Program Overview

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Master of Public Health, MPH

The Master of Public Health (MPH) is recognized as the primary professional degree in public health. The objective of Iowa's MPH program is to provide education and practical training in public health to students who will be leaders in their respective communities. The program is appropriate for individuals who already have professional experience and/or training in public health as well as for those whose expertise lies outside of public health.

Overview

Students may earn the Master of Public Health (MPH) as a single degree, or they may pursue one of several combined degree programs. The College of Public Health offers combined MPH/professional degree programs with the Carver College of Medicine and the Colleges of Law and Pharmacy. It also offers two programs in collaboration with the College of Veterinary Medicine at Iowa State University.

Requirements

The Master of Public Health requires at least 42–44 s.h. of graduate credit; the minimum credit hours required are determined by a student's subprogram. Students must maintain a Graduate College major program grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.00.

Common Requirements

The following coursework is required for all MPH students. Students must earn a B-minus or higher in each core course. A minimum 3.00 GPA in MPH core courses is required. Students may repeat a course to achieve this standard.

Core Courses

• CPH:5100 Introduction to Public Health (3)
• BIOS:4120 Introduction to Biostatistics (students in the biostatistics subprogram may substitute BIOS:5710) (3)
• CBH:4105 Introduction to Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (3)
• EPID:4400 Epidemiology I: Principles (3)
• HMP:4000 Introduction to the U.S. Health Care System (students in the policy subprogram may substitute HMP:5005) (3)
• OEH:4240 Global Environmental Health (3)

Interprofessional Education Course

CPH:5203 Interprofessional Education and Practice for MPH Students (0 s.h.) is required for all MPH students.

MPH Practicum

Students complete CPH:7800 MPH Practicum for 3 s.h. During the practicum, students must complete at least 200 work hours in a public health practice setting, applying knowledge and skills from their MPH courses.

Subprograms

Biostatistics Subprogram

The Master of Public Health with the biostatistics subprogram requires 42 s.h. of graduate credit. The subprogram is offered by the Department of Biostatistics.

• BIOS:4510 Data Science Foundations in R (2)
• BIOS:5120 Regression Modeling and ANOVA in the Health Sciences (3)
• BIOS:5130 Applied Categorical Data Analysis (3)

Community and Behavioral Health Subprogram

The Master of Public Health with the community and behavioral health subprogram requires 42 s.h. of graduate credit. The subprogram is offered by the Department of Community and Behavioral Health.

• CBH:5220 Health Behavior and Health Education (3)
• CBH:5305 Evaluation: Approaches and Applications (3)
• CBH:6205 Designing and Implementing Interventions (3)
• CBH:6230 Health Equity, Disparities, and Social Justice (3)
• CBH:6335 Research Methods in Community and Behavioral Health (3)

Epidemiology Subprogram

The Master of Public Health with the epidemiology subprogram requires 44 s.h. of graduate credit. The subprogram is offered by the Department of Epidemiology.

• BIOS:5120 Regression Modeling and ANOVA in the Health Sciences (3)
• EPID:5540 Public Health Surveillance Mechanisms, Applications, and Data (3)
• EPID:5580 Public Health Laboratory Techniques (1)
• EPID:5600 Introduction to Epidemiology Data Management and Analysis (3)
• EPID:5610 Intermediate Epidemiology Data Analysis With SAS and R (3)
• EPID:5925 Epidemiology Journal Club: Evaluating the Literature (taken three times) (0)
• EPID:6400 Epidemiology II: Advanced Methods (4)

Occupational and Environmental Health Subprogram

The Master of Public Health with the occupational and environmental health subprogram requires 42 s.h. of graduate credit. The subprogram is offered by the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health.

• OEH:5010 Occupational and Environmental Health Seminar (taken three times; twice for 0 s.h. and once for 1 s.h.) (0-1)
• OEH:5620 Occupational Health (3)
• OEH:6110 Rural Health and Agricultural Medicine (3)
• OEH:6230 Applied Environmental Health (3)

Policy Subprogram

The Master of Public Health with the policy subprogram requires 42 s.h. of graduate credit. The subprogram is offered by the Department of Health Management and Policy.

