Master's Degrees in Public Health
Public health is a growing and diverse field which seeks to address health issues on a community or larger level, as opposed to medicine, which addresses health issues on an individual level. Public health professionals work for Departments of Health, schools, community based organizations, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, and many other places. A Master's degree in public health will provide you with a greater understanding of public health fundamentals as well the skills and knowledge of specific health issues and focuses that will be necessary to advance your career in the field.
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Types of Degrees
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There are several types of degrees in the field of public health. The most common degrees are Master of Public Health (MPH), Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH), Master of Health Administration (MHA), Master of Health Services Administration (MHSA), Master of Arts (MA) and Master of Science (MS).
Difference Between Degrees
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The MPH degree will generally focus on public health broadly, with the other degrees more focused on their particular area. The Master of Health Administration, for example, focuses exclusively on health administration topics such as management, health informatics and policy.
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Accreditation
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When looking for a school or program to attend while pursuing your Master's degree in Public Health, you may want to seek out those that are accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). These programs have been evaluated by the CEPH and adhere to their standards. Accredited schools also offer the advantage of more fellowship and financial aid options.
Areas of Study
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The first step in determining your area of study is to choose your degree, this should be based on what is most appropriate for the field you want to eventually enter. Some degrees are more geared to people who wish to move into research and some for people interested in practice. Within that degree there may be several different courses of study; for example the MPH can be achieved with a concentration in Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Health Behavior/Community Health, Environmental Health, Occupational Health, International Health, Maternal and Child Health, Health Policy, Health Management and others depending on the institution.
Entrance Requirements
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Applicants for graduate schools in public health will be evaluated in many areas including GPA, GRE or other test scores, personal statement, interview, career and volunteer experience, and general ability to succeed in the graduate program.
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