Population Health, MS

Program Overview

The Population Health, MS program combines multiple disciplines to educate students on the complex factors affecting population health. It emphasizes analytic and leadership skills for addressing health challenges and prepares graduates for careers in public health, healthcare, and related fields where they can contribute to improving population health outcomes. The program offers three culminating experience options: thesis, applied project, or portfolio with internship. Graduates are eligible to sit for the Certified in Public Health exam upon graduation and completion of relevant work experience.

Program Outline

Population Health, MS

Degree Overview

The Population Health, MS program combines multiple disciplines to educate students on the complex factors affecting the health and well-being of populations. It emphasizes the interaction between health systems and other sectors, including the private sector, government, nonprofit organizations, media, and academia, to influence population health outcomes. The curriculum includes a strong foundation in systems science, quantitative and qualitative research methods, epidemiology and biostatistics, and ethics courses, along with applied experience.

Objectives:

• Equip students with the knowledge and skills to understand the determinants of population health.
• Develop students' ability to apply analytic and leadership skills to address complex health challenges.
• Prepare students for careers in public health, healthcare, and related fields where they can contribute to improving population health outcomes.

Program Description:

• Addresses the social and environmental influences shaping health.
• Focuses on analytic and leadership skills for complex systems.
• Combines coursework with applied experience.

Outline

Structure:

• 30 credit hours and a portfolio
• 30 credit hours and a thesis
• 30 credit hours including the required applied project course (POP 593)

Required Core (15 credit hours):

• BMI 515 Applied Biostatistics in Medicine and Informatics (3)
• POP 575 Social Determinants of Population Health (3)
• POP 605 Population Health Systems Science and Theory (3)
• POP 633 Population Health Ethics (3)
• POP 644 Epidemiology in Population Health (3)

Research (3 credit hours):

• POP 641 Qualitative Research Methods (3)

Other Requirements (0 or 3 credit hours):

• POP 584 Internship (3)

Electives (6 or 9 credit hours):

• Culminating Experience (0 or 6 credit hours)
• POP 593 Applied Project (3)
• POP 599 Thesis (6)
• Portfolio (0)
• Three culminating experience options: thesis, applied project, or portfolio with internship.
• Thesis option: 6 credit hours of thesis + 6 credit hours of electives.
• Applied project option: 3 credit hours of applied project + 9 credit hours of electives.
• Portfolio with internship option: 3 credit hours of internship + 9 credit hours of electives.

Careers

Career Opportunities:

• County and state health departments
• National governmental health organizations
• Non-governmental organizations
• Nonprofits

Potential Positions:

• Director of population health
• Lead population health analyst
• Lecturer in schools of population health
• Manager of wellness strategy, communications, or integration
• Population, public, environmental, or behavioral health program director, manager, coordinator, or specialist
• Public health initiatives coordinator

Program graduates are well-suited to:

• Conduct assessments and data-driven analyses.
• Before starting the program, applicants are expected to have completed a statistics course.
• A personal statement (1-2 pages, single-spaced) describing the applicant's knowledge, skills, experience, and goals related to the population health field is required.
• Two references (professional and academic) familiar with the applicant's potential to succeed in the field of population health are required.
• Graduates are eligible to sit for the Certified in Public Health exam upon graduation and completion of three years of relevant work experience.