Careers in public health are dynamic. They blend medicine, education, policy, mathematics, and research. They land you in organizations large and small— non-profit, government, or private. Given the interdisciplinary nature of jobs in this field, public health workers have a nurse’s passion to serve, a scientist’s interest in investigation, a mathematician’s drive to crunch data, and the ability to motivate and accelerate change, like a community organizer.
Sound like your skills and interests? You might want to consider furthering your career with a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) online at Goodwin College. With an engaging curriculum, scheduling flexibility, competitive tuition rates, and an academic success center, you can head straight into this discipline with confidence that you’ll achieve the career results that you’re looking for.
Getting started on your MPH at Goodwin is simple. First, there are no GRE scores required for admission. So, as long as you have your bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, and have earned at least a 3.0 GPA, you are eligible to apply. You’ll also need to collect two letters of recommendation from references, whip up a resume, and write a personal statement. Get your immunizations, and your application is as good as postmarked!
Earning a Master’s in Public Health online can prepare you for satisfying and successful careers. Depending on your unique strengths and career goals, with an MPH, you can consider career paths like the following:
- Epidemiologist
- Disaster and Emergency Specialist
- Public Health Director or Educator
- Sanitarian
- Biostatistician
Many of these jobs will make you eligible to earn between $70k and $90k, on average. Biostatisticians, Epidemiologists, and Sanitarians are among that top-paying tier, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The electives that you choose will help you develop in the direction that interests you most. However, all of these career prospects start at the same core curriculum.
In your first semester, Foundations of Public Health will give you background on the field, including history, policy, the evolving workforce, and all about the 10 Essential Public Health Services. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) developed this toolkit for public health workers in 1994. Rooted in research and system management, the 10 services operate within a proven structure that keeps communities healthy, including assessment, policy development, and assurance. A true pillar for the system of public health to function, this is one essential cornerstone of your education.
A Biostatistics course offers a dive into the data sets and statistical tools that are commonly associated with public health jobs. Students apply investigative and research techniques to develop skills in statistical inference, probability theory, and bivariate analysis. Social and Behavioral Sciences is a public health staple, as it examines the various social, behavioral, psychological, cultural, and economic factors that influence health. Finally, Public Health Policy explains the theory, infrastructure and role that public health holds at various administrative levels: state, local, and federal.
Guess what? Those four courses conclude your first semester, and you would be one quarter of the way to achieving your Master’s in Public Health online. Goodwin College’s flexible MPH program is offered entirely online and divided by modules: four courses per semester, and four semesters total. This translates to 16 classes completed over 16 months full-time, at an accelerated pace. In your second semester, your course load would include: Occupational and Environmental Health, Epidemiology, Methods in Research and Practice, plus your first elective.
Kicking off your third semester, you’ll be able to choose two electives, an internship, and attend a seminar entitled Ethical Issues in Research. By semester four, you’ll select two more electives, take a second seminar (Careers in Public Health), and produce a capstone project. While courses are three credits, seminars are one credit. Your capstone in your final semester makes up for the difference, by being worth between 4 and 6 credits. All of these courses are completed online, on your time and at your convenience.
The capstone is the culminating experience for MPH students. It takes the shape of a research project that pulls upon new skills learned in the core areas of public health (e.g. biostatistics, epidemiology, social and behavioral health, environmental health, health policy, and administration), reinforcing those skills that were introduced in your first semester. Goodwin College’s online Master’s in Public Health program comes full circle for students, so that they are appropriately equipped to go out and put their knowledge to work upon graduation.
One of the best parts of the Master’s in Public Health online program, is that it is up-front with tuition fees. You’ll know exactly what the degree will cost you, and what you can expect to owe, upon beginning. Transparency is a key factor in trust, and with this program, you can feel assured that we’ve got your best interests in mind. Get in touch today at 800-889-3282 for more information, and learn how a Master’s in Public Health can help you reach your career goals!
Goodwin University is a nonprofit institution of higher education and is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), formerly known as the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). Goodwin University was founded in 1999, with the goal of serving a diverse student population with career-focused degree programs that lead to strong employment outcomes.