• HMP:5450 Health Insurance and Managed Care (3)
• HMP:5610 Health Policy (3)
• HMP:5650 Health Policy Analysis (3)
• HMP:6610 Legal Aspects of Healthcare (2-3)
• HMP:6750 Seminar in Health Policy (3)

Practicing Professionals Subprogram

The Master of Public Health with the practicing professionals subprogram is an individually defined concentration, requiring a minimum of 42 s.h. of graduate credit. Students and their advisor(s) identify courses to expand on foundational knowledge and skills and select a set of five competencies and corresponding courses for the individual student’s plan of study from a preapproved list.

Combined Programs

The Master of Public Health offers the following graduate and professional degree combined programs:

• MPH (Law Subprogram)/Juris Doctor (JD)
• MPH (Medicine Subprogram)/Doctor of Medicine (MD)
• MPH (Pharmacy Subprogram)/Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD)
• MPH (Veterinary Medicine Subprogram)/Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)

Admission

Applicants to the MPH program must apply through the Schools of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS) and then set up a University of Iowa account and pay the UI supplemental fee. For detailed application information, visit Prospective Graduate Students on the Master of Public Health website.

Applicants to the MPH program must have successfully completed one semester each of college algebra and biology.

Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College; see the Manual of Rules and Regulations on the Graduate College website.

Career Advancement

For more information about careers in public health, visit Career Services in Public Health on the College of Public Health website or Student Journey on the Association of Schools & Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) website.

Sample Plans of Study

Sample plans represent one way to complete a program of study. Actual course selection and sequence will vary and should be discussed with an academic advisor. For additional sample plans, see MyUI.

Biostatistics Subprogram

• First Year:
  • Fall: BIOS:4120 Introduction to Biostatistics (3), BIOS:4510 Data Science Foundations in R (2), CPH:5100 Introduction to Public Health (3), EPID:4400 Epidemiology I: Principles (3), OEH:4240 Global Environmental Health (3)
  • Spring: BIOS:5120 Regression Modeling and ANOVA in the Health Sciences (3), CBH:4105 Introduction to Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (3), HMP:4000 Introduction to the U.S. Health Care System (3), Biostatistics Elective (2-3)
• Second Year:
  • Fall: BIOS:5130 Applied Categorical Data Analysis (3), BIOS:6310 Introductory Longitudinal Data Analysis (3), CPH:5203 Interprofessional Education and Practice for MPH Students (0), Biostatistics Elective (2-3), Biostatistics Elective (3)
  • Spring: BIOS:6210 Applied Survival Analysis (3), CPH:7800 MPH Practicum (3)

Community and Behavioral Health Subprogram

• First Year:
  • Fall: CBH:5220 Health Behavior and Health Education (3), CBH:6335 Research Methods in Community and Behavioral Health (3), CPH:5100 Introduction to Public Health (3), EPID:4400 Epidemiology I: Principles (3)
  • Spring: BIOS:4120 Introduction to Biostatistics (3), CBH:4105 Introduction to Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (3), CBH:6205 Designing and Implementing Interventions (3), HMP:4000 Introduction to the U.S. Health Care System (3)
• Second Year:
  • Fall: CBH:6230 Health Equity, Disparities, and Social Justice (3), CBH:5305 Evaluation: Approaches and Applications (3), CPH:5203 Interprofessional Education and Practice for MPH Students (0), OEH:4240 Global Environmental Health (3), Community and Behavioral Health Elective (3)
  • Spring: CBH:5310 Qualitative Research for Public Health (3), CPH:7800 MPH Practicum (3)

Epidemiology Subprogram

• First Year:
  • Fall: BIOS:4120 Introduction to Biostatistics (3), CPH:5100 Introduction to Public Health (3), EPID:4400 Epidemiology I: Principles (3), EPID:5600 Introduction to Epidemiology Data Management and Analysis (3), EPID:5925 Epidemiology Journal Club: Evaluating the Literature (0)
  • Spring: BIOS:5120 Regression Modeling and ANOVA in the Health Sciences (3), CBH:4105 Introduction to Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (3), EPID:5925 Epidemiology Journal Club: Evaluating the Literature (0), EPID:6400 Epidemiology II: Advanced Methods (4), HMP:4000 Introduction to the U.S. Health Care System (3)
• Second Year:
  • Fall: CPH:5203 Interprofessional Education and Practice for MPH Students (0), EPID:5540 Public Health Surveillance Mechanisms, Applications, and Data (3), EPID:5925 Epidemiology Journal Club: Evaluating the Literature (0), OEH:4240 Global Environmental Health (3), HHP:4390 Understanding Human Disease (3) or PATH:5270 Pathogenesis of Major Human Diseases (3)
  • Spring: CPH:7800 MPH Practicum (3), EPID:5580 Public Health Laboratory Techniques (1), EPID:5610 Intermediate Epidemiology Data Analysis With SAS and R (3), Epidemiology Elective (3)

Occupational and Environmental Health Subprogram

• First Year:
  • Fall: CPH:5100 Introduction to Public Health (3), EPID:4400 Epidemiology I: Principles (3), OEH:4240 Global Environmental Health (3), OEH:5010 Occupational and Environmental Health Seminar (0), OEH:5620 Occupational Health (3)
  • Spring: CBH:4105 Introduction to Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (3), HMP:4000 Introduction to the U.S. Health Care System (3), OEH:5010 Occupational and Environmental Health Seminar (0), OEH:6110 Rural Health and Agricultural Medicine (3)
• Second Year:
  • Fall: BIOS:4120 Introduction to Biostatistics (3), CPH:5203 Interprofessional Education and Practice for MPH Students (0), Occupational and Environmental Health Elective (3), Occupational and Environmental Health Elective (3), Occupational and Environmental Health Elective (3)
  • Spring: CPH:7800 MPH Practicum (3), OEH:5010 Occupational and Environmental Health Seminar (1), OEH:6230 Applied Environmental Health (3), Occupational and Environmental Health Elective (2-3)

Policy Subprogram

• First Year:
  • Fall: CPH:5100 Introduction to Public Health (3), HMP:5005 Introduction to Healthcare Organization and Policy (3) or HMP:4000 Introduction to the U.S. Health Care System (3), HMP:5610 Health Policy (3), OEH:4240 Global Environmental Health (3)
  • Spring: BIOS:4120 Introduction to Biostatistics (3), CBH:4105 Introduction to Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (3), HMP:5450 Health Insurance and Managed Care (3), HMP:5650 Health Policy Analysis (3)
• Second Year:
  • Fall: CPH:5203 Interprofessional Education and Practice for MPH Students (0), EPID:4400 Epidemiology I: Principles (3), HMP:6610 Legal Aspects of Healthcare (3), HMP:6750 Seminar in Health Policy (3)
  • Spring: CPH:7800 MPH Practicum (3), Policy Elective (3), Policy Elective (3)

Practicing Professionals Subprogram

• First Year:
  • Fall: BIOS:4120 Introduction to Biostatistics (3), EPID:4400 Epidemiology I: Principles (3), OEH:4240 Global Environmental Health (3)
  • Spring: CBH:4105 Introduction to Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (3), Practicing Professionals Core Course (3), Professional Elective (3)
• Summer: CPH:5100 Introduction to Public Health (3), HMP:4000 Introduction to the U.S. Health Care System (3)
• Second Year:
  • Fall: CPH:5203 Interprofessional Education and Practice for MPH Students (0), Practicing Professionals Core Course (3), Practicing Professionals Core Course (3), Professional Elective (3)
  • Spring: CPH:7800 MPH Practicum (3), Professional Elective (3), Professional Elective (3)