriate mentored projects at their current practice site.

Please note: This program requires an internship, field experience, study abroad component, or clinical experience requirement. Students who have previously been convicted of a felony are advised that their prior criminal history may impede their ability to complete the requirements of certain academic programs and/or to meet licensure requirements for certain professions. If you have concerns about this matter please contact the Dean’s Office of your intended academic program.