2023 Best Master's in Public Health Programs

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Deciding which college to attend can be a daunting task. For many, it will be the most important decision that they make in their lives. To make an informed decision, you have to consider a lot of variables, such as cost of attendance, financial aid, student/teacher ratio, academics, student life, and more. These factors will either positively or negatively impact the quality of education that you receive.

Do you want to acquire a master’s degree in public health, but don’t know what institution you should attend? Well, if you are as ambitious as I was in my late teens, then you want to attend a top school, instead of an average or mediocre one. Fortunately, we have already done the legwork for you. To help you find the right school for your interests and goals, we’ve compiled a list of 2022’s best master’s in public health programs.

What institution did we forget? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

Known as one of the world’s most prominent institutions, Harvard University was established in 1636, making it the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Harvard’s 22,000 learners enjoy a beautiful campus with one of the most outstanding college libraries, and several arts, cultural, and scientific museums.

Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health has several master of public health degrees. Admission prerequisites vary, but for the 65-credit MPH degree prerequisites consist of a bachelor’s degree, two years of relevant work experience, statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, CV or resume, and an acceptable GRE score. The 65-credit MPH has these concentrations:

Global Health
Health and Social Behavior
Health Management
and Health Policy

Learners finish a practicum and culminating experience collaborating with professionals across the two-year degree program.

Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

Established in 1876 by famed entrepreneur and abolitionist Johns Hopkins, the University bearing his name is one of the top institutions in the nation. JHU is known for its incredible research; the school grants admission to over 20,000 learners. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has full-time, part-time, online, and dual-degree MPH programs. The conventional full-time degree takes one year and is intense. As far as coursework goes, JHU follows a holistic core; elective/concentration(s) are chosen, proceeding to a practicum and an MPH capstone written and oral presentation. Learners select from one of 12 concentrations, including:

Aging and Public Health
Child and Adolescent Health, Food, Nutrition and Health
Global Environmental Sustainability
Women’s and Reproductive Health, and much more

Columbia University, New York, NY

Mailman School of Public Health has a unique and effective MPH degree program. In consultation with 150 members of the faculty, along with learners, alumni, and employers, the coursework is set up for the 21st century. Learners first take a core, which is broken down into six “studios,” which are further broken down into 18 modules. Learners are strongly discouraged from working during their first year as they are learning foundational concepts in a cohort of peers. Next is concentration, of which there are more than 20 available certificates, including:

Global Health
Biostatistics
Epidemiology, and much more

Emory University, Atlanta, GA

The Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University has a master of public health, which can be earned in under two years. Learners may select from several concentration areas, including health policy and international epidemiology. Prospective learners should examine the prerequisites for each concentration as admission and class prerequisites vary. Public health graduate learners must finish a 200- to 400-hour practicum to obtain real-world experience. Rollins professors assist with practicum placement, but learners must get their practicum placement endorsed. Additionally, learners finish a culminating experience to graduate, which may consist of a thesis, capstone project, or a specialty project monitored by a preceptor.

George Washington University, Washington, DC

GW has several MPH degrees for students to choose from. From a conventional on-campus degree with over 12 concentrations to an online MPH to dual-degree MPH programs, there are many ways to study public health at GW. Most of the MPH programs at GW are full-time, 45-credit, on-campus degrees. All programs are CEPH-certified and feature the best training in core skills, including real-world application via the practicum and culminating experience. Some ways to receive a dual degree consist of:

Law
Medicine
International Affairs
And more

Another choice for people who are motivated is the one-year accelerated MPH. Given the demanding class load, learners endorsed for this degree program path are not permitted to work while enrolled. Candidates who are accepted to the accelerated degree program have same the coursework and faculty as the conventional on-campus MPH.

Boston University, Boston, MA

Established by an ardent Bostonian abolitionist in 1839 as the Newbury Biblical Institute, Boston University is now a premier private research institution. The primary campus is situated along the Charles River in bustling Boston, and the school also has its University Medical Campus in Boston’s South End neighborhood. BU has 33,000 learners from more than 130 countries.

At BU’s School of Public Health, “you will get a strong, integrated, problem-based foundation in the values, history, methods, and functions of public health.” Focused on career preparation and real-world experience, BU’s master of public health imparts the knowledge, practiced skills, and leadership to make a real difference in the world on day one. BU’s integrated core consists of:

Health Systems, Law, and Policy
Individual, Community, and Population Health
Leadership and Management for Public Health
Quantitative Methods for Public Health

Tulane University, New Orleans, LA

Established in 1834 as Medical College of Louisiana, Tulane University now has degrees in architecture, business, law, liberal arts, medicine, public health and tropical medicine, the sciences and engineering, and social work. The university grants admission to a total of 13,581 learners on a 110-acre uptown campus in New Orleans.

