Program Overview

Master of Public Health Program

The Master of Public Health (MPH) program at The University of Texas at San Antonio School of Public Health is a 45-credit-hour professional degree that prepares students to evaluate the needs for community health, develop innovative policies and programs, and ensure that recently established systems are strengthened and maintained.

Overview

Upon completing this program, graduates will be equipped with the necessary skills to develop, articulate, and exhibit personal mastery in eight key areas related to public health. These areas include evidence-based approaches to public health, public health and healthcare systems, planning and management to promote health, policy in public health, leadership, communication, interprofessional education and/or intersectoral practice, and systems thinking.

Admission Requirements

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university in the United States or proof of an equivalent degree from a foreign institution.
• A cumulative GPA of 3.0 in the last 60 semester hours.
• Official transcripts from each college/university currently and previously attended that reflect completed and/or in-progress coursework.
• Transcripts from institutions outside the United States must be submitted in the original language and evaluated by an approved National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) organization.
• International applicants whose native language is not English or those from countries exempted from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the Duolingo English Test requirements must present evidence of proficiency in English by satisfactorily completing either the TOEFL with a minimum score of 84, the IELTS with a minimum score of 7.0, or a Duolingo English Test with a minimum score of 115.
• Required immunizations, criminal background and sanction checks, and technical and additional requirements per UTSPHSA regulatory guidelines.
• Current resume or curriculum vitae (CV).
• A writing sample in response to the prompts provided by the Admissions Committee.
• Two letters of recommendation from professional, academic, or community sources highlighting the applicant's leadership skills, community service, the potential for success in the MPH Program, and/or the likelihood of contributing to the field of public health.

Degree Requirements

The MPH degree program requires at least 45 semester credit hours of graduate courses, including foundational, concentration, elective, applied practice experience (APE), and integrative learning experience (ILE) courses. Within the 45 credit hours, students must complete 3 credit hours of a supervised, hands-on, real-world public health practice (APE or practicum) course outside the classroom.

Concentrations

The MPH program offers three concentrations:

• Public Health Practice and Administration
• Health Systems in the Community Context (HSCC)
• Epidemiology

Public Health Practice and Administration Concentration

This concentration is designed to prepare students to lead and administer public health programs and interventions. Students will gain the skills and knowledge needed to evaluate and implement public health policies and programs.

Health Systems in the Community Context (HSCC) Concentration

The HSCC concentration is designed to prepare students to lead at the nexus of health care and public health. Students will learn to communicate health information effectively, advocate for data-driven healthcare and health systems, and utilize data to develop community-responsive interventions.

Epidemiology Concentration

Epidemiology is the scientific study of patterns of disease and health, the differential impact on populations based on various factors, and disease spread. Scientists can work toward disease prevention, control, and health promotion by understanding the factors contributing to disease.

Course Descriptions

• PHEA 6001: Concepts in Public Health - From Person to Population
• PHEA 6002: Perspectives and Decisions Through Public Health Data
• PHEA 6003: Designing Public Health Inquiry: Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods
• PHEA 6004: Health Promotion and Health Behaviors
• PHEA 6005: Health Policy and Public Health Advocacy
• PHEA 6006: Introduction to Environmental and Occupational Health
• PHEA 6007: Leadership in Public Health
• PHEA 6008: Creating Mechanisms for Prevention and Intervention in Public Health
• PHEA 6009: Public Health Systems Administration
• PHEA 6010: Structural and Social Determinants of Health
• PHEA 6011: Continuous Quality Improvement in Public Health
• PHEA 6012: Communicating Applied Data Science
• PHEA 6013: Community Engagement and Health Communication
• PHEA 6014: Global Health-Current Health Issues Facing Our World
• PHEA 6015: Program Management, Assessment, and Evaluation
• PHEA 6095: Special Topics in Public Health
• PHEA 6096: Seminar in Public Health
• PHEA 6098: Discovery-Based Paper or Project
• PHEA 6099: Capstone Experience

Competencies

Students in the MPH program are expected to have disciplinary-specific knowledge and abilities. Through the foundational curriculum, every MPH student will receive training in 12 learning objectives and 22 foundational competencies established by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). Each MPH student will acquire five concentration-specific competencies based on the chosen concentration.