Master of Public Health

• OVERVIEW
• Specific Program Requirements
• Current Class Schedule
• Admission Requirements and Application

Overview

Concentration in Biometry (48 units)

The Biometry Concentration is an applied biostatistics program to train health professionals in statistical methods and models appropriate for public health, medicine, and biology. The concentration provides students with the necessary training and background to function as practicing biostatisticians in government or industry. Some students have entered PhD programs in biostatistics upon completion of this degree.

There are three components to the program. First, students receive a basic background in public health issues and methodology through the core course requirements for the MPH degree. Second, a theoretical foundation in statistics is obtained through required courses in mathematical statistics. Third, a sequence of applied biostatistics courses along with computer applications provides students with the practical application of statistical methods to the analysis of public health and biomedical data. This approach is designed to train biostatisticians as part of a team of health professionals for addressing public health issues.

Concentration in Environmental Health (48 units)

This is a professional degree program involving coursework on environmental health, including water and air pollution, food sanitation, vector control, and solid and hazardous waste management, as well as core courses in other public health disciplines and practical public health field training through the practicum experience. The MPH is often the preferred degree for students who wish to work as environmental or occupational health practitioners.

Concentration in Epidemiology (48 units)

Epidemiology has often been termed "the basic science of public health." The Epidemiology Concentration provides training in the following areas:
• Identification of biological, environmental, social, and behavioral risk factors for human disease.
• Determination of the distribution and etiology of health and disease in human populations.
The curriculum is designed to prepare students to be public health practitioners as well as for careers in teaching and research and as leaders in public or private health agencies and organizations. This degree typically requires two years of full-time study to complete. Students in the MPH degree program are encouraged to take advantage of selected advanced courses in the PhD program, which may provide expertise in methodology and study design. Students may also select courses in other departments at SDSU (e.g., Geography, Psychology, and Biology) or at the UCSD Medical School.

Concentration in Health Promotion and Behavioral Science (48 units)

The MPH program in Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences provides pre- and post-doctoral instruction in behav­ioral and social sciences as applied to public health. The curriculum examines socio-ecological factors responsible for health-related behaviors that lead to morbidity and premature mortality, and research and evaluation techniques appropriate for health behavior and community health research. Graduates will be able to design, manage, and evaluate health promotion programs in a variety of settings, including schools, work sites, health care facilities, and community organizations. Emphasis is placed on the study of disease prevention and health promotion in both large populations and small groups. The coursework stresses principles of social and environmental factors responsible for health behavior. Extensive faculty/student collaboration is employed so that students can apply health behavior change principles in research and practice.

Concentration in Health Services Administration (49 units)

The curriculum in this program prepares students to meet the challenges of the health care marketplace. Coursework covers several of the following disciplinary content areas:
• Environmental - The structure and dynamics of the environment of health service organizations.
• Organizational - The configuration and functioning of health services organizations for maximum effectiveness, efficiency, creativity, and adaptability.
• Managerial - The health service manager's role in creating, improving, and maintaining high performance organizations.
• Financial and Quantitative - Use of quantitative tools to monitor, analyze, evaluate, and control health service organizations and costs.