Master of Public Health (MPH)

Skip to content

Image

°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍøÖ±²¥â€™s Master of Public Health (MPH) program offers you the interdisciplinary public health knowledge and expertise needed to develop and lead efforts to improve health.

The MPH program offers broad exposure to social, cultural, physical, political and economic aspects of health. The curriculum provides an understanding of public health core competencies such as program planning, grant writing, health communication, education, research methods, and data analysis.

Upon graduation you'll apply these skills and a public health perspective to the professional field, or utilize them to chart a new path in the field of public health.

One Program, Two Formats

You can now choose to complete the entire program online or attend in person (with the flexibility of making the choice to attend virtually if something comes up that weekend). The Master of Public Health program offers two format options designed for working professionals - HyFlex or Fully Online.

  • If you enroll in the HyFlex option, for the two required Saturday meetings each semester, you can choose to meet with the group in-person at our downtown Grand Rapids location or attend online (synchronously). You will complete the rest of the coursework online (asynchronously). You will pay °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍøÖ±²¥'s in-state or out-of-state tuition rates depending on where you live.

  • If you enroll in the Fully Online option, you will always join your classmates and instructor online (synchronously) for the two required Saturday meetings each semester. You will complete the rest of the coursework online (asynchronously). You will pay °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍøÖ±²¥'s online tuition rate with this option.

  • Meetings take place all day Saturday. You can attend the weekend meetings in person at our Downtown Grand Rapids location or join the classes synchronously online.

Note: You must select a format (Hyflex/Grand Rapids or Fully Online) on your application to the MPH program. Your tuition rate is based on the format you choose. °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍøÖ±²¥'s online tuition rate is lower than the out-of-state rate, so the fully online option may be less costly for out-of-state students.

APPLICATION DEADLINE

For full consideration, submit your application by May 15. Applications received after May 15 will be considered if space in the student cohort is available.

APPLY TODAY   REQUIREMENTS

Course Schedule Sample

Tuition

Tuition at °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍøÖ±²¥ is set by the Board of Trustees and is due the first day of the semester.

Curriculum

The 42 credit-hour program is delivered across 28 months in a hyflex or fully online format.

Questions

Contact us for more info or to set up an appointment to discuss the program.

Our Students

Image

Alumni Spotlight

Chad Atwood °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍøÖ±²¥ MPH class of 2018 is an emergency management specialist with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and in 2023 he was chosen as one of only 40 candidates for the FEMA future leaders program. 

 

Job outlook

Where do individuals with an MPH work? What is the job outlook for MPH graduates

°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍøÖ±²¥'s MPH degree doesn't necessarily qualify you for any particular job. However, °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍøÖ±²¥'s MPH degree does guarantee that you will bring a diverse, population health perspective to any public health related career, where growth is expected to be 5 – 11% in the next 10 years, or to a health care or clinical health-oriented career. There are many job titles that fit nicely with the education you'll receive in the MPH program at °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍøÖ±²¥ which are expected to have higher than average growth rates in the next decade:

  • Epidemiologists: 19% job growth projected by 2033; 2023 median pay - $81,390 per year
  • Health services managers: 29% job growth projected by 2033; 2023 median pay - $110,680 per year
  • Health education specialists: 7% job growth projected by 2032; 2023 median pay - $62,860 per year
  • Occupational health and safety specialists: 13% job growth projected between 2032
  • Biostatisticians: 11% job growth projected between 2033; 2023 median pay - $77,580 per year.

Applying to the MPH program

For full consideration, submit your application by May 15. Applications received after May 15 will be considered if space in the student cohort is available.

°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍøÖ±²¥'s online graduate application system allows you to enter all required information into one system. Before initiating your application, review the summary of program requirements from the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍøÖ±²¥ Graduate College. You may want to bookmark this information for quick reference while working through the MPH program application process.

The MPH program provides students two format options (Hyflex or Fully online). When you apply, you will need to choose a designation at that time. If you wish to have the option of coming to the Grand Rapids campus for class, you will need to apply to the Hyflex program (i.e., the Grand Rapids regional site). If you wish to be virtual for the entirety of the program, please choose the online format designation. Please email Dr. Mark Kelley, director, (mark.kelley@wmich.edu) with any questions. 

The minimum requirements for admission to the Master of Public Health at °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍøÖ±²¥ are listed below.  

  1. Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution
  2. An official transcript from EACH institution of higher education attended since high school, even if a degree was not conferred or credits were transferred. (°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍøÖ±²¥ graduates: your °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍøÖ±²¥ transcripts will be automatically uploaded)
  3. An overall grade point average of at least 3.0 in the last two years of undergraduate work.
  4. Undergraduate courses in biology/anatomy & physiology, statistics, psychology/behavior change and communication are strongly recommended.
  5. Current resume or curriculum vitae.
  6. Three references â€“ at least one from an individual who can attest to your academic potential and one from a supervisor or other professional who can attest to your work skills. Ideally, one of the references works in a public health-related field.  
  7. personal statement that includes:
  • What sparked your interest in public health
  • Evidence that your employment, academic or volunteer background is related to public health
  • A concise statement of your career goals and how °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍøÖ±²¥â€™s generalist MPH degree will help you achieve these goals
  • Why you chose to apply for hybrid format program
  • Why you believe you will be successful in a predominantly online educational environment

Interested in Learning More?

Our team would love the opportunity to discuss and provide more details on the things going on in the MPH program. Let us know how we can connect with you!

International Applicants

Due to the MPH program’s hyflex format, °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍøÖ±²¥ is unable to issue Forms I-20 for prospective F-1 students.