Program Overview

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Master of Public Health - Health Behavior & Promotion

The Master of Public Health in Health Behavior and Health Promotion at the Medical University of South Carolina equips students to become change agents who improve population health through education, advocacy, and evidence-based practice. Students explore how psychological, social, cultural, and environmental factors influence health behaviors and outcomes while learning to design, implement, and evaluate community and policy interventions.

Program Overview

Through hands-on research and partnerships with community organizations, students gain the skills to address complex public health challenges such as health disparities, chronic disease prevention, and health equity promotion.

Application Timeline

• Priority: Dec 1 – May 15
• Regular: May 16 – Jun 1

Learning Experience

Discover an immersive learning experience combining foundational public health coursework, hands-on field experiences, and a capstone project rooted in real-world challenges.

Curriculum

Standard Curriculum

Year 1, Fall B (8/25/25-12/12/25)

• PHBIO 700 | Introduction to Clinical Biostatistics | 4
• PHGEN706 | Introduction to Public Health | 2
• PHEPI 736 | Foundations of Epidemiology I | 3
• PHHBP700 | Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3
• PHGEN750 | MPH Seminar | 1
• Semester Total | 13 Year 1, Spring (1/5/26-5/1/26)
• PHGEN708 | Prin Environmental Health Sci | 3
• PHHBP704 | Appl. of Health Behavior Theory | 3
• PHHBP714 | Health Promotion Res Methods | 3
• IP711 | IP Foundations & TeamSTEPPS | 1
• ELEC | Elective | 3
• Semester Total | 13 Year 1, Summer A, Trailer (5/4/26-8/14/26)
• PHGEN710 | Introduction to U.S. Health Policy | 3
• PHHBP712 | Health Promo Intervention Plan | 3
• PHGEN770 | ILE Planning | 1
• ELEC | Elective | 3
• Semester Total | 10 Year 2, Fall B (8/25/25-12/12/25)
• PHGEN780 | App Practice Experience-Intern | 6
• PHGEN970 | MPH Capstone | 3
• Semester Total | 9
• Curriculum Total | 45

Advanced Standing Curriculum

Year 1, Spring (1/5/26-5/1/26)

• PHGEN708 | Prin Environmental Health Sci | 3
• PHHBP704 | Appl. of Health Behavior Theory | 3
• PHHBP714 | Health Promotion Res Methods | 3
• IP711 | IP Foundations & TeamSTEPPS | 1
• ELEC | Elective | 3
• Semester Total | 13 Year 1, Summer A, Trailer (5/4/26-8/14/26)
• PHGEN710 | Introduction to U.S. Health Policy | 3
• PHHBP712 | Health Promo Intervention Plan | 3
• PHGEN770 | ILE Planning | 1
• ELEC | Elective | 3
• Semester Total | 10 Year 1, Fall
• PHGEN780 | App Practice Experience-Intern | 6
• PHGEN706 | Introduction to Public Health | 2
• PHGEN750 | MPH Seminar | 1
• PHGEN970 | MPH Capstone | 3
• Semester Total | 12
• Curriculum Total | 35

Internship

Students complete a 180-hour field placement in an appropriate public health setting. Sites include, but are not limited to, hospitals, not-for-profit organizations, governmental agencies, and worksite/for-profit companies. The site is chosen based on student interest and competencies that students need to achieve.

Capstone

All students will participate in a culminating experience which is required for graduation from the program. The capstone project is completed in the final semester of the program. It will reflect the student's assimilation of theories and skills from didactic and experiential learning courses.

Admission Requirements

Eligibility Requirements

All applicants must hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution in the U.S. or its equivalent from a foreign institution with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.

Prerequisites

All applicants should have completed college-level mathematics and statistics courses.

Application Process

1. Complete the MUSC application.
2. Once the application and all supplemental materials have been received, the application will be reviewed.
3. Selected applicants may be contacted by the admissions committee.

Application Requirements

1. MUSC Application: All applicants must submit an MUSC application.
2. Supplemental Materials: Applicants will need to submit the following supplemental materials.
   • Official transcripts from all institutions attended
   • Letters of recommendation: All applicants must provide three letters of recommendation from instructors or supervisors who have had close contact with them during their undergraduate, graduate, clinical, or research training.
   • Personal statement: All applicants must submit a personal statement, not to exceed 1,000 words.

