Program Overview

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Online Master of Public Health in Urban Health

The Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health's asynchronous, online MPH in Urban Health trains students in the foundational principles of urban health practice. Rooted in the concept of health as a human right, this program teaches students to develop culturally competent programs, policies, and solutions to contemporary urban health challenges.

Program Features

• 56 quarter credits
• The program can be completed 100% online and has no residency component
• Along with a focus on urban health, students can delve deeper into topics like maternal child health, health disparities, LGBT health, or infection prevention and control
• Students learn from well-respected Drexel Dornsife faculty who are experts in the field of urban health
• Drexel Dornsife is proud to be the first school in Philadelphia to earn CEPH accreditation
• U.S. News & World Report ranks Drexel Dornsife the #1 graduate school of public health in Philadelphia and a top school nationwide
• No GRE required

MPH Experiential Learning Opportunities

Applied Practical Experience

Drexel Dornsife believes in providing real-world practical knowledge and skills as a part of education. This requires creating opportunities to build in-depth understanding and a diverse breadth of knowledge that students can immediately apply in their careers. Students will be required to complete the Applied Practical Experience (APE) and breadth activities.

Integrative Learning Experience

As an MPH student nearing program completion, students will be required to enroll in the integrative learning experience (ILE). With a goal of illustrating mastery of core public health and focus-area-specific competencies, the ILE is completed in the final year of the program and includes writing a high-quality paper. The ILE for the Urban Health MPH is a capstone course.

What is Urban Public Health?

Dornsife's Urban Health Collaborative defines "urban" as "the geographies where people's homes, workplaces and gathering spaces are concentrated." While cities are prominent in discussions of urban health, the definition of urban areas is often inclusive of areas surrounding cities as contexts for the diverse sectors of daily life.

What Do You Learn in Urban Healthcare Studies?

MPH in Urban Health Overview

In Drexel Dornsife's online MPH in Urban Health, students will learn to:

• Apply theories and frameworks from urban social sciences to identify social and other determinants of health, and develop solutions to major urban health problems
• Critique policies and programs that promote the health of urban populations
• Engage various constituencies including policymakers, community residents and leaders, civil society organizations, social movements, and public agencies in identifying and reducing health problems facing cities
• Identify ecological models to identify appropriate solutions to the health problems of cities at the individual, family, community, municipal, regional, national, and global levels
• Select appropriate epidemiological methods to characterize patterns of health and disease

What Can You Do With a Degree in Urban Health?

A degree in urban health prepares students for careers in areas like health education and community health, as well as provide opportunities to collaborate in urban and regional planning. Health educators and community health workers promote wellness in their communities through teaching populations healthy behaviors.

MPH Urban Health Career Opportunities

The job outlook in these areas is encouraging. As a graduate of Drexel's MPH in Urban Health, students can expect to look for career opportunities in organizations like:

• Public health agencies in cities and/or states
• Non-profits/philanthropies/NGOs (domestic or global)
• National government organizations (e.g., CDC, NIH)
• Private companies focused on urban health issues (e.g., insurance companies, hospitals, etc.)
• Research organizations (e.g., universities, institutes, centers, hospitals, etc.)
• Doctoral programs in public health, sociology, medicine, public policy, law, sociology, and anthropology

How Much Can You Make with a Master's in Urban Health?

MPH Urban Health Salary Expectations

Salary as an urban health professional will vary based on title, location, and years of experience.

How Long Does it Take to Complete a Master's in Urban Health?

Drexel University's online MPH in Urban Health offers multiple tracks that make earning a degree convenient for any schedule:

• 12 Months: Complete the program in the shortest amount of time. It's recommended that students not work while pursuing this plan.
• 18 Months: Complete the program by March of the second year. Students may be eligible for a research assistantship.
• 21 Months: Complete the program in less than 2 years, but still work if chosen. Students may be eligible for a research assistantship.
• 33 Months: Finish the program in less than 3 years while still working full-time. Students may be eligible for a research assistantship.
• Flexible Plan of Study: Work closely with the program manager to create a customized plan of study that works best.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Online MPH in Urban Health Program Asynchronous?

Online MPH in Urban Health classes are conducted asynchronously, which means students are not required to be online at a specific time for course instruction.

Curriculum

This program is organized into four 10-week quarters per year.

Core Courses

• BST 571: Introduction to Biostatistics | 3.0
• EPI 570: Introduction to Epidemiology | 3.0
• HMP 505: Qualitative Data and Mixed Methods Analysis | 3.0
• PBHL 510: Public Health Foundations and Systems I | 4.0
• PBHL 511: Public Health Foundations and Systems II | 4.0

Major Courses

• CHP 673: Process Monitoring and Outcomes Evaluation for Community Health Programs | 3.0
• EOH 642: Healthy Housing & Built Environment | 3.0
• EOH 550: Introduction to Urban Health | 3.0
• EPI 563: Interprofessional Collaboration for Urban Health | 3.0
• EPI 633: Urban Inequality and Health: Theory, Evidence, and Action | 3.0

Electives | 21.0

Integrative Learning Experience Capstone

• EOH 752: Urban Health Integrative Learning Experience Capstone | 3.0

Applied Practical Experience

• PBHL 500: Practical Experience for the Master of Public Health | 0.0

Total Credits | 56.0

Admissions Criteria

• Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university, or an equivalent international institution
• GPA of at least 3.0 preferred
• Standardized Test Scores are NOT required
• However, students may choose to submit scores to strengthen their application

Required Documents

• A completed application
• Official transcripts from all universities or colleges and other post-secondary educational institutions (including trade schools) attended
• Two professional letters of recommendation
• Resume
• Essay of approximately 500 words discussing interest in public health, current career goals, and why Drexel University is of interest
• Additional requirements for International Students

Transfer Credit Opportunities

If considering transferring into this online program, students may be eligible to transfer up to 15 graduate-level quarter credits.

Computer Requirements

Working knowledge of and access to a personal computer (no more than 4 years old), high-speed connection to the Internet, and Microsoft Office applications.

Tuition

The tuition rate for the academic year is $1062 per credit. For the academic year, students enrolled in an online graduate academic program will be charged a graduate online program fee of $125 per year.

Academic Calendar

Academic Year

Term

Classes Begin

Classes End

Exams Begin

Exams End

• Fall 2025: September 22, 2025 - December 6, 2025
• Winter 2026: January 5, 2026 - March 14, 2026
• Spring 2026: March 30, 2026 - June 6, 2026
• Summer 2026: June 22, 2026 - August 29, 2026