Master of Public Health, Online

Build your leadership skills with an MPH degree from Saint Francis University and touch the world in a positive way. Embrace a vision of wellness, a spirit of compassion, a promise to serve.

The MPH program will help you to: 

• Develop an understanding of health disparities across rural populations
• Examine the impacts of globalization on environmental health
• Learn to apply analytical skills to assess community health needs
• Design programs to improve community health both near and far
• Prepare to sit for the Certified Health Educator Specialist (CHES) exam

Our Mission & Vision

The Public Health Program at SFU advances population health through education, research, and service. Led by our Catholic Franciscan values, excellence that emphasizes an inter-professional learning environment, application of evidence-based practice, and experiential service initiatives that benefit all of humanity. 

Public Health Program graduates are expected to hold themselves to the highest ethical, professional, and scholarly standards, while utilizing holistic, evidenced-based solutions in service to humankind.

Master in Public Health (MPH) Program Description

( Program of Study  |  Course Descriptions | Course Catalog Requirements )

The Master in Public Health (MPH) is an accelerated program that serves to reduce the total time and expenses it would take to complete a traditional graduate program in Public Health. The MPH degree consists of 42 credits that include online course work, and field experiences, which emphasize a Rural Health focus culminating in a capstone research project.

The online program allows for ease of entry and completion appealing to the working student or professional. The program is collaborative and incorporates current graduate course offerings from across the School of Health Science and Education including the Master of Health Science and the Master in Nursing programs.

Although the MPH program curriculum is designed for completion within a year, students may take up to 3 years to complete the program. Students would be required to declare this intention with their academic advisor and work with them to develop clear pathway towards graduation. Students who exercise this option advised that necessary course sequencing might delay program completion.

MPH Capstone Project

Students in the Master of Public Health Program are required to develop, implement, evaluate, and report upon a public health intervention at a self-identified rural field experience site.

 These requirements can be met through successfully completing the following courses:

• MPH 525 Fundamentals of Program Evaluation
• MPH 526 Program Planning & Implementation
• MPH 530 Applied Practice Experience
• MPH 533 Community Health Research and Assessment

Student Learning Outcomes

• Engage in evidence-based practice, using Public Health Sciences, to promote physical, mental, and spiritual wellness rooted in environmental health.

• Exercise leadership in Public Health, grounded in an ecological perspective, by identifying the natural and social determinants of health status in communities and the dynamic interplay among these factors for the promotion of health

• Create systems level interventions using quantitative and qualitative epidemiologic outcomes evaluation to analyze the geographical, demographic, and cultural patterns of the distribution of disease and injury communities.

• Engage in life-long learning to promote the science of Public Health through evidence-based research.

• Utilize systems level educational interventions, focused on wellness, that improve communication amongst residents and organizations by addressing factors such as health literacy and diversity using resources within academic, health care, and political institutions.

• Generate and lead interdisciplinary collaborations to ethically assess and address persistent and emerging challenges in public health through health policy at the local, state, national, and global level.

Admission Requirements

• Completed online application
• Official transcripts verifying the conferral of a baccalaureate (bachelor) degree in public health and/or a health related profession.
• Applicants who do not meet the above criteria may be asked to complete pre-requisite undergraduate public health courses to secure program admission.  The pre-requisite courses include: PUBH 101 Introduction to Public Health, PUBH 202 Epidemiology, PUBH 401 Global Health, STAT 205 Essentials of Statistics
• Baccalaureate GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale
• GRE (waived if GPA is at or above 3.2)
• Two Letters of Recommendation
• Current resume or curriculum vitae
• One page goal statement regarding your career aspirations in public health
• Non-refundable application fee of $55
• Access to a computer and reliable Internet service
• Knowledge and understanding of the Internet and computer programs to complete course requirements

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  Admissions are done on a rolling cycle.  Courses will be offered during Fall, Spring, and Summer Sessions.  Most MPH courses are offered on an accelerated seven-week schedule.  Scheduling of courses will be a collaborative effort between students and their academic advisor. 

  **If undergraduate education has been obtained outside of the United States, a degree assessment must be completed, at the student’s expense, by a NACES (www.naces.org) approved independent credentialing agency such as the World Education Service.  An original report form this agency must be submitted as part of the admission application.

Prospective Students Residing Outside of Pennsylvania

Saint Francis University and its online programs must be authorized by certain states prior to offering courses or programs to students residing in those states. Saint Francis University has been approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to participate in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA). The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) welcomed the University to officially join the initiative effective January 1, 2017. SARA is an agreement among member states, districts and territories that establishes comparable national standards for interstate offering of postsecondary distance education courses and programs.

As a SARA approved institution, Saint Francis University is in compliance with the regulations of each SARA state and is approved to offer online courses and programs to residents of SARA-member states. Prospective students residing outside of Pennsylvania should determine their eligibility for admission to an online program at Saint Francis University by consulting the State Authorization Status List found at https://www.francis.edu/State-Authorization/ or by contacting program admission representatives at (814) 472-3357 or mphadmissions@francis.edu.   

International applicants will be considered for admission if they reside in countries where the University has proper authorization. Contact the program admission representatives for additional information.

Tuition:

• 42 credits of MPH course work @ $650/credit (subject to change)

• One time graduation fee $195 (subject to change)

Total tuition and fees for MPH program in 2019-2020: $27,300 for 42 credits + $195 graduation fee (payable whether or not the student attends commencement)

Currently there are no other fees associated with admission as a student in the Master of Public Health Program.  Although most courses will utilize online resources, students may be required to purchase course text books.

These estimated costs do not include any costs associated with travel/meals to and from student's field experience site, required clinical clearances, background checks, or certification exam fees.

Select discounts are available. For more information contact thorner@francis.edu.

Financial Aid

Please contact Financial Aid for student loan options at FinAid@francis.edu or (814) 472-3010.

View all Graduate Tuition and Fees