Funding Your Path Forward

Tuition

• Application Fee (per application): $95
• Matriculation Fee (upon applicant acceptance): $485

Full-time

Tuition/Fee Type	Fall	Spring	Summer	Annual
In-state Tuition	$6,752	$6,752	$5,430	-
Out-of-state Tuition	$10,538	$10,538	$8,295	-
In-state Program Fee	$250	$250	$250	-
Out-of-state Program Fee	$500	$500	$500	-
Examination and Technical Support Fee	-	-	-	$260

Part-time

Tuition/Fee Type	Fall	Spring	Summer	Annual
In-state Tuition (per credit hour)	$568	$568	$568	-
Out-of-state Tuition (per credit hour)	$872	$872	$872	-
In-state Program Fee	$250	$250	$250	-
Out-of-state Program Fee	$500	$500	$500	-
Examination and Technical Support Fee	-	-	-	$260

Cost of Attendance

Item	Year 1	Year 2	Est. Total*
Direct Costs
Tuition - In-state/Out-of-state	$18,934/$29,371	$6,752/$10,538	$25,686/$39,909
Health Insurance	$3,780	$1,596	$5,376
Fees - In-state/Out-of-state	$1,310/$2,060	$660/$910	$1,970/$2,970
Direct Costs Subtotal	$24,024/$35,211	$9,008/$13,044	$33,032/$48,255
Indirect Costs
Housing/Food	$24,882	$9,048	$33,930
Personal	$2,640	$960	$3,600
Transportation	$2,970	$1,080	$4,050
Books/Required Expenses	$4,010	$680	$4,690
Indirect Costs Subtotal	$34,502/$34,502	$11,768/$11,768	$46,270/$46,270
Total - In-state/Out-of-state	$58,526/$69,713	$20,776/$24,812	$79,302/$94,525

Program Faculty

• Katherine Sterba, Ph.D., MPH: Professor, Public Health Sciences
• Benjamin Toll, Ph.D.: Oliver and Jennie Donaldson Endowed Chair in Cancer Research, Professor & Vice Chair, Public Health Sciences
• Kalyani Sonawane, Ph.D.: Assistant Director, Data Science and Analytics, MUSC Hollings Cancer Center, Associate Professor, Public Health Sciences

Frequently Asked Questions

What is public health?

Public health empowers individuals and communities to make informed choices that improve health and well-being.

What backgrounds do MPH students have?

Students in this program come from a variety of backgrounds such as psychology, math, biology, and previous public health education and/or training.

Guided by Purpose and Principles

Objectives

The MPH – Health Behavior & Promotion program aims to:

• Demonstrate leadership in the field of public health through faculty and student research
• Prepare leaders with an education that meets the needs of a changing environment using state-of-the-art, interprofessional pedagogy
• Collaborate with community and governmental organizations to enhance public health in disadvantaged communities
• Prepare the public health workforce and students with professional development skills needed to effectively serve as public health leaders and professionals

Competencies

Upon completion of the MPH - Biostatistics program, graduates will be able to:

• Apply epidemiological methods to the breadth of settings and situations in public health practice
• Select quantitative and qualitative data collection methods appropriate for a given public health context
• Analyze quantitative and qualitative data using biostatistics, informatics, computer-based programming, and software, as appropriate
• Interpret results of data analysis for public health research, policy, or practice

Vision

To cultivate a healthier tomorrow through academic excellence, health innovation, and practice for the advancement of health equity in South Carolina and beyond.

Mission

To educate a diverse public health workforce that is competent to conduct innovative research, provide leadership, and advocate for improved and equitable population and community health across South Carolina and beyond.

Values

At the core of our program, we are guided by a commitment to the following values that drive our mission:

• Collaboration: We cultivate relationships with local and global communities built on trust and respect through engagement in interprofessional education, research, service, and public health practice.
• Innovation: We encourage and support innovation, ingenuity, and resourcefulness to improve education, research, and public health practice.
• Excellence: We achieve the highest standards of performance and outcomes in education, research, service, and public health practice.
• Integrity: We promote the highest standards of accountability, transparency, and respectful practices to foster an environment of trust and integrity.

Accreditation & Recognition

The Master of Public Health program at the Medical University of South Carolina is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) for a five-year term until 2027.