Diseases, life expectancy, access to medical resources – these are all important to the health of a population. Virtually everyone on earth is impacted by public health issues, which makes the field of public health an incredibly powerful one. Public health professionals make a difference in helping to create safe and healthy communities for people from all different backgrounds. They have the important responsibility of protecting and improving the lives of people, in their communities and beyond.

This impactful line of work can take many forms when it comes to the specific roles public health professionals choose. Whether it’s researching, preventing, or responding to disease outbreaks, averting injuries, or promoting overall healthy lifestyles in our communities, public health professionals need the right skills and knowledge to make a real impact in their role. That’s where a Master’s in Public Health becomes an extremely valuable asset.

There are many public health graduate programs to choose from for those seeking to advance their skills and careers. If you are interested in pursuing your Master’s in Public Health, here are a few important factors to consider when researching and comparing graduate programs in this area of study.

1. The Curriculum

The curriculum should be a top factor to consider as you research different graduate programs in public health. Most importantly, does the curriculum align with your career goals? Choose a career-focused program that provides the knowledge and skills that will allow you to grow within your current role or advance to a higher position. A Master’s in Public Health can help you obtain various positions in the workforce such as a Public Health Educator or Director, Disaster and Emergency Specialist, Epidemiologist, Sanitarian, or Biostatician, among many other roles. The public health graduate programs you are researching should offer courses that reflect the skillsets needed for these types of roles. Some beneficial MPH courses to consider include: Social and Behavioral Science, Public Health Policy, Methods in Research and Practice and Public Health and an Aging Society.

2. Program Flexibility

Course format and program flexibility should be on the list of things to consider as well, as college and universities offer public health graduate programs in different types of schedules and learning formats. Therefore, when determining if a program is right for you, reflect on your own personal learning style preferences, your schedule flexibility, and timeline for completing the program. If you are looking for a flexible program, then you may want to consider a program that offers courses fully online or, at least, a hybrid of in-person and online courses.

Goodwin College’s MPH program offers courses completely online, which makes it a convenient option for professionals to pursue their graduate degree. The program is structured in accelerated 7 ½ week format courses, allowing for quicker completion of a master’s. The entire public health program can be completed in 16 months full-time, allowing professionals to advance their careers in the public health field in less than a year and a half. There are also part-time options for those juggling jobs and all of life’s other competing priorities.

3. Career Services

After completing your MPH degree, you’ll want to put it to good use—which is why you will also want to look into public health graduate programs with some type of career services support. Some schools offer lifetime career services for graduates. This can be extremely helpful as they can help with your job search, resume and cover letter writing, mock interviewing, and networking with other professionals in the public health field.

Choosing from the many public health graduate programs available is an important decision for your career. Is the curriculum career-focused? Does it offer flexibility? Does it provide long-term career support? All of these are important items to consider for your Master’s in Public Health. For more information about Goodwin’s Public Health master’s program, call 1-800-889-3282 to speak with an advisor.