The School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine has a master of public health degree in several concentrations and areas. The MPH programs are 45 credits and consist of core skills, a 300-hour field practicum, and a final research project in the concentration of choice. This degree centers on infectious diseases and public health in tropical regions. With excellent program choices and quality at a reasonably priced $1,206 per credit, Tulane is a worthy choice for an MPH degree.

University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, MI

The School of Public Health has a master of public health with concentrations in biostatistics, environmental health sciences, eHealth behavior and health education, health management and policy, and nutritional sciences. Also available are seven dual degrees. The conventional MPH is a two-year 48-credit degree program, and all learners partake in a summer internship where they investigate areas of interest and become acquainted with the community and other public health organizations agencies.

University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, CA

At Berkeley School of Public Health, learners can earn a master’s degree in public health in as little as 11 months, depending on the concentration area and prior education. Most programs require two years of study. The Berkeley School of Public Health also has an MBA MPH combination for relevant concentrations, which enables learners to graduate in just over two years with a dual degree. Learners may select from 11 concentration areas, including environmental health studies, health and social behavior, and health policy and management. Despite the concentration, learners should anticipate internships and externships and culminating experiences.

UNC at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC

Sanctioned by the Council on Education for Public Health, the Gillings School of Global Public Health has a master of public health on-campus, online, or blended. The Gillings School works with faculty and learners to coordinate research, teaching, and practice efforts in more than 55 countries. The master of public health degree program entails a minimum of 42 credits. Every department has an MPH concentration, including:

Health Policy and Management
Health Behavior and Health Education
Maternal and Child Health
Nutrition, and more

UCLA, Los Angeles, CA

Established in 1919, and now one of the most successful and preeminent schools in the nation, UCLA is big and makes a big impact with 44,000 learners who study in hundreds of programs and thousands of classes. UCLA has a conventional MPH that is a highly competitive two-year degree program that involves classwork in foundational knowledge of the healthcare field, management and policy, and leadership skills. UCLA has an MPH with five concentrations:

Biostatistics
Community Health Sciences
Epidemiology
Environmental Health Sciences
Health Policy and Management

Yale University, New Haven, CT

Yale has a master of public health, advanced professional MPH, accelerated MBA/MPH in health care management, a five-year BA-BS/MPH, and 10 dual degree programs from business, to forestry, to nursing and more. The conventional MPH is a two-year degree program that contains core classwork, a summer internship, and a master’s thesis. Seven concentrations are available, including:

Chronic Disease Epidemiology
Environmental Health Sciences
Health Policy
And much more

The advanced professional MPH program is for people already in the public health field seeking professional development and career advancement. The pioneering and first-of-its-kind accelerated MBA/MPH in health care management is a 22-month degree program with an international internship preparing individuals to take up leadership in international health care.

University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA

Pitt provides a world-class education for 33,000 learners. The Graduate School of Public Health is structured into seven departments; each department has a master of public health degree with concentrations in an array of areas, from behavioral and community health science to biostatistics, environmental and occupational health, and more. Learners are trained and evaluated in core skills of public health, leadership, diversity, and planning. Joint degrees are available in the following:

Law
Social Work
Public and International Affairs

Pitt also has a coupled MPH in public health genetics and MS in genetic counseling. Finally, there is also a self-intended MPH degree program called the multidisciplinary MPH open to physicians, dentists, and veterinarians, or holders of doctoral degrees in the health sciences.

University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

There are 49,000 learners in the University of South Florida System, which is comprised of three campuses: Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Sarasota-Manatee. There are countless academic programs in 14 colleges offering more than 180 undergraduate and 40 graduate programs. USF is one of 40 public research institutions nationwide with “very high research activity” as noted by the Carnegie Foundation.

The College of Public Health enrolls nearly 1,700 learners and has several master of public health degree programs. There is the conventional MPH with about 20 concentrations; odds are though if a learner wants it, USF has it. There are also many online opportunities for an MPH, which is available in a choice of nine concentrations, and there are also dual MPH programs in:

Master of Health Administration
Law
Nursing
Physical Therapy, and more

A USF degree is very reasonably priced at $877 per credit. The degree program (conventional and online) is about 42 credits and contains a field experience, special project, and holistic exam. The College of Public Health is fully sanctioned by the Council on Education in Public Health (CEPH).

Texas A&M Health Science Center, College Station, TX

The Texas A&M University Health Science Center is part of Texas A&M University and was established in 1999. It is a holistic health science center “transforming health through pioneering research, education and service in dentistry, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, public health, and medical sciences.” There are over 600 learners earning degrees via five colleges.

The School of Public Health has the master of public health degree that leads learners through a core into areas of concentration ending with a capstone project and practicum for a total of 45 credit hours. Areas of concentration include: