Program Overview

Master of Public Health in the Field of Global Health Epidemiology and Disease Control (STEM)

Overview

The master of public health in global health epidemiology and disease control program prepares the next generation of global health professionals to develop and rigorously appraise infectious and chronic disease control-related programs using analytical and creative assessment skills. The ability to do so provides students with the requisite skills to effectively contribute to improving the performance of global health programs. In turn, global health epidemiology and disease control degree graduates impact underserved communities around the world.

The program curriculum enhances students' capacity to think critically and innovatively. Students are committed to improving public health on a global scale and engaging in and promoting public service. These qualities are essential for future health professionals and public health practitioners.

Program graduates can expect to be able to:

• Use common epidemiological tools to help generate evidence on interventions targeted to infectious and chronic disease control.
• Work in real-world settings to strengthen methodological rigor.
• Generate and use data for assessing the burden of disease and determining the efficacy and effectiveness of interventions for infectious and chronic diseases.
• Translate evidence to support program and health systems improvements and to make policy recommendations.
• Communicate the results of research to a broad set of stakeholders.

This is a STEM designated program.

Admissions

The Milken Institute School of Public Health website provides additional information about academic programs and information about GWSPH. Graduate admissions information, including application requirements and deadlines, can be found on the GWSPH Graduate Admissions website.

Requirements

The following requirements must be fulfilled: 45 credits, including 19 credits in core courses, 17 credits in program-specific courses, and 9 credits in elective courses.

Course List

• Required
  • Core courses
    • PUBH 6000: MPH Applied Practice Experience
    • PUBH 6002: Biostatistical Applications for Public Health
    • PUBH 6003: Principles and Practices of Epidemiology
    • PUBH 6007: Social and Behavioral Approaches to Public Health
    • PUBH 6009: Fundamentals of Public Health Program Evaluation
    • PUBH 6011: Environmental and Biological Foundations of Public Health
    • PUBH 6012: Fundamentals of Health Policy
    • PUBH 6021: Essentials of Public Health Practice and Leadership I
    • PUBH 6022: Essentials of Public Health Practice and Leadership II
    • PUBH 6418: Global Health Culminating Experience I
    • PUBH 6419: Global Health Culminating Experience II
    • PUBH 6023: Interprofessional Education Experience
  • Program-specific courses
    • PUBH 6247: Epidemiologic Methods I: Design of Health Studies
    • PUBH 6252: Epidemiologic Methods II: Advanced Epidemiologic Methods
    • PUBH 6400: Global Health Frameworks
    • PUBH 6416: Ethical and Cultural Issues in Global Health Research and Programs (OR)
    • or PUBH 6423: Ethics in Public Health Practice and Policy
    • PUBH 6486: Global Health Programs and Approaches to the Control of Infectious Diseases
    • PUBH 6492: Global Health Programs and Approaches to the Control of Chronic Diseases
    • PUBH 6853: Use of SAS for Data Management and Analysis
    • PUBH 6047: Systematic Reviews to Synthesize Evidence in Public Health Practice
  • Electives
    • 9 credits taken in any PUBH courses.

MPH Graduation Requirements

1. Graduate credit requirement: 45 graduate credits.
2. Course requirements: Successful completion of core and program-specific courses.
3. Practicum Requirement: Students are required to fulfill all requirements of the Applied Practice Experience (Practicum) to receive credit for PUBH 6000 MPH Applied Practice Experience.
4. Interprofessional Education Experience (IPE): Students are required to enroll and participate in an authorized IPE activity (PUBH 6023 Interprofessional Education Experience).
5. Minimum grade point requirement: minimum 3.0 program grade point average.
6. Time limit requirement: The degree must be completed within five years.
7. Transfer credit policy: With approval, up to 12 graduate credits that have not been applied to any previous graduate degree can be transferred to the master of public health program. External credits must have been earned from an accredited institution in the last three years with a minimum grade of 3.0 in each course. Students in SPH graduate certificate programs can transfer as many credits earned toward the certificate to the MPH degree as meet MPH degree requirements, to a maximum of 18 credits.
8. Graduate certificate students wishing to transfer to a degree program can apply to do so after completion of three or more courses with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 via the online change of concentration petition. A minimum grade of is required for a specific course to be eligible for transfer.
9. CITI Training requirement: All students are required to complete training regarding human subject protection regulation and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).
10. Integrity Quiz and Plagiarism requirement: All students are required to review the George Washington University Code of Academic Integrity and take the SPH Academic Integrity Quiz within their first semester of study.
11. Professional Enhancement requirement: Students must participate in eight hours of public health-related lectures, seminars, and symposia, related to their field of study.

Combined Program

• Joint Master of Public Health or SPH graduate certificate and Juris Doctor or Master of Laws.