Master of Public Health (MPH)

Expand your opportunities and enhance your academic credentials in the rapidly growing healthcare industry with your Master of Public Health (MPH) degree from The Golden State College. Unlike individual care doctors, becoming a public health professional prepares you for bettering the health of large populations, as you can create various programs, systems, and policies that will benefit their health needs.

Whether you are a current or aspiring health professional, this MPH degree provides you with a flexible education that will build upon previous knowledge and work experience to improve the health of the communities where you live and work.

The Master of Public Health degree examines the socio-environmental issues responsible for health-related behaviors that lead to disease, mortality, and health disparities. Through your MPH degree coursework, you will gain an understanding of the biological and social determinants of health while exploring key public health issues through epidemiology, biostatistics, and research. You will learn how to create, plan, administer, and evaluate public health programs in diverse settings, including research institutions, health care facilities, community organizations, schools, and governmental agencies both large and small. Upon completion of your master of public health, you will be able to:

Design and conduct assessments that integrate the concepts, methods, and tools of public health data collection, analysis, interpretation, and evidence-based reasoning to determine the health status and/or health needs of a population

Demonstrate effective communication skills and the ability to interact with both diverse individuals and communities utilizing public health education, community empowerment, and information dissemination

Integrate public health theories, models, and concepts across a broad range of disciplines (social, scientific, behavioral, etc.) into public health research and practice to produce or impact an intended public health outcome

Apply quantitative and qualitative research findings found in medical, public health, and social science journals to the identification and pursuit of opportunities for promoting health and preventing disease across the lifespan and for enhancing public health preparedness

Evaluate how the biological, environmental, socioeconomic, behavioral, and cultural determinants of health influence the global and societal burden of disease and contribute to health disparities

Apply systems thinking concepts to effectively implement and manage public health interventions as members of interdisciplinary teams

Evaluate how the legal, ethical, economic, and regulatory dimensions of health care and public health systems influence public health policies

GSC' master of public health program does not require you to take the GRE (Graduate Record Examination) to be admitted. This standardized test has long been a requirement to be considered for admission to most traditional campus-based MPH programs. By not requiring you to take the GRE, you will have a master’s degree option that is more affordable and convenient.

Program Requirements

Total number of credits required: 42 credits

Core course requirement: 21 credits

Track course requirements: 15 credits

Practicum: 3 credits

Capstone: 3 credits

To be awarded the Master of Public Health degree, all students must complete 42 credit hours with a 3.00 minimum grade point average in all coursework attempted at the University.

Practicum Requirements

In addition to completing all required courses in your degree program, you will be required to complete a practicum consisting of ninety (90) contact hours, which may be paid or unpaid. As practical knowledge and skills are essential to a successful career in public health, a planned, supervised, and evaluated practicum is an essential component of a public health professional degree program. The goal of the practicum is to provide an opportunity for you to synthesize, integrate, and apply practical skills, knowledge, and training learned through courses, to gain professional experience in a public health work environment, and to work on public health practice projects that are of particular interest to you.

Prior to beginning a supervised practicum and/or employment in most health care facilities, you may need to provide or successfully complete:

Background checks

Blood-borne pathogen training

Liability coverage

HIPAA training

Proof of current immunizations (required of the state) including a two-step TB test (within a year of clinical practicum), MMR or titers, Tdap (10 yr. booster), Varicella, Hepatitis B immunizations or titers, Influenza or record of decline, and/or health clearance from a physician.

Potential locations for your practicum include health care offices, public health offices, community health centers, state health offices, and more.

Students can only complete their practicum in states where this program is available.

Practicum Equivalent Experience

If you can provide evidence of substantial prior public health experience relevant to program-specific competencies, you may qualify to reduce your total number of required practicum hours by up to thirty (30) hours.

In general, this substantiation would require three (3) years of full-time employment in a position or positions related to public health, a demonstration of public health competencies obtained by your employment, and a written statement expressing how your future career endeavors will not be impacted by reducing your Practicum hours. If you who wish to apply for Practicum Equivalent Experience you must submit a Student Petition to Waive Practicum Hours form before the end of your first course. This timeframe allows you to plan a full Practicum should your prior experience not be deemed sufficient.

Serve the greater good – earn your Master of Public Health from the Golden State College. Your MPH curriculum includes courses in biostatistics, epidemiology, and health services administration, as well as a Practicum where you will gain real-world professional experience. You will also choose to follow one of two program tracks to add extra focus to your master of public health degree.

Major Course Requirements

(27 credits, all courses 3 credits, except where noted.)

Public Health Tracks

The Master of Public Health degree program provides you with an additional opportunity to enhance your knowledge and skills in a specific health discipline. You will select a 15-credit track to complete your program. Select one of the following tracks:

Generalist Track Courses

Health Care Administration Track Courses

The major course requirements

Health Informatics and Analytics

HIA 625 Principles of Biostatistics

Master of Public Health

MPH 601 Introduction to Public Health Concepts

MPH 602 Social & Biological Determinants of Public Health

MPH 603 Applied Behavioral Science

MPH 604 Principles of Epidemiology

MPH 605 Environmental Health Sciences

MPH 606 Health Services Administration

MPH 650 Public Health Practicum I

MPH 651 Public Health Practicum II

MPH 652 Public Health Practicum III

MPH 653 Public Health Practicum